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

[dan330]

from hero to evo... there was no other option i wanted or looked at...

but I am realistic... my next upgrade I will look at all similar spec phones... but htc does have a leg up on the rest .. for my money.

 

[lordofthereef]

Well then there you go. You go with HTC because, in your opinion, it is the better value. But, it seems, you are not closed from looking at other products that come up, right? You don't walk into a store and say "show me everything HTC because that is all that is good".

EDIT: I am not sure why I am sitting here defining the word "sheep" in consumer terms. First, it's some nonsense likely made up on forums, like this one. I am chuckling to myself as a read this back and forth.

The point that I think many are trying to bring out is that Apple's marketing has many of their users convinced that there can not be anything else good. The only thing better than your current idevice is the successor to said idevice, made by Apple, naturally.

 

[Roze]

Do you not look at any other products at all? Do you think that HTC is the be all end all product and nothing can/will ever match them? DO you claim all other Android manufacturers are just wannabe HTC companies? Do you claim your device is better in every single way possible (including specs) when you can be proven otherwise? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then I think you know the answer.

Would you be considered a sheep if you refuse a company? lol I refuse LG

 

[Bob Maxey]

The point that I think many are trying to bring out is that Apple's marketing has many of their users convinced that there can not be anything else good. The only thing better than your current idevice is the successor to said idevice, made by Apple, naturally.

Are you new? Apple is doing what every seller of trinkets and doo dads has done since the beginning. The idea that my product is better than your product is as old as typeset print. It is my goal to take your customers, hook them forever, and make it cool to use my inferior product rather than your superior product.

 

[Stuntman]

Are you new? Apple is doing what every seller of trinkets and doo dads has done since the beginning. The idea that my product is better than your product is as old as typeset print. It is my goal to take your customers, hook them forever, and make it cool to use my inferior product rather than your superior product.

Exactly. I think I remember being taught about this in my Consumer Education class in high school. There's brand loyalty where consumers will use a particular brand of product without considering others much. Every business tries to do this. Back in the 80's, the IBM brand was very strong. There was a saying back then that nobody ever got fired for buying IBM. (Times have changed though, but that's another story.) Right now, Apple has managed to build a very good brand. Partly through marketing, but also partly through building good products that many people like using.

 

[lordofthereef]

Are you new? Apple is doing what every seller of trinkets and doo dads has done since the beginning. The idea that my product is better than your product is as old as typeset print. It is my goal to take your customers, hook them forever, and make it cool to use my inferior product rather than your superior product.

But when you make lies about other products, it is immoral IMO. I used the Mac v PC ads as an example. One of those ads claimed that any peripheral plugged into a mac "just works" while doing the same for a pc simply doesn't. Still not sure what they actually based that statement on, but it's completely ludicrous.

 

[lordofthereef]

Would you be considered a sheep if you refuse a company? lol I refuse LG

Do you have a reason for it? (bad experience, etc.)

 

[Bob Maxey]

But when you make lies about other products, it is immoral IMO. I used the Mac v PC ads as an example. One of those ads claimed that any peripheral plugged into a mac "just works" while doing the same for a pc simply doesn't. Still not sure what they actually based that statement on, but it's completely ludicrous.

CD-ROM drives, video cards, sound problems, and other things plague users on the PC side as well. Or are you saying there are few if any issues with PCs?

My limited experience with Apple desktops is they work, they just work. iPad works, it just works. iPod works, it just works.

And how many things that 'just do not work' are the fault of Apple. Perhaps there are issues with the peripheral manufacturer?

If Apple makes the claim you quotes it is not a lie, it is just marketing.

Dell said: ""World's Fastest" and "World's Most Secure." Everyone says this and there can be only one. Until next week.

 

[lordofthereef]

No. I believe the example that was given was regarding drivers for a "plug and play" router of all things. The router was represented by a person speaking Japanese. Of course the Mac spoke Japanese, but the PC didn't. Then they had their cutesy "it just works" statement. I have yet to see a router that didn't work on any PC, EVER. For this reason I have issues with the implication. Who knows, maybe that is why they got rid of that part of their ad campaign.

I have a MacBook air. I still can't get my wireless brother laser printer to print without being plugged in via USB. Yes, the necessary software was installed. It's entirely possible that this isn't Apple's fault at all. My point? If bad drivers can be written from Macs, bad drivers can be written for PC. I have yet t find something that just worked on my Mac that did not on my PC.

If Dell made those statements they were lieing too. I build my PCs, so I never had a reason to buy a Dell product. I can't really comment on their quality. I assume they are pretty inexpensive (or maybe really good?) since just about every clinic I have worked had Dell terminals.

By far, the most experience I have had with an Apple product was with various models of the iPhone. They too will lock up, freeze, reboot, etc. on occasion. Does that make them bad? No, but again, I have issues with the "just works" statement. Shouldn't this product not to this if it "just works"? Look on a trouble shooting forum for Apple products. Wouldn't one think that such a forum would have almost no traffic if these products "just work"? I am not trying to rip on their hardware. It has issues, like anyone else's. When you imply that it never does, that is dishonest.

 

[Roze]

Do you have a reason for it? (bad experience, etc.)

Yup, had a feature candy bar LG phone. It burn your hands if you are on the phone for more than half an hour. I can talk for hours on the phone. So my ear would be slightly pink from the phone. My dad also has an LG phone a few years after mine and it heats up as well. My bbf had an LG Eve, battery life was atrocious and support was non existent. So my experience is telling me to stay away from LG as far as possible.

 

[lordofthereef]

Yup, had a feature candy bar LG phone. It burn your hands if you are on the phone for more than half an hour. I can talk for hours on the phone. So my ear would be slightly pink from the phone. My dad also has an LG phone a few years after mine and it heats up as well. My bbf had an LG Eve, battery life was atrocious and support was non existent. So my experience is telling me to stay away from LG as far as possible.

Then I would say those are pretty real and valid reasons, right? You don't dislike LG because they are LG. You dislike them because you had horrible experiences that you knew for a fact you wouldn't have with other manufacturers.

 

[Vihzel]

Yup, had a feature candy bar LG phone. It burn your hands if you are on the phone for more than half an hour. I can talk for hours on the phone. So my ear would be slightly pink from the phone. My dad also has an LG phone a few years after mine and it heats up as well. My bbf had an LG Eve, battery life was atrocious and support was non existent. So my experience is telling me to stay away from LG as far as possible.

Women!

 

[dan330]

men with women avatar!!

 

[Stuntman]

My limited experience with Apple desktops is they work, they just work. iPad works, it just works. iPod works, it just works.

I don't share the same experience with you. In my limited experience with Apple products they have their issues as well just like products from other manufacturers.

 

[Covart]

I don't share the same experience with you. In my limited experience with Apple products they have their issues as well just like products from other manufacturers.

Yep, Apple have their issues too. Lightbleed issues (although that is common on many LCD displays from various companies) to antennagate. That said though, I have been fortunate that all my Mac's, iPhones, Apple TV's and iPads have been hassel free (other than a bit of lightbleed on my first iPad). But it's always nice o know that if I have an issue, I can take my iDevice down to the local Apple store and get it fixed free of charge or replaced. I like that security blanket.

But, That still hasn't kept me from keeping my eye on a Galaxy S or an Android tablet, once Google gets off their arse and gets Honeycomb working properly. Until then, my jailbroken iPad is keeping me entertained. Nothing like haing an Xbox360 opening sound when I start up the iPad, followed by an Android lockscreen with a colorcoded droid based on battery charge level, followed by an HTC active wallpaper. I call it my DroidPad.

 

[lordofthereef]

I don't share the same experience with you. In my limited experience with Apple products they have their issues as well just like products from other manufacturers.

Agreed. What is undeniable IMO is the level of service. Take the product in, and unless its outside of warranty or there is evidence of foul play, it will get replaced.

 

[lordofthereef]

until then, my jailbroken ipad is keeping me entertained. Nothing like haing an xbox360 opening sound when i start up the ipad, followed by an android lockscreen with a colorcoded droid based on battery charge level, followed by an htc active wallpaper. I call it my droidpad 360. :d

ftfy

 

[zuben el genub]

Here's some funny graphs:
Illustrated: Apple's Fear of Android

 

[GeekClass]

Apple is so successful because they get it. They have a limited product line that works well together, groundbreaking designs, great marketing, amazing customer service, and competitive prices.

In addition to that, they know their market. They make tough decisions that aren't going to please everyone. They're fine with that. They didn't go after the crowd that wanted USB ports, cameras, and multitasking when they first released the iPad. They're not going after the people who want SuperDrives in their new Mac Minis.

Yes, yes, you can root your device and use themes. Your marketplace allows (or use to at least) all apps. And you have a lot of options when it comes to hardware.

Apple doesn't care about that.

Most of its customers don't care about that.

They both care about simplicity though.

It's also hard for some people to accept that their money simply isn't wanted by a company, but with Apple that is the case for a lot of people. Apple has realized that pleasing everyone is impossible, and have instead focused on pleasing a core group of users who only want certain features that work in a certain way and who are willing to pay a premium for it.

So that's why I believe they're successful.

And most of the complaints I usually hear are just fanboyism.

Yes, Apple sues. So does every other company that has IP and wants to protect it.

Yes, the first gen may not have all the features that will come later. But others release products with a lot of features that simply don't work that well.

And yes, sometimes they get it wrong. MobileMe, first gen Apple TV, etc. But so do other companies. Music beta for instance. A service that requires you to upload your music. Which basically means only the geekish will use it in its present incarnation. On the other hand I believe that iCloud and iTunes Match will be huge.

But we'll see.

Oh and contrary to some people's sad beliefs, no company is 'good' or 'bad' in a morality sense. Some simply are in businesses that make them appear more or less one way or the other.

An oil company is going to appear more evil than any tech company, but both will go through every legal measure they can to protect their revenue.

Apple doesn't have great customer service because they care about me. They have great customer service so I'll keep buying their products out of brand loyalty. Google isn't more 'open' than Apple because they care about any of us. They're 'open' because that was the best way to get Android (and their Ads) on as many devices as possible.

I always cringe whenever fanboys talk about any company like they're people, with feelings and empathy. I cringe at the idea of someone being a fanboy of a company in the first place.

 

[Bob Maxey]

men with women avatar!!

Men or women without ANY avitar

 

[dan330]

how are you today kettle?

 

[karandpr]

Apple threads are immensely popular in lounge it seems .
And also Apple is immensely popular with Freshly pressed feature of Wordpress.
(3 apple FP 's in one month not a single google/android )
Today a dude made a list of what not apple is going to buy
A Brief History of Apple Not Buying Things

quite funny but I dont understand the fuss if apple is not going to buy it.

Seems apple likes the limelight too much .

 

[zuben el genub]

It might also be the advertising people get pissed at. Not so much the actual equipment.
If advertising makes the product you use look stupid, you get on the defensive. Since people expect the product to be as advertised, and it usually is, word of mouth makes it seem like the only worthwhile product.

Experiencewise, I've had less trouble on a Windows PC than a Mac. I changed one machine to Ubuntu, and that's working well. So the implication that Apple is trouble-free and easier to use can be annoying.

Comes to media devices - I'll keep my Sandisk Sansa. I don't have to deal with any type of proprietary software on the device or PC. Just drag the media onto the SD card and that's it. I can get media from any open downloadable source.

 

[mikedt]

Comes to media devices - I'll keep my Sandisk Sansa. I don't have to deal with any type of proprietary software on the device or PC. Just drag the media onto the SD card and that's it. I can get media from any open downloadable source.

This.

I can do exactly the same with my Galaxy S phone. Same with most Android phones probably.

 

[Frisco]

men with women avatar!!

Our man Vihzel admires a certain tennis player very much.