Why do Apple fans love queues so much? About three harsh punishments for iPhone fans

Do you want this iPhone 11?

At the beginning of 2019, images from triple camera. The design of the smartphone appealed to Apple fans and they called this iPhone “a failure” in absentia. Against the backdrop of this criticism, designers from the Halide company created a concept in the style of the tablets released last fall and the already legendary iPhone 5. From the presented smartphone Apple fans We were completely delighted.

Designers suggested that Apple might actually release similar smartphone in future. IN iPad tablets With the Pro 2018, the company ditched the curved edges in favor of a solid industrial design with straight edges. New iPads Pro turned out to be similar to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5, due to which they were highly rated by consumers in terms of appearance.

Apple could use a similar design move in the case of the new iPhone, the designers thought. This will allow the company to significantly refresh appearance iPhone, and keep the design of your main devices consistent. In addition, having released the iPhone 11 in iPhone style 5, the company will certainly be able to play on the feelings of those fans who call the design of the “five” the best in history. And, according to a study conducted last year, there are many of them.

The iPhone 11 concept created in the style of the iPhone 5 was greatly liked by Apple fans. In a survey on the 9to5Mac resource, 76% of users immediately said that the design of the smartphone is great. However, only 10% of respondents prefer the current appearance of the iPhone to the conceptual design.

Previously we, which Apple will release in 2019.

They are called “fanboys”, “apple eaters” and other words that cannot always be said in front of a lady. People who count iPhones in a subway car and perceive love for Apple as a religion make you want to twirl your finger at your temple. But how far have we gone from them? Let's try to test ourselves by studying the symptoms inherent in such a disease as the worship of the Biteten Apple.

1. If the conversation turns to antiviruses, you do not miss the opportunity to say that you do not use them at all. You have a Mac, damn it!

2. You don’t call cases for your Apple devices cases, but clothes. “We went to the store the other day and updated our wardrobe.” Familiar words? Lord forbid!

3. The frame of the metal detector is the only place where you are willing to part with your iPhone. And soon they will force you Apple Watch shoot, what an ambush!

4. If you look into your friend's or acquaintance's Mac and see these icons in the dock, you simply cannot bring yourself to take this person seriously.

5. The “iOS vs” discussion makes you sad, because the argument of the “tank” supporters a priori comes from a sense of their own inferiority and the desire to somehow justify it. "Come back with normal phone, then we’ll talk.”

6. Maybe Earpods aren't the best best headphones, but you only use them. Why? If people around you see these headphones, it automatically means that you have an iPhone, and not the most old model.

7. Do you know what kind of woman this is and what her name is.*

8. You use Keynote presentations only to have your colleagues and classmates ask you, “How do you do that?” What will be your answer? Well, of course: “Yes, besides PowerPoint and Comic Sans, there is something else in this world.”

9. When going to a large unknown city abroad, the first thing you do is make inquiries to see if there is Apple Store.

10. February 24 is the main holiday in your family. And on October 9th you draw the curtains and light the candles.

*Well, how can that be? This woman's name is Susan Bennett, and this is the same actress in whose voice she speaks American version voice assistant Siri.

This happens every year: Apple presents new iPhone, and crowds of loyal fans, like salmon to spawn, line up in unimaginable queues outside all brand stores. For example, just recently there was a start iPhone sales 5S and iPhone 5C. This day brought a record number of 9,000,000 sales. But why, oh why exactly do Apple fans love to line up so much? Why can't you wait one or two days? This is the question asked by director Casey Neistat, who shot a short film on this topic at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in New York.

The video is posted below, but we warn you that after watching you may be disappointed in humanity. :)

Completely irrational

Let's be honest - there is no reasonable reason to stand in the cold at night waiting for the store to open. Of course, if this is not a queue for sausage in the perestroika USSR or a queue for water in central Africa. These people do not die of hunger or thirst. Although no - they are thirsty. Thirsty new smartphone. But why do they express their desires in such a wild form?

Surely most of them already have an iPhone in their pocket, which is not so different from the new one. In addition, smartphones are not so high in Maslow’s pyramid.

Moreover, anyone can order an Apple product online and it will be delivered right to their doorstep. To my honor, this times Apple did not accept pre-orders for the 5S model. But even if I did, the queues wouldn’t get any shorter.

So why are they there?

Here's the thing: Apple fans love standing in lines. Yes Yes. Understand that everyone is different. Some people love hunting and fishing, others love cruel cartoons filled with “sadism” and dark humor (fans of Happy Tree Friends are an example of this), and others dream of standing in line for a new iPhone.

For example, in New York, some people stood outside the store for 14 days. And it was completely pointless, since neither the media nor the public paid attention to them until the last night. Yes, these people stood outside the store for 13 days just like that, while they were fired from their jobs, and their wives moved in with their mothers in tears.

But here's what you need to understand: this is not about the product. It's about about the brand. The Apple brand is so powerful and compelling that people want to be associated with it at any cost. They want everyone to see them at the most important thing Apple store. They yearn to be identified with Apple and everything that Apple stands for: good taste, sophisticated design and minimalism.

For most marketers, such displays of love evoke two reactions. The first is the desire to make fun of crazy consumers. A completely fair desire, by the way. But as soon as they laugh it off, marketers begin to tear their hair out, asking the heavens how to achieve a similar effect.

Let's face it: on the one hand, Microsoft and Samsung are making fun of Apple with all their might. On the other hand, these brands are ready to do anything to get the same ones.

What's the secret?

And there is no secret. Roughly speaking, most companies are unlikely to repeat this. If only because Apple has been achieving success for 40 years, systematically developing its amazing cult. However, here are some tips that can be useful for any company.

1. Offer a great product

Yes, it was said above that people line up not so much for the product. And so it is. But the product has to be top-notch, and Apple products almost always boast amazing quality. Apple is so consistent with this that people are convinced that by purchasing new phone, they will not be disappointed.

2. Provide first class service

Have you ever had an Apple product repaired or contacted their support? Their service is amazing. They do everything they should and more, knowing full well that the moment a person comes with a problem is an opportunity to create a deep and lasting connection with them. You come with resentment and dissatisfaction, and leave happy. Oddly enough, but in this way support turns disadvantages into positives.

3. Be helpful

State why your business exists? Who are you useful to? What do you bring to the world? What is your mission? Apple probably has a deeper understanding than other companies of what a mission is, what loyalty to its own traditions means. They have their own point of view and their own view of the world. This gives clients a sense of identification.

4. Don't try to please everyone

Apple openly admits that their products aren't for everyone, and there's no problem with that. Because of this position, customers who are convinced by Apple end up with a strong emotional attachment to the brand. IN Apple blog it's called "Cult of Mac". And they're not kidding: clients truly see themselves as members of a tribe, united by common rituals, beliefs and principles.

Of course, these tips are obvious. AND higher value It’s not they who have it, but Apple’s proprietary magic. To list all the things that led this company to success, you need to write a ten-volume book. But these tips may give you some inspiration and food for thought. You're unlikely to get your customers to line up in kilometer-long queues, but add passion to your relationship... why not? It's not that difficult.

High conversions to you!

The main smartphone of the year went on sale just a few days ago, and the first owners of the gadget are already returning it to stores. What are the reasons for the failure?

On November 3, the flagship iPhone X finally fell into the hands of its first owners and, judging by numerous reviews on social networks and forums, most fans were disappointed with the smartphone. Some of the buyers went to return the gadget back to the store and found a whole line there to process the return.

It seems that Apple was in such a hurry to introduce a new product to the market that it did not have time to eliminate many of the shortcomings. For those who still doubt whether to buy the Yabloko flagship, here are five main reasons not to do so, at least this year.

Defective display

For a long time Apple products was considered the standard of quality. Exactly on high quality Apple members put pressure on the iPhone X, justifying its inflated price compared to its analogues. However, in reality, many buyers received a smartphone with an outright defect. Users of the popular American forum Reddit post photos showing that the matrix of an expensive OLED display has obvious highlights.

To independently determine the defect, just turn off the light and open a black picture on your smartphone in complete darkness. If there is a defect in some parts of the screen, the picture will not be dark, but light. Users assume that the problem occurs on all smartphones, but it manifests itself in some to a greater extent and in others to a lesser extent.

In addition, Apple itself has admitted that OLED displays are susceptible to burn-in. At the presentation it was announced that the possibility of this unpleasant effect was minimized, but in reality many users complain that if a bright, contrasting image is displayed on the screen for a long time, then even after closing the application its traces remain on the screen for quite a long time.

Disadvantages of Face ID

New smartphone unlocking technology is perhaps the main one iPhone feature X. However, everything is not so simple with her either. At the presentation in September Apple announced that the Face ID sensor is so smart that it will recognize the owner even in a hat, even with a false mustache, even under the scorching sun, even in complete darkness. In fact, customers complain that the smartphone cannot recognize them even just in dim lighting.

But if these shortcomings Apple yet can eliminate, then users can only come to terms with some of the inconveniences of Face ID. For example, the iPhone X cannot be unlocked when it is lying on a table - you will have to either reach for it with your head, or lift it off the table and point it at your face.

Pointless Animoji

Plenty of time for Apple presentations paid attention to such a feature as animated emoji. Various emojis and stickers are really experiencing a boom now, but the problem is that only two people can exchange “Animoji” with each other iPhone user X and only when iMessage help. But who uses iMessage these days? Everyone has been using messengers for a long time, but “Animoji” cannot be used there and such an opportunity will not appear in the near future. So, most likely, no one will simply use the function so promoted by Yabloko.

Minimal changes

OLED display with virtually no frames, Face ID and Animoji - that's essentially all iPhone innovations X. They touched only on the outside of the smartphone, but otherwise the flagship is practically no different from its counterparts - the same performance, the same battery life, the same cameras. Users expected a revolutionary product from Apple in all respects, but what they received was an outwardly improved G8 with a couple of funny features.

Maximum boost

Perhaps the most dissatisfying factor among buyers was the exorbitant price of the gadget. In the USA the most affordable iPhone X costs $999, but in Russia the minimum cost is much higher - from 79,990 rubles. At the same time, Reuters experts calculated that the cost of the flagship is only about 357.5, so the markup per gadget in the US is 64%. This is much higher than everyone else previous models iPhone.

In Russia, the markup is another 10% higher - iPhone X is sold here at four times its cost. Judging by the queues in electronics stores, buyers are not at all opposed to paying that kind of money for a flagship, but the higher the cost, the higher the responsibility. So far, the iPhone X does not justify this responsibility.

Apple fans have objectively died out. They no longer exist, although quite recently they terrified the entire RuNet.

Five to seven years ago, under a news story with the headline “Introduced Samsung Galaxy“You could meet madmen who convinced that any Korean gadget is a complete waste, and a self-respecting person can only use an iPhone.

These demons swooped into the comments in droves, so Android geeks barely had time to defend themselves. They were constantly accused of poverty - for example, when Instagram came out under Google’s OS (2012), a picture of gopniks squatting in the entrance spread across the Internet.

“The first photos on Instagram of Android owners,” the caption to the photo was, to put it mildly, not witty, but iPhone owners happily reposted this most boring meme.

Now this is no longer the case. iPhone owners calmed down, and Android followers had reasons to be proud.

But it's not that simple. Below are the main reasons for the disappearance of the Apple cult in Russia.

1. Steve Jobs died

The Apple co-founder was a marketing genius - he could create a legend with one presentation or even one phrase. His speeches were reviewed and quoted, his biography was learned by heart, and his favorite songs were listened to until they made you sick.

I know at least five people who were never interested in Indian culture, but still read Autobiography of a Yogi after learning that Jobs ritually leafed through it once a year.

“Nothing special, it’s a so-so read, but the book is good—Steve wouldn’t give bad advice,” said Jobs’ fanatics, embarrassed to admit that for some reason this dubious reading did not inspire them to come up with brilliant ideas.

It is important to understand: during his lifetime, Steve simultaneously became a geek, an innovator, a rock star, an outstanding leader, and a true icon. So when he passed away, Apple fans first cried and were sad, and then realized that they had lost their direction.

Tim Cook is an excellent manager and businessman (with Jobs Apple earned much less), but he lacks charisma and a rebellious past. He's just a well-groomed man who helps the company stay at the top and periodically release pretty high-quality products.

Tim is not one of those crazy people who changes the world, and Apple fans are well aware of this. So the phrase “Steve definitely wouldn’t have allowed this to happen” will not disappear soon: people who canonized the deceased CEO like to think that Jobs would always make only the right decisions.

Although this is, of course, unrealistic.

2. Android flagships have caught up

In 2010, Android smartphones were devices with dead batteries, unstable interfaces, and a cluttered app store. Gradually these problems went away: first they solved the issue with batteries, then they improved the appearance of the system, and after that they moderated Google Play(although there is still plenty of slag there).

Over time, Android flagships have come closer to the level of the iPhone, and in many aspects (from the camera to the security of the case) even surpassed the Apple product. It is clear that the more or less polished iOS still has a lot of advantages, but Android devices also have their trump card - they are falling in price very quickly.

Accordingly, a person can wait 2-3 months after the start of sales and buy a Galaxy S8 for 40 thousand rubles, while an iPhone 7 with adequate memory will cost from 50 thousand, despite the fact that it debuted earlier.

Android smartphones are no longer embarrassing, and buying them is very profitable - of course, if you don’t think about resale. Therefore, now a person with new Galaxy rather arouses interest rather than disgust.

"Wow, so big screen! Such thin frames! Can I have a look? Damn, cool. I’ve been carrying an iPhone for a long time, but now I’ll check out what Samsung has there,” is approximately the same reaction that usually evokes today’s Korean flagship.

But there are also LG, Sony, Huawei, HTC and other A-brands, which are also almost not behind Apple.

The difference in comfort no longer justifies the difference in price - that’s the whole formula.

3. Xiaomi fans are the biggest fans

Over the past 10 years, the smartphone has turned from a status device almost into household appliance: now it’s unfashionable to shine an apple on back cover, but it’s customary to tell how much you saved by choosing a Chinese device.

A standard response from a rational buyer:

"Took Xiaomi Redmi for 9 thousand, there is a larger screen than an iPhone, a larger battery than an iPhone, more RAM than an iPhone, and the same number of megapixels in the camera. But it’s five times cheaper, can you imagine! Happy as an elephant."

Seriously, Xiaomi fans are ready to fight for their product, defending the right to cheap smartphones. But the saddest thing is that they really have, and not just those presented just above.

The Russian trend towards saving is probably caused by the crisis, but what difference does it make if you brag? new Xiaomi now cooler than embarrassingly taking the eighth iPhone out of your pocket?

4. iPhones have become affordable

Let's be honest: iPhones were super attractive when they cost an order of magnitude more average salary in St. Petersburg or even Moscow. But in 2017, the market is oversaturated: the very word “iPhone” no longer evokes any awe. Well, iPhone and iPhone - maybe there’s a 5s for 15 thousand or an SE for 20. Or from 2014.

If desired, even a person from a village who lives by subsistence farming can afford an iPhone. Elitism is killed - iPhone more not luxury, and his fans (if you don’t count the completely frostbitten ones) no longer feel special.

5. Apple has gone crazy

Now I will express three personal complaints.

Firstly, I see that my still favorite company does not keep up with trends. She doesn't ask them, but catches up with them. This was the case with both the clock and smart speaker, and with wireless charging, and with framelessness. This is infuriating: I don’t want to drown for a lagging manufacturer at all.

Secondly, Apple made a bet on the iPhone, but gave up on MacBook Air, iPad mini, the entire series of iPod, Mac mini, Mac Pro and other worthy gadgets. This arrangement doesn’t suit me very much either.

And the third complaint is the outrageous prices for accessories. There are two eloquent examples here.

The first is if you lose the stylus cap Apple Pencil, you will be offered...ta-da-da-dam! - buy new Pencil for 8-10 thousand rubles. Well, how can this be? This is just level 80 meanness and an awkward attempt to cash in on a loyal user.

The second example is charging for iPad Pro. To power it at a normal pace, you need to spend 5 thousand on a power supply and 1.5-3.5 thousand rubles on a cable. Total - from 6.5 to 8.5 thousand per regular charging(!!!). Also absolute nonsense.

The conclusion is very simple: Tim Cook is a master at pumping money, but the magic is rapidly disappearing.

And sooner or later, if the company's policy does not change, Apple will finally turn gray.