After I was gifted a shiny new iPhone to replace my decent, yet older model Android, I was quickly introduced (more like indoctrinated) to the entire Apple ecosystem. Apple has gained a lifelong customer, which translates to lifelong guaranteed revenue because it’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever switch out any of the products I’ve grown to love. I’m still delighted by how the Apple TV, iPad, and MacBook collaborate to make my home and work-life flow seamlessly.
From both the customer and vendor perspectives, there are several benefits to a technology ecosystem. But as with anything, there are also drawbacks to consider.
Chris Evans comments:
Of course, lock-in can also be an issue. Vendors may not have the perfect set of product features in every area. Pricing may be a problem, with other vendors offering better value for money with some aspect of their platform. Then we have to consider how lock-in will affect future technical debt. This usually occurs when IT organisations invest heavily in specific platform features that aren’t available elsewhere, but subsequently become duplicated (sometimes in superior ways) sometime in the future.
Read more at Architecting IT Owning the Technology Ecosystem
