The Real Competitive Advantage of the Apple Ipod

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The contemporary press is flooded with articles and commentaries extolling the phenomenal success of Apple's iPod. It seems everyone has an opinion as to how design has contributed to the dominance of Apple in this lucrative, emergent market, targetedпїЅif not lusted afterпїЅby savvy high tech giants Sony, Samsung, Dell and Microsoft.

But I suspect that something more clever is afoot; that Apple's design strategy is in line with something we call "value transference." And if my suspicion is correct, the technology at the heart of the iPod will have little to do with their long-term competitiveness in the consumer electronics realm.

Each new iPod embodiment brings a fresh form, feature, function and cost based analysis: The New York Times' David Pogue offers good consumer reports on a consistent basis. Frog Design's Luke Williams suggests that the "clean" look of this product is an intentional consequence of references to the white ceramic and polished chrome tropes of the humble bathroom design experienceпїЅwe keep calling the iPod such a "clean design" expressly because it references these materials and finishes;