A recent analysis of social media posts showed that current Apple customers are not happy with the introduction of the new MacBook Pro’s and that a lot of Mac owners are thinking of switching to the forbidden empire of Microsoft.
As a Mac person I have been underwhelmed with the new product announcements coming from Apple. The iMac hasn’t seen an update in over four years, I don’t want or need a new iPhone, and OS X is in need of a major overhaul. Was it just me and what did other Mac owners think?
I used a variety of social media analysis tools and did not expect what I had found. I heard current Mac owners say they were now moving to a Microsoft product while others were very disappointed at the configuration of the new MacBook Pro’s. In responses to the Apple announcement many people said they were going to purchase a new Microsoft Surface Studio product. This coming from people who once would rather get a root canal than join the ranks of Windows users.
Apple is still a hugely successful brand making a lot of money, but from where I sit they are in real danger of becoming a “money brand” rather than a “cool brand” they once were. Think about it for a second, Google’s Pixel is being heralded as the best smartphone in the market and the new Microsoft Studio is a product that PC users really want. Does anyone believe that Steve Jobs would have allowed this to happen?
Apple, under Steve Jobs, succeeded because he knew how to design products that people actually needed and create a demand. Under Tim Cook Apple has become what Tim Cook is good at “a logistics operation”.
The lesson for marketers is clear: unless you continue to lead and innovate you’re going to be left behind. Apple, under Steve, used to wow us, now they get on stage like rock stars with videos on how much “engineering” went into the design of a keyboard. Does anyone really believe that customers care about that?
