is the Apple status symbol over?

[Oyeve]

I see the usual jackasses are back spewing the same old shit. Yet another wasted thread on the same old.

 

[JackBurton]

I see the usual jackasses are back spewing the same old shit. Yet another wasted thread on the same old.

I agree, those clueless Android fans keep spewing the same crap time and time again. I do like how they try and come up with new stigmas on their own in an attempt to try and get it to catch on. My favorite is, "Apple is the poor man's status symbol." lol, If that's the case, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, and the likes are pure ghetto.

Is it true people will scrounge their pennies together to buy an Apple product? Sure. But then there are others that just want the best phone backed by a company that created the current smartphone revolution, not to mention their other ground breaking products. The other brands are just lost in Apple's cloud of dust. It's as simple as that. The attorney looking for a great phone and just wants it to work will simply pick up the latest iPhone. Why? Because Apple is known to create great products. They don't want to f'ing "root" their phones. They want a simple way to sync all their devices, back it up, stream music to their $20k 2 channel audio system, surf the net and take picture. Why mess with anything else when Apple will do it for you, and do it seamlessly? The people that complain about Apple's ecosystem are the ones who don't have the money to make it work. All Apple products with iTunes and iCloud are a beautiful thing. While Apple keeps innovating and improving their ecosystem, Google is still working on an answer to AirPlay.

Apple's real value is in their ecosystem, not in any one product although they do make fantastic products. The products are just the hooks to get people to play in their ecosystem. And once you're in, you don't want to leave. It's a great thing.

 

[rakez]

The people that complain about Apple's ecosystem are the ones who don't have the money to make it work.

it seems you are a legend in your own mind.

 

[Zaap]

My favorite is, "Apple is the poor man's status symbol."

You missed the point. It's the poor man's status symbol because only someone who's likely not very financially well off and maybe more than just a little out of touch with the rest of society would THINK owning a cellphone was ever a status symbol- especially when everyone else and their five year old kid has one too.

I see it the same way some people may think their goofy sneakers or some fugly jacket with a team logo on it or crappy spinners for hubcaps are 'status symbols'; other more educated people tend to look at people who think common stuff is a 'status symbol' as belonging to a fairly low class.

 

[Zink]

Both people with and without money dress well to look good and fit in. Same with phones.

 

[cronos]

I see it more like: "damn, I got an iphone3 years ago and I am stuck in this eco system called itunes, shit, may as well get an iphone 5 because I dont want to have to learn something new"

The products are just the hooks to get people to play in their ecosystem. And once you're in, you don't want to leave.

You guys are saying the exact same thing. There is no need to argue.

 

[rakez]

the thread was not about apple vs. android. elite brands normally shy away from discounting their top products as it can alienate their current base.(yes snobs will think the brand is not as cool.) when apple agreed to let walmart sell their elite phone for a low price it became just another phone. apple built a brand that was supposed to be the must have. now it's just another option.

 

[openwheel]

back to topic. Apple is the poor man's status symbol. Unfortunately, it has been a fashion trend as well.

 

[openwheel]

The people that complain about Apple's ecosystem are the ones who don't have the money to make it work.

it seems you are a legend in your own mind.

LOL yeah he sure made it very clear that he has lots of money to spend in the Apple eco-system. A classic example of my statement above: Poor man's status symbol

 

[JackBurton]

LOL yeah he sure made it very clear that he has lots of money to spend in the Apple eco-system. A classic example of my statement above: Poor man's status symbol

I find that the poor man will interpret someone having Apple products as bragging since they see it as "expensive." The people that buy Apple products just see them as great products that work well together, nothing more.

But please go on with the poor man's jealous envy rant.

 

[JackBurton]

You missed the point. It's the poor man's status symbol because only someone who's likely not very financially well off and maybe more than just a little out of touch with the rest of society would THINK owning a cellphone was ever a status symbol- especially when everyone else and their five year old kid has one too.

I see it the same way some people may think their goofy sneakers or some fugly jacket with a team logo on it or crappy spinners for hubcaps are 'status symbols'; other more educated people tend to look at people who think common stuff is a 'status symbol' as belonging to a fairly low class.

It's a premium brand, but it doesn't mean you have to be rich to afford it. Same with Mercedes. It's a luxury brand even though wannabes purchase several year old models to give off the impression they have money. And then you have the guy that leases a Mercedes to look cool. Does Mercedes lose legitimacy as a premium brand because these douches drive them? No. It's still regarded as a luxury brand. Why? Because Mercedes builds a great product.

 

[JackBurton]

You guys are saying the exact same thing. There is no need to argue.

Correct, but the difference is, I see Apple's ecosystem as a positive rather than a negative.

 

[JackBurton]

the thread was not about apple vs. android. elite brands normally shy away from discounting their top products as it can alienate their current base.(yes snobs will think the brand is not as cool.) when apple agreed to let walmart sell their elite phone for a low price it became just another phone. apple built a brand that was supposed to be the must have. now it's just another option.

I completely agree Apple shouldn't have let that dump Walmart sell their products, however that doesn't mean Apple's brand is less valuable because of it. Sony sells their TV at Walmart and they are still a premium brand in the TV market. Definitely regarded higher than Samsung.

 

[openwheel]

It's a premium brand, but it doesn't mean you have to be rich to afford it. Same with Mercedes. It's a luxury brand even though wannabes purchase several year old models to give off the impression they have money. And then you have the guy that leases a Mercedes to look cool. Does Mercedes lose legitimacy as a premium brand because these douches drive them? No. It's still regarded as a luxury brand. Why? Because Mercedes builds a great product.

you are still missing the point. Mercedes IS a luxury brand and a status symbol. I can't say the same for Apple. You seems to want to link the two together both as "luxury" or "premium". They are not on equal footing as far as "status symbol" is concerned. My point is that some people think Apple as a luxury brand and they flaunt it as a status symbol. Go check out the #@$%% bags hanging out at your local starbucks, you'll see what I mean.

No one is arguing that Apple doesn't build good tech gadgets or even a good eco-system. They do.

 

[Aristotelian]

I agree, those clueless Android fans keep spewing the same crap time and time again. I do like how they try and come up with new stigmas on their own in an attempt to try and get it to catch on. My favorite is, "Apple is the poor man's status symbol." lol, If that's the case, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, and the likes are pure ghetto.

Is it true people will scrounge their pennies together to buy an Apple product? Sure. But then there are others that just want the best phone backed by a company that created the current smartphone revolution, not to mention their other ground breaking products. The other brands are just lost in Apple's cloud of dust. It's as simple as that. The attorney looking for a great phone and just wants it to work will simply pick up the latest iPhone. Why? Because Apple is known to create great products. They don't want to f'ing "root" their phones. They want a simple way to sync all their devices, back it up, stream music to their $20k 2 channel audio system, surf the net and take picture. Why mess with anything else when Apple will do it for you, and do it seamlessly? The people that complain about Apple's ecosystem are the ones who don't have the money to make it work. All Apple products with iTunes and iCloud are a beautiful thing. While Apple keeps innovating and improving their ecosystem, Google is still working on an answer to AirPlay.

Apple's real value is in their ecosystem, not in any one product although they do make fantastic products. The products are just the hooks to get people to play in their ecosystem. And once you're in, you don't want to leave. It's a great thing.

People with at least 1 20k soundsystem in a household are not 'scrounging their pennies together' for a 1000 dollar phone. This was the point in my last post - there is no 'difficulty in acquisition' or 'challenge' or 'accomplishment' or 'real financial barrier' or 'rarity' or anything in the vast majority of the smartphone space that makes any of these smartphones status symbols.

 

[akugami]

I seriously don't mind if that's what you get from what I said.

The point I was making is that if you 'bought in' the iOS ecosystem, it's much harder to get out compared to the others.

Of course, Oyeve's post made it look like it's horrible ("damn, I'm stuck in this iTunes ecosystem with my iPhone 3GS, might as well upgrade to iPhone 5"), but I don't see this necessarily as a bad thing.

I get your point, although I disagree. Considering the time spent tweaking the Android devices, and the time spent using various points of access for media, you're much more likely to stick with Android due to the amount of time invested. Not to mention any money spent. On iOS, it's so quick and easy to access an app or other media that the main point of investment is monetary.

As for Oyeve...I asked him, in a fairly neutral manner to back up what he says. Instead he comes back with flinging crap. That's how much his original response to my post is worth.

 

[QueBert]

The point I was making is that if you 'bought in' the iOS ecosystem, it's much harder to get out compared to the others.

This is true, going from iOS to any other eccosystem is the most painful. It's like going from driving a BMW 7 series to driving a Toyota Corolla.

I just got out of the Android eccosystem a few months ago, I'm not exactly sure how you can explain how it wasn't any harder than iOS. I had to give up $200+ I had invested in apps. How is this any different than leaving iOS?

 

[Oyeve]

Wow the douchebag factor is real strong on this thread

 

[JackBurton]

you are still missing the point. Mercedes IS a luxury brand and a status symbol. I can't say the same for Apple. You seems to want to link the two together both as "luxury" or "premium". They are not on equal footing as far as "status symbol" is concerned. My point is that some people think Apple as a luxury brand and they flaunt it as a status symbol. Go check out the #@$%% bags hanging out at your local starbucks, you'll see what I mean.

No one is arguing that Apple doesn't build good tech gadgets or even a good eco-system. They do.

Do you know how many $30k/yr millionaires buy old ass Mercedes or lease new Mercedes to give off the impression they are something they're not? By your definition, how can Mercedes be a status symbol if the average Joe Blow can pick one up? Apple is the same way but on a smaller scale.

People are weird and do weird things. I don't think owning an iPad is a big deal, but someone less fortunate will look at it like I own a freakin' Rolls Royce and may go as far as trying to rob me. And then you'll have another guy that will look at me like I'm a douche. And all I did was actually pull out my iPad and use it in public.

 

[Zaap]

It's a premium brand, but it doesn't mean you have to be rich to afford it. Same with Mercedes. It's a luxury brand even though wannabes purchase several year old models to give off the impression they have money. And then you have the guy that leases a Mercedes to look cool. Does Mercedes lose legitimacy as a premium brand because these douches drive them? No. It's still regarded as a luxury brand. Why? Because Mercedes builds a great product.

Apple isn't a 'premium' brand, and (as others have pointed out) it's not comparable in any way to Mercedes.

You could take your argument and try to apply it to some goofy brand of high top sneakers you think are so great. Outside of some narrow block of some 'hood' you live in, NO, no one else views your damn shoes as anything other than a pair of shoes. Something everyone else has, and can easily get. No matter what you were conned into paying for them, it makes no difference, the rest of the world sees it as something common and not worth getting all excited about, and certainly not a symbol of status. (Other than a symbol of lower-class status if you insist on thinking they symbolize otherwise.)

So the same is true of your iPhone wether you realize it or not. It's a PHONE. Nothing more. It symbolizes nothing. That you have one, is no more an accomplishment than the five year old down the street who has one also. Or the douchebag in skinny jeans who thinks it makes him cool. Or the lawyer or bagboy or busdriver or whoever else. They're just PHONES and virtually *ANYONE* can just go get one if they so desire. Big deal.

As has been stated; this isn't a slam against Apple or any other company, it's just a reality. The fact that someone's shoes aren't really anything special aren't a slam against Nike or Rebok or whatever other company- just they're not really anything other than: "The poor mans' status symbol".

 

[JackBurton]

Apple isn't a 'premium' brand, and (as others have pointed out) it's not comparable in any way to Mercedes.

You could take your argument and try to apply it to some goofy brand of high top sneakers you think are so great. Outside of some narrow block of some 'hood' you live in, NO, no one else views your damn shoes as anything other than a pair of shoes. Something everyone else has, and can easily get. No matter what you were conned into paying for them, it makes no difference, the rest of the world sees it as something common and not worth getting all excited about, and certainly not a symbol of status. (Other than a symbol of lower-class status if you insist on thinking they symbolize otherwise.)

So the same is true of your iPhone wether you realize it or not. It's a PHONE. Nothing more. It symbolizes nothing. That you have one, is no more an accomplishment than the five year old down the street who has one also. Or the douchebag in skinny jeans who thinks it makes him cool. Or the lawyer or bagboy or busdriver or whoever else. They're just PHONES and virtually *ANYONE* can just go get one if they so desire. Big deal.

As has been stated; this isn't a slam against Apple or any other company, it's just a reality. The fact that someone's shoes aren't really anything special aren't a slam against Nike or Rebok or whatever other company- just they're not really anything other than: "The poor mans' status symbol".

I can say the same thing about Merc. The poor will use it as a status symbol, while the people that can afford a legit Merc will buy it because they love the car. People do this with just about any product. Jordan's are different, because anyone WITH money wouldn't give a shit about them.

And just as an FYI, my phone is a Blackberry. And yes, it sucks.

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

I can say the same thing about Merc. The poor will use it as a status symbol, while the people that can afford a legit Merc will buy it because they love the car. People do this with just about any product. Jordan's are different, because anyone WITH money wouldn't give a shit about them.

And just as an FYI, my phone is a Blackberry. And yes, it sucks.

I don't think anyone's saying the iPhone isn't a quality device but like you've just said, they are used as a status symbol for those who aren't exactly wealthy.

 

[JackBurton]

I don't think anyone's saying the iPhone isn't a quality device but like you've just said, they are used as a status symbol for those who aren't exactly wealthy.

The poor will use any premium product as a status symbol. The simple fact that Apple doesn't make cheap products is most likely the reason. The poor will use Apple as a status symbol while the people that can easily afford it just think of it as a quality product.

 

[Aristotelian]

The poor will use any premium product as a status symbol. The simple fact that Apple doesn't make cheap products is most likely the reason. The poor will use Apple as a status symbol while the people that can easily afford it just think of it as a quality product.

That undermines their inclusion in an analysis of whether or not X is per se a status symbol or not. I'm not sure what you mean by 'cheap' - but Apple products are easily affordable, hence their popularity. Even at 1000 dollars the iPhone 5 is doing quite well in Belgium and other European markets. The fact of the matter is, that these products are not status symbols. There is nothing special or exclusive about them. They are commonly available, and therefore not status symbols. They are, however, a kind of 'cult symbol' - Apple fans, Android fans - there are lots of such 'cult team symbol' groups, however none of that has any say as to whether or not these products are status symbols. Compare a reaction between people looking at a Veyron (there was one on display for a while in Berlin) and the way they stop and admire it, and compare the reaction people have to an iPhone 5 or a LG Nexus 4 - these products simply cannot elicit the same response.

 

[annomander]

Wow the douchebag factor is real strong on this thread

Really have you stopped for one second and considered how you act?


Really people grow up, people like Android, people like iOS, is it really something to argue over, whats the problem with someone like something different then yourselfs or try and put them down due to it.

Really, grow up says it best.