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Rare Setback for Amazon
Amazon Is Taking A $170 Million Charge For Unsold Fire Phones
「It looks like Amazon’s first smartphone hasn’t been a hit.
The company announced during quarterly earnings Thursday that it would take a $170 million charge for unsold Fire Phones and other related costs. The Fire Phone is sold exclusively through AT&T in the US……. The Fire Phone went on sale this summer, but all indicators pointed to disappointing sales. Reviews were pretty bad across the board…….」
http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-170-million-fire-phone-charge-2014-10
Bezos在2014/7發表Fire Phone。不到四個月,Amazon就為它認虧一億七千萬美金。對此有著墨的全球IT領域的分析師,關於這個產品為什麼會敗得這麼慘,都寫得膚淺至極。嫌它的外觀設計、講它的OS以及有限的app、罵它活該一開始只綁了AT&T、定價太貴、Firefly不夠準…
這些分析師,在Amazon的產品布局以及全球mobile landscape上,根本沒看到歷史縱深,難怪只能隔靴搔癢。
以下是「我的觀察啦」;謬誤難免,歡迎朋友賜正。
近20年來自己醉心研究IT領域的各家商業模式,一開始只是阿宅,後來不小心就遁入魔道。去年十一月有連續兩周,為了徹底搞清楚由這個由Foxconn代工的Fire Phone問題是否出在電話本身,我在紐約 – 首爾 – 台北三個城市,把原本的手機都收起來,整天只用它。我的結論是:
(1) 論設計、質感、規格,空機賣$650,稍貴,但不算離譜
(2) FireOS穩定度夠;UI/UX雖與iOS和Android略有差異,但不難適應
(3) 雖然app量少,但Amazon也作了相當努力。除了Amazon自家的Kindle/Prime Video/Music外,又另外安裝使用Skype, WhatsApp, FB, FB messenger, Pandora, Netflix。總之,我生活和工作上的需要基本上已都能滿足,操作的流暢度也完全沒有問題
那,它到底是怎麼死的?
一是核心亮點抓錯,二是推出時機太晚。
Bezos強打Firefly辨識文字、商品、音樂、影像的技術,說老實話,這個功能就算做得再好,依舊不屬於mobile phone的核心需求。想靠這個,在到了2014早已人手一機且新機輩出的茫茫機海裡叫大家買單?
iPhone在2007推出,第一支正式版本的Android機是2008的HTC Dream,WhatsApp在2009就已經很威了。我認為,如果Amazon在2011之前搞出一個附帶全球漫遊無限messaging方案(類似現在的ChatSim Plus)的Fire Phone,保證大賣。
大家或許會問說,為什麼Amazon應該強打這一點?!
其實,為了讓Kindle的持有人在每個國家都能上網選書買書、並且固定下載所訂閱的報紙雜誌,早在2007就推出了Whispernet,這是全球永久免漫遊費的3G access方案(但如果是下載報紙雜誌,全球漫遊必須多付每周$4.99)。此外,用Kindle查Google和Wikipedia也是免費的。Amazon已經和世界各國的電信公司敲下這樣的合約,如果順勢和世界各國電信公司合作,推出Fire Phone、在全球不必顧慮漫遊費多寡就能即時用app傳訊息的話,怎麼可能會落到現在這步田地?!
於此之上,再捆綁kindle看書聽音樂看電影及影集的方案(Prime Music拿到的授權是全球的,但目前Prime Video只在北美;但如果真想打天下,本來就該拿全天下之授權啊),可以更強化Fire Phone的吸引力。
值此hTC全面沈淪之際,回頭看看Amazon跌的這一跤,雖然不能算輕,但也沒讓老貝傷到筋動到骨。果然,家大業大的人還是有權利任性的啊!!!