Why doesnˈt Anybody Copy Apple? Apple’s products are the envy of the world. They have been spectacularly successful and are widely imitated, if not copied. The minute Apple crystallizes a product, everyone knows how to compete. This idea that the basis of competition is set by Apple and then the race is on to climb the path of improvement is unquestionable.When Apple releases a product that defines a category or dramatically changes the structure of an industry, it becomes obvious what needs to be built.Apple releases a product that defines a category or dramatically changes the structure of an industry and it becomes obvious what needs to be built. But why everyone wants to copy Apple’s products but nobody wants to copy being Apple?
I can think of two reasons. Firstly, Apple is not worth copying because it’s not successful; secondly, Apple is successful but Apple cannot be copied because its success is a magical process.
There is a great deal of evidence for the first hypothesis. The idea of Apple being successful is not something reflected in its stock price. Being valued indeed lower than the average company in the S&P（标准普尔）500 indicates that to whatever degree Apple was successful in the past, it’s not seen by the vast majority of observers as successful in the future. Why should one bother copying Apple if it results in being punished with a low valuation? You work really hard at innovation and then that innovation becomes commoditized（商品化）very quickly. Why should one bother?
When asking innovation practitioners what makes Apple successful, the answers regarding the cause of this success border on the mythical. The climax of this hypothesis is the “chief-sorcerer” theory of success which places one magician, like Steven Jobs, in charge of casting all the right spells(符咒).
What about Apple’s own opinion of what makes it tick? Tim Cook refers to a great team and integration of hardware, software and services as unique Apple advantages. It’s a better explanation. Integration is something that can take a long time, but it is possible with great effort. A few companies are starting to make moves in that direction, but efforts are half-hearted. There is no “move the Earth” panic to become an integrated company from Samsung, Google or Microsoft.
My own suspicion is that Apple is more aware of what makes it special than it lets out. However, as Tim points out, it’s not a formula. It’s complex, it’s subtle, but it’s not magic. It’s a process that requires a degree of faith and courage.