Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, it seems that everyone wants a bite of the Apple. Supermarket giant Tesco now sell the iconic handsets in store. Standing by their “every little helps” motto, their iPhone tariff is significantly lower than other contracts currently offered by O2 and Orange, making it easily accessible to everyone.
With the iPhone rapidly becoming an everyman product, will the infamous handset soon lose its exclusivity? Or could the device prove ever more popular?
Following hot on the heels of previous popular products, the iPhone boasts the trademark simplicity, inspired design and advanced technology that consumers have come to expect from Apple. In smartphone terms, the iPhone is all encompassing, acting as a mobile phone, iPod, business tool and social networking hub in one – complete with Mac-like functionality. Apple became the third largest mobile supplier in the world after 10 million iPhones were sold in 2008.
Powering along behind the product is Apple’s signature marketing campaign. Simplistic, minimalist, attractive and cool, Apple has managed to attain strength of brand power that many companies never achieve. I have to admit whilst visiting apple.com, even I was beginning to become a Mac fanatic!
Apple’s brand management is further accentuated by the ‘there’s an app for that’ series of television adverts. Each one is cleverly constructed to promote the App Store which boasts 90,000 applications available for download, enabling the user to do ‘just about anything’ – from learning phrases in foreign languages to teaching a child the alphabet. The beauty of this platform ensures that the product offers something for everyone, making the iPhone universal. It is easy to see why its popularity has spread like wildfire over the last 3 years.
However, with hindsight gleaned from other past trends, it is easy to become cynical. Surely the iPhone inclination will fizzle out once another manufacturer completes a more modern model?
Many people are already turning away from the iPhone epidemic in an attempt to be more unique in their handset choice. Reports have suggested that the popularity of the iPhone was previously built on the fact that it was an exclusive option and this edge will be lost now that the likes of Tesco are adding it to their superstore shelves.
And the debate also continues as to whether the iPhone is really a serious contender in the B2B market. When it comes to working on the move, occasionally perusing your email is fine, but many would argue that this device simply cannot contend with BlackBerry, the true workhorse of smartphones, for anyone needing to stay in constant communication with reliability, security and ‘true’ push email.
Smartphones becoming an everyday item, is simply a reflection of today’s society. They are no longer seen as elite and business-like, instead they are now developing into mainstream products used by younger generations as social aids. As technology moves ever forward, exclusivity of products is sure to filter out as advances become available for everybody.
It seems that a device losing its exclusivity does not necessarily mean it automatically loses its popularity. In the case of the iPhone, the wider the audience, the bigger chance it has of continuing its smartphone success.
