Apple Chastises TransMedia CEO At Odds With Cupertino's Ideology

Apple Worldwide Developer Relations recently sent out a lengthy email to Donald Leka, CEO of TransMedia, who in a press release for a new iPhone app asserted his opinion that "consumers really don’t care that much what platform they are on, where their files are stored, or what the file types and file formats are." The press release itself was for a Glide iPhone application, which allows users to cloud-share data between mobile devices across multiple platforms. The appropriate section reads:

“Consumers really don’t care that much what platform they are on, where their files are stored, or what the file types and file formats are,” said TransMedia Chairman and CEO, Donald Leka. “They simply want to be able to easily access and share a family photo, a letter to a friend, a favorite song or show.”

To which Apple Worldwide Developer Relations swiftly responded, via TechOpinions:

[...] We believe the best press releases for a product launch concentrate on that product. Your release is ostensibly for the launch of your iPhone app, but the copy actually references other apps on other platforms more often than it mentions the one being launched.  We think the customers, bloggers, and media who follow app launches are usually quite parochial — quite focused on specific platforms — so we counsel developers to craft press releases tailored to each individual platform. And that brings me to my final point: the tone of your release and your product positioning is at odds with not just our primary marketing messaging, but the entire reason Apple exists. To wit, you are quoted in the press release as saying “Consumers really don’t care that much what platform they are on…”  Our drive, our passion, our singular focus on creating the best products we can make is rooted in the fundamental belief that customers really do care about the products in which they invest their time, money, and energy.  We strive to make the best products we can because we believe the right product will change a customer’s life.  And customers do indeed care about things that change their lives. Our experience is that customers are interested in apps that help them get more from their iPhone, that give their cherished, chosen device exciting new functionality that fits their mobile lifestyle. I’d encourage you to recast your messaging in this positive, affirmative way.

As a consumer, how do you feel about the two opposing views? While I, for one, do "care" what mobile OS I'm using, I can entirely appreciate that iDevice users may wish to share data between mobile devices running operating systems other than iOS. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. For further news, see: Tetris Creator Lets You Lose Your Marbles While Having Fun With Marbly, Report: Apple's Two-Step Authentication Doesn't Protect iCloud Data, and Apple Increases iPad, iPod Pricing In Its Japanese Online Store.

Related articles