Blog 8: Diffusion Theory

    Rogers' Diffusion Theory is used for inventions and ideas. The process starts with the pioneers or the people that start the idea or invention. Then there are early adopters that test the product. Next is the early majority that gets won over by the product or idea. Then there are the late adopters that find a use for the invention or idea late. Lastly, there are the laggards that come to the idea or invention after avoiding it or not knowing about it for a long amount of time. For example, Professor Smith would be a laggard if he joined Facebook because he has avoided it for a long period of time. Then the product or idea becomes "dead" but is still in use by few, which is called the long tail. 

    The invention I researched, the iPod was a great hit pioneered by Tony Fadell. It was early adopted by Apple because they saw potential in the invention. The iPod became a huge success for Apple. Tons of people started using the iPod because it was a new and improved MP3 player. iTunes provided an abundance of music to choose from and the iPod contained a lot of storage space. The iPod itself upgraded over the years, which would restart the diffusion theory. Restarting the diffusion theory makes a business successful because it captures the attention of people over and over again. People always want what is new and upgraded.

   

    However, Apple contributed to the "death" of the iPod. They came out with the new iPhone and it had iTunes as well as other improvements like a touch screen and front-facing camera. Many people replaced their iPods with an iPhone and iPod sales declined. 

  

    This chart shows that iPod sales peaked in 2008 but then slowly declined. The iPod would never be fully replaced because there is someone out there that still owns an iPod and is passionate about it. This is similar to an example I learned in class where not everyone will believe that women have the right to vote so the long tail would never hit 0. There is always an outlier that doesn't go with the majority when it comes to the diffusion theory graph.