Contrary to Belief, Apple has the most Powerful Social Network
As described in the attached article, “Does Apple Need a Social Network”, Apple has been working for years to develop a successful social networking feature. In the past, Apple has attempted to succeed in developing a social networking platform by introducing Ping, a music-focused network. Similarly, it has also created Apple Music Connect, which allows artists to communicate with their fans that are also subscribed to Apple Music Connect. However, like many other attempted social networking platforms created by Apple, Ping and Apple Music Connect failed due to failure of triadic closure. For example, the music artist was able to communicate with fans A and B, but A and B were unable to communicate with each other—causing that failure of triadic closure.
Currently, Apple is attempting to create a new social network, iSnap, which displays similar features to that of SnapChat. In iSnap, you are able to tape a quick video and overlay it with similar filters and drawings to SnapChat. However, due to Apple’s history of failing social apps, it is assumed that iSnap will instead become a pre-downloaded app on iPhones or will be integrated into the preexisting messaging app.
What the article does not acknowledge, is that the messaging app is already a successful social network unto itself. Picture that each iPhone user is a node and the edges connecting nodes are the phone contacts found in the user’s contact list. The messaging app connects nodes that already share a bridge (ie. connecting me and my best friend), but it also helps make new connections with the group message feature. The app allows person A to send a message to people B and C even if B and C don’t know each other. By allowing this group message to exist, creates edge bridges, creating the existence of a weak tie between B and C, and potentially a strong tie later on. Therefore, although this article stresses Apple’s failure to create a social networking platform, I believe apple has one of the most successful networking platforms that exist today—the ability to message anyone in your own group and be connected with anyone in another group.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/08/26/does-apple-need-a-social-network/