Apple's real challenges for 2006 and beyond

All the focus today will be on what new products Steve does and doesn't announce at MacWorld. The rumour sites are full of guesses, but strangely devoid of thinking about strategy. But the challenges faced by Apple will not be answered by some new releases today no matter how good they are. The design and other attributes of Apple's products can make them standout, but it is not a business strategy in itself. There are some really big challenges to Apple that they must rise to. Unfortunately, past performance is not so good many of these areas. While we can look for some clues today - and perhaps some announcements, it will be actions going forward that count.

In another series of postings, let's take a look at some of the areas I see as the main challenges...