Steve Jobs, Apple and Innovation

FastCompany has posted their most recent magazine article on "Steve Jobs, Apple and the Limits of Innovation".

The in-depth article covers Apple's legacy of innovation and explores why that model has not yet been successful in placing them on top in the competitive computer market. Howard Anderson, a venture capitalist notes "Innovation isn't the key to economic growth. Management is the key to economic growth."

The article explores Apple's early attitude to "build the perfect machine" and ignoring the importance of a value-driven business model. The iPod and iTunes are also seen as Apple's most recent innovations which are quickly becoming a key part of Apple's business. Apple needs to remain wary:

Once again, Apple has pioneered a market--created a whole new business, even--with a cool, visionary product. And once again, it has drawn copycats with the scale and financial heft to undersell and out-market it. In the end, digital music could turn out to be just one more party that Apple started, but ultimately gets tossed out of.