Why is iPhone still popular?
When Apple first introduced the concept of the modern touchscreen smartphone to consumers back in 2007, it was a game-changer. Despite having no multimedia messaging, no video camera, no 3g and many other features that Nokia, Blackberry and other established phone companies had been providing for years, the original iPhone was an instant hit.
Steve Jobs and his colleagues started the project of making the iPhone in 2005. 825 million phones were produced that year by different companies, that too only for business purposes. Whereas iPhone makers thought of something out of the box. Their priorities were to satisfy the users and make it less complicated to use the phone with the best of its quality.
Later that year, Google initially released Android. Google decided to work with a variety of hardware manufacturers on new devices. In 2010, Android surpassed iOS in piece of the overall industry, becoming the world’s most popular mobile operating system. A large contributor to Android’s prominence is the fact that many more smartphone and device manufacturers use it as the OS for their devices, whereas IOS is limited to only Apple-made devices. Android maintains over 80% of the global market share nowadays. But as a company, Apple still holds 1st place in net profit. So, what’s the mystery behind iPhone’s popularity after that many years? Let’s find out.
· Exclusiveness
Talking about iPhone’s competitors in the market, Android, a mobile operating system (OS) by Google, has multiple elements, for instance, unlike IOS (iPhone’s operating system), its sources are open to the developers who can modify and customize the phone. It supports third party programs and comes with many applications. iPhone solely bears no third-party programs, and developers aren’t able to make modifications. This exclusiveness and the quality of convenience of using is getting iPhone much more esteem than any other phone company, even though having an extraordinarily high price. In the year 2007, the first iPhone was 500$, and reporters claimed it to be the world’s most expensive phone. Leaving everyone surprised, 90 million iPhones were sold until 2010.
· Luxury
Zooming out to an extended historical view shows Apple’s iPhone has been remarkably consistent in maintaining a smartphone price somewhere near $700, whereas prices of Android Phones have dropped every year after 2010 and therefore the average Android phone now costs roughly a third of the average iPhone. By keeping the prices high, they promoted their phones as premium and rare. While every other phone company was trying to dominate the budget smartphone segment, Apple didn’t compromise on quality to save some money and became King of the premium smartphone industry.
· Durability
Apple prices their product high but never compromised on hardware quality. Their phones last a lot longer than any competitor. It is ordinarily a superior, quicker, additionally engaging phone that at last needs the upgrade. Also, the IOS updates and App redesigns are liquid, without huge issues, overhauls are well known. The users use the phones typically a minimum of two or more years. Apple’s iPhone keeps its personal and market an incentive for a much longer time compared to any android smartphone.
· Consistency and Simplicity
Simplicity is one of the key elements of iPhone’s success. They have been using the same app grid and familiar Apple design from day one. To the extent consistency goes, each iPhone works the equivalent, while each Android works differently. As habit is the second god, people developed a solace in this consistency and familiarity.
· Relatable
Innovating and releasing new popular trendy technology is one of the secrets of Apple’s being way ahead of the competition. Their phones always have been better, more reliable, more useful to the user. Other phones may function better than the iPhone. Android is certainly more flexible and can do more than an iPhone, but most people aren’t into doing those things.
· Security
In terms of data protection, the security an iPhone offer is quite unmatched in today’s world. Apple’s operating system IOS is a closed system. Apple doesn’t release its source code to app developers, and the owners of iPhones can’t modify the code on their phones themselves. This makes it extremely difficult for hackers to find vulnerabilities on iOS-based devices.
Apple may not be the most innovative and progressive company in the phone industry, but it doesn’t matter though. With over 2 billion units sale since its introduction, Apple is one of the most influential brands of all time. Furthermore, looking to the longer term, it doesn’t appear to be the iPhone is ready to prevent disrupting the market anytime shortly. With the development of new tech like Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data, machine learning and 5g, the opportunities for Apple to continue developing their devices are endless.
