Apple is a unique company in many ways. I am not referring to its product design or the philosophy of integrating its hardware & software. Apple is perhaps the most scrutinised brand in the world – as if ‘under the microscope’ always, across all aspects of its business: from product line, design, financial performance, marketing & more. For example, a product launch from Apple gets much more media attention than any other company in the same domain. Hundreds of PC models are launched every year, but a MacBook launch will be dissected threadbare.
Exclusivity & envy
Going back in Apple history, even before the iPhone era, the company had huge media attention anchored on the Macintosh, Steve Jobs and its fortunes. The Mac vs PC era saw the first signs of flame wars between Windows (and maybe Linux) users in one camp and the Mac users in another. Those were the days when comments sections of tech portals were full of fights over which operating system is superior. Those who had negative vibes about the Mac transferred that emotion towards users and saw them as snooty. The MacBook wasn’t widely used as it is today and hence the perception of exclusive and hence, show off value got highlighted.
The launch of iPhone in 2007 was truly a game changer for smartphones. The pre-launch period (between the announcement in January and the launch in June) was unprecedented as the brand received millions of dollars worth of free PR, with practically no competition. The reception to iPhone during launch is something any brand would love to receive: the long queues outside Apple Stores and the media hype were at peak. I think that was the tipping point for Android phones to up their game from a hardware perspective. The Android ecosystem got an edge with the launch of larger screen than iPhone. Apple was forced to follow suit a few years later. I think that set the trend of ‘who was first?’ with regards to both the operating system and hardware. Android easily became the No.1 mobile operating system in the world. In a way, it was a mirroring the PC-Mac situation of a dominant & niche player.
The iPhone was mocked as the walled garden given its barring of side-loading of apps, and restricting access to personal info. In many ways, the endless possibilities in customisation of Android phones and accessibility across price points were definite plus points compared to Apple. But Apple caters to different audience compared to Android. And it’s not just about price tags. Of course, the price tag attracts the tiresome kidney jokes, not withstanding that the Android ecosystem is following a similar playbook of high-priced models – be it Samsung or OnePlus. But the loyal iPhone buyer is most likely to prefer the ease of use and the ecosystem for various reasons: a central OS update which is made available to all iOS users unlike the Android ecosystem which is dependent on the hardware brand to push the latest updates, the trust factor related to privacy, the reputation of smooth user experience and much more. Of course, if users prefer customisation, Android is a better option.
Features race: it’s pointless
A common thread while trolling Apple is to say that they simply copy everything and don’t truly innovate. That’s a bit rich given the company’s track record of products which redefined the market and spawned a huge ecosystem: Macintosh, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, AirPods and Apple Watch. Many of these (such as AirPods and Apple Watch) have gone on to ‘inspire’ clones. Today, earbuds and health-focused smartwatches are common, accessible and sought after – for which Apple was the catalyst.
As far as feature innovations go, Apple has never aimed to be the first. Remember the hurried launch of Samsung Gear with the sole aim of beating Apple to the market with a smart watch? Apple’s approach is not competition driven. To their credit they ‘democratised’ security features such as TouchID or face recognition and made it common even among competition. To its credit, Google has pioneered several innovations in the mobile software space, much ahead of Apple. The ‘Add Me’ feature in Pixel phones for example is an example of innovation. Google can also be credited with being ahead of Apple in the AI game.
But in the larger scheme of things, each ‘camp’ has its share of innovations and meeting user needs creatively. Keeping a scorecard is pointless, futile.
Mobile hardware: matured long ago
The upcoming launch of iPhone 16 triggered another round of engagement farming posts on social media with memes suggesting that it will be just like the previous version. Fact is, there isn’t much room for ‘never-seen-before’, jaw-dropping innovation in mobile hardware. Apple has realised it too – as seen in its focus on services which contributes to 28% of Apple’s revenue now and is worth nearly $25 billion.
Source: Apple results: Quarterly record, all-time high in Services
With software, Apple believes in maintaining some level of continuity over the years. So someone who is upgrading from a previous version feels familiar with the new version too. Also, it is unrealistic to expect a game-changing device every year from Apple with its phone lineup.
The bottomline: as with any other category, choose a brand that meets your needs. Someone who chooses to stay only in luxury hotels is not trolled for wasting money on ‘just a room’ which is available at half the price elsewhere. Value for money is something every buyer expects – even with a super premium purchase. If a low priced pen is good enough for someone, an expensive pen can also be good value for money for *that* buyer’s mindset. Every major brand in the mobile ecosystem – Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus or iPhone – has unique strengths and a fan base. Let people be happy with their brand choice.
