Apple has long had a reputation for just “working”, that and the fact that their hardware is some of the best quality. The reputation about Apple has long been that their price matched the combined hardware quality, software efficiency, and having award winning customer service. But what happens when that starts to fade?
The lines outside the store just to buy an iPhone, have been the source for headlines for over a decade. When asked, fans just “want the latest and greatest (iPhone from Apple)” . And despite the “bend-gate”, antenna-gates, and other issues that may have plagued apple devices, fans were willing to stick by because the sum of their good hardware outweighed the few issues. And when compared to the alternative, Apple is the most suitable option.
I personally understand the lure and applaud Apple for some of the things they have managed to do. I currently have an eight year old Mac Book Pro that continues to perform better than some newer PCs. This coming from a person who swore to never spend over a thousand dollars for a Mac, when a PC cost much less. But having grown frustrated with needing to buy a new PC every two years, I finally decided to bite the bullet on a Mac Book, and I don’t regret it.
On the smartphone side, I understand it. Apple offers the complete package. Great software experience, timely updates, some of the best hardware, and the support from Apple via store, online, or phone. On the Android side, you would have to combine phones to match that of the same combination of hardware, software, and support of the iPhone. If you want timely updates and hardware support, Google’s Pixel phones lead the pack. But if you want the best hardware in a phone then you would need to go to Samsung. Rarely to you see a device that combine that, though this year the OnePlus 6T is trying to be that device. Time will tell if they will keep that persona for OP6T customers when the OP7 and OP7T are made available.
The reputation of Apple has taken a hit. The 2017 Mac Book Pro (a $3000 laptop) suffered issues with the touch bar. The recent iPad Pro is dealing with its own bend-gate issues. And the iPhone Xr is trying to be a device for the masses, with a screen resolution that is not up to par with even low end devices. These are just some of the issues that users are voicing their frustrations about. And with prices of the iPhone soaring to over $1000, it was a matter of time before all of that caught up with Apple.
Less than 6 months after becoming America’s first trillion dollar company, Apple’s stock prices took a big hit over the holidays. Apple blamed poor sales for the iPhone Xs as the reason profits are lower than expected. And likely so, as customers not wanting to spend $1000 for a new iPhone are buying older model iPhones online instead.
For many in the tech-sphere, they have been yelling for ages that Apple devices were just overpriced, and have been refusing to buy in to the Apple ecosystem. But for others, they come to respect what Apple has been able to do for decades in the tech industry. Dominating the tablet industry, being one of the front runners in the phone industry, and continuing to remain one of the top brands in the home computer industry.
The Apple brand has taken a hit as of late, but it still remains at the top of the industry. Question is, will Apple be able to rebound (proving this just to be a minor slump), or is this the beginning of the fall?
