The iPhone is probably the only smartphone that people want to buy regardless of technical parameters. Users believe that the only “bitten apple” on the back panel is worth paying a large amount of money for the gadget. But what is the reason for such involvement in the brand?
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And really, why?
The key to the popularity of the iPhone is primarily the brand. Where can you meet a successful person without a smartphone with a “bitten apple” in your pocket? The magic of the brand is so great that buyers sometimes do not pay attention to the presence of more productive and functional gadgets at a lower price on neighboring sites.
The strength of the Apple brand is primarily the first Apple salesman Guy Kawasaki, who developed the concept of evangelism in marketing. Such strong brand involvement arose among the company’s customers that people themselves became a source of advertising because they advised to buy iPhones and other Apple devices to each of their friends.
Does the iPhone really have any technical advantage over competitors?
It is incorrect to compare the iPhone with devices in other operating systems – Apple has never played by the general rules. Store consultants often use such a tool as a comparison: they show another gadget at the same price instead of the iPhone, claiming that it has 8 cores, while the Apple smartphone has only two. In fact, an iPhone with a dual-core A8 chip can “give an edge” to almost any Android system.
For example, according to video blogger test results from the Phone Buff channel, the iPhone 6 successfully competed in terms of performance with the 8-core HTC M8 and Samsung S6. The latter has completely lost the dual-core iPhone.
Hence the moral: dry technical characteristics of Apple technology cannot be used as a selection criterion.
Apple is said to have fewer applications than Android. Doesn’t frighten buyers?
There are more free apps on Google Play (Android Store) than on the AppStore. In addition, in 2015 Google Play omitted the AppStore for the total number of mobile applications – there are about 100,000 in the Android store.
However, according to research by the research company App Annie, professional developers prefer to deal with Apple, and it is obvious why – an application hosted in the AppStore brings on average four times more profit than its equivalent on Google Play. This means that the number of applications does not indicate their quality – Apple users do not risk downloading “trash” in the store, developed by amateurs.
But is Android easier?
Dealing with the Android operating system is clearly easier than in the case of iOS, but it is difficult to attribute the benefits of the “green robot“. Yes, to cast music over the phone, Apple users will need to learn iTunes. Yes, the iPhone owner will not be able to send a funny photo to Bluetooth. But all these restrictions are just security measures: the proximity of the iOS operating system is a guarantee of protection against all types of viruses.
But what about the design?
Ergonomic and stylish design is another important advantage of the iPhone. Nothing happens here randomly. A peculiar point of reference is the 4S model, whose screen diagonal has been designed so that the average user can reach with any thumb with any corner of the screen. Over time, Apple has slightly lost its focus on consumers (which is to be hidden), but managed to maintain the reputation of the company, which is extremely sensitive to its customers.
From the point of view of materials for Apple, there are also a minimum of questions: for example, the back panel of the iPhone 4S is made of glass, reinforced with chemicals. It is practical and incredibly beautiful.
Is the iPhone really worth a fortune?
The fact that the cost of the iPhone is much higher than other gadgets – it’s just a myth. The price of an iPhone is approximately equal to the price of third-party flagship devices. For comparison: for 2016, iPhone 7 with 32 GB costs about 55,000 INR , and Samsung S7 with the same amount of memory – almost 60,000 INR.
The warning about the high cost of the iPhone is due to the fact that Apple does not produce budget models of smartphones. Their role is played by “outdated” gadgets – earlier modifications, shamelessly losing value immediately after the release of the next novelty.
Where do buyers buy iPhone?
A significant part of the iPhone in Poland is bought on credit. Sellers offer extremely attractive conditions – for example in MTS , Megaphone and Re: Store networks , the installment offer is almost always suitable, i.e. Loan without overpayment for 6, 12 or 24 months. Even if the banks do not approve an interest-free loan, the buyer usually agrees to alternative terms and does not try to calculate the overpayment at all. Too much desire to have a valued “apple” – price is a very mediocre impact on the popularity of the brand.
Users who do not want to bind themselves to credit obligations do not have to pursue the latest models. For example, the iPhone 5S in MTS and Svyaznoy salons is sold at a price lower than 20 thousand rubles – this amount is quite possible to pay in cash.
Abroad, “apple fever”?
2015 was the year Apple won the US market. The most significant was June, during which Apple sold over 44% of the total number of smartphones in America (for comparison: Samsung – only 28%). And this despite the fact that in the United States iPhones are sold only with a two-year cellular contract.
In another big market – Chinese – it’s far from being so simple. iPhones represent only 9% of total sales (in June 2016) – in addition, this share is declining year by year. It should be noted that the Chinese market is quite specific and very heterogeneous. The leaders are not iPhone and Samsung, which are known to Poles, but the exotic Oppo (23%) and Huawei (17.4%).
Is the iPhone worth buying? Or is it just fashion?
The iPhone is great value for money. The purchase of a smartphone is the same situation when “miser pays twice“. If you choose between an iPhone and an Android device cheaper, you don’t have to chase the momentary benefits. The Apple device serves faithfully for many years, while, according to reviews, the “Android operating system” after 1.5-2 years “clogs” to such an extent that the use of the gadget turns into anguish. Therefore, for the price of the iPhone, it is reasonable to compare not with one, but with several devices for Android or Windows.
