What is it about Apple???

Posted:
in AppleOutsider edited January 2014
I am currently doing research for an article regarding brands and customer loyalty and after reading through a great number of articles, news releases, blogs, etc. I realize that the customers of Apple are not like other customers. They are probably some of the most loyal people I've ever read about. No matter what mistakes Apple may make, the customers are always there to support them and every time someone says something bad about the company, there are always one or more Apple-enthusiasts that steps forward to defend the brand. As a person who do not own any Apple products, I'm having a hard time understanding this extreme loyalty and I therefore need to ask: what is it about Apple that is so great??? Is it just the great products that make the customers so loyal or is it something more than that?

I'd be extremely grateful for any replies I may get .

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    You answered our own question.



    Mac: We've used Windows a lot. We've used the Mac OS a lot. Apple just makes the (far) better product. Now there are a few who would disagree with that, but that's the way we, the Apple faithful feel.



    iPod: Great features, great minimalist style. When the iPod was first released, it was the first small player that had enough storage to make it worthwhile, plus it was simple, and absolutely useful to anyone who enjoyed music. Now, it's more difficult to compete against products like the Zune, but most iPod fans would insist that Apple still leads in aesthetics, simplicity and value.



    Just great products.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    Do a search for your question being asked. It seems once a month someone doing research posts this question.



    You could probably find more about it doing a search here than what will get posted in one thread.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    Nearly identical questions are being asked repeatedly on AI. Are these people clueless market research assistants, or stealth Microsofties?
  • Reply 4 of 7
    The question cannot be answered within the context of OS X, Windows, iPod etc, as this phenomenon goes way back before these things were invented. In fact, OS X and iPod would never have even got off the ground, if it wasn't for the hard-core loyal support of people who stuck through the 'dark days' of the mid to late 1990's.



    The big misconception is that this phenomena is unique to Apple. It's not, but it does seem fairly unique to technology. Those of us who have been around the block a few times might remember the C64 Vs Atari 8-Bit, the Amiga Vs ST, the NES Vs Master System, Playstation Vs Saturn and so on. If you were a hardcore PC gamer in 1999/2000, you'd be in the 3dFX forums arguing about Voodoo Vs Geforce and the merits of hardware TnL (only the merits didn't matter, card loyalty did).



    The real difference is that despite being a technology company, Apple is mainstream cool and this fabnatic loyalty is very visible. This is a generalization, but the most fanatic fans usually show their loyalty to products that have a smaller market share, but are the better product OR arguable the 'connoisseurs' choice. Amiga in 1986, SNES in 1992, AMD CPU in 2004, OS X in 2003 to present.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ckristof View Post


    I am currently doing research for an article regarding brands and customer loyalty and after reading through a great number of articles, news releases, blogs, etc. I realize that the customers of Apple are not like other customers. They are probably some of the most loyal people I've ever read about. No matter what mistakes Apple may make, the customers are always there to support them and every time someone says something bad about the company, there are always one or more Apple-enthusiasts that steps forward to defend the brand. As a person who do not own any Apple products, I'm having a hard time understanding this extreme loyalty and I therefore need to ask: what is it about Apple that is so great??? Is it just the great products that make the customers so loyal or is it something more than that?

    I'd be extremely grateful for any replies I may get .



    Step one:



    Remove all stickers from laptop palm rests. Instant 2001 flashback.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by trailmaster308 View Post


    Do a search for your question being asked. It seems once a month someone doing research posts this question.



    You could probably find more about it doing a search here than what will get posted in one thread.



    Believe me, I've already tried that but unfortunately I haven't found much information on this particular question. That is why I'm asking you guys directly. I'm not trying to bug anyone but if I were to write my article on the narrow information I've got so far, the article wouldn't be very good and it wouldn't do much justice to the Apple customers. I didn't expect to get a great number of replies by posting the question here, but I figured that I could at least give it a try.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    dudditsduddits Posts: 260member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ckristof View Post


    Believe me, I've already tried that but unfortunately I haven't found much information on this particular question. That is why I'm asking you guys directly. I'm not trying to bug anyone but if I were to write my article on the narrow information I've got so far, the article wouldn't be very good and it wouldn't do much justice to the Apple customers.



    If you are not able to find more than "narrow information" from literally millions of available online sources, and you believe a few random responses in a forum will open up a window of insight, then the article might not be very good no matter what. Since I'm a cat and eternally optimistic, I'd like to believe that something might yet be salvaged from this noble effort. Perhaps if you would be kind enough to provide a bit more context, you might get a better response:



    What is the article for?

    What is your thesis?

    Are you a student?

    What is the assignment?

    Why would you want to do "justice to the Apple customers?"

    Have you had any good or bad experiences with Apple products?

    Why have you been unable to find more than narrow information?

    Have you surveyed cats, or is your sample limited to human subjects?
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