I think I might have even gasped when I heard him say that, but he wasn't saying it just to be provocative. What he meant was that it could be successful as a product but the problem is there were plenty of existing competitors at the high end of the market that will not be welcoming to the innovation.
Why? It threatens their competitive space. Nokia, Samsung, LG and SonyEricsson have a lot to lose. You better believe that each of them have a skunk group dedicated to preparing a response to the iPhone. And since the iPhone is a high-end, high-cost product it leaves rivals an opportunity to create a more affordable version that's almost as good.
So where's the buzz? His theory is something that makes an incredible amount of sense but is often impossible for market leaders to do because they can't fathom the idea of investing in a product that would be disruptive to their current product line.
Don't miss my podcast with Clayton Christensen
Also check out Drew Neisser's Marketing for Good's blog who covered Renee Mauborgne, author of Blue Ocean Strategy presentation and his coverage of Whirlpool's presentation on Innovation aptly called Whirlpool the Innovator?
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