When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, it was easy to determine why the device was so successful. Apple had delivered a product with an input functionâtouch screensâwhich customers had not seen to that point. All other competitors, including Research In Motion, LG, and Nokia, were knocked back on their heels.
But nowadays, Apple is facing much stronger foes. The companies it calls competitors now know what it takes to be successful, understand the consumer far better than they did in the past and come up with ideas that even Apple hasn't considered. It's a dramatic shift.
Yet, Apple has in no way given up its place as the dominant smartphone maker in the world. Despite constant effort by competitors to tear it down, Apple's iPhone remains the most successful handset out there.
This is what t Apple does to ensure that its iPhone stays atop the smartphone market:
Further reading
1. Design matters most
If there has been any reason for Apple's success over the years, it has to be its product designs. The company has found a way to appeal to the customer's eye with special iPhone bodies that ooze elegance and sophistication. Meanwhile, competitors have been delivering products that seem rather cheap and childlike in their designs. It's something that can't be overlooked in Apple's product mix.
2. Pricing stays constant
Although Apple continues to offer better iPhones, the company has kept each new device the same price as a predecessor. As a result, it doesn't scare away customers who might otherwise not want to spend extra cash on a new handset. Apple has made $200 the sweet spot for smartphones sold with contracts by major mobile carriers. Apple's iPhone takes advantage of that.
3. The marriage of hardware and software
The best thing about the iPhone is that it delivers an extremely strong marriage of hardware and software. Unlike Android, which is an operating system used by a host of vendors that didn't develop the software, iOS is Apple-made. The hardware it's running on is Apple-made. That means Apple can control (and generally improve) the experience of using its iPhone. Its competitors can't do so to the same degree.
4. An overall product strategy
Apple has rightfully realized that in order to be successful in the mobile market, it needs to carry a certain product strategy throughout its mix. So, the more successful Macs are, the better its chances of selling an iPhone or iPad. The same thing could be said about the effect of massive iPhone sales on the continuing success of the Macs. Apple's overall product strategy is the secret sauce in the company's success.
Research Assistant
