Apple's Strategy - Agree?

[Nadav]

I think Apple is trying to gain a larger market share for the iPhone which is a smart move. The iPhone is a totally different device and many people today don't understand the benefits of it. This is why it is important to get as many people as possible to know the device. Apple tries to do it by an attractive price and in order to be able to sell it in that price, there are only little improvements in the new iPhone 3G.

Once Apple reaches a much larger market share, they'll introduce the next iPhone, which will probably be more expensive and much more improved than the current one. People will want to buy it since they'll already be familiar with the benefits of the device.

What I don't understand is Apple's international marketing strategy for the iPhone. It seems like they just signed contracts with major cellular companies and let them release the iPhone to their worldwide markets. That leaves some countries with no iPhone, even though they have a higher demand for the iPhone than those which will release the iPhone. For example, wouldn't it be possible to sell more iPhones in Russia, China or Israel than in the developing countries of Africa?

I agree with you 100%. I don't understand how Apple didn't give China, Israel, or Russia the iPhone. I know for a fact that many Israeli's would love to have an iPhone, without having to unlock it, and were very shocked when Apple announced it will have the iPhone in 70 countries, and Israel wasn't one of them. Hopefully they'll add more countries as the year progresses.

 

[Digital Skunk]

All of these low rate phones with tacky interfaces have all the features and the beautiful easy to use phone is lacking.

This is the part that people seem to miss. The ones with their eyes open know this simple fact, and those with their eyes closed will continue to .... do what they do I guess.

Either way, there are a lot of Mac users wanting to get an iPhone, but for one reason or another we can't, and usually that reason is an easy fix. Just waiting on Apple...

p.s. What is "QTF" ?

 

[yyy]

I know for a fact that many Israeli's would love to have an iPhone, without having to unlock it, and were very shocked when Apple announced it will have the iPhone in 70 countries, and Israel wasn't one of them.

They've even created a group just for the purpose of bringing the iPhone to Israel and now it has over 1000 members. Apple should have checked the level of demand in each country and make sure these with the highest level would also get the iPhone, even if major cellular companies don't operate there.

 

[Digital Skunk]

even if major cellular companies don't operate there.

What would be the point if there's no major cell company? Apple still needs to make money, and selling iPhones with no service isn't their cup of tea.

p.s. The countries in Africa that Apple is putting the iPhone aren't developing.

 

[samiwas]

Originally Posted by newyorksole
All of these low rate phones with tacky interfaces have all the features and the beautiful easy to use phone is lacking.

Originally Posted by Digital Skunk
This is the part that people seem to miss. The ones with their eyes open know this simple fact, and those with their eyes closed will continue to .... do what they do I guess.

There is another side to the story besides "many more features".

Not everyone cares about all those features. I, for one, am not sending 6,000 texts a month (i really have no need to communicate with anyone that much), so I don't care about having a QWERTY keyboard. I would most likely never watch live TV on my phone, so I don't care about that feature. I don't care if my camera has a 5MP camera because really...cell phone shots are usually quick caps of, for example, friends at the bar or something. I don't need 5mp for that. When I want to take real pictures, I will use a real camera. Front-facing camera for video conferencing...uhhh, never. Room for my 7.6 petabytes of music...whatever.

Most of the other things I wouldn't mind seeing, but don't actually affect my life in the ways they seem to for others, are pretty much all software upgrades. I don't really care about MMS, but hey cool addition if it happens. Some better calendar functions would be cool. Bluetooth thing doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Anyway, to my point. For some people, the iPhone does what they want, and in a way that they like. All these other phones with all the better features I personally don't care about. It seems that every 3 days there is a new phone on the verizon commercials, and the last amazing phone is a distant memory. I like having a phone that has a little bit of a feeling of longevity to it, while working in a way that I like.

That's not a fanboy attitude...it's just simple preference. For many , many people out there, a cell phone is really just a phone with a few extra features...not the end-all-be-all of their life.

 

[Digital Skunk]

.....

Agreed, and we see it that way. Some people do care about certain features. For me, it's mainly 3G, GPS, and a bill that's not over $100 for unlimited internet access due to the 3G and GPS.

For some, it's something else, maybe MMS or insurance for their phone, or Word document editing.

As for the fanboy thing, it's tossed around when a poster flames another poster for speaking bad, or against the grain things about a product. It's one thing to say the iPhone SUCKs and get flamed. It's another to say that it's missing some features that I think should have been in the phone, so I will get this other phone... then have someone post false information about the other phone and just say that the iPhone rocks and beats the other phones hands down!!!11!!

 

[samiwas]

It's another to say that it's missing some features that I think should have been in the phone, so I will get this other phone... then have someone post false information about the other phone and just say that the iPhone rocks and beats the other phones hands down!!!11!!

Ahh, yes....agreed on that one too. No piece of tech is perfect. It never will be. In no way is the iPhone perfect for everyone, so someone will ALWAYS be unhappy, but it's pretty darn good for me. If I needed MMS, tactile feedback, and a host of other things...then I would probably go for something else. But I didn't, because I liked what the iPhone had. Sometimes I don't get why people get so over-involved in defending their choice of product or slamming another. But I also don't like people who slam a good product because it doesn't have a ridiculous feature. Like the guy way back who slammed the iPhone for not having a small screen on the back side, like "all other phones do". if you want a small screen on the backside, buy a phone with a small screen on the back side!

 

[eBay]

Room for my 7.6 petabytes of music...whatever.

....wowzers

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

The iPhone is the best phone out there right now when you consider the UI, web browsing capabilities, and overall "cool" factor. I will be getting one on July 11th even if I have to upgrade again in a year.

One thought on Apple's design strategy:

I think we will be hearing the phrase "at its thinnest point" a lot more...

MBA, new iPhone, etc.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

did any of you guys ever think apple leaving the iPhone plane on purpose so people could customize the phone with the apps store. 30 % of the money apples getting why make something when you can have someone make it for you and you sell it on your website and get a paid

there things I want on my phone that the next person won't ever use

 

[chrisparr]

Does anyone else see where i am coming from? Opinions?

I didn't see anything about strategy in your post, but IMHO Apple's strategy with the iPhone has met its goals by the skin of its teeth. Only people at a high level in Apple will know, but their strategy may have even been a failure (Given the iPhone's history, I can see that being the case).

C

 

[Bernie-Mac]

It really is a shame that the iPhone only needs a couple more features to make it perfect, but sadly those features are missing. All of these low rate phones with tacky interfaces have all the features and the beautiful easy to use phone is lacking.

If they came out with a perfect phone, they would never need to update it and the buzz would die pretty soon. Look at the new 3G iPhone, it only adds 3G (something phones have had for a while) GPS (same) and other little things that are deemed necessary in a phone and it still is missing essential features like copy/paste, mms, IM, etc... yet people are flipping out about it! Next year or mid year they might have a software update with just copy/paste and an IM client and people will still whine their little hearts out why no MMS?! but will still buy it and praise it as the best phone ever. Its how Apple keeps interest going while hiding the iPhone's lack of main features other cell phones of its kind have, and for their first venture in the cell phone market Apple has a pretty damn good plan going on

 

[drchipinski]

I think it will, I just think that the competition will continue to produce far better phones with lackluster hardware. Right now the other service providers are offering phone that do more things, and do the same things that the iPhone do as well. Many features are done better with the other phones, but they all lack that glossy UI.

Even when it comes to service, the other providers do a much better job than AT&T, especially in the rollout of 3G.

Main point after saying all that, users will still want to grab that glossy UI, and as long as Apple does it differently people will flock to them. The phone would be killer on any other network, and if it were on Sprint's or Verizon's network or UNLOCKED, it would be a much easier device to own. Rather than users making great sacrifices for it.

I meant, I will not make it another round with it.

 

[drchipinski]

The iPhone is the best phone out there right now when you consider the UI, web browsing capabilities, and overall "cool" factor. I will be getting one on July 11th even if I have to upgrade again in a year.

One thought on Apple's design strategy:

I think we will be hearing the phrase "at its thinnest point" a lot more...

MBA, new iPhone, etc.

I personally am going to start using that line as well....my waist is 31" at its thinnest point....!

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

I didn't see anything about strategy in your post, but IMHO Apple's strategy with the iPhone has met its goals by the skin of its teeth. Only people at a high level in Apple will know, but their strategy may have even been a failure (Given the iPhone's history, I can see that being the case).

C

Apple sold 6 million phones in one year on what 2 networks ATT and o2 they have 28% of the US smartphone market

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...us_smartphone_market_rises_to_28_percent.html

or how about there OS is at 7% in the world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone


are you sure it meet it's goal but the skin of it's teeth

 

[BOSS10L]

This is the part that people seem to miss. The ones with their eyes open know this simple fact, and those with their eyes closed will continue to .... do what they do I guess.

Either way, there are a lot of Mac users wanting to get an iPhone, but for one reason or another we can't, and usually that reason is an easy fix. Just waiting on Apple...

p.s. What is "QTF" ?

Which is why I'm not upgrading. I'll jailbreak my current iPhone before I spend more money on essentially the same tech.

Quoted For Truth.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Which is why I'm not upgrading. I'll jailbreak my current iPhone before I spend more money on essentially the same tech.

Quoted For Truth.

Thanks, I keep forgetting what all of those things mean. Then someone starts their post: "AFAIK", or "LMOAROF" and I am all like:

WTF?

Either way, I was contemplating doing that myself, since Apple did bring the 2.0 software to the previous model. Know that not doing so would cause an uproar of epic proportions.

I am still leaning toward the 3G iPhone, and even paying to cancel the contract with Sprint. But every time I say that my fiancee laughs in my face, reminds me what my bill will be, shows me hers, then shows me the bin full of broken Treos that Sprint replaced each and every time.

 

[samab]

Apple sold 6 million phones in one year on what 2 networks ATT and o2 they have 28% of the US smartphone market

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...us_smartphone_market_rises_to_28_percent.html

or how about there OS is at 7% in the world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone


are you sure it meet it's goal but the skin of it's teeth

Based on "shipment number" in the US --- which promptly more than half of them were immediately exported overseas.

The iphone has less than 5% of the US smartphone market in the last quarter --- if you just use AT&T's activation number.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Based on "shipment number" in the US --- which promptly more than half of them were immediately exported overseas.

The iphone has less than 5% of the US smartphone market in the last quarter --- if you just use AT&T's activation number.

I would have to say that a lot of the statistics that are being put out on the web are as inaccurate as they have ever been. Not a statistician here, but when you count how many phones Apple produces and ships and correlate that to the number SOLD, or for market penetration, you are wrong.

Mac Rumors members have been saying this for years.

 

[BOSS10L]

Either way, I was contemplating doing that myself, since Apple did bring the 2.0 software to the previous model. Know that not doing so would cause an uproar of epic proportions.

I am still leaning toward the 3G iPhone, and even paying to cancel the contract with Sprint. But every time I say that my fiancee laughs in my face, reminds me what my bill will be, shows me hers, then shows me the bin full of broken Treos that Sprint replaced each and every time.

We're not going anywhere, we've been with the same carrier for over a decade, and in our area, AT&T is the best of the bunch (go figure).

In all reality, an iPod Touch would *probably* suffice for 90% of the things I use the iPhone for. Although now that I've gotten used to SMS'ing on a 'regular' keyboard, I could never use the 9-digit keypad. Then again, it isn't even that I text all that much anyway. I've used 70 MB of Edge data since February, I hardly call $20 a month for that a bargain (I do most of my surfing, ect via Wi-Fi).

I just kept hoping against hope that Steve would come around and give us MMS, A2DP, ect. It is just unconscionable to me that these features have been omitted. Hey Steve, voice dialing isn't a tech thing, it's a SAFETY thing!

Again, as always, I love my iPhone, but I'm not a starry-eyed fanboi that believes that Apple can do no wrong. If Android gets off the ground like I'm hoping it will, Apple may have a real competitor on its hands.

 

[ldkaplan]

I've had a touch phone for quite a while...it's called a Treo

Fanboy thread with little research, just opinions and pats on the back.

Moving on now.

By the way it was the HTC Touch and the Prada that came before the iPhone.

And every other phone on the market has a feature set that blows the iPhone out of the water. Much like the iPod, and ALL Apple hardware the only thing keeping them up and going is the UI, not the features.

 

[Eraserhead]

And every other phone on the market has a feature set that blows the iPhone out of the water. Much like the iPod, and ALL Apple hardware the only thing keeping them up and going is the UI, not the features.

I don't normally +1 posts but this is pretty much entirely hitting the nail on the head. At best Apple products have minor feature leads over the competition in is pretty much always the UI.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I don't normally +1 posts but this is pretty much entirely hitting the nail on the head. At best Apple products have minor feature leads over the competition in is pretty much always the UI.

If users had a choice to put the Apple UI on any other device I am sure there'd be a lot less Mac owners. Not that the machines aren't superb or better than the comp in some situations, just that there is that one device that is "IT" and you want it.... but it runs Windows/Windows Mobile/Some unknown OS made by a late entry into the OS/UI game.

What's surprising is that more and more people are coming out and saying it.