More product savvy, less brand conscious

The Apple product launch had the world up in arms. Both the tech geeks and “the rest”. It’s really amazing; the perfection that is expected from anything that is related to technology. Be it the actual device, the presentation of it or the features it is bringing forward.

With so many devices to choose from, brand loyalty from customers is almost a given. You use a device that works for you, and going forward, you support the brand (regardless of any other product innovations).

Giving no preference to any specific brand, this is how I view it.

Apple is extremely exclusive. The people on the inside love the niche and the people on the outside hate being left in the dark. Apple devices work best with other Apple devices. It is a perfect strategy to keep customers buying. The full experience is what keeps them coming back. We cannot take away from its efficiency and design in the UI and the actual devices. It is indeed a sexy brand with a consistent differentiation strategy.

Android has evolved into the dominator, the “all-encompassing operating system”. Regardless of the device it operates on, the fact that it runs across multiple gadgets emphasises that Android is a brand on its own. Their app store is a wholesale among retailers. Their playground ranges from Samsung, LG, HTC, Lenovo, Sony (endless list). Truly a brand among brands.

Windows, the newbie. They are also moving towards running across multiple devices. They might not have the biggest market share but they are the fastest growing brand. They are taking the world by storm with their cost-effective phones that have competitive features. The rebranding of the OS and Microsoft’s entrance into the cell phone market has launched the brand into a growing trend amongst the techies.

The features on devices have become so mirrored that the brand determines the market share. Surprisingly, there is this war on devices just for people to download the popular apps. How much faster can you make a phone processor and how much better can you claim to make the graphics. Don’t get me started on the empty “longer battery life” promises. Phones are fast becoming glorified health trackers with phone call making capabilities.

The developments and capabilities of the devices that are introduced are amazing. A question I always ask myself is, is it the device that I want or is it the operating system that I prefer? If you could buy a device and install any operating system, would that change the device that you bought?

It is time for the apps to be given the glory. They make the product. How often is it that you hear a person saying_ “I was window shopping in the app store and downloaded this amazing thing…”_

Most users are so preoccupied with putting last year’s device battle genie back into the bottle that they are too brand distracted to notice that the devs have conjured up even more unpredictable apps.

…And once again IT is in the dog box for not living up to its promises when it had convinced business to buy into its business fad. Dear user, be more product savvy and less brand conscious.