Why iPhone Users Are Not ‘Cool’
Since the 80’s, Apple as a brand has pushed the idea that using their products is ‘cool & individualistic’ – if you used an Apple product you were rebelling against the status quo. But does that stand true today? TMV believes not. The sad fact is that Apple has become the status quo it fought hard against in the 80’s and the early naughties. Whilst some of its products have pushed innovation boundaries including the iPod, iPhone and iPad what is cool about being dictated to?
It is ironic that Apple ran its infamous ‘1984’ television advertisement which was a clear attempt at pushing the image of being anti control. It did so by portraying anyone who did not use its products as being controlled by ‘big brother’ al la dumb, stupid whatever insult you care to use. It was a great tactic that enabled Apple to position its brand as the real individuals computer of choice. Yet the oxymoron of the 21st century is that using an iPhone or iPad is preserving the ‘status quo’ that Apple was supposedly so against.
TMV first asks what is so ‘cool’ about being controlled – which is exactly the case with all Apple products since the early 21st century. As an Apple user you are LOCKED-IN to their ecosystem. These days you cannot take the battery out of an iPod, iPhone or an Apple laptop. What is cool about that? Every other competitor product on the market allows you to carry a spare battery, which you can replace at your leisure. In terms of portability it is essential that as a businessperson or staff member you have the ability to insert a new battery – no iPhone lasts 12 hours without a charge. Not what could be termed ‘mobile’ in anyone’s book?
TMV have spoken with very senior sources involved with Foxconn’s contracting and we’ve heard that the iPhone uses the cheapest and lowest quality components inside its shell in comparison to its key competitors. As far as TMV is aware the only quality components are the Samsung screens and processors in the iPhone and iPad products. For example it costs Apple including its widely reported slave conditions labour, parts and shipping a total of just over $25 USD to make and deliver each iPhone anywhere in the world. Whereas a Samsung Galaxy 2S costs around $59 USD because it uses higher quality components according to the sources we spoke with – yet retails for half the price of the iPhone.
Is it cool to be so blatantly ripped off? Perhaps it is for those with more money than sense (pun intended) – consumerist clones who think it is cool to be the same as everybody else. TMV asks what is cool about being a controlled clone?
The key argument why the iPhone is ‘uncool’ is quite simply the fact you have one new model a year. What is a) innovative about that; and b) individualistic? If anything it just means as an iPhone user you have become a clone.
Yes iPhone users are a dime a dozen – what is so cool and individualistic about that? Having the same phone as everybody else just signifies that you’ve brought into the marketing, which pushes a fallacy. Being a ‘clone’ is most definitely not cool.
Coming full circle the brand Apple, which used to mock users of competing products as ‘clones’ has built its own business on controlling its customers and treating them as clones. The irony is actually quite scary. In 2012 using an iPhone basically signifies you have become part of the status quo. Ironically there are more than 250 million of these uncool clones who have brought into the Apple is ‘cool’ marketing garbage.
So on your next commute to work ask the first person who pulls out their iPhone what is so cool about having the same phone as the person next to them? Then ask them how does the iPhone make them creative and individualistic? It will be interesting to hear about the responses you receive…
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Posted by Jakomi Mathews
on Feb 13 2012. Filed under Digital, featured.
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yes -just people following others…You defiantly do NOT stand out from the crowd having a apple product like everyone else does…Boo
The Iphone is a great device, but I know the type of user he’s referring to. On it’s initial release it had a high price tag and only available on AT&T so it resulted in a small group being able to own it. Myself and many others considered it a very cool device for the simple fact that in had no comparable competition and not many people had it.
Fast forward to 2012 and now it has a reasonable cost, on a variety of carriers, and a large amount of people have it, but there are still people that act like it’s this exclusive device that makes them better then other people. I see this often, even recently with a friend that bought a 4S and tried bragging at the bar to some girls about it, very uncool.
Buy an Iphone for it’s outstanding quality and features, but lets drop the attitude about it.
This is really one of the most biased posts I have ever read!
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Since the 80’s, Apple as a brand has pushed the idea that using their products is ‘cool & individualistic’ – if you used an Apple product you were rebelling against the status quo. But does that stand true today? TMV believes not. The sad fact is that Apple has become the status quo it fought hard against in the 80’s and the early naughties. Whilst some of its products have pushed innovation boundaries including the iPod, iPhone and iPad what is cool about being dictated to?
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Nobody is being dictated to. Nobody is being forced to buy the product in the first place, and “if users like them, they buy them, if not, they won’t” (which is actually a SJ quote”). We live in a free world where can choose between different products on different platforms, and Apple is not “dicatating” anyone on the matter. Fact is, that people (and I mean millions of people) love the product, and buy it. The same as there are millions who buy a Samsung Galaxy SII device …
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It is ironic that Apple ran its infamous ‘1984’ television advertisement which was a clear attempt at pushing the image of being anti control. It did so by portraying anyone who did not use its products as being controlled by ‘big brother’ al la dumb, stupid whatever insult you care to use. It was a great tactic that enabled Apple to position its brand as the real individuals computer of choice. Yet the oxymoron of the 21st century is that using an iPhone or iPad is preserving the ‘status quo’ that Apple was supposedly so against.
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Back then (1984) Apple was loosing market share towards IBM clones, and the ad was used to mock the competition. Ok, there was some hatred against IBM as “an institution” within Apple, but for god’s sake that was 28 years ago. Why would you want or need to project their 1984-view-on-the business, on today’s situation? Is that necessary? Even if Apple has changed their views on certain matters, are they not allowed to do so, after 28 years ?
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TMV first asks what is so ‘cool’ about being controlled – which is exactly the case with all Apple products since the early 21st century. As an Apple user you are LOCKED-IN to their ecosystem.
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You are not. If you want to get out, you can. You’re not forced by anyone but yourself. If you buy their products, the apps, the services, then you make your own decision on doing that. If you dont like what they offer within their eco-system you’re free to a) refuse to be part of it b) get out . For millions (tens of millions of people) or at least 100.000.000 iCloud users, it seems the services are appriciated, and the app-ecosystem as well. You are insinuating that “locked in” means that one is imprisoned, which is not the case.
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These days you cannot take the battery out of an iPod, iPhone or an Apple laptop. What is cool about that?
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Frankly, so few people care about the “cool factor” when it concerns the issue of being able to take out a battery or not. You’re a loner on that one.
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Every other competitor product on the market allows you to carry a spare battery, which you can replace at your leisure. In terms of portability it is essential that as a businessperson or staff member you have the ability to insert a new battery – no iPhone lasts 12 hours without a charge. Not what could be termed ‘mobile’ in anyone’s book?
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An iPhone does not last 12 hours without a charge? Complete and utter nonsense! Furthermore, I would bet that if you do a survey among 100.000.000 iPod/iPad/iPhone users, that less than ONE percent would probably want a removable battery (and you’re one of them). People frankly do not complain about it because their device DOES last a full day (24 hours). Of course, if you’re watching Youtube for hours and hours, it will drain the battery, the same as happens on Android/Blackberry phones. But then again, how many people who own a non-IOS device have bothered to buy a spare battery? I would gues and assume, also below 1%. as most of these smartphones also easily last for 24 hours or even more….
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TMV have spoken with very senior sources involved with Foxconn’s contracting and we’ve heard that the iPhone uses the cheapest and lowest quality components inside its shell in comparison to its key competitors. As far as TMV is aware the only quality components are the Samsung screens and processors in the iPhone and iPad products.
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What are the return rates for iPhones? Even during “Antenna-gate” it was less than 1,7%. If the phone is made with cheap components, as you say, it would lead to more faulty devices, right? Fact is, that the components used (even if they could be considered of inferior quality) do not jeopardize the overall phone’s quality. Again, return rates on iOS are lower than any other smartphone and customer satisfaction is way higher than any other smartphone.
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For example it costs Apple including its widely reported slave conditions labour, parts and shipping a total of just over $25 USD to make and deliver each iPhone anywhere in the world. Whereas a Samsung Galaxy 2S costs around $59 USD because it uses higher quality components according to the sources we spoke with – yet retails for half the price of the iPhone.
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Why attack Apple so fiercly and without any facts, and not mention that
HTC/Blackberry/LG/Nokia also manufacter their phones in even worse conditions?
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Is it cool to be so blatantly ripped off? Perhaps it is for those with more money than sense (pun intended) – consumerist clones who think it is cool to be the same as everybody else. TMV asks what is cool about being a controlled clone?
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Hahaha … you must be kidding me. If one owns an IOS device, you are considered to be a clone? For god’s sake, really, this is probably the most biased and stupid comment I’ve ever read. If I own a Samsung Galaxy SII, does that make me a clone as well, since millions of other people also bought it?
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The key argument why the iPhone is ‘uncool’ is quite simply the fact you have one new model a year. What is a) innovative about that; and b) individualistic? If anything it just means as an iPhone user you have become a clone.
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Sigh. One new model a year = uncool? And you decide that? If you buy a Toyota Prius (as millions do), would that make me a clone as well? Your arguments are daft, and biased.
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Yes iPhone users are a dime a dozen – what is so cool and individualistic about that? Having the same phone as everybody else just signifies that you’ve brought into the marketing, which pushes a fallacy. Being a ‘clone’ is most definitely not cool.
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Sigh.. Do you say the same about those millions of people who buy low end Nokia phones? Or those millions who buy the Samsung Galaxy S/SII ? The fact that a large number of people buy product X , does not make them clones, you fool!
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Coming full circle the brand Apple, which used to mock users of competing products as ‘clones’ has built its own business on controlling its customers and treating them as clones. The irony is actually quite scary. In 2012 using an iPhone basically signifies you have become part of the status quo. Ironically there are more than 250 million of these uncool clones who have brought into the Apple is ‘cool’ marketing garbage.
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You are delusional, really.
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So on your next commute to work ask the first person who pulls out their iPhone what is so cool about having the same phone as the person next to them? Then ask them how does the iPhone make them creative and individualistic? It will be interesting to hear about the responses you receive…
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As long as they dont have to talk to you, you can expect a response that people love their iPhones for the way they work and the way it makes their smartphone experience a breath of fresh air. BTW: The same response you would get from people who use a Samsung smartphones …
Typically I do not respond to these type of blogposts, but you wrote something so extremely biased, with insane arguments, that I really felt urged to respond to this.
Flame me if you want, but the matter of the fact is, that you need to have yourself checked out in case you decide to write any future articles on ANY products of ANY kind.
Agree, it’s neither cool, nor individualistic by now. But I just love that device. It’s almost always not more than one meter away from me, including nights. Because it holds my music, my audio books, my contacts, my social network stuff, the Web… but yes, the fact that they want to control so many aspects (especially that I can’t sync with two computers and can’t download stuff from the Web to the phone without jailbreaking it) annoys me.
Dang my earlier post missed my typo corrections. Here it is again:
Jakomi,
So you’re sticking with your ridiculous figure if $25 in labour, parts and shipping for the iPhone from “secret” sources rather than admitting that iSuppli and many other public analytical sources put the cost of parts alone at $188.
And in terms of margins, are you really not aware that Apple gets a subsidy of $400 on their iPhones from the carriers compared to only $200 for Android phones?
Plenty of margin for Apple there methinks.
I’m sorry but your entire argument just falls in a heap over that one.
And are you serious that anyone is going to prefer playing musical chairs with their batteries rather than just charging a battery pack off a spare USB port while still using their mobile device? I’ve done many long airline flights and I know which option is going to charge my iPhone faster and go further.
Dear Mel,
An yes since 1984 up until around 2008 Apple were advertising themselves as ‘cool’ I suggest you learn some history…a quick suggest is check out the ‘I’m a Mac and I’m a PC’ series of advertisements both print and TV.
Actually business people who are out of the office for a day do need a spare battery…no matter what smart-phone they use…just because you don’t have such a busy job does not mean others do not. Its pretty easy to set up your battery charge cycle first you charge one battery fully and then you take it out and replace with the uncharged battery – walla you have your spare battery – but then again I suppose that is too easy for an iPhone fanboi ludite to comprehend? The fact is – it is lighter to carry around a spare battery than the lame suggestions you make and when your walking or commuting to each meeting throughout a day of non-stop meetings every gram less makes a big difference.
Just for your your knowledge the Samsung Galaxy S2 is way way thinner than an iPhone (not that I really care but since your brought it up) – and that is a FACT. For everyones knowledge I posses an iPhone, a blackberry and a Samsung Galaxy S2 – I’ve tried all and yes the Samsung is my preference, but at least I’ve taken the time to use all and can therefore provide a less bias opinion than those who have not tried all of them.
Also in terms of laptops I suggest you try some of the ultra books out their – better specs, as slim or slimmer than the Macbook Air and surprise surprise you can replace your own battery…
Doesn’t sound like you used a protective cover on your other phones prior to your iPhone? I wonder what happens to your iPhone when you drop it on the floor without a protective case? … it smashes everywhere and just to rub salt in the wound both the iPhone’s back and front are glass (well from the iPhone onwards models) so even with a protective case the glass in the back still cracks when it is dropped – how dumb is that!!!
It appears you have not thought the user case through very well at all…
As stated the $25 figure came from sources who are and were very closely involved in the contracting of Apple and Samsung products…obviously they asked that their identity not be mentioned as they do not want to potentially lose their jobs – If a source requests that their name be withheld journalistic integrity demands that it is. Here at TMV we generally get our information direct from the source.
If the $188 figure you used was correct it would not be a viable product in terms of wholesale and retail products as it is a general standard that electronic goods are retailed at a minimum of 700% of what they cost to produce.
The average CD album retails at 1300% of what it costs to manufactures and produce the record when logged against 1 million sales (a platinum album in the US), remembering the label will only receive a PPD of around 70% of that 1300% retail price.
On a final note this post was more than anything an observation of the contradictions of the iPhone and those that use one. I find it rather hilarious that you’ve taken so much offence (along with the others who have commented on here) – but in doing so all you’ve done is reinforce everything that was stated about iPhone users within the post.
Enjoy you ignorant bliss…
“… have the highest satisfaction levels of any consumer items in history.”
oh please fan boi spare us.
Basically apple charges ‘allot’ for products that yes most of the time ‘just work’ but then again if you pay ‘allot’ for ANYTHING it probably will ‘just work’
What is ironic is that Apple did pitch it’s products at the ‘cool’ level for a while… but now they don’t. Probably because they realise that most of their users are not able to make a conscious decision about the value for money in the product they are buying. Their customers are groupies or the technological inept.
Apple had one innovation… the ipod… they just put different things inside the same shape and did what they do very well, sorry not innovation as their products have trailed the competition for a long time in features. They do marketing to the masses very well, they sell stuff to people that don’t want to or cant think or don’t care about value for money.
>>> Whereas a Samsung Galaxy 2S costs around $59 USD because it uses higher quality components… yet retails for half the price of the iPhone.
Half the price is still three or four times as much as it costs them to make it. And how much more of that price goes to workers?
I’m guessing that because this is an ‘opinion’ fluff piece there are not data to support any of this.
Honestly, if you really want to fight the good fight on this, you can start by going after the company that made the shoes and pants you are wearing. Take it from there.
@Jakomi
…The inside of my iPhone, or any other phone for that matter, is virtually irrelevant to me. I’m quite happy that it rings and text’s people, does email has Facebook, some nice games and is free of malware. The inside of a phone certainly has no bearing on whether or not someone is “uncool”…
I have heard its now actually uncool to talk about wether you think the iPhone is uncool.
This is the most rediculous anti iPhone post I have ever read. Nothing in this contains any fact:
- Nobody I know ever carries spare batteries about.
- A locked in eco-system although restrictive is securer, safer and maintains reliablity. Jailbreaking is easy and opens it up if you want.
- My iPhone easily lasts 24hrs.
- As Mel stated, the production cost is around $188 per handset.
- You seem to love Samsung, yet they are constantly and blatently ripping odd iphone designs.
In the end it comes down to 1 thing, why do so many people buy iPhones? Cause they work.
Phil,
Using your a phones a phone a phone argument – what then is the problem with Samsung phones being similar to an iPhone (which by the way I do not agree Samsung phones are similar to the iPhone) – just a thought
Have you ever actually pulled apart an iPhone and/or another phone and checked out the components inside…that is how you know whether the components are cheap crap or not…
“Ask them how does the iPhone make them creative and individualistic…” More accurately, ask them to show you what apps they have installed. Few iPhone homescreens are the same. It’s apps that make these devices individualistic nowadays, not specs.
And as for ‘cool’ – the reason so many have been sold (and incidentally, 250m is the figure for all iOS devices including iPod touches and iPads, not just iPhones) is more about usability than coolness. Software over hardware specs, again.
A lot of people are buying an iPhone because it’s a lot easier to use than their last smartphone.
Well it’s a d*mn good thing you have choice then isn’t it? What a bizarre rant. Since when do you judge people by their phones? iPhone user = “Uncool” – you plonker. A phones a phones a phone, who gives? Use what you like and stop judging and making stupid comments like iPhone users are uncool… It’s self-righteous, biased, baloney. Besides – it’s well understood by any rational thinking non-fanboy human, that Samsung wholesale ripped the iPhone off from packaging to the software (Kies wtf??) and the very phone itself. That is uncool too
Jakomi,
You really haven’t thought deeply about your anti-Apple stance have you?
Your tired old argument against the built-in battery for example neglects to consider how one has to charge that spare battery up in the phone or laptop itself while your device is chained to the wall socket which means the other battery is not getting charged and you are not able to carry your device around with you.
In contrast, for long trips away from a power socket, I have one of the vast number of external batty packs available for the iPhone that allows me to plug it into any USB port or wall socket to charge, it gives me 3x the battery life of a regular battery, shows a glowing charge meter and allows me to keep using my iDevice unchained to a powerpont while it charges.
The built in battery thus allows the Apple device to be far slimmer and more sturdily built – I can’t count the innumerable number of times that battery door popped open and the battery went skidding across the floor or table when I dropped my old phones and the latch holding the battery snapped off.
This built-in battery is actually a perfect example of Apple’s innovation at work against the countless competitors who foolishly follow the old flimsy battery door policy not actually thinking the use case through.
I also have no idea where you came up with the ridiculous figure of $25 in labour, parts and shipping, but iSuppli estimates that the bill of materials alone for the iPhone 4s is $188. I guess that means that Samsung is actually the one with the “cheap” parts?!
And where does this idea that Apple has pushed the idea of their products being “cool”? Apple has never said such a thing in any of their advertising. All they do in their ads is show their products actually being used to do lots of fun, useful and innovative things. Oddly enough 316 million iPhones, iPads and iPod touches have been bought by normal people attracted by this fact.
It seems you at the one so desperate to be cool and “individualistic” to the extent that you are willing to insult hundreds of millions of other people who just wanted to buy someone that has been demonstrated to “just work” and which together have the highest satisfaction levels of any consumer items in history.
Please save us your petty condescension.