Imagine a world where Apple acquired Sonos in 2003. Would the history of music streaming have been different? No doubt.
Behind the scenes of Silicon Valley there are sometimes stories of failed acquisitions. That of Apple and Sonos is perhaps one of the most intriguing.
Recently revealed by The Informationthis story highlights a divergent vision between Tony Fadell and Steve Jobs regarding the future of connected audio. As a reminder, Tony Fadell is the co-creator of the iPod, the iPhone and the Nest.
It all started in 2003, when Sonos was preparing to launch a device equipped with a scroll wheel strangely reminiscent of that of the iPod.
For Tony Fadell, it was the perfect opportunity for Apple to acquire a promising company. “ Seriously, we’re all about music. Customers want this. I want this“, he argued to Steve Jobs. But the Apple founder had a radically different vision: “ Nobody wants what they’re selling.«
Steve Jobs’ vision versus Tony Fadell’s
This divergence of vision perfectly illustrates the different strategic approaches that could coexist within Apple. On the one hand, Tony Fadell saw Sonos as an opportunity to enrich Apple’s audio ecosystem. On the other hand, Steve Jobs, known for his strong vision, preferred to consider legal action concerning the similarity of the design of the Song Mobile with the iPod.
In hindsight, it is clear that Jobs’ prediction about Sonos’ potential was probably wrong. The company established itself as a major player in connected audio, creating a loyal customer base and developing products that even Apple ended up imitating with its HomePod.
Difficult times for Sonos
Twenty years later, Sonos is going through difficult times. The catastrophic redesign of its application caused a huge crisis of confidence among its users. This situation led to significant changes in the company’s management, including the departure of the CEO.
To go further
Sonos: singled out, the product director also leaves the ship
As Sonos attempts to turn things around, we can’t help but wonder if its story would have been different under Apple’s leadership. Could Apple’s user experience expertise have avoided Sonos’ recent pitfalls? The question remains open, but one thing is certain: this story reminds us that even visionaries like Steve Jobs can sometimes be wrong in their predictions. Copy
Source: www.frandroid.com
