Apple: Its Image, Ecosystem, and Simplicity

 

Wow, this week has been an eventful one in ABC! The board wishes all of you the best of luck going into midterms! We all hope that your midterms are (at least somewhat) stress-free, and that you get the grades you hoped for! Anyway, for those of you that were unable to make it to the meeting we had this morning, ABC discussed all things Apple. From the luxury image the company has built up over the years, to the simplicity of their products, Apple has more than succeeded in creating a name for themselves in the world of technology. When first delving into our discussion, club members were quick to bring up Apple's "luxury" image. From years of developing their brand name under the production of well-known products such as the iPhone, iPad, and iMac, Apple's image has become one that is of great popularity. Members talked about how even though the company usually tends to charge top dollar for their products (especially with the fairly recent iPhones breaking the $1000 mark), consumers still flock like sheep to stores across the world to buy their newest tech. Other members brought up that one of the reasons Apple is able to charge as much money as they do is because their products have relatively simple user-interfaces. One topic that the majority of members could agree on was that the user-interface of an Apple product has greater ease-of-access than that of either a Microsoft Surface or the newer Android 11. We talked about how this idea would surely make people want to buy their products, as using your phone or laptop should relieve stress, not create it. The group's conversation then shifted over to talking about the immense ecosystem that Apple has created over the years. Certain brands, such as BMW, Nest, and Phillips are starting to make some of their products exclusively available to Apple users. Now, with a tap on the screen of nearly any Apple product, you can turn the heat down in your house, the lights on in your garage, and listen to your own music and podcasts in the car. Members talked about how because of certain business's shifts towards Apple, people will be more likely to purchase Apple products if it means they have the power to make their lives just that much easier. This strategy will keep Apple's competitors out of the way, while keeping its own users in. However, while the members talked about the cool and fun things that Apple creates and receives, we also talked about the cons of this tech giant. Above all cons, members discussed Apple's environmental policies. Unfortunately, Apple blows through ton after ton of plastic each year, which to the popular belief of the group, is partly because of AirPods. Apple has had a history of environmental problems, the most notable one being in 2013, when one of its suppliers ended up polluting a river in China to the point where the water turned white. While this may be the problem, members agreed that it would not be the reason why Apple's consumers stop buying their products. Some members also brought up the fact that because Apple is the king of the tech world, people may not pay very close attention to its environmental threat. After all, most other technology companies are running into the same problems. On a side note, we appreciate everyone that came out to this week's meeting! The ABC board is thankful that even on short notice, so many of you were able to come out! It was great seeing so many new faces, and the board looks forward to hearing more of your opinions next week!