New 'Why iPhone' section of Apple's web site touts smartphone superiority

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
After years of all but avoiding any mention of its mobile competitors, Apple has launched a new site that highlights iPhone's advantages as a smartphone, similar to its "Get a Mac" campaign that took on Windows PCs.

Why iPhone


The new site, linked to a "Why iPhone" menu on the iPhone web site, is headlined "there's iPhone. And then there's everything else." Apple has also drawn attention to the new site in an email campaign.

Award winning, all of them

Apple notes that iPhone has, in "every study since the first iPhone was introduced," been ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Consumer Smartphones" by J.D. Power and Associates in a series of eight studies, based on criteria that includes "performance, physical design, features, and ease of operation."

JDPower


The company also highlights its "meticulously considered" engineering, stating that iPhone is "make with a level of precision you?d expect from a finely crafted watch, not a smartphone. As a result, iPhone feels substantial in your hand and perfect in your pocket."

A third feature Apple touts is the iPhone's Retina Display, which Apple says "ushered in the era of super-high-resolution displays."

It adds, "Once you see a Retina display, you?re never satisfied with anything less. Yet it remains a feature found only on iPhone and other Apple products."

Life of the battery

A fourth differentiation Apple outlines is the company's battery technology, which it notes provides "great battery life" without "a great big battery."

The site says, "it?s extraordinary that we fit such a powerful battery into such a thin and light design ? all thanks to Apple scientists who created unique battery chemistry instead of settling for a large, off-the-shelf option."

At today's Engadget Expand conference, representatives from HTC and Samsung were asked on stage whether the exchangeable, monolithic battery was dead, particularly given the ease of recharging any phone via USB and the inconvenience of needing to power down a device in order to swap out its battery pack.

Why iPhone


Also noted by Engadget's hosts was the advantage of packing the most battery capacity possible in small mobile devices. That's something Apple has long touted as an advantage in battery-integrated iPods, then the iPhone, then iPad and most recently even in high end MacBooks, even while the industry at large fretted and complained about the loss of replaceable batteries.

While integrated battery designs were touted at the event as the clear route for future devices, nobody on stage made any mention that this was something Apple had pioneered and promoted through years of criticism.

Instead, the concept was associated with Samsung, represented on stage, which has adopted Apple's use of non-replaceable battery designs in the same way it has appropriated Apple's other inventions, designs, marketing, software and retail stores right down to the design of icons and packaging materials.

Chips and wireless

Apple also cites the iPhone 5's "powerful but not power hungry" A6 chip, noting that "it makes quick work of even the most graphics-intensive apps, and high frame rates make gameplay feel smooth and downright real. And the A6 chip works hand in hand with iOS 6 to be extremely power efficient. So you don?t sacrifice battery life for speed."

In wireless, Apple touts the iPhone 5 as delivering "ultrafast wireless and LTE," stating that "Apple engineers not only created a way to fit LTE in the thin iPhone profile, they did it in a way that optimizes battery life, too. Dual-band 802.11n accelerates your Wi-Fi experience. And because iPhone 5 supports more networks all over the world, you can connect at blazing-fast speeds no matter where you are."

Samsung has upped the ante in wireless by adding support for even faster "wireless gigabit" 802.11ac WiFi networks that are just beginning to emerge (which Apple hasn't yet supported in any of its products).Samsung's latest Galaxy 4S announcement upped the ante in wireless by adding support for even faster "wireless gigabit" 802.11ac WiFi networks that are just beginning to emerge (which Apple hasn't yet supported in any of its products).

However, Apple's support for global LTE networks (introduced with the iPhone 5 and spread to the iPad 4 and iPad mini after a limited introduction on the "new iPad" a year ago) is notable in that it erases 4G LTE as an exclusive feature that many Android phones could claim as an advantage over previous models of iPhone.

Most popular camera

The "iSight camera on iPhone is the world?s most popular camera," Apple notes, highlighting that on Flickr, iPhone 5 is the third most popular camera, after the second place iPhone 4 and the first place iPhone 4S.

Samsung recently announced its new phone with an 13 megapixel sensor (a feature other manufacturers already have in production. However, Apple points out that "while other smartphones simply tout large amounts of megapixels, taking great pictures is about so much more."

Its new site states, "the 8MP camera on iPhone 5 captures great photo data, and the hardware and software work together to make behind-the-scenes image and color adjustments. So it?s easy for anyone to take impressive photos in various lighting conditions."

The only App Store

While Android enthusiasts have focused on "sideloading" of apps and content from various sources (including Google Play and Amazon's Appstore), Apple describes itself as the "one trusted source" for apps, music, movies and TV shows.

Why iPhone


"With iPhone," the company says, "all that content comes from one source: Apple. The iTunes Store is the world?s largest and most trusted entertainment store. And the App Store is home to over 800,000 apps ? all reviewed by Apple to guard against malware. Other mobile platforms have a myriad of fragmented store options, resulting in availability issues, developer frustration, and security risks."

iOS 6: advanced and actually updated

Apple next profiles the iPhone's iOS 6 as "the world's most advanced operating system," stating that its "innovative features like Siri and FaceTime plus built-in apps make iPhone not just useful but fun."

Apple also points out that "iOS updates download right on iPhone, so the latest iOS version is just a tap away," an allusion to the fact that phones running other platforms, particularly Android, typically ship with outdated software and that their vendors rarely deliver any of the security fixes and feature updates that Google and its Android partners make available.

Google's "Android Update Alliance," a 2011 effort to encourage its licenses to commit to providing uses with at least an 18 month upgrade period, failed immediately. Ars Technica observed this winter that the program "resulted in exactly zero improvements to update timeliness."

That article, which examined the update policies of a variety of manufacturers and carriers, apologetically declared that "the notion itself of software updates after hardware release is still a relatively new concept, let alone the idea that hardware owners are entitled to feature-based updates," despite the fact that the article was written five and a half years after Apple first introduced rapid rollouts of free, comprehensive updates to mobile phones, a practice that it has continued into its sixth year of iPhones.

"It?s clear that the need for update improvements plagues the entire Android ecosystem"The article noted that "some phones, for one reason or another, never received updates during their lifetime. For the phones we selected, this wasn't a result of bad timing either?all phones we looked at had Android updates available to them within a reasonable time frame relative to the handset?s release, but for one reason another, the carrier or manufacturer never got around to pushing one out."

It concluded that "it?s clear that the need for update improvements plagues the entire Android ecosystem."

Siri and iCloud

Also outlined by Apple as significant differentiators of the iPhone are Siri and iCloud. "With Eyes Free," Apple notes, "you can use Siri to get things done in your car without taking your eyes off the road. You can speak naturally to Siri ? it understands what you say, knows what you mean, and helps you do the things you do every day."

Apple also highlights that iCloud takes the experience of using iPhone that much further," stating that it "stores your content ? your music, photos, apps, mail, contacts, calendars, documents, and more ? and wirelessly pushes it to all your devices."

The company adds, "iCloud is seamlessly integrated into your apps, and it all just works. So you?re up to date everywhere you go. All you have to do is nothing."

Support from real people

A final reason Apple gives to buy iPhones: "Every iPhone comes with support from real people who know everything there is to know about iPhone and iOS ? people you can call at 1-800-MY-APPLE or speak to in person at your favorite Apple Retail Store whenever you have questions or concerns."

Apple's unique control over iPhone's customer service experience, something Steve Jobs made a priority at its launch, risking rejection by carriers who fought against giving this up to Apple, is now a key differentiation.

"With other smartphones," the site states, "you?re not sure where to go for help. Call the manufacturer, and they tell you to call your service provider. Call your service provider, and they tell you to contact the OS developer. Getting answers shouldn?t be that hard. And with Apple, it never is."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    [redacted]
  • Reply 2 of 73
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Apple notes that iPhone has, in "every study since the first iPhone was introduced," been ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Consumer Smartphones" by J.D. Power and Associates in a series of eight studies, based on criteria that includes "performance, physical design, features, and ease of operation."


     


    Who cares? "People take a company's stock price and performance into account when buying a product."






    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    …they also don't list it being a trademark of Apple anywhere on that page, not even in the footer, which comes across as duplicitous.


     


    It isn't, though, is it?

  • Reply 3 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    It isn't, though, is it?

    It is: http://www.apple.com/legal/trademark/appletmlist.html


    edit: I just checked the pages of several of their Retina equipped products and none of them list it as being a trademark. I thought stating it as such was something that was required to protect the brand but that doesn't seem to be the case. They use to list it on pages so if none of the others have it then this one isn't single-handedly being deceptive.
  • Reply 4 of 73
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I take issue with their Retina display portion. They call it a feature without any indication it's their private, non-licensed brand and trademark. In itself I don't think it's a big deal in the text to simply call it a feature but they also don't list it being a trademark of Apple anywhere on that page, not even in the footer, which to me comes across as duplicitous.


     


    It's clear that no other phone has matched the resolution yet AFAIK (without resorting to duplicities of their own at least), so when they say no one has matched it, it's still true IMO.  Presumably when someone matches the resolution they will count it as "retina" even though the company in question won't have rights to the wording.  

  • Reply 5 of 73
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    It is: http://www.apple.com/legal/trademark/appletmlist.html



    edit: I just checked the pages of several of their Retina equipped products and none of them list it as being a trademark. I thought stating it as such was something that was required to protect the brand but that doesn't seem to be the case. They use to list it on pages so if none of the others have it then this one isn't single-handedly being deceptive.


     


    Hmm. I wouldn't have thought they'd do that. Ah, well. They were first. 


     


    If you look at it in context, it makes sense. Apple doesn't ™®© any of their products or technologies in advertising, online, or on packaging. They DO state it in that list, so that's probably enough.

  • Reply 6 of 73
    Dan_DilgerDan_Dilger Posts: 1,583member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I take issue with their Retina display portion. They call it a feature without any indication it's their private, non-licensed brand and trademark. In itself I don't think it's a big deal in the text to simply call it a feature but they also don't list it being a trademark of Apple anywhere on that page, not even in the footer, which to me comes across as duplicitous.


     


    Well yes, Apple is saying it's the only source for its trademarked feature, but this is marketing. No different that if Samsung said it was the only source for the "S Pen."


     


    There are other companies with high resolution (even higher pixel density) screens. But many of these offer resolutions that are slightly higher just for dick measuring reasons (Google's Retina-like Pixel) or have high res screens but low quality color accuracy and other negative aspects (like Samsung's trademarked PenTile Super AMOLED screens used in the Galaxy S III and new S4).


     


    When you read marketing copy you have to be somewhat cognizant that its marketing. Apple's not ahead in every respect (as the article notes in regard to 802.11ac, for example), but the number of things Amazon can claim as exclusives are dwindling (LTE, 4" screen, dual band WiFi) while Apple's advantages are not being as effectively matched (apps, enterprise support, engineering prowess, battery life, updates, real customer support).


     


    If Apple was doing spectacularly well with a non-LTE phone in 2011, imagine how well Android will do without a serious hardware advantage.

  • Reply 7 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    It's clear that no other phone has matched the resolution yet AFAIK (without resorting to duplicities of their own at least), so when they say no one has matched it, it's still true IMO.  Presumably when someone matches the resolution they will count it as "retina" even though the company in question won't have rights to the wording.  

    The Galaxy S IV doesn't count since it's PenTile, but Nokia Lumia 920 is 332 PPI and the HTC Droid DNA/Butterfly is 440 PPI. The Nokia was released in November and the HTC in December or 2012. I would say both qualify as besting the resolution of the 2010 iPhone 4. There are also many others that would fall into the "retina" category that are just under the iPhone's 326 PPI.
  • Reply 8 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Well yes, Apple is saying it's the only source for its trademarked feature, but this is marketing. No different that if Samsung said it was the only source for the "S Pen."

    I agree with that, but I also see Samsung as being technically honest more than being accurate with their statements. Perhaps it's folly on my part but I do expect Apple to be more up front.

    Also note that I have removed my previous statement as my initial premise was wrong and it's not just Retina or just that page so it doesn't appear they are trying to "pull a fast one."
  • Reply 9 of 73
    Why does it say only iPhone has Siri. What about iPad or iPod Touch. Or it's it implying that only iphone would bring you something like Siri?
  • Reply 10 of 73
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by THEMAC1NT0SH View Post

    Or it's it implying that only iphone would bring you something like Siri?


     


    I imagine that's what it means.

  • Reply 11 of 73
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member


    deleted

  • Reply 12 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    macrulez wrote: »
    Apparently it's technically correct to say no one's matched it - several have exceeded it:
    http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/mobile-phone/3423769/which-smartphone-has-highest-screen-resolution/

    This wikipage lists a half-dozen or so phones with 326 PPI displays.


    It's a little suspect since it doesn't list a single iPhone but has a great many Android phones, 3 Windows phones, and the BB Z10.



    edit: Took me forever to find this device from 2010. It's a Japanese phone that has the exact same 3.5" display and 960x640 display as the iPhone 4 that launched that year but uses a competitor to IPS called ASV.

  • Reply 13 of 73
    quest01quest01 Posts: 69member


    Yeah I got this in my email. The s4 is so hard to use, you have to be a genius to figure out every software feature on this phone and many of these features nobody will even use. Such as S voice drive, smart pause/scroll, S health, and useless camera features etc...

  • Reply 14 of 73
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_phones_with_HD_display



    It's a little suspect since it doesn't list a single iPhone but has a great many Android phones, 3 Windows phones, and the BB Z10.


     


    Not really. The page is titled "HD displays". If it's not 720, it's "not HD". Despite 481p being HD.


     


    I say we drop the whole "HD" nonsense and just call displays what they are by the short end.


     


    720p is not HD in the face of SHV.

  • Reply 15 of 73
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Apparently it's technically correct to say no one's matched it - several have exceeded it:


    http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/mobile-phone/3423769/which-smartphone-has-highest-screen-resolution/



     


    I was under the impression that those that exceeded it were PenTile displays and thus *not* really exceeding it.  Like the new Galaxy phone that every tech review says has "more pixels than the iPhone" but every review also fails to mention that it's PenTile.  


     


    Even if that's incorrect, as others have mentioned, the screens in question are still not as sharp or as accurate as the iPhone screens.  Any objective review of screens would no doubt come out with Apple having the best screen if they take all factors into consideration.  

  • Reply 16 of 73
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    This wikipage lists a half-dozen or so phones with 326 PPI displays.



    ...


     


    It doesn't differentiate between "regular" and PenTile either.  Without that, it's meaningless.  

  • Reply 17 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    It doesn't differentiate between "regular" and PenTile either.  Without that, it's meaningless.  

    Still, I've already mentioned several that either match exactly or exceed the iPhone's display that aren't using Samsung's PenTile tech on an AMOLED display.
  • Reply 18 of 73
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:



    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    …they also don't list it being a trademark of Apple anywhere on that page, not even in the footer, which comes across as duplicitous.




    Well they also don't mention in the footer that they Photoshoped the screens on the phone images. Particularly noticeable in the iMovie image as it is the same exact shot as on the iPhone page except this time the phone is white. In fact all the phones are white on the new site, they really like the white phone.


     


    Having done a lot of product photography I realize it is virtually impossible to get good display screen shots with a camera. You pretty much have to Photoshop them in.


     


    I actually like the white one better too. iPhone 5 was the first time I bought the white one. Same with the iPad mini. I never thought I would like the white but now I like it better than my previous black ones.

  • Reply 19 of 73
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Duplicate. I hate when that happens

  • Reply 20 of 73
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mstone wrote: »
    Having done a lot of product photography I realize it is virtually impossible to get good display screen shots with a camera. You pretty much have to Photoshop them in.

    That is something I would never have noticed.
    I actually like the white one better too. iPhone 5 was the first time I bought the white one. Same with the iPad mini. I never thought I would like the white but now I like it better than my previous black ones.

    I got the white, too, but I also really like the colour of the metal compared to the black model. I am using a case this time around, but only because I just had to have the TARDIS case and sound effects on my phone. I'm a wee bit of a Doctor Who fan.
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