Well, it’s been official for nearly two days now. iPhone 3G has launched across 21 countries, and is due to launch in 49 more countries in the coming months. South Africa is among those countries, and I’m sure that everyone that’s pre-ordered the iPhone are very anticipant.
There’s something about all of this that has me wondering, though. Yes, this is mostly a speculative post, and if you have any sort of deeper attachment to your hardware, may even be offensive. Just an upfront warning.
The way in which Apple has built a complete dependence on their brands is amazing. Rarely have I seen such sheer fanaticism for a single, disposable and replaceable product. Before the iPhone 3G even went on sale, people were camping out at the stores , waiting to be first in line to get this new “technological marvel”.
Those of us outside the happy Apple bubble might have seen the iPhone for what it really is. An overpriced (you didn’t seriously believe $199, did you?), exclusive, buggy, overhyped, restricting piece of hardware that will eventually take control of your media, break when you need it most, and murder its battery before 6 months are out.
Already, people are encountering serious resistance to just activating their units - never mind taking advantage of all the “new and improved” features (redundant sales ploy, by the way).
In fact, given the cost&trouble-to-features ratio, the iPhone may very well be a massive step backwards. Oh, sure, it’s pretty, and the interface is nice, but there are other phones that do the same. 3G (even HSDPA) aren’t new technologies for phones - Samsung’s been doing it for a while. Touchscreens, GPS, music players - none of these things are new! Chat to Gmail contacts on your iPhone? Nimbuzz, anyone?!
So what is it that has tens of thousands of fans dragging themselves to iPhone outlets, camping out and risking their health for the next in line for shiny Apple devices?
I really think brands have evolved past simple brands. These days, they’re cult followings. Some people (too many, IMHO) define themselves through their brands. They even get into fights over it - Mac vs. PC, anyone?
Yes, I know the PC isn’t a brand. Don’t start with me.
To be blunt, I find it sad that people have lost sight of the fact that we’re supposed to be in charge of these gadgets - not the other way around.
And I’m aware I’ve said all of this before in some form or another. But every time I hear about instances where people put their favorite brands before themselves, I think of Exodus 20:3, and I wonder just how far the human race has fallen.
A phone is a phone. It does not give you an identity, nor a sense of purpose. To many people out there in the Great First World, the story is no doubt otherwise. People have become so afraid of challenging themselves - so afraid of stepping out - that they choose to let the louder voices dominate the herd.
Shit. I’m referring to people as cattle. I know I am, but is there honestly a better way of summing it up? Say something in the right tone of voice, and you can convince the nations of the world that milk is good for you, that weapons are the way forward, that brushing your teeth with fluoride is healthy, that personal power is an honorable and worthwhile pursuit.
Maybe I’m the only one who thinks all of this is a little backwards? It’s not as if I won’t be able to afford the iPhone when it launches (in case you think I’m being spiteful or something), and I have no problem with Apple hardware or software in general. I have a problem with the cult following, and I definitely have a problem with people that take brands too seriously.
What do you think? Am I just being oversensitive here, or is there a genuine issue when it comes to brandoverloyalty?
+1
I have been thinking this for a while now. Its JUST A PHONE. Wii/XBox 360/PS3 JUST A CONSOLE. Mac/PC. OMFG!
All I want to know is- Do you also have a problem with yourself?
Dude, I totally agree with all you have said.
Very well said. I believe that it’s the “hype” which gets to you — How many of us have heard a friend or two say “Have you tried the new version of the iTunes software”? Or “Why don’t you put your CD music on your iPod too?” (Which is generally followed by “What, you don’t own one?”).
I believe it’s the brand influence which makes this paradigm shift — People consider some brands to be associated with their personalities — “This new and sleek iPod defines my true identity — an outgoing person who has a passion for things close to my heart, such as my music collection!”.
Watching television commercials is also a contributing factor — The new ads focus on individuals to promote brands, rather than the merits of the product itself. Focus is shifting from established faces, to new ones that signify freshness and influence the youth!
@Max, @Jim Totally with you!
@Surdy Wow. You come all the way from across the internet, dude - you don’t even know me. Try getting to know me first :)
@Hasnain Good point with the advertising thing, and promoting brands instead of products. It’s almost like the new wave of consumer religions. Now there’s a thought … worshipping created gods…
what do you have against milk? it does a body good…
@Floyd Because of the inherent lactose that was designed for growing young calves, not humans. But this isn’t a post about milk, heh.
Agreed. The ridiculous competition to keep getting newer & newer and shinier & shinier phones drives me crazy. My good old ancient brick of a Nokia (http://www.mwiacek.com/gsm/gallery/3350.jpg) has served me just fine for ages :> While the iPhone’s features sound insanely tempting at first, well… honestly, most people don’t need all of these extras for a simple phone!
@Julie Absolutely! My faithful SonyEricsson k750i has been with me for over 2 years now, and it does everything I could want of a phone. I’m not going to bankrupt myself for a phone that probably won’t even live up to it’s name.
Thanks for stopping by!
Okay, yes, it’s a cult — but at least we are not involved in honor killings or polygamy. Your assessment of the new iPhone is far to harsh — every major brand has glitches on rollout. What you are seeing is a lot of brilliant innovation. Those who own the iPhone are leading the way into the next century. To doubt this phenomenon is to doubt reality.
@Todd Should you ever get to know me a little more, you’ll learn that I don’t operate from the standard perceptions of reality :)
That aside, the problem-to-solution ratio of Apple products is incredibly high, regardless of the fact that new products suffer glitches. How many other phones require in-store activation that fails to work at purchase? How many phones have broken calculators and browsers (referring to iPhone 1, lost the link sorry).
I don’t think my assessment of the iPhone was harsh enough. It’s a phone with a fancy interface, outdated capabilities, and a bad design (a battery you can’t remove? wtf?). People are hailing it as the second coming of Christ or something. That’s what has me more than a little nervous.
Thanks for stopping by, Todd :)
Nice Blog
Thanks, Omar :)
you people are haters, blaming capitalism and the technology cycle… touchscreen isnt new, but combine it with accelerometer & multitouch its quite something.
i feel in love with the iphone when it came out.. when is the last time you touched something non human- but responded to it? its quite an exploitation of the human senses if you ask me.. its innovation that makes an iphone, if it’s so terrible why did samsung and blackberry model their new models after it’s look?
ive had only a few apps crash- not bad for a first generation device from a company new in the mobile device industry. and limited? yes it’s part ipod ofcourse it respects DRM rights, but limited?? come one now- have you seen a verizon wireless phone?? an unlocked iphone is THE most unlimited device on earth.. and even with a locked iphone if you have some know how you could build an app.. try to customize anything on a verizon wireless device… can’t even use a photo for a background without buying a prefab backgroud..
and it is loyalty, but trust me if apple made shitty products people wouldnt keep buying them- i love my macbook pro it performs great & has yet to fail me.. & from that an iphone and then a apple tv to stream my media onto the tv & bose..
a proud mac “fanboy”
PS i am not totally biased yes iphone can use better organization with all these new apps maybe tabs? but how about some MMS support before that! (not big on txt fotos but still nice to have like digital tv tuners on japanese mobiles)
I doubt reality and every perception of it.
I’m one of the few people where I work that don’t have an iPhone, which means I’m one of a few people at my job that doesn’t have their nuts in AT&T’s vice. I wouldn’t mind having an iPhone, but I’m not very keen with AT&T, their spotty coverage and 600 page long bills.
your words are are prophetic “To be blunt, I find it sad that people have lost sight of the fact that we’re supposed to be in charge of these gadgets - not the other way around”
I guess with time this is bound to happen humans will be reduced to slaves and the man created machines will take over
@robo Prophetic? Lol. Maybe ;) But yes, the changeover from man being in control to machines being in control won’t be sudden, but it’s starting to happen. Slowly and surely.
there is a lot to be said about the iphone and i much prefer this type of discussion. yes apple enjoys some fanboys hyping its products but i only compare that to the new age of viral marketing how theyve successfully entrenched themselves in ppl’s minds so that all they have to do is leak some info, and bam anyone who is online has prob seen something. the more ppl that follow apple, the more press and blogs will cover it and then more ppl will follow apple.
as far as your discussion on how the actual quality of the iphone is lacking, i mostly agree. no video recording, crappy camera, quick to die non replacable battery. but lets look at this from a different angle. ipods became dominant because they were effectively the best mp3 player out there. if they werent the best player, they had the best interface and support via itunes. overall, people have had a good experience with ipods and thus when dropping down hundreds on a phone it makes sense to get an ipod (which u used to spend $300-$400 on anyway) and get a phone with it. Other company’s designs are nice, but damn their interfaces are cheesy. And after several experiences with LG phones i can tell you that I personally will never buy another lg phone as long as i live.
I think we are in charge of gadgets as we should be, and while everyone gets caught up in the hype, if the iphone sucked, people would (eventually) call it out and no one would buy it. its something that people recognize as being easy enough to use to do things they never thought they could, with a presence on their computer and at physical stores which makers like samsung and lg cant match. others must have had experiences where they take a product to a carriers store and damned if they can help you, and well calling them for help is hard if ur phone is broke.
overall i think people are loyal because its just easier. brake an iphone? go to an apple store get a new one. break an Instinct? i dont even know.
disclaimer: i do not own an iphone but am hoping to get the old model when a friend trades in for the new 3g.
Gosh, where to start? I have a new 3G and had the old iPhone too since day 1. People love Apple because they make a smart, easy, intuitive product. They have thought of everything. If you see a weakness in the iPhone, it’s nothing they haven’t thought of and are working on RIGHT NOW. The iPhone was Apples first attempt in the mobile market and already blew every phone in the market away with the first version. But then they released updates, tweaking it up. For the 3G, yeah, there were problems with activation. That’s because HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of people were activating at the same time. You’ll just have that. Battery power? I never every had an issue with the battery on my old iPhone. Never broke. Nothing. If it did, it would be covered under warranty. 3G IS an enormous drain on battery power. Yet, the 3G iPhone beats out every smart phone in AT&T’s arsenal with 5 + hours of continuous use, which is PHENOMENAL. I know I waited in line for mine for 3 hours. I had given mine away a week earlier and was tweaking for it. I can buy and sell stuff on eBay remotely. The Maps feature is a necessity for me now. Just type in where you wanna go, have it come up with every piece of info available on that place, then click directions and it gives you turn by turn directions on how to get there?!?! iPod that also plays movies and TV shows. A portable calendar so I never accidentally forget anything. A camera, which, by the way, takes pictures are not crappy. They’re pretty g-darn clear if you ask me. I had the pink RAZR before this and my hubby has a brand new RAZR version, and let me tell you… those pictures are CRAP! Which brings me to the video. Have you ever SEEN the video cameras on these other phones? They suck! I am totally in awe of you if you can even make out what those fuzzy things are on the screen! Seriously. WHEN was the last time you took a video on your phone. I guess they don’t see a video camera as necessary. I know I don’t. I don’t even really use the You Tube application on my phone. Do you have You Tube on your phone? I do use Pandora though. Pandora is an intuitive radio channel where you pick an artist or a song and they make a whole radio channel based off your pick. Since I like to listen to music in the car, I am particularly happy to know that while non iPhone users are chained to their computers to use sites like this, I can happily connect my iPhone to my car stereo and listen into the sunset. This phone is nothing short of phenomenal. People say, “it’s just a phone,” but it is SO not JUST a phone. Which is the point of all the hype, hello. It is a portable multimedia phenom that happens to have a phone. It’s genius. It can be updated through iTunes. It’s easy to use. It’s mostly NOT buggy, and if you have enough of an issue, Apple just hands you a new one. And it’s only $200. Are you kidding me? Anyone who thinks the iPhone is over hyped obviously doesn’t have one. It is revolutionary, worth the wait and every dime.
Wow…. I must say you have certainly brought issues of human existence to the table all in one blog. Nicely done, however, I am not quite sure you have the foresight to effectively elaborate on anything more than your mere opinion of “People being brand specific.” I would like to first address the IPhone issue. The phone you mention has many capabilities you have not mentioned other than the functions it shares with other phones. You also have not mentioned the effectiveness of the IPhone over any other of its predecessors. I believe before you (this is my opinion :o) start to be a bit judgemental or harsh you should be knowledgeable of the subject you are discussing.
People usually find out through others what works. I found out many years ago that popular is NOT a always bad thing. I have to admit sometimes it is not always a good thing and that other times popularity can be built merely on hype. I believe in the case of the IPhone it is both. The IPhone is a very good tool and as well has been boasted by many to be one of the best.
You mentioned many issues you believe are misconceptions. These beliefs or practices may not be right for you, however, for many they work quite well. I believe one must be open to what works for them and realize that because something is best for you, it doesn’t always work for others. For example, Milk… does the body good. Milk helps many and makes others sick, lactose intolerant. Weapons, for most you are correct, it will hurt instead of help. However, if I were up against a large predator and all I have is a large weapon to help me, I am going to be thankful for the weapon and use it and I am not for them. :o)
I have to say on the personal power comment…. What are you thinking? I mean if you are not in control of yourself, who is? If you do not have the power or knowledge to move forward in life what is your future going to be? Maybe that is why America is heading in the direction it is. We have too many that are just a prime example of people not being empowered by themselves. Does this have anything to do with the need for the IPhone? Hmmm…. that should be thought about more.
I will leave you with this because I am aware this was suppose to be a blog about IPhones but YOU brought it up. :o)
Are we the conquerers of our world, or is our world conquering us?
@Renee The unit costs $173, the contract costs two years, and you’ll end up paying a lot more than $199, I can assure you. All things aside, I wonder if you even read my post - I never said it wasn’t an unintuitive or feature-lacking phone. I said it was overhyped, overpriced, prone to break, and not worth the effort. Plus, the whole point of the post was the sheer fanaticism around Apple merchandise, which is what has me concerned more than the phone itself.
@just wondering - Brand specific? I don’t think I said that. I said people were placing way too much emphasis on brands. “Popular” has nothing to do with it - Apple has a tiny marketshare in comparison to, say, Microsoft. It’s the fanaticism that has me worried. I’ve yet to see people camp out in front of Dell stores to buy Ubuntu laptops the second they launch.
Yes, the iphone is feature rich. No, I didn’t compare it to its sole predecessor because it doesn’t matter - my post has nothing to do with the iPhone apart from being a quotable and measurable example. People have camped out for concerts, shows and Harry Potter books too - I could have picked any one of those. I also picked the iPhone because Apple is legendary at building enslaving dedication to their brands - the iMac, iPod and iTouch being three other cases in point. Other hardware might perform their functions better, but they’re not Apple, so they can’t possibly be worth anything, right?
I’ve met people who define themselves through the brands they buy. It’s pathetic. I honestly can’t see why people would do that to themselves.
And yes, I do bring all issues of human existence to the table on any given matter, and for one simple reason - everything is connected. It was that same perspective that led to my deduction that people shouldn’t be given an open, unguided shot at life. Free will isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I’m not American, so i can’t honestly say I know “where” America is going, but from what I do know, it’s going nowhere good, and fast. I’m guessing that a major part of that is the fact that most people fail to take responsibility for their actions. The USA is lawsuit capital of the world for this reason - and that’s just a symptom of a larger societal failure. The rest of it is down to human corruption, which is a global problem anyway.
And yes, I brought it up. This is my blog after all, lol. Thanks for stopping by :)
p.s. Wogan, a whole lot of “expertz via internetz poestingz” showed up to comment on this. I think you’ve started a revolution.
@Jared Everyone’s an expert - no revolution there :)