What is the talk of the town in September every year? Exactly, the newest version of the iPhone and its additional new features. September latest the iPhone 7 got out, the newest version of the Apple mobile device. So what’s new? Well, there seem to be two remarkable changes. One is the improved camera, which is logical since the technology is developed according the latest version. The iPhone 7 Plus got even two cameras. And the other obvious change is the disappearance of the headphone jack (Apple, 2016). Lots of people seem to have an opinion about this change, but it remains unclear why Apple chose to remove these headphone jacks.
What strikes me more is the fuss about it. How is it possible that in a time with so much choices and different possibilities, the only thing people can talk about is wireless earplugs? For Apple on the other hand, it is a prestigious marketing stunt. How can you draw so much attention with such a small change?
In my opinion the answer is built on the fact that Apple sells a service and not individual products. The customer can make a choice of a great range of different devices like a Macbook, iPad and even an Apple watch. The hardcore Apple lover owns every single device Apple sells and can connect them through iCloud (Apple, 2016). This service provided by the company will lead to loyal customers. They want to buy each and every device possible to complement their collection.
Through iCloud every device can be connected and the customer has the ability to sync them. This platform provides customers to use the device they prefer, whenever they want wherever they want. This example shows that Apple tries to be very up-to-date when it comes to the newest technology and services. This is probably the reason why the introduction of a new version of the iPhone is such a success. The crowd knows Apple will do anything to supply the best and newest products!
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Hi Evy, as I agree with you that Apple does a tremendous job selling their products, I think your conclusion needs a little more explanation. The term you are looking for is often used in platform ecosystems. It is called ‘user lock-in’. It is well known that products created by Apple (especially the iDevices) can synchronize perfectly, however it is also known the products do NOT sync well with other brands (for instance Android). By creating a lock-in, a customer would be paying high switching costs when they want to move away from the iOS platform. For instance, if a customer has a MacBook and an iPhone, the contacts from the iPhone would be synchronized through iCloud to the MacBook. If the customer opted for a new phone that is not an iDevice but an Android phone, the synchronization would be possible but it would not be as user friendly as before. Through this lock-in, Apple creates the demand which they can fulfill every September, over and over again.
Hi Evy! Removing the headphone jack has created some uproar, and rightly so. One may say that it’s a technological advancement, but it is creating a dependency on very few companies (specifically, Bluetooth headphone companies). A consumer with an iPhone 7 will likely need to by Lightning or Bluetooth headphones, meaning that Apple can further increase their profits. However, will all smartphone users become dependent on Apple for audio once they have upgraded, considering the few competitors for Bluetooth headphones in the market? And this ignores that fact that Apple already owns the number one Bluetooth company, Beats. Not only do I worry that this dependency will enable Apple to charge an even higher premium price in the long-run, but also that consumers will have no choice but to also buy Apple supplemental products (such as the headphones) due to the lack of substitutes. In my opinion, releasing the iPhone 7 has definitely helped Apple gain further market leader status.
– http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12839758/apple-is-biggest-winner-from-killing-headphone-jack