Thursday, October 4, 2012

Apple and Quality

I know I'm not always the biggest Apple fan on here. But there's one thing I have to admit, they typically come out with a really well put together product. If they don't, they are fairly quick about providing a free solution - such as the case for the iPhone with the antennae issues. However, this version doesn't seem to be along the same lines. There's the issue with iOS maps, which is pretty terrible, but there's also another problem with the sapphire lens selected for the camera causes a purple tint and light flaring. Their solution is to simply point the camera away from the light and that this is normal behavior.

This type of quality issues in a product like this leaves a lot to be desired for some pretty obvious reasons. For a lot of people the cell phone is their only camera. I almost never take pictures, but when I do, it's on my cell phone. If the pictures are defective by "design" then this is going to be a huge problem. I'm sure that the Instagram filter won't look right when you add that to the picture as well.

I think that these two issues are starting to indicate a trend with Apple for the beginning of a decline in the perfectionism that most users associate with Apple products. To some extent it was never there the way people like to think that it was, but there was a lot of perfectionism that went into the designing and material selection for the phones.

You could argue that the tint is similar in defect type to the antennae issue, but I think this is different because the camera is such an integral part of the phone. Apple has been developing cameras for years whereas the antennae issue was related to a new skill set, an external antennae.

The next concern for Apple fans, is that the phone is their core product and they really dropped the quality in some ways. Without proper maps, the quality certainly suffers, users are used to the correct maps at a touch of a button, not seven. Will these issues prevent iPhone fans from buying this phone? No, I don't think so. I think it might push some people away if they were on the fence about getting the same phone, again. I think the larger risk is in the long term. If Apple continues to produce the same products but continues to have quality issues with some expected features on a phone then Apple will begin to lose customers in droves.

For the iPhone6 Apple needs to come out with a different feeling phone, if they do, any issues like camera or whatever will be masked by the fact that it's totally new. People will flock to it again. If Apple doesn't come out with a new feeling and has issues, I think that will give more people pause about the whole company. We're a year or two away from the iPhone6, so that may be premature. Customers and analysts aren't friendly to stagnating firms. Apple surely doesn't want to be in that group.

4 comments:

  1. I think the problem lays with the fact that Apple are so successful. They are hugely valuable, and at times, seem unstoppable. This makes people look for problems. I'm not saying the maps are good, they're just as bad as the media make them out to be, and the camera issue is troubling, but when other companies release a poor product, they get nowhere near the amount of negative exposure as Apple do.

    People expect Apple to be 'perfect', but they're not. That's the problem.

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  2. Apple presents themselves as perfect. The other issue is, let's say moto screws up the Droid, well they have 3 other phones that can make up that revenue. If Apple screws up the iPhone, they're well, screwed, until the next model comes out. They have higher risk due to the amount their business counts on one product.

    I think the reason that Maps is such a big deal is that it was a huge step backwards from the competition. If the 3D didn't work, but the maps and directions were accurate that's not a problem. But maps that take you to the wrong place is terrible. Apple now basically has to allow an iOS6 Google Maps app through their store. They could have otherwise tried to block it with their claim for a native app.

    People will be looking for perfection because Apple set the bar and need to keep raising it through perfection to stay in the lead and justify the high prices on the phone. As soon as it loses that perceived perfection many people will leave and the iPhone will be just another phone.

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    1. I think Apple present themselves as 'trying' to be perfect and having high standards. Steve admitted that "we're not perfect". Their products are at a high standard, that's why they have one of the leading smartphones. People expect more, and Apple know that and will always be struggling to keep up with the expectations.

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  3. You pretty much echo my sentiment. Apple has presented themselves as perfect for so long that if there are cracks in the veneer then people are going to start to loose their belief that apple is perfect. And that is why Alot of ppl buy their stuff. Also with the camera, the best camera isnthe one that is there when you need it. Apple has made a big deal over its camera so it needs to be good. I had a blue issue with one of my droids, but it was software not the lense. Had it been hard ware I likely would have taken it back since it was so frustrating. Fortunately they fixed it quickly. Turned out to be decent.

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