The fight between the two giants of smartphone and tablet industry highlights what the difference between a “roaring success” and a “moderate success” is.
My opinion may be disputable but the past few years proved that Samsung is one of the best technology companies of the world as far as technological innovation and quality are concerned. It is not a mere coincidence that Apple cannot break off from Samsung and from time to time returns to its accessories. Samsung may have been one step ahead of Apple in technological innovation although in the past few years the difference became smaller and now the tendency seems to turn the other way round. How is it possible that the technological supplier of Apple struggles?

Let’s have a look at the ads. Samsung continuously makes fun of Apple users, which is not too ethical but Apple should be the last one to cast a stone on anybody. What is more important, however, is that a leading technology company cannot make its knowledge a real business advantage. The chasm between the opportunity and the real output is about users –.i.e. the lack of understanding them.

If Apple develops a fingerprint sensor, Samsung develops it too. If Apple introduces a four-core processor, Samsung soon tries to surpass it. The “cat-fight” has been going on for years, without Samsung being able to appear on the market as a real competitor, although it would have a fairly good chance to become one.

People do not like or dislike Apple because it is not suitable for multitasking, or for the ratio of the display, or the properties of the battery. These are only technological features that either add up to the experience or not. Everyone finds different features important, depending on what the use-case is. If the phone is used as a design object and it acts as a status symbol, the only thing that counts is how it looks like. If the phone is continuously used under extreme conditions its sturdiness becomes the most relevant feature, including the maximum capacity of the battery. For most of the time these features do not appear explicitly. But how do they appear then?

Many researches have been conducted so far, supporting that decisions are based on emotions. Most people think that emotions are evoked by marketing but it is only partly true. In reality marketing only suggests something that the product either proves or refutes. The problem with Samsung is that it does not have any identifiable message at all. It mediates impressions but no exact value to understand. This is totally alien to Samsung. To prove this you just have to take a quick look at the ads: they create a special atmosphere, they are youthful, hip but they do not convey any characteristic emotion.

On the other hand Apple’s message is very clear: nice, stylish, simple, still offers unlimited possibilities. Most users might not be able to utilize all what Apple offers, but the others are all part of the Apple experience. No matter which product you use. Apple offers many use-cases and examples. You know which features are relevant in a given use-case and you also know what it feels like to use them.

Apple could probably say much more about itself, (for example, that it is secure — consider the fingerprint sensor, that it is trustworthy, effective — there is no learning time, no superfluous demand for support), but these features are applied only in certain target segments. Apple knows well what special values certain markets and use-cases require, and how they can be best represented either through the content or the feeling. This type of conscious product development and positioning makes it stand out among others and makes it much successful and less defenseless than its competitors.

A technological company must provide more than simply technological content, but on the other hand to approach customers with empty marketing messages does not work either. Technological and industrial products trigger emotions through use. Being able to focus on it through the whole product development process draws a sharp line between successful products and “mere” technological innovations. Learn from Samsung’s mistake and realize that a technological innovation will not make you a market leader. Not by itself.

We provide our customers with a product development strategy that is consciously based on emotional impact. We call this emotion-based product development. The future belongs to authentic products and services capable of triggering emotions. Join us on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Samsung ad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXNaRYMNprE

Ipad ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiyIcz7wUH0