A few months ago, I needed to get a new cell phone. Denise insisted that I get an iPhone. I had always been an ‘alternate’ PDA guy: Palm Treo, Blackberry, etc. I never knew what the fuss was all about with the iPhone. When it was introduced, it was too expensive and existed on the ‘aging’ cellular network. But, when the 3G came out, we made the trek down to the University Village Apple Store in Seattle. I had heard the horror stories about the wait to get the crazy thing, but when we got there it was only ‘about 45 minutes’.
So, we queued up.
Once I had it a couple of days, I was hooked. It was a heck of a lot of a lot easier to use than the Blackberry I had, and way faster on the Internet than I had expected. And there are all these cool programs you can add – some free, some not. What a better way to part with your money than through your iTunes account! I can now keep track of all the business headlines through Bloomberg for the iPhone. It’s a wonderful world.
I’m becoming an Apple believer – ever so slowly. However, now it seems that you can get the thing almost anywhere. First, Best Buy was allowed to sell them. Now last week, iPhones began being sold at Wal~Mart! Huh!?
I understand Apple’s desire to want to appeal to a broader audience and increase sales, but I’m confused at the choice of retailer. Apple has a very well defined brand and I hope that they’re not becoming the latest to sacrifice uniqueness for ubiquity – like that venerable old doughnut maker.
Wal-Mart sells iPods as well, so “Big Box Store” is nothing new to Apple. My wife and I got each other iPhones for Christmas. I, like you, simply love my new phone. However, I nearly bought a Blackberry Bold for the simple reason that “everyone” has an iPhone.
I DO believe the iPhone is being Krispy Kremated (or “Starbucksed” TM). I believe this will help the next wave of competitor smart phones win back some market share as consumers, like me, attempt to shed the icky feeling of being just like everyone else. Love the iPhone, but I also like being unique.
Quick “Weeds” reference here, but the lyrics to the show’s theme song fit my feeling about my iPhone sometimes:
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same,
And there’s doctors and lawyers,
And business executives,
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school,
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
Where they are put in boxes
And they come out all the same.
And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.”
Great, Warrior!