WhyDoesn’tAnybodyCopyApple?Apple’sproductsaretheenvyoftheworld.Theyhavebeenspectacularlysuccessfulandarewidelyimitatedifnotcopied.TheminuteApplecrystallizesaproducteveryoneknowshowtocompete.Thisidea

　　WhyDoesn’tAnybodyCopyApple?

　　Apple’sproductsaretheenvyoftheworld.Theyhavebeenspectacularlysuccessfulandarewidelyimitatedifnotcopied.TheminuteApplecrystallizesaproducteveryoneknowshowtocompete.ThisideathatthebasisofcompetitionissetbyAppleandthentheraceisontoclimbthepathofimprovementisunquestionable.WhenApplereleasesaproductthatdefinesacategoryordramaticallychangesthestructureofanindustryitbecomesobviouswhatneedstobebuilt.ButwhatIwonderiswhyeveryonewantstocopyApple’sproductsbutnobodywantstocopybeingApple?

　　Icanthinkoftworeasons.FirstlyAppleisnotworthcopyingbecauseit’snotsuccessful;secondlyApple’ssuccesscannotbecopiedbecauseitisamagicalprocess.

　　Thereisagreatdealofevidenceforthefirsthypothesis.TheideaofApplebeingsuccessfulisnotsomethingreflectedinitsstockprice.BeingvaluedlowerthantheaveragecompanyintheS&P（标准普尔）500indicatesthattowhateverdegreeApplewassuccessfulinthepastit’snotseenbythevastmajorityofobserversassuccessfulinthefuture.WhyshouldonebothercopyingAppleifitresultsinbeingpunishedwithalowvaluation?Ifoneworksreallyhardatinnovationandthenthatinnovationbecomescommoditized（商品化）veryquicklywhyshouldonebother?

　　WheninnovationpractitionersareaskedwhatmakesApplesuccessfultheanswersregardingthecauseofthissuccessborderonthemythical.Theclimaxofthishypothesisisthe“chief-sorcerer”theoryofsuccesswhichplacesonemagicianlikeSteveJobsinchargeofcastingalltherightspells（符咒）

　　WhataboutApple’sownopinionofwhatmakesittick?TimCookreferstoagreatteamandintegrationofhardwaresoftwareandservicesasuniqueAppleadvantages.It’sabetterexplanation.Integrationissomethingthatcantakealongtimebutitispossiblewithgreateffort.Afewcompaniesarestartingtomakemovesinthatdirectionbuteffortsarehalf-hearted.Thereisno“movetheEarth”panictobecomeanintegratedcompanyfromSamsungGoogleorMicrosoft.

　　MyownsuspicionisthatAppleismoreawareofwhatmakesitspecialthanitletsout.HoweverasTimpointsoutit’snotaformula.It’scomplexit’ssubtlebutit’snotmagic.It’saprocessthatrequiresad