Nov
11
Technology And Competition
Posted by: coltonfoster | November 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Having just signed up for a new phone contract with a Samsung Fascinate running Google’s Android operating system, I thought it would be interesting to look at the way technological advancements, particularly in the smartphone market, are being used to marketers’ advantage. Many people believe Apple to be a primary “pioneer” in the technology industry as they unveil new and exciting products to the masses. While this is true, I believe that their success lies in design and marketing. Apple computers and iPhones are not much more powerful than their competitors’ offerings, only slightly easier to use, and come with a hefty price-tag for the most part. That being said, they introduce new products, such as the iPhone to the masses. By designing extremely sleek devices with vibrant interfaces, Apple creates the “want” in the minds of consumers. People may that the the “ooh, shiny, I want that” type of mentality fades as we age, but to a lot of people it still matters whether we think about it or not. Secondly, Apple is very focused on marketing their devices in specific ways, the ways that they want their image to be seen. The fact that the iPhone 4 that “changes everything, again” had many antenna issues didn’t lead to an apology from Apple, merely a free bumper and an explanation that “other phones do it too.” To many people Apple is the hip, happening company that can do no wrong regardless of high margins on its products that consumers must pay for. Google on the other hand is very popular as a search engine, yet are their phones any good? Now, Google (much like Microsoft) does not make their own hardware, something that may also be a factor in Apple’s success as they do. Google Android phones are gaining marketshare more rapidly than iPhone and largely at the expense of BlackBerry. Many see Android as a geeky type of phone, yet I believe that Google is trying to change this image through marketing campaigns like the one we saw in class for Google Docs. Once people realize that it is just as easy to use as your typical smartphone, and actually comes packed with numerous extra features, I believe Android will take off even farther. However, Google mainly has to rely on the marketing campaigns of cellular carriers and its manufacturers like HTC, Samsung and LG.
Another interesting field of technological competition actually lies in the auto industry. Right now we have cars that can park themselves and even some with TV’s in the headrests. Every auto manufacturer tries to one-up each other to have the newest technology in their vehicles. Also, with the increasing emphasis on “green”, research into hybrid and electric cars has become even more essential. Reading a friend’s blog post I learned more about the Nissan Leaf, an electric car that will be launched in 2011. This is a huge development for the auto industry. I believe it won’t be long before we see the other auto-makers contracting R&D to other tech companies to see what improvements can be made to battery life and charging. Who knows, maybe some day we will see Google or Apple branded vehicles. You never know.