In a blog posted by Clement Kong, the main issue regarding the new phones released by Apple last months (Iphone 5S and 5C) is the lack of point of difference (POD) compared to previous Iphones and phones from other competitors. The author argued that only a few new features that are not so attractive can be found—new colors, polycarbonate phone cases, new fingerprint sensors and A7 processors.  This lack of POD, along with increasingly fierce competition within the industry, has posed a threat on Apple’s market share.

Apple has certainly disappointed many of its fans who have been waiting for the release date, expecting something different and creative from Iphone 5S and 5C.  As for screen size, Apple is trying hard to make itself special by offering elongated phones rather than altering width.  But though it has differentiated itself from its competitors, the POD compared with its previous phones has been ignored. Improving POD is really a big deal in the smart phone industry, and those who grasp its importance is likely to gain competitive advantage. For instance, Samsung has launched smartphones with curved display screens in South Korea according to BBC news. This shows Samsung’s ambition to further improve its POD which contributes to its domestic market share. Apple should certainly watch out and learn from this.

Reference:

Kong, Clement. “Clement Kong’s Blog.” Clement Kongs Blog. UBC Blog, 06 Oct. 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.

Kelion, Leo. “Samsung Launches Smartphone with Curved Display Screen.” BBC News. BBC, 10 Sept. 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.