# 063: Hardware Startup Tips from a 22 Year Apple Exec

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2021-02-17
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Michael Hageloh, who spent 22 years at Apple and was Managing Director of LittleBits, explains how hardware startups can apply Apple's best practices, specifically focusing on product focus, messaging, and the future of connected hardware. He details how Apple simplified its lineup to four products, managed the 'think different' campaign, and iterated from the iPod to the iPhone through tight feedback loops. Hageloh argues that startups must limit feature sets to achieve product-market fit, manage their message with extreme succinctness, and leverage modern maker spaces and incubators to innovate rapidly before being acquired by larger corporations.

## Chapters

- [0:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=48) Introduction: Michael Hageloh and his background at Apple and LittleBits
- [6:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=386) Apple's product history: From Motorola to Intel, iPod, iPhone, and the importance of human interface
- [10:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=635) The lesson of focus: Limiting feature sets and the minimum viable product (MVP)
- [14:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=874) Managing messaging: The discipline of succinctness and the 'think different' campaign
- [27:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=1672) The future of hardware: IoT, connected products, and the role of small innovators
- [34:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec#t=2092) Innovation ecosystems: Makerspaces, incubators, and the path to acquisition

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Apple (company)
- LittleBits (company)
- Indian River State College (company)
- Live from Cupertino (product)
- iPod (product)
- iPhone (product)
- iMac (product)
- Newton (product)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#066 - How to apply lean startup principles to hardware, with Ash Maurya of Leanstack, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2019-01-16-066-how-to-apply-lean-startup-principles-to-hardware-with-ash-maurya-of-leanstac) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [#025 - How to benefit for your startup from the one and only hardware accelerator of Southern California, with Shaun Arora of Make in LA, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-10-025-how-to-benefit-for-your-startup-from-the-one-and-only-hardware-accelerator-o) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Hardware Entrepreneurs: 3 Critical Mistakes You Must Avoid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-06-21-hardware-entrepreneurs-3-critical-mistakes-you-must-avoid) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Competing with Tech Giants: Approaches and Challenges with Morgan Teachworth of Cisco](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-03-02-competing-with-tech-giants-approaches-and-challenges-with-morgan-teachworth-of-c) (Over the Air)
- [Five Biggest Mistakes Hardware Startups Make with Customers with Dave Millman of BizDev Global](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of) (Predictable Designs Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.