Some days ago, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak expressed concern about the company losing its cool. More specifically, he is concerned about Apple not being the cool computing system for too much longer.
This is not the first time Wozniak has expressed concern about the future of Apple. Last year, he was worried that Microsoft might be innovating in more interesting ways than Apple itself.
All this made me think of the meaning of "cool". The concept has varied among cultures and generations over time. Today, manufacturers and marketers take advantage of how consumers are inclined toward buying cool electronic devices. But what puts a device in the cool category? What does it mean for a manufacturer to keep the cool factor year after year, as Apple has done?
Before we can decide whether Apple is losing its cool, you may want to look at the history of cool to better understand where this concept originates.
Defining terms
Associated with attitude, appearance, behavior, and style influenced by a product, the concept of cool brands first emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, the concept has morphed to leave behind the idea that being cool is all about being different and going against the mainstream.
Hip Replacement?
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the company is losing some of its coolness.
According to Lauren Gurrieri, a researcher at Griffith University in Sydney, the manufacturing and marketing industries have caused identity loss in consumers by enhancing popular brands and culture with the idea of being cool. She studied the phenomenon for her thesis, "The Social Construction of Cool in Consumer Culture: A Discursive Approach." She found that certain lifestyles are associated with the idea of cool, and brand marketing trends have stereotyped identities. These consumer stereotypes are exploited by marketers.
"Whenever cool products are sold, consumers are subconsciously buying into an experience that is determined by social order and hierarchy," Gurrieri told me in an email.
Consumers of cool products aspire toward popularity and social acceptance, she said. Paradoxically, they compete among themselves to stand out as strong and unique individuals who don't need the help of products to fit in.
Losing it?
Of course, this makes us think of Apple product consumers. By and large, Apple products and their users have been considered part of the cool sphere. Recently, a friend of mine said the iPhone is not cool anymore, because everyone has one. I wouldn't say that, but could this be one of the reasons Apple may be losing its cool?
Society is often critical of materialism, yet the changing concept of coolness often leaves people feeling inadequate and pressured into outdoing one another while competing to acquire popular identities, lifestyles, and products. For Gurrieri, this feeling is enhanced by the fleeting sense of fulfillment that comes with buying. She said consumers end up moving through cycles of discontent in pursuit of the next cultural fad.
There is no doubt that Apple products are popular, and I think they will remain so. It's not only popularity. Apple products are quality products that respond to consumers' needs and expectations. In my opinion, Apple got the cool title when there were only a few competitors in its market. During the past few years, different electronics manufacturers have brought countless new products to market. And some of them are cool.
Maybe Wozniak shouldn't be afraid of Apple losing its cool. Instead, Apple might have to share the title of cool with other innovative products in the market. This may be the time when the word "cool" goes through another revision and adapts to the times.
"Reality is Apple sales have definitely slowed down after Samsung released its Galaxy and Note series and this trend might continue because Samsung is planning to released smartphones which will have flexible display."
You have a valid point. Samsung is beginning to be known as cool for its devices because of its elegant design and display features. Secondly, its cost is also below that of its Apple counterparts which makes it a worth-considering option when choosing between buying iPhone or Samsung device such as galaxy note.
I personally feel mobile TV has a limited scope as it is unlikely that people carry both a mobile tv and a smartphone simultaneously
@Waqas, true. I think already there are many apps available in the market using which users can watch TV on their existing smartphones. I wonder what additional features mobile TV will have compared to the smartphone TV. I think smartphone which can project the image on bigger screen will become popular than mobile TV.
Why are we always discussing what's wrong with the products, or the manufacturers, and not what's good about them?
@Susan, I agree with your opinion. I think one reason for this behavoiur is because there is little to differntiate between two products. Android devices released by Samsung/LG/HTC are as good as iPhones. So consumers tend to see what feature is missing in the product rather than what features are present.
Despite we highlight negatives of Apple and its devices for being quite standard (not cool), many of us our active users of iPhone and have no intention of dropping it.
@WaqasAltaf, its not the question of dropping it. Reality is Apple sales have definitely slowed down after Samsung released its Galaxy and Note series and this trend might continue because Samsung is planning to released smartphones which will have flexible display.
Why are we always discussing what's wrong with the products, or the manufacturers, and not what's good about them?Why are we wondering if Apple is losing its cool, instead of higlighting all the cool things Apple has? I need to think more about this.
I feel there is a conflict between our words and action. Despite we highlight negatives of Apple and its devices for being quite standard (not cool), many of us our active users of iPhone and have no intention of dropping it. Our choice of not to let it go should keep Apple's sales team content.
I kept on thinking about the total disatisfaction that I believe is the problem we are facing today. The minute most consumers have a new device in their hands the first thing they do it trying to find what's missing, what's not working asthey expected, what's wrong with the them. Why are we always discussing what's wrong with the products, or the manufacturers, and not what's good about them?
Why are we wondering if Apple is losing its cool, instead of higlighting all the cool things Apple has? I need to think more about this.
". . . money can never be as good a motivator as appreciation to one who sweats to develop a unique product."
Exactly. And here, you have found one good reason that may be part of the whole circle. Good thinking, Waqas. :)
True Susan. The only motivation left for Apple and its peers to innovate is sustaining the revenue of their companies. Having said that, money can never be as good a motivator as appreciation to one who sweats to develop a unique product.
"Apple products are quality products that respond to consumers' needs and expectations." most of these consumers simply don't use their brain, or they have too much money to spend!
iPhone and iPad are not environmental friendly to begin with. They force consumers to buy the proprietary dongle/adapter instead of using the universally standard microUSB connector. When almost everybody agree to adopt the microUSB connector in Feb2009, Apple refused and kept claiming the b.s. that the proprietary 30pin (and now 9-pin) connector can do more. More to meet the consumers' need? No. More with profit taking at Apple? Yes. Apple refused to offer the micro-SD slot. Instead, Apple charges consumers US$100 for 16GByte which costs less than US$10 on sales at Fry's Electronics or Amazon, ... Apple refused to adopt NFC early but was willing to push out the nuisance Map Apps. This doesn't meet consumers' need and expectation, right? Apple offers the smallish 3.5" screen (4:3 aspect ratio) and only agreed to the slightly larger 4" (more of 16:9). This strains the eyes of consumers, especially the old and the young. In terms of HW spec, iPhone5 is so behind the competition in many areas, yet consumers was deceived to feel that they are owning the best featured smartphone. How ironic? Back to the screen size, when iPhone is used to visit websites, it cannot display Flash animation and choose to display static image. Most criminal is: when iPad1/2/3/4 is used to display movie at 16:9 or wider format, iPad will cut away the left and right portion of the display in order to reduce the black stip at the upper and bottom edges of the display. Because consumers rarely put an iPad4 and a good Android tablet (e.g. Nexus 10) together, they do not know what they are missing. However, I would say that Apple cheats its consumers by cutting away left and right of the display. Being Apple, Apple happily keeps making a lot of money despite of offering devices with the least user-friendly features and , ...
"The ability to surprise is something which shouldn't get lost and it has become difficult to surprise people because they are always expecting something beyond their normal imagination."
Great point. That is exactly what is happening. Like a kid, always expecting beyond what it's possible, and will never be satisfied with any new toy, consumers have come to a point that they will not be satisfied with anything no matter what new feautures Apple would add to its devices. It's kind of sad if you come to think about it. :(
The whole same thing can kill any motivation for invention and creativity. Why to put an effort in something that it's not going to be appreciated anyway?
No doubt about the quality and that is what keeps Apple among the reputed vendors for mobile devices. But there is a big population willing to compromise on quality against a lower price. All they need are the features that are must have.
Surely Apple can sustain its revenue growth by bringing in some cool features to its devices. The ability to surprise is something which shouldn't get lost and it has become difficult to surprise people because they are always expecting something beyond their normal imagination.
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Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
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You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
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