Included in Apple Canada’s hardware and software offerings are lifestyle choices.
For example, Apple is categorizing the recently announced iLife suite of applications as “”digital lifestyle applications””.
The new iLife, which starts shipping to the channel this month, features brand
new versions of iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD. According to Apple, all four applications are required for today’s “”digital lifestyle.””
With the release of iLife, Apple Canada has created an iLife channel campaign, which will also include the company’s Final Cut Express product.
Ralph Kamuf, national software sales manager for Apple Canada of Markham, Ont., said Apple will support the Mac channel by supplying its reseller base with iDVD demos that include scripts, footage, music, movies and photos. There will also be significant channel dollars for the Mac channel to do events and advertising, Kamuf said.
“”Some resellers have chosen to do events outside and others will do instore events to draw audiences in. It really is part of the plan to move the iLife packages as a suite, but more importantly it is part of the overall Mac advantage.
Currently, anyone who buys a Mac today gets the whole iLife suite as a value add to the product.
Steve Hellyer, a spokesperson for Apple Canada said the company wants customers to make choices based on their lifestyle instead of making the choices for them.
Hellyer was referring to the comparisons between Apple’s Digital Hub strategy and Microsoft’s recently released Media Center on XP. Microsoft’s Media Center allows for the TV to be the main output device, while the Digital Hub strategy is centred on Macintosh hardware, which comes complete with LCD flat panel monitor.
“”I can’t talk to Microsoft,”” Hellyer said, but added “”(Apple also) wants to hook up to various outputs and let the customer choose. We think LCD is the way to go and that is why a lot of our units have LCD flat panel monitors. There are several reasons for this such as longevity, power consumption is far less, space savings consideration, durability, heat generation is far less, and from that perspective it is the way to go.””
Mary Percat, Apple Canada’s channel strategies development manager concurred with Hellyer.
“”Different strokes for different folks. If you like to burn CDs you will need access to a computer with an LCD monitor. It is better than a TV,”” she said. But, added: “”There is room for both.””
Hellyer said that Mac hardware can be hooked up to a TV via adapter cable that goes to composite, which then goes right to Svideo.
Kamuf said the biggest differentiator between XP Media Center and iLife is the integration.
“”It starts with iTunes. iTunes is a way to manage music whether you have iPod or not. And then if you do digital photography you can integrate your music into your digital photographs. You can integrate your photos with your music. If you do m
