People around the world, especially in Asia has worshipped the power of gold for thousands of years. However, like any other rarities, gold has nothing special but its colour. But clearly, for thousands of years, gold, as well as its colour, has become more related to social “showmanship” rather than its original value.
This article, however, will NOT be anything about the history of gold, nor will it be any tribal or religious view on gold itself. But it is truly about the power of gold(en colour), and people’s craziness about the colour “gold” in a modern, technological life.
Here’s a Question: Would Colours Really Matter While Choosing an Electronic Product?
The answer for that question, is definitely a yes, since the world’s biggest brand, Apple Inc, has proven it through its severe shortage of supply in just few days after it’s launch of the new flagship mobile phone model – iPhone 5s.
This is actually the first time on Apple’s history, that the company decided to release more than one phone models at one time, and also the first time that iPhone(s) have come into different colours. Black (Space Grey), Silver, and Gold (more likely to be called Champagne) for iPhone 5s, and five different colours about its plastic “cheaper” model iPhone 5c.
But why is it so different from any other launches Apple have had before? Because you cannot find any Gold iPhone 5s available right now, I mean, not in any carriers or official retail stores. They still have those on eBay, but the price will be $1,800 or up!
Here are some statistics from Business Insider:
- O2, the major European carrier, has zero gold iPhones.
- Verizon on Wall Street has zero gold iPhones.
- The entire continent of Australia has zero gold iPhones.
- Apple’s flagship store in San Francisco had only 20 gold iPhones.
- There has been a vast under-estimation of Asian demand for gold iPhones, where the device is also sold out.
What is happening to Apple, and to its supply of product? Is it really like what the company said, “Underestimated the Demand from Asia“? Well, partly true, since people from not only Asia but all around the world are super crazy about the new “shiny golden iPhone”. But would the world’s biggest brand, as well as world cutting-edge marketing research department, really “underestimate” its consumers’ demand? Again, according to Business Insider, and basic demand and supply model, the price of the basic material for iPhone 5s, aluminum, has been declining as Apple planned for its iPhone 5s supply, which means there would be no reason for Apple not to purchase enough amount of raw materials for making iPhone 5s. However, Apple’s second phone product this year, the polycarbonate (plastic) iPhone 5c, has never been sold out, even though it has started the online ordering way before it was actually sold in retail stores. However, the price for polycarbonate, contradictorily, are rising when Apple manages it iPhone 5c supplies.
The possible plan Apple is making, from my own opinion, is to grab every consumer’s attention on the newly released iPhone 5s, especially the golden ones, by introducing numerous colours to both of its product. Just like other rarities like diamonds and rubies, people will be extremely interested in something that is very hard to obtain, and will be willing to pay much higher price than it is actually worth. The “cheaper” iPhone 5c, will be a nice tool to grab consumer’s attention through its different selection of colours and, on the other hand, to focus everyone’s attention on the hard-to-get iPhone 5s, since consumers wouldn’t care that much on a fully in stock and cheaper item compared to the shiny and rare Golden iPhone’s Flagship. “That’s what is going on with the gold iPhone. You can’t have one. And that’s why you want one.” Apple’s marketing people are not dummies. They are making its golden iPhone more like a sign of social status rather than an electronic cellphone, and apparently last week the gold iPhone has “divided the world into the haves and have-nots”.
Related Links: http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-gold-iphone-5s-shortage-2013-9#ixzz2h5vlYsCj