Droid is betting on features with a rational appeal. Apple is going for the heart, laddering up to an emotional appeal.
- The central image on Verizon’s Droid landing page
Image from iPhone 4 FaceTime web video
Droid billboard
Image from iPhone 4 FaceTime web video
Who do you think will win more long-term customer loyalty?
#1 by sfmitch on June 13, 2010 - 6:59 pm
I think there will be more Android phones sold than iPhones (per year/quarter) but I think the iPhone will thrive.
This is not a one winner and a bunch of losers scenario. The pie is just too big for there to be a single winner. There are too many carriers in too many countries with too many diverse customers and too many companies competing for there to be a single platform that vanquishes all rivals.
The iPhone (as well as the rest of the iOS family) will do very, very well and will be one of the winners int he mobile space. It is undeniable that Apple is not simply playing for market share and therefore they will reap what they sow.
#2 by Thomas Loverro on June 15, 2010 - 10:40 am
Thanks Mitch. I wholeheartedly agree with you that this is a two pony race between iOS and Android and, furthermore, that Apple is purposefully not choosing to go after the greatest market share. Apple is going after a higher end “niche” (even though it's a very large niche). However, I do think from a long-term branding point of view (think: Coca-Cola over the decades) Apple is doing a better job getting consumers emotionally tied to the brand to a point where eventually they may look beyond raw features. This brand affinity helps with customer loyalty. My instinct as a marketer tells me that Android's customer base (outside of early adopters and tech geeks who love “openness”) is not winning the hearts of typical American consumers just yet. I think Android phone makers would be wise to tone down the feature rhetoric and take a bit more of a branded approach.
#3 by Thomas Loverro on June 15, 2010 - 3:40 pm
Thanks Mitch. I wholeheartedly agree with you that this is a two pony race between iOS and Android and, furthermore, that Apple is purposefully not choosing to go after the greatest market share. Apple is going after a higher end “niche” (even though it's a very large niche). However, I do think from a long-term branding point of view (think: Coca-Cola over the decades) Apple is doing a better job getting consumers emotionally tied to the brand to a point where eventually they may look beyond raw features. This brand affinity helps with customer loyalty. My instinct as a marketer tells me that Android's customer base (outside of early adopters and tech geeks who love “openness”) is not winning the hearts of typical American consumers just yet. I think Android phone makers would be wise to tone down the feature rhetoric and take a bit more of a branded approach.