Amidst the millions – music nerds or no, eagerly anticipating Apple Inc. to launch its iPhone on Friday 29 June – there are few who still stay suspicious while most are blissfully content.
With the iPhone, Apple promises to introduce a new wave into the gadget fray. ‘Cool’ to stodgy Ma Bell – is how Steve Jobs the CEO Apple introduces the product punch line at AT& T, for the delightful creation that’s all-in-one mobile phone, Web browser and video and music player.
Improving upon the finger presses, the iphone pioneers into using touch sensitive on its big 3.5-inch screen that’ll react to your finger flicks, swishes, taps and just anything. Leaving no stone unturned in the marketing department – Apple’s already out with three videos to exhibit the pros – if, to be said.
I said suspicion for some in my opener:
While product hitting the market and jabbing into the takings of the competitors, may just be a fairy tail in the short run, it will definitely have some psychological repercussions in store (for iPhone’s competitors) in the longer run as well. I think so, and the analysts seem to concur.
For the struggling, yet US market’s in-runner, Motorola, if the competitive cell-phone manufacturers weren’t just enough, then here they confront another challenge – If they can – ‘Why can’t you do that?’
The iPhone will be available through AT&T, Apple retail stores and Web sites – priced quite high at $499 to $599, with the latter version sporting twice the storage space (8 gigabytes). However, if the device succeeds and Apple chisels a cheaper version – then that market share of those hefty phone-makers, Motorola et al, could certainly land in jeopardy – but it’s too early to say, a mere premature evaluation.
Contemplation for the brainchild of tech golden boy Steve Jobs:
Since the outbreak of iPod mania, Apple’s transformed into a major force in the portable music player market – roughly 70 percent to say the least and their revolutionary flow in the computer market is hidden from none. Nevertheless, the newly targeted mobile sector remains an alien venture for the giants.
Further, the iPhone with given features, is apparently a regular consumer oriented phone rather than a businessman’s dream machine. Neither it has advanced security features such as a firewall and neither does it support Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes; this would make it a not so favorite of the entrepreneur class.
U.S. Market:
US Projected ground zero for the iPhone, is undoubtedly the market that’ll tell the fate for the device – iPhone will generate the consumer interest for the multimedia touch-screen phones, while competitors stand with equated offerings in that space.
US consumers as yet aren’t swayed by the Web browser and video and music playing features on phones – and the robust price will restrict the product to tech geeks and those who are, let’s say, affluent. These are the two limitations that’ll play good for the wary phone-makers.
Apple’s Strategies:
Responsive to the limitations of the high priced iPhone – Jobs anticipates and targets a mere 1 percent of the cell phone market by the end of 2008. Thereafter, a similar iPod strategy will surely be employed herein too i.e. varying prices with device and storage size respectively. This is what apple is best at. Long-term future strategies are already ready.
Jobs changes the mere perception of the iPhone from a mobile phone to a media-friendly device – to avoid the competitors from the former sector or perhaps target the Hollywood…anyways, it’s his ball game.
Initially Apple may look demanding – fancying you to shell $500 odd for the freaky device that gets scratched and hauled everywhere, soon iPhone will come with a glass screen that’ll do away with the corns of the plastic screen, being scratch resistant and more clear.
All said, one thing is for sure, the cult of iPod would certainly revolutionize the status quo that prevails in the cellphone market.