サムスンが、９月から販売を開始したGalaxy Gearのこれまでの販売実績が80万台強であることを発表しました。9月に発売して80万台強とということは、業界にいる方なら滑り出しはいまひとつだったと評価される方がきっと多いと思います。しかも、最初に売ったGalaxy Gearの返品率が30％を超えていたことが米国の大手家電のベストバイとサムスンの内部メモの漏洩で発覚するというおまけ付きです。
しかし、あえて異例の発表を行ったことは、おそらく韓国で、5万台しか売れていないと米アップルに関する情報を扱うブログ、アップルインサイダーが明らかにしたものを複数の韓国のメディアが報じたことが引き金になったのだと思われます。
サムスンの焦りとも感じられるのですが、もうひとつの背景に、サムスン株価の低迷があることは言わずもがなです。2013年6月に「サムスン・ショック」と呼ばれた株価の下落がありましたが、その後の2013年7～9月期は、売上高が前年同期比13％増の59兆800億ウォン、営業利益が同26％増の10兆1600億ウォンと、2四半期連続で過去最高益を更新し、サムスン絶好調といえる業績だったにもかかわらず、株価がもとに戻っていません。幹部総出で大規模IR説明会を8年ぶりに開催し、サムスンの未来戦略をアピールし、株価対策を行ったにもかかわらず、それでも市場が反応しなかったのです。
業績がいいのに、なぜ株価があがらないのかですが、市場関係者は現在がサムスンのピークだろうと思っているからでしょう。しかもすでにスマートフォンの出荷台数の対前年伸び率は低下してきています。スマートフォンもあと何年か先には先進国では普及期を終え、市場が成熟していきます。期待される途上国市場では、台湾や中国企業がひたひたとサムスンの背中を追いかけてきており、熾烈な価格競争が待ち構えているのです。
自ずとポスト・スマートフォン時代を制するのはどこかに関心が移ってきています。しかし、サムスンには、他社が切り開いた市場を、追いつき、追い越せで成功する力はあっても、新しいコンセプトを生み出し、新しい市場を切り開く能力は疑問符がつくということだと思います。半導体、液晶テレビ、スマートフォンすべてがそうでした。しかしまだ新しい市場を切り開くイノベーションを起こした実績がありません。
日本の家電の戦略を学び、それを凌駕したサムスンには、日本の家電メーカーの惨憺たる敗北の歴史を重ねあわせて見ているのだと思います。
「週刊ダイヤモンド」（ダイヤモンド社／11月16日号）が『サムスン 日本を追いつめた"二番手商法"の限界』という特集を組んでいますが、ビジネスジャーナルの記事を参照してください。
Galaxy Gearは、サムスンがはじめてアップルに先行して開発し、発売したスマートウォッチです。おそらくサムスンとしては、そういった「二番手商法」のイメージを払拭する非常に重要な役割をもった製品のはずです。しかし、それも限界を感じるのは、「ウェアラブル・コンピュータ」も、「スマートウォッチ」もすでに発想としてはもう珍しいものではありません。
それらの限界を超えるような、こんな新しい目的、生活シーンが生まれる、新しい価値をもたらすというには、Galaxy Gearは役不足のコンセプトしか打ち出せておらず、ただスマートフォンを補完して、より便利になるというものに過ぎません。それでは市場の広がりには限界があります。
サムスンも自らの弱点であるソフトウェアの開発力を高めるために企業買収を重ねてきていたり、開発体制をソフトウェアにシフトしはじめているようですが、果たして日本の家電が乗り越えられなかった限界を克服できるかどうかはまだ未知数です。
「ものづくり」とは違う企業体質、企業文化を生みだすことは決して簡単なことではありません。なぜなら「モノづくり」で出来上がった体質や文化はやがて革新的なコンセプトを否定するベクトルともなりかねません。それはサムスンだけでなく、そっくり日本の家電メーカーにもあてはまることだと思います。
「ライバルを倒すこと」をひたすら追いかける体質や文化と、「生活者にとっての夢や希望を生み出す」創造者としての体質や文化の違いやその間の溝は想像以上に深いのです。
かなり使えるタブレット9選
iPad Mini(01 of09)
Open Image ModalPound-for-pound, the iPad Mini is arguably the best tablet in the world. It\'s lighter, thinner and cheaper (£269) than the iPad 4, with access to exactly the same selection of apps. No, the screen isn\'t comparable, and the rumours of a Retina version on the horizon might give some cause to wait for a reboot. But for our money this is the best designed, most cost-effective and most useful mobile device Apple has ever made.
Sony Tablet Z(02 of09)
Open Image ModalSony\'s Tablet Z is just as beautiful as its smartphone namesake. It\'s also waterproof, dustproof, has a tremendous screen and is thinner than an iPad. If you can cope with the lack of some of iOS\'s sweeter apps, or you can\'t get enough of Sony\'s resurgent design aesthetic, it\'s among the best alternatives on the market.
Samsung Note 8.0(03 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Samsung Note 8.0 is faintly ridiculous, in that it\'s technically a phone, and can be used as such when bought in the UK, but you\'ll look absolutely ridiculous if you try that in public. On the other hand, it\'s also a quite beautiful and cost-effective device, with a sharp screen, a good processor, a nice suite of S-Pen enabled drawing and note-taking apps. Yes, it\'s more expensive than an iPad Mini - and it also suffers on battery life. But for the right customer, it\'s a good choice.
Kindle 8.9 HD(04 of09)
Open Image ModalAmazon\'s second generation Kindle Tablet, is another decent lower-cost tablet with an excellent screen and good options for media consumption, which suffers a little for not being optimised for the other things you want to do on a mobile computer - browse the web, play games and stay in touch with friends. If you just want a tablet to read Kindle books and watch LoveFilm, it\'s a good choice. But as Engadget said: \"If you\'re a more serious tablet user who wants access to the full power of the Android operating system, the decision is still simple: go with something else.\"
Google/Asus Nexus 7(05 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Nexus 7 is almost a year old, and Google is surely prepping its replacement, but at just £159 with a decent screen, lightweight hardware, good specs (1280 x 800 pixels, quad core processor) and the latest version of Android, it\'s still among the most attractive tablets on the market - iPads included. And among the true \'budget\' devices it\'s still the stand-out option.
Nexus 10(06 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Samsung-built Nexus 10 has an excellent display, runs the latest version of stock Android (which has never been better for tablets) and is less expensive than the iPad - while also being quite a bit lighter. With Google Play\'s ever improving list of tablet-enabled apps and the availability of many options for watching and consuming media, there is nothing you want to do on a tablet you can\'t do with this. That said, it suffers from a less-developed app ecosystem, and the design of the machine is far clunkier than you might hope with a thick bezel being a noticeable downside.
iPad (4th Generation)(07 of09)
Open Image ModalWith the same essential design, price and features as the original iPad, it\'s possible to think Apple is standing still on the tablet market. Then you actually use the iPad 4, and you realise they\'re doing nothing of the sort. In individual specs the iPad isn\'t anything special, but as a combination of excellent hardware with the simple and efficient iOS, added to a simply selection of mind-blowing apps and a design elegance unmatched elsewhere in the market, it\'s hard to argue that its anything other than the clear leader.
Microsoft Surface Pro(08 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Surface Pro is a hybrid between a true tablet and a convertible laptop. Without the clip-on keyboard it\'s a - fairly hefty, it has to be said - usable tablet that makes sense for watching movies, browsing and a bit of light gaming. The screen is decent and bright, and weighs just two pounds. With the heavy-duty kickstand own and keyboard (either clicky keys or the fancier, touch-enabled accessory) it\'s a good laptop which runs a full version of Windows 8. Unfortunately it\'s got weaker battery life than many other true tablets.
Asus Padfone 2(09 of09)
Open Image ModalIf you want a good smartphone and a tablet, but don\'t want to (a) sync both and (b) pay for both, the Padfone 2 might be for you. Essentially a regular, decent if unspectacular Android phone with a slim, secure tablet dock, this is a convertible wonder - for the right customer. What you\'re gaining is both the convenience of carrying only one device, and the ability to switch to a bigger screen at will. What you\'re losing is a bit of polish on either end. The Padfone 2 is nicely designed but not beautiful, and the tablet-phone mixture of Android is a bit clunky.
あなたが買うべきノートPC 9選
Apple Macbook Air 13 Inch(01 of09)
Open Image ModalA light but powerful compromise between the heavier-duty Macbook Pro, the new 13-inch Macbook Air has an incredible 12-hour battery, a new Intel Haswell chip and is just as light and portable as ever. An incredible machine.
Dell XPS 15-Inch(02 of09)
Open Image ModalA fast, competent laptop with good battery life, an HD screen and a metallic design reminiscent of Apple\'s finer moments. Cnet says \"the rock-solid design makes this feel like a premium machine\".
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13-inch(03 of09)
Open Image ModalLaptop Magazine said \"the IdeaPad Yoga is an able contortionist, blurring the line between laptop and tablet, while enabling users to explore the full capabilities of Windows 8\". We agree. With a bright touchscreen, an 180-degree rotating display and an all-important sturdy hinge, it\'s a decent bridge between tablet and laptop.
ASUS Zenbook UX31(04 of09)
Open Image ModalYes, it looks a bit like the Macbook Air. But the Asus Zenbook is cheaper, has six hours of battery life, runs Windows 8 and a higher-resolution display. Engadget says: \"it\'s as stunning in person as it is in the press shots. It\'s fast -- faster than the Air, arguably -- and its battery life is comparable\".
HP Envy 14 Spectre(05 of09)
Open Image ModalIt\'s over a year old, but the Spectre UltraBook still holds its own, and is good value for the specs. SlashGear said: \"if you like the looks of the Envy 14 Spectre, want a laptop that’s compact, flexible and has one of the best screens out there… spend your money, and you shall not be disappointed.\"
Google Chromebook Pixel(06 of09)
Open Image ModalGoogle\'s ChromeBook Pixel has the best screen we\'ve ever seen on a laptop - and features stunning hardware design. Unfortunately in running Chrome OS it\'s severely limited in what it can actually do - this is a machine that needs to be online to get much done, and doesn\'t run the games or apps that you might expect. For the right kind of user, however, it\'s a wonderful machime.
Sony Vaio Pro(07 of09)
Open Image ModalSony\'s Vaio Pro line-up has all the basic high-quality features you want: they\'re light and thin, with decent battery life and excellent displays. They also have Sony\'s trademark black-ninja design and a few decent extras. They\'re not perfect - The Verge notes they tend to feel a bit \"flexible\" in the middle - but they\'re an excellent pro laptop range.
Apple Macbook Pro 15-Inch With Retina Display(08 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Macbook with Retina display is just a beautiful, capable machine in every respect. WIth its elegant OS X software, stunning looks and lightweight, portable design, it\'s an all-around classic.
Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D(09 of09)
Open Image ModalSamsung makes thin, beautiful, hard-wearing laptops, and this is no exception. At just under £1,000 you\'re getting an i5 processor, a high-res 1,600 x 900 pixels display and Windows 8, plus 128GB solid state memory.
大企業の大失敗集
Apple Maps(01 of14)
Open Image ModalApple CEO Tim Cook issued an apology Friday for the company\'s new Maps app. Cook directed users to other map apps in the Apple store or websites like Google or Nokia until Apple\'s version is fixed. (credit:Getty Images)
Bank Of America Debit Card Fee(02 of14)
Open Image ModalBank of America announced last year that it was planning to charge customers a $5 fee to use their debit cards. After an intense customer backlash, the company dropped the plan. (credit:Getty Images)
New Coke(03 of14)
Open Image ModalIn 1985 Coca-Cola decided to mess with its iconic product, according to NBCNews.com. The result: Epic failure. With customers comparing the change to trampling the American flag, the company pulled the product after just a few months. (credit:WikiMedia:)
Ford Edsel(04 of14)
Open Image ModalIn 1957, Ford launched the Edsel, a car the company billed as hot and revolutionary, according to the Washington Post. Problem: It turned out to be sort of \"blah.\" By the time the company pulled the car in 1959, it had lost about $250 million. (credit:WikiMedia:)
Window's Vista(05 of14)
Open Image ModalWhen it debuted in January, 2007, Microsoft\'s newest operating system was slammed by consumers. As a result, businesses and personal computer users were slow to adopt it, according to Spike. (credit:Getty Images)
The Arch Deluxe(06 of14)
Open Image ModalMcDonald\'s launched a luxury burger geared towards the adult set in 1996 with a $100 million advertising campaign, according to The New York Times. But the mature hamburger was ultimately a flop. (credit:Getty Images)
Apple Newton(07 of14)
Open Image ModalIn 1993, Apple launched the PDA device, a precursor to the palm pilot, according to DailyFinance, but it turned out to be a bust, thanks to its high price and bulkiness. The company pulled the Newton in 1998. (credit:Wikimedia)
Sony Betamax(08 of14)
Open Image ModalSony poured 20 years of research into its Betamax videocassette recorder, but was ultimately beat out by the competition, according to the Los Angeles Times. Matsushita developed the VHS system, which became more popular among companies making the devices -- and companies making films -- rendering the Betamax obsolete. (credit:WikiMedia:)
Qwickster(09 of14)
Open Image ModalIn September of last year, Neflix announced that it would be separating its online streaming service from its DVD service and calling the DVD branch \"Qwickster.\" The proposal turned out to be such an epic fail that the company scrapped the experiment last November before it even launched. (credit:Getty Images)
Clairol's "Touch Of Yogurt" Shampoo(10 of14)
Open Image ModalWhen Clairol came out with its yogurt-based shampoo in 1979, they thought it would be a success, thanks to widespread interest in the test marketing phase. But it turned out to be a flop; customers apparently don\'t want to put food in their hair. (credit:WikiMedia:)
BlackBerry Playbook(11 of14)
Open Image ModalBlackBerry launched its Playbook without apps for email, contacts or any of the other things people use tablets for. The result: The company slashed prices on the device as the holidays approached. (credit:Getty Images)
HD DVD(12 of14)
Open Image ModalToshiba\'s HD DVD experiment ended up being trounced by Sony\'s Blu-Ray player as studios and customers opted for the latter. (credit:Getty Images)
The Yugo(13 of14)
Open Image ModalThe car deemed by many to be one of the worst vehicles ever exported to the U.S. was met with widespread criticism when it landed on American shores in 1986. Available for just $3,990, the car did terribly in crash tests, according to CBS News. (credit:Getty Images)
Nike Black And Tan Sneakers(14 of14)
Open Image ModalNike launched a sneaker (not pictured) in the lead up to St. Patrick\'s Day that offended some Irish people. The shoe called \"Black and Tan\" shares its name with a British paramilitary unit that attacked Irish civilians in the 1920s. (credit:Getty Images)