Different Strategies: Apple and Archos

I’ve posted a number of comparisons of the iPod touch versus other media players. Les Numeriques posted an article that contrasts Apple’s and Archos’ product strategies. I thought it'd be interesting to get Archos' point-of-view. The following is a translation of excerpts from the article.

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The iPod touch update announced by Steve Jobs last week aroused quite a few reactions – not so much because of the new features in the update but because of its cost. Apple lowered the price of the iPod touch and included the latest updates. But, at the same time, the company asked those who purchased their iPod touch before mid-January (and paid more) to pay extra for the update. Something’s not right here.

Several discussions have turned up on some "pro Mac" forums that pit the iPod touch and the Archos 605 Wi-Fi. But are these products really comparable?

Les Numeriques contacted Rémi Durand, Archos marketing rep, to ask what he thinks of the iPod touch and iPhone – these “all-in-one” devices. Rémi Durand took this opportunity to clarify Archos’ position that has, according to him, often been copied by Apple.

"Apple has understood that Archos is in the media spotlight for a long time. We are happy to compete with Touch but regarding technology and efficiency, we have nothing to be ashamed of. This is true of media players. When Jobs says that certain makes have failed to develop a good media player, he forgets to mention us. And with good reason, our product is simple to use and does exactly what it advertises. It was the first media player to create a real bridge between the television and the PC. Sometimes, we wonder who is copying whom? Our economic strategy is different. For example, we decided that the client doesn’t necessarily need all the features available on the Archos 605 Wi-Fi. Thus, the user pays for a “basic” product and when he can, he buys plug-ins. In the future, he has the option of updating his product according to his needs. Apple does the opposite. The product is expensive, even if all its functions are not required by the user. We got our knuckles slapped after we announced our strategy, but clients have finally understood the advantages. In addition, our products are less flashy. Naturally we work on the design, but our priority is above all on perfecting the technology. Apple places the threshold high for design; Archos places it high for technology."


With regards the intrinsic quality of Apple’s products, Rémi Durand considers that the touch (and iPhone) suffers from poor video. “Apple falls short with the video. It is small and not very good.” Test run by Les Numeriques’ on the Archos 605 Wi-Fi illustrate that, among other things, the Archos benefits from a better resolution screen. Clearly, Apple’s product has multiple functionalities, like images and video, but the quality leaves something to be desired. For Rémi Durand, these functionalities can be useful but cannot replace a dedicated device.

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[Les Numeriques via gmp3]