Samsung spies on iPhone launch lines to pierce Apple mystique
Samsung's commercials may make fun of Apple fans waiting in lines for the next iDevice, but the South Korean tech giant may not be above trying to figure out just what drives those fans to queue up hours and days in advance.
Customers line up outside Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store. Thanks to AppleInsider reader Ryan.
As Apple fans lined up to get the new generation of iPhone, the Cupertino company's chief rival sent a video and photography crew to document the lines at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan. Their goal according to CNET: figuring out what had those customers so excited that they would stand in line for hours ? even days ? to be the first to get their hands on a new phone.
"Other companies release new phones, but there's not as much passion and heat," one Samsung operative said. "It's only Apple. Why? We're curious."
Reportedly, the crew only documented the scene in front of the Fifth Avenue store, occasionally asking line-sitters questions: "Is the line shorter or longer this year than last?" and "Is the crowd more excited or less excited than previous years?" The crew seemed most interested in whether Apple's "cool factor" was waning and the degree of loyalty among Apple fans.
CNET notes that the video group was not from Samsung's electronics arm; it was instead from the conglomerate's broadcasting segment, Samsung Broadcasting Center/Cheil Worldwide. That segment occasionally works with Samsung Electronics on projects, and both are divisions of the parent company Samsung Group, but there is so far no indication that the video documenting was done at the request of Samsung Electronics.
Apple and Samsung have been locked in bitter combat for years now for supremacy in the global smartphone market, both in terms of sales and in the courts. Combined, the two firms take in all of the industry's profits, with other manufacturers losing money or just breaking even.
Customers line up outside Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store. Thanks to AppleInsider reader Ryan.
As Apple fans lined up to get the new generation of iPhone, the Cupertino company's chief rival sent a video and photography crew to document the lines at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan. Their goal according to CNET: figuring out what had those customers so excited that they would stand in line for hours ? even days ? to be the first to get their hands on a new phone.
"Other companies release new phones, but there's not as much passion and heat," one Samsung operative said. "It's only Apple. Why? We're curious."
Reportedly, the crew only documented the scene in front of the Fifth Avenue store, occasionally asking line-sitters questions: "Is the line shorter or longer this year than last?" and "Is the crowd more excited or less excited than previous years?" The crew seemed most interested in whether Apple's "cool factor" was waning and the degree of loyalty among Apple fans.
CNET notes that the video group was not from Samsung's electronics arm; it was instead from the conglomerate's broadcasting segment, Samsung Broadcasting Center/Cheil Worldwide. That segment occasionally works with Samsung Electronics on projects, and both are divisions of the parent company Samsung Group, but there is so far no indication that the video documenting was done at the request of Samsung Electronics.
Apple and Samsung have been locked in bitter combat for years now for supremacy in the global smartphone market, both in terms of sales and in the courts. Combined, the two firms take in all of the industry's profits, with other manufacturers losing money or just breaking even.
Comments
Products that don't suck.
/research
I bet it's more than that.
Thing is that the lines are not just for the launch day. They persist for days if not weeks. Some people just don't have a good place for Fed Ex to drop off the phone while they are at work so they stand in line on the weekend.
Because Apple buyers know they're getting a quality product, made by people that have a borderline-clinical attention to detail, backed by a company with stellar customer service that won't forget about them the moment they purchase their product.
You read that Samsung? Stop pushing trash out the door, and stop using Apple as your R&D department.
I find it ironic that Samsung has no problem putting ads out there insulting (potentially future) customers, yet would love to figure out what Apple is doing right so Samsung can have those exact same lines of anticipation.
The reality Samsung is that you'll always be associated with crap. Get over it.
I think it's simply the fact that it's not Samsung. Or Motorola. Or HTC. Or Nokia. Or HP. Or LG.
Apple is the original.
Riddle me this...Why are you such douchebags?
They won't get it, because they can't get it.
The reality Samsung is that you'll always be associated with crap. Get over it.
I don't know about that. They do make a lot of the parts that go into Apple products so it can't be all crap. They also build a lot of quality hardware like TVs, home appliances, and some industrial equipment. The crap part is their business ethics and their lack of creativity. The main reason Samsung phones are inferior to Apple's is that Android is crap compared to iOS.
Useabilty
Design
Iphones are a joy to simply hold, which is why i do not use a case, i love the device!!!
People have always been passionate about Apple products. Since the very beginning almost 40 years ago. It's about the user experience. It's hard to quantify but when you get the user experience just right, people find the device so intuitive, easy, comfortable and non-threatening that they fall in love. I don't know that any Android device could ever achieve that level since they just don't have the same degree of hardware / software integration.
Apple's philosophy:
Superior User Experience, end-to-end.
It isn't really something that is easily articulated with words.
It has to be part of your company culture.
It has to be something like . . . THIS:
It's about making tech *an intimate experience* for PEOPLE.
Samsung is galaxies away from that.
Still went to the store at 7, got in line with 200 folks hoping to get one , alas no gold left for # 140, no worries, estimated delivery 10/10
But we all had a blast in line,!!!
I don't know about that. They do make a lot of the parts that go into Apple products so it can't be all crap. They also build a lot of quality hardware like TVs, home appliances, and some industrial equipment. The crap part is their business ethics and their lack of creativity. The main reason Samsung phones are inferior to Apple's is that Android is crap compared to iOS.
quality of TV - emphasis mine. I disagree, my neighbor does too. We both have a same scum flat panel tv 3-4 years old. His is a bigger POS than mine but they both have issues. Mine has to be shut off and restarted when changing channels from cable(directl line or box) so that the sound works. It loses audio constantly. My neighbor has sent his in a few times to be worked on, JUNK samescum junk.
have fun with all your samescum junk droid dorks
I don't know about that. They do make a lot of the parts that go into Apple products so it can't be all crap. They also build a lot of quality hardware like TVs, home appliances, and some industrial equipment. The crap part is their business ethics and their lack of creativity. The main reason Samsung phones are inferior to Apple's is that Android is crap compared to iOS.
Samsung = feature bloat + poor execution
Samsung chose to use Android and infringe on Apple patents. Slow legal systems, tons of marketing, and a naive public that doesn't understand FRAND licensing terms bought the company time to build marketshare.
Samsung chose to use Android and infringe on Apple patents. Slow legal systems, tons of marketing, and a naive public that doesn't understand FRAND licensing terms bought the company time to build marketshare.
I don't disagree with that. I only replied that the name Samsung is not universally associated with crap by the general public. It is only Apple fanatics who perceive them that way. Perhaps General Electric fans like myself also think their appliances are rubbish too but in reality they get pretty good ratings.
In some ways I agree. About 4-5 years back, I got a Samsung LED TV and BluRay player with a (what I thought was) nice Samsung sound bar.
All the same series. 3 remotes. 3 different remotes all from the same year and same series of electronics. The TV has been good. The Sound Bar had a constant slight hum. Not a 60Hz hum but about 100Hz sounding like a fan. Sent it back. New one had the same issue. Sent that one back. New still had the same issue. I wanted to return and get my money back (given the design was defective). Nope.
But what makes me mad is the three remotes.
I don't disagree with that. I only replied that the name Samsung is not universally associated with crap by the general public. It is only Apple fanatics who perceive them that way. Perhaps General Electric fans like myself also think their appliances are rubbish too but in reality they get pretty good ratings.