How Apple Destroyed The Netbook

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Apple is known for creating revolutionary devices that redefine their product categories and disrupt various markets. Take the iPhone for example, it forced us to reimagine what a smartphone was and how it could be used. But it also made devices like music players obsolete, which began the decline of the iPod. And in this video we’re going to explore a very similar situation as it pertains to the netbook.

Now before we discuss how Apple destroyed the netbook industry, we need to begin by defining what a netbook even is. And that includes understanding the state of the tech market back when netbooks were first introduced. In 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone, which was arguably the first modern smartphone consumers had ever seen, and it helped establish the beginnings of the mobile tech revolution. You see, up until that point, mobile devices weren’t very capable machines. Sure you could answer emails and do some rudimentary internet browsing with something like the Blackberry, but there were serious limitations that prevented it from delivering a desktop-class experience. iPods were also very popular, but they were designed for very specific purposes. For example, listening to music or watching tv shows and movies you bought from iTunes. And keep in mind modern tablets like the iPad hadn’t been invented yet.

So if you wanted a traditional desktop experience on the go, your only option was to lug around a notebook computer. Which weren’t as thin and light in 2007 as they are today. Many computer manufactures identified this gap in the market, and decided to bring back a product concept that had been attempted in the past, but failed virtually every time. And that product was the netbook. Netbooks were basically miniaturized notebook computers that included only the most essential features in an attempt to be as affordable, compact, and light as possible. Now as I mentioned, this history of product goes back before 2007, but had never seen much commercial success.

Special thanks to Awake Chocolate for sponsoring this video!

[gamestargs]

1GB ram is what destroyed the damn things...

[Rajamh]

in the last several weeks, not a single poll was shown to me in my mobile activity feed. Thanks YouTube...

[GuaridaEstudio]

The best netbook was, ironically, the 11 inch Macbook Air.

[mems]

Today, we call netbooks a chromebook running linux.

[oompaloompa]

If Steve Jobs was still alive he would be proud of the IPad

[QuantaSolace]

My uncle still has his and uses it from time to time. It’s still slow and clunky as it was back then. His refusal to ditch it for an iPad or even a Chromebook is impressive.

[EddieFly]

I remember when I was in middle school we had to use these. They all ran on Windows Vista in 2013 and they took forever to start up and once loaded up, the class period was almost finished. I remember specifically one time when one died right in front of me and started smoking up after running too hot during startup! (It only worked when connected to a power source. 😂) The next year I didn't see a single netbook and the year or two after we started getting Chromebooks. Those days are long gone and now I've got my own MacBook Pro in college (the one with the touch bar).

[sloppynyuszi]

Small cheap laptops are still around, just nobody bandies the term netbooks around that's all. I love my iPad, but I think the original criticism was quite warranted.

If you want a netbook today, you can still find 10" low powered cheap windows laptops easy. No one is calling them a netbook anymore.

[yaythis]

2019.. iPad finally offers mouse support

[cadenchurchill]

Amazing how the iPad and ultra-portable PCs/Macs have basically replaced these. My portable computing setup is entirely my HP Spectre X360 and an iPad Air 3 - with me mostly using my Air 3 on the go.

[joelchrono]

This channel is great, it's not about reviews or apps, just history, nice essays and interesting topics. You are a great channel, keep it up!

[doctorwhomemories]

I can’t even imagine living without my iPad. I do video editing, photo editing, watching movies and youtube videos everyday. I think it is the most innovative product Apple has ever released.

[Doublepulse]

The way the mobile workspace evolved is just insane. I remember being in highschool with those $200-400 acer netbooks which was just enough to play Runescape or GTA San Andreas and run windows movie maker.

[MikeKobela]

I always thought the 11 inch MacBook Air was also a major blow to netbooks. True, it wasn't cheap, but it offered a very light and small notebook that didn't skimp on power, nor usability. No wonder they advertised it as "what if an iPad and a MacBook hooked up" back then.

[wcliftongameplaystutorials]

there were Tablets around the time of the iPhone's release but they were big, clunky and usually came with a full sized keyboard instead of an on screen keyboard and used a resistive touch display requiring the use of stylus instead of using a capacitive touch display like on the iPhone but at least they ran the full version of Windows (or maybe even Linux) with the same CPUs as a regular Laptop since all they really did was take a laptop, change the laptop hinge so that the display can sit on the keyboard while in usage, as well as changing the display type in order to support a touch screen.

[FredOlv]

The guy from 6:27 appears at the apple conference 5:08 lol

Nice video btw, my first netbook was a HP mini 210. I loved that thing.

[kelly]

I thought iPads were stupid back in the day. Now, my iPad doesn’t leave my side. In fact, I’m watching this video on it right now!!

[TheMinecraftNerd]

I thought that the netbook market was brought down because of the fact that most of them used Intel Atom CPUs, which effectively had a time-bomb within them.

[AngelMCAnimation]

Woah just woah ..

Edit : I miss you Steve jobs

[SirLoinDeRes]

Apple products are so good that 7 years ago I ended up using my iPod Touch more than I used my lap top