Apple to take on Sony's role

Business Week have a special online section on Apple this week. It makes for interesting reading, with one columnist justifying writing about Apple week after week because Apple is essentially the only innovator in the computer business, corporate desires removing any interest from the standard Windows laptop.
Another article suggests that Apple may become the new Sony, citing the success of the iPod as the basis for this. Steve Jobs said that Apple would "innovate through the downturn", when the stock market bubble burst. They have done that well with a series of new products over the past few years, starting with iMovie and iTunes then the iPod and the focus on laptops.
What is interesting from this is not the news that Apple is a cool company, but that it is being talked about in the business press in this way. Apple are the industry innovator and it is important that they are around. Apple's focus on media content and creation is I think key, people need tools to organise and distribute the digital content that they are creating. Otherwise they will end up drowning in content, with no way to organise it. They have done a great job with music, I think that iPhoto needs some work on large collections. The .Mac programme needs some work, I'm due to renew in a while and I'm not sure that it is really worth the money, they need to provide more services that are unique and compelling. Products like TypePad are the kind of quality internet offering that Apple should be providing, the .Mac homepage stuff is so 1999.
In terms of high end video, they have done amazing things through development work on Final Cut Pro and clever acquisitions, this array of Hollywood friendly tools gives some respect in these circles.
Apparently Apple got the iTunes Music Store to have all five major labels on board as Apple has three things, Jobs as a media saavy front man. Through the iPod and clever product design they have the attention of the people who create street cred or the people who influence style choices. Lastly they have a tight business relationship with the people who create content, that gives them some flexibility.
Essentially it doesn't matter that Apple's market share is small, just so long as they continue to have enough money for research and development to keep creating compelling products. Sony created desirable consumer products, but seems to have lost its focus. It is at war with itself internally over the success of the Playstation. Apple can move in on the computer related consumer electronics end of the market, partnering as they did to create the iPod. Sony will continue to make broadcast products and news video cameras etc, but there is an opening for Apple, they have the brand and the credibility.
It is hard to be sure what they might create, but it will involve digital media in some form, but probably not digital stills or DV cameras. A phone looks unlikely, as they are too difficult and expensive to test. Collaboration on a smart phone might be a possibility, tools like iSync and good bluetooth make dealing with a phone a pleasure, it is connected to my computer giving me the same information on both devices. I still feel that the world is going to become more laptop centric so I see less of a place for the pda type device, but a cleverer location aware camera might be an idea. You take pictures of places, so it might be good to record where and when they were taken.