If Apple sucks so much, how are they so successful?

[thermal]

I'm a bit perplexed; Apple's products are universally ridiculed, yet they just posted a 7 billion dollar quarterly profit.

If their products are the equivalent of an 80's Yugo, how are they making so much money?

 

[mikedt]

I'm a bit perplexed; Apple's products are universally ridiculed,

Says whom or is this just your personal opinion? Personal opinion is NOT fact.

yet they just posted a 7 billion dollar quarterly. If their products are the equivalent of an 80's Yugo,

Personal opinion again?

how are they making so much money

Probably because they're very successful at selling product.

 

[Xyro]

Well, they aren't universally ridiculed of course, or else they would not have made such a big profit.

It's more the case that they are a very marmite (i.e. polarising) company when it comes to people's opinions. Both their fans and the anti-apple sides of the argument are very vocal.

Also worth noting that for many the products and their capabilities are not the problem - more the controlling nature of apple, unnecessarily high pricing and some of their business practices. Apple give people a lot of ammo to use against them.

 

[Remordere]

Just like any other products that aren't really that great = Marketing and Hype. Apple knows how to market their products, thought recently that isn't the case with their current commercials.

iPhone is great for a typical smartphone. I just think that it doesn't deserve that much praise, and it is not worth it for that type of price.

 

[Knewz]

It's all a matter of opinion. I hate Apple but admit they do make a quality product, i just don't like it's conformity....or the flock of sheep that follow Jobs(opinionated).
Call me a hypocrit, I'd never buy an Apple product but i'd buy a couple hundred shares of Apple stock.

 

[Covart]

Why is Apple successful? Uniformity and simplicity of it's mobile ecosystem, an unrivaled app store, customer satisfaction and word of mouth aided by great marketing and having retail store access in many places throughout the world. I for one liked the fact that I bought all of my Apple products in the States, but could get every one of them serviced or replaced here in Cambridge, England free of charge.

Is Apple perfect? Not even close, but they are one hell of a company.

 

[jroc]

I think the topic title is an oxy moron.

 

[mikedt]

Also worth noting that for many the products and their capabilities are not the problem - more the controlling nature of apple, unnecessarily high pricing and some of their business practices. Apple give people a lot of ammo to use against them.

I'm sure some of Apple's high pricing does go back into support, rather than just lining Steve Job's pockets.

From experience I've found Apple's support to be almost second-to-none when I've needed service. Like replacing a defective DVD-drive on my Macbook Pro in 25 minutes, while I waited. Contrast that with a cheap whatever from Best Buy or something, where one is at the mercy of the 'Geek Squad', 'Tech Guys', weeks without the computer, expensive premium-rate phone support and inept clueless Indian call centres.
India Call Centers Suffer Storm of 4-Letter Words - Washington Post

I would never have an iOS device though, because of the controlling nature of Apple.

 

[dan330]

marketing...

apple is a master of marketing and selling to the masses ...


there have been many examples in history... how great marketing can make a huge difference.

 

[trackball]

Gross profit margin. With a quick search I see Apple gets 30-40%+ profit margins...That is simply the work of a magician (they do claim magic is a key component in manufacturing...right?). Any company would kill for those numbers. Whereas oil industries get ~7% and they are accused of "windfall profits" by our leaders, the general populace, and their grandmas.

 

[Vihzel]

Apple does make quality products, like their laptops and all-in-one Macs. Their laptops are pretty much ahead of everyone else in terms of design, build quality including their great screens, and form factor. I've tried to find a really good replacement but they all fall in one+ categories. Apple also has the added benefit of having Apple Stores all around the world. It's definitely a positive atmosphere with a rich user experience. Last time I was in one, there was Adele - Rolling in the Deep playing and some of the employees were really getting into it. I have yet to feel that kind of fun atmosphere anywhere else while buying electronics. I always get the impression that the employees are genuinely happy, unlike Best Buy employees.

Like others have said, Apple is fantastic at marketing their products. Apple has developed an image as being the top company when it comes to computers, including tablets. Just a few days ago, my father wanted to buy his first laptop for his new business that requires online auction and he REALLY wanted a MacBook Pro even though it's definitely more expensive and powerful than what he needs. He loved the design, simplicity, and ease of use. Eventually he bought a Sammie because he didn't want to spend $1699 on a 15".

 

[melissapugs]

^ What she said. And their phones are ID10t proof.

 

[Vihzel]

^ What she said. And their phones are ID10t proof.

Just to clarify... I'm a guy. lol Does my avatar really throw people off that much?

Back on topic: I forgot to include the customer support. Apple has fantastic customer support when it comes to repairs and such. I had a MacBook Pro sent and returned within 4 days (gave to employee on a Friday and received it back Tuesday). It wasn't a major repair (replacement trackpad) but still... that's incredibly fast. Apple always does express shipping so you're not just waiting for it to ship there and back. I tried to get s repair done with Samsung and they gave me a grounds shipping label and it took 2 weeks total. Huge difference. An added benefit is that you can have the computer shipped back to the local Apple Store where you sent it and have it inspected right there to see if the problem is resolved. Basically, Apple beats everyone else in terms of warranty-covered service.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

It's a combination of the marketing and the lack of education of available products that exist. Costco no longer sells any Apple products, and yet we get asked several times a day if we sell the iPhone.

Mostly it's people who just want a smartphone with apps. They just don't know any better. Same with the iPad. They dont' call them "tablets", it's because they're the first to very publicly announce their products to the masses. They may not be the first with said devices, but they're the first marketing machine that can get international recognition.

That being said, Android is getting out there. More and more are making the switch. Know why? Marketing. You can thank Verizon for that. People don't normally ask for Android phones, they ask for Droids. If you ask the average person what Android phone they have, they'll say a Droid.

 

[Remordere]

To me Apple is like Twilight, like Android is Harry Potter.

 

[A.Nonymous]

IMO, the company is flat out evil, but the products are quality products. Add in the fact that they sell products at very high profit margins because they've convinced people that they're getting a "premium" product and you have their recipe for success.

 

[zuben el genub]

Apple does make a decent product - but they anticipated the "super stores" in marketing. You can go from the cradle to the grave with Costco, Walmart, and need nothing else except maybe a realtor and car salesman. You don't have to think or comparison shop.
I'm starting to wonder if people even do think about anything anymore.

 

[lunatic59]

To me Apple is like Twilight, like Android is Harry Potter.

No no no ... Apple is like the Romulan Empire where everyone has the same haircut. Android is like the Borg.

 

[jroc]

Cant Apple be considered like the Borg too?

 

[am78]

When you buy Apple.... you are really just buying the name... because at one point Apple was IT when it came to the mp3 player... computer... phone... but this was really just the jump off point for another company... like Android to come along and outshine their product. But there are people out there that wont do the research to put their money on what might be the better product for them so they go for the name. We can only hope that as time goes on there will be more and more users that decide to try something new different more exciting... being Android...

 

[dan330]

great pair of jeans...
with a huge name brand on it "XX"........... for $175
same pair with my name on it "Dan330".... for $35

marketing....

I can only sell 10 pairs to my family members. they feel cheated... and wish they had XX

XX sells millions...they feel they got a great product and show it off.

 

[persim]

I always hear the argument that Apple's quality and CS is second to none but is it really?

While I fully admit I am not a fan of Apple, I do know a few people with Apple products and they seem to have more problems than I have ever had.

Friends and family with broken ipods, iphones, macbooks, time capsules and apple tv. I also listen to all the story's about how it is a PIA to get them replaced or fixed.

I have never even come close to having these problems with the devices I buy or build and I do not always get top end hardware. Certainly I have had problems over the years but not even close to the rate that apple products seem to fail.

Seems to me apple's quality is as good as any other manufacturer that has most of their products built in China.

Apple does appear to make easy to use products that appeal to a lot of people. But to me the perception that they have superior items and excellent CS is just a product of their marketing.

 

[Roze]

Mostly it's people who just want a smartphone with apps. They just don't know any better.

I think the majority of mass smartphone buyers should stick with iPhones if all they want is the basics and care nothing for tweaking and customization. Android is not for everyone.

@OP, if you got 'Apple's products are universally ridiculed' just from the various Android outlets (like Phandroid and Android Forums), it is just our (biased) view on the iPhones and how boring and close it is. Most people don't feel this way about Apple. iPhones are not the best phones for people like us, that love to personalized and tweek our phones. We see a lot of short coming from Apple for their iPhones. The close environment is the biggest complaint most of us have.

And they have the best marketing to none in the world

 

[mcapozzi]

Case 1) Possible defective DVD burner in a PowerMac G5, I call at 6:00pm EST and get a human voice within 5 minutes. This person is an American and actually possesses extensive product knowledge and a great easy-going personality. This person assists me with all the basic troubleshooting steps, low and behold it was the media I bought that wasn't playing nicely with the burner.

Case 2) The screen on my iPod develops lines of varying contrast, I walk into an Apple store without an appointment, and minutes later I walk out with a brand new iPod.

Apple stuff is more expensive, but they absolutely know how to take care of their customers and they do a very good job with their software design, and integration.

Can you really say the same about Google, Dell, Best Buy, Verizon, Samsung?

 

[dan330]

if you are making 30% or more profit margin..... you can afford to give first class service. of course that just ads to more marketing hype.

product is good..
quality is good...
NOT GREAT

marketing is awesome!