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The Tapping of Cellular Phone Software Electronic gadgets ha

游客2023-11-14  41
问题                 The Tapping of Cellular Phone Software
    Electronic gadgets have changed a great deal in the past few years. Most obviously, they have become smaller sleeker, smarter and more versatile. Billions of people now carry around tiny devices that are more powerful than the desktop computers of a few years ago. But these gadgets have also changed in a less obvious way. Once they were lumps of hardware brought to life by a layer of software; today they might be more accurately described as services in a box.
    It was ever thus with mobile phones, of course: the handset is useless without a network operator, and mobile phones are, in effect, the container in which operators sell their services. But the handset and the network service have hitherto come from different companies. Operators do not manufacture their own phones, and handset-makers are not operators.
    But now device-makers are increasingly providing the services that power their devices—or, to look at things the other way around, building devices that encapsulate services they wish to offer. Apple’s iPod started off as a piece of hardware in 2001, but it really took off in 2003 when Apple launched the iTunes Music Store, a service that makes it easy for iPod owners to download music, video and games to their devices, and which is now the leading online music retailer.
    There are several motivations for the gadget-makers’ shift into services. First, margins on hardware are generally lower than margins on services. Second, saturated markets in many parts of the world mean that hardware sales are slowing in some categories. Soon, everyone in western Europe who wants a satellite navigation will have bought one; what will the manufacturers do then? Make money from subscriptions and updates, of course. At least, that’s the plan. Finally, services provide a way to hold on to customers. If you have signed up for a service tied to a particular gadget-maker, the thinking goes, you are less likely to switch to a different manufacturer’s device in future.
    The world’s most successful gadget-makers are those that have been quickest to recognize the importance of offering accompanying services. Makers of stand-alone music-players, such as Rio, have been unable to compete with Apple; and Motorola, once the top dog in mobile phones, let RIM, once an obscure Canadian start-up, grab the mobile e-mail market.
    With elaborate branding and advertising campaigns, gadget-makers have long promoted the idea that they were selling something more than just a bundle of electronics in a snazzy case. Now, funnily enough, some of them really are. [br] According to the passage Apple launched the iTunes Music Store in 2003 to_____
选项 A、appeal to more potential customers who love music
B、meet the infinite needs of its demanding customers
C、power its devices in order to promote market shares
D、make extra profit in new area such as online music retail
答案 C
解析 推理判断题。根据题干关键词iTunes Music Store in 2003定位到原文第三段：But now device-makers are increasingly providing the services that power their devices．．．即现在设备制造商正不断通过提供更多的服务来提高其设备性能。iTunes Music Store正是苹果公司为完善其设备所提供的服务，而此举又受到欢迎，最终将促进其设备的销售，故选[C]项。[A]项“吸引喜爱音乐的潜在客户”和[B]项“满足苛刻的顾客各种要求”均非苹果公司推出iTunes Music Store的原因，也并非在新领域创造额外收入，故[D]项也错误。
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