Marketing

After the March 21 announcement of new Apple products, specifically an iPhone and iPad, I would argue to say that Apple is not the leader of innovation anymore. We used to associate Apple products with a strong sense of innovation and design prowess. The only asset they now carry, however, is their design team, led by Jony Ive. Is it enough? I don’t think so. Here are 8 signs that innovation is lost at Apple:

1. Steve Jobs. Let’s face it, Steve was the heart and soul of Apple. No one else can replace the technology pioneer with the same degree of passion and focus on making great products.
2. Second to market. Who came out with the first smartwatch? How about the second one? Apple was nowhere to be found as several wearable products were released in the past four years. The first Apple Watch is subpar and evolutionary at best. When will Apple stun us like they did with the first real smartphone, first real tablet and first real ultra-portable laptop?
3. Product similarities. The iPhone SE is identical to the iPhone 5 in look and feel. Anyone can improve on power, that’s Moore’s Law. Guess what? The iPhone 5 came out nearly 4 years ago. The iPhone SE? Only a day old in the media books. Don’t get me started with the iPad Pro 9.7″ (exact replica of the iPad Air, with a keyboard thrown in to the mix).
4. Comments. I look at the comment sections of tech blogs and realize that Apple isn’t the main topic of discussion. When iPods came out, there was massive, overwhelming buzz with every release.
5. Sales. The declining numbers speak for themselves. Just because you release more SKUs doesn’t hide the fact that product categories are losing value. People don’t need to replace their iPad every 6 months to a year.
6. Disruption. How do you fix declining sales? Do what Steve Jobs did. Kill product categories with revolutionary products. Understand when technology hits a peak, then disrupt. I haven’t seen a disruption at Apple in years.
7. Discounts. Apple Watches were doing so bad that early discounts were handed out during the holiday shopping season. Apple never discounts a product unless that product is on clearance to make room for the new.
8. Samsung is cool. If the kids today are saying Android is better, then Apple must appeal to the older generation. Problem is, the kids are the next generation, the future decision-makers and dictators of where technology is headed.

Let this be noted that I am an Apple enthusiast – I would never consider Windows products after making the Apple switch. I am worried though that Apple has lost its lustre. How long can this continue?

We are testing out the recently released Oristand at our office. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to check out the product, click here to learn more about Oristand.

What really intrigued me was the fact that the entire product is just cardboard. How could this be useful to the office space, especially when I recycle cardboard daily?

Turns out the simplest inventions are the most innovative. The Oristand is collapsable, so you can take it anywhere. It holds about 60 pounds, so you can throw a few monitors on there, no problem. As a standing desk unit, this is the best value if you’re entering into the market.

In terms of my overall opinion, stay tuned, I will report on my findings after one week of office use.

When you look at the Apple logo on your iPhone, iPad or MacBook, do you ever wonder why the brand is so popular? I mean, let’s be honest, how simple can we get with the logo! No words, just a practical image of a fruit as the logomark.

That is the essence of sexy brands, whether it be Apple, Chanel or Nike – the subtlety, the simplicity, is the reason for mass emotional appeal. As the world population grows exponentially year-over-year, more and more advertisers are trying to get a piece of the eyeball pie. That means there is an increase in the perceived need to be noisy, fancy and in-your-face. That technique only works temporarily as you become an overhyped fad brand.

The brands that excel past the noise are the brands that stay true to their core essence. Nike = competition. Apple = design. Chanel = luxury. Imagine if Chanel came along and decided to be cute like all of the pop star fragrances released these days. Chanel would lose their identity and likely fall off the face of the earth.

When building your brand, how are you crafting your message? Try to be boring, or what I like to call simple; it will actually pay off in the long-run as you build your brand.