iphone: The consumer vs business perspective.
Rating: consumers aren’t ready
Business: Apple follows come in herds and willingly pay money to stay faithful to their beloved MAC and iPod devices. Money is no object and the iphone’s sleek design looks worth it.
Consumer: 60% of applications on mobile device are never touched by users. Mobile operators have been launching services such as the Simply range by Vodafone or the ICE device (uiOne) from O2 to teach users gradually how to navigate their devices. The mobile phone nation is NOT tech savvy, rather coolness and image bag many sales, although price remains a sticking point. At nearly USD 500 and with a touch screen face (that will make any mother of small children shudder at its irresistiblity to grubby fingers) who is the target market for the iPhone?
- it’s not music lovers
- it’s not mothers
- it’s not the all-important youth market as they don’t have the money
- it’s nerds – no, it’s nerds who want to be cool, otherwise known as early adopters
- …or wait for it… its celebrities. Look what Paris Hilton did for the Sidekick and Monika Lewinsky for cigar sales.
The iPhone is new and hyped, but will it drive traffic and mobile data uptake for mobile operators? Unlikely. Will the un-subsidised price make the thing sell like hot cakes? Unlikely. Will music fans ditch their iPods for a double-the -price phone? Unlikely. Will the iphone create great xcitement, but no real value? Oh yes.
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