PRODUCT BIOGRAPHY

Product Biography of iPhone

Product Biography of iPhone

Introduction

At Apple Inc., engineers were able to develop the iPhone after years of painstaking and meticulous research. The first iPhone was officially launched on June 29, 2013. At that time, the product was distributed exclusively by AT&T which was formerly known as Cingular. There were numerous controversies surrounding the agreement between Apple and AT&T to sell the iPhone. The concept of jail-breaking and bricking, for instance, created quite a stir in the market. After initial hiccups, the product went on to become arguably the most successful smartphone of the 21st century. Even today, Apple continues to use an innovative strategy and this is reflected in the unique products that the company sells such as the iPhone. The iPhone is a highly innovative product - it has an aesthetically pleasing design and a highly intuitive, snappy and user-friendly interface. The company has maintained a large customer base which is willing to pay a premium price for the product. The main reason that justifies the loyalty of Apple's customers is the premium quality of the feature-packed product, both of which help to distinguish it from other competing products in the market (Mallin & Finkle, 2011).

Ethical issues

In the case of the iPhone, the ethical issues highlighted are mainly related to the product's high price. At a time when other major competitors are delivering the same quality at a much more reasonable price, several people have argued that the iPhone is seriously overpriced for the value that it delivers. For instance, upon its launch, the product was sold at nearly $800 a piece. In stark contrast, other companies competing for the same market were selling their premium products at a maximum of $500 per piece. As a result, consumers loyal to Apple have traditionally had to pay nearly double the price for the iPhone whereas other leading brands like Samsung, Sony and HTC deliver the same quality at a much reasonable price. In her book “In search of the Good Life: the Ethics of Globalization”, Rebecca Todd Peters explains how the 'Globalization as New World Order' model has become popular in countries around the world. The model describes global economies and markets that are governed by the ideals of neoliberalism and capitalism. Globalization as New World Order explains how neoliberalist ideals form the backbone of globalization. It iterates that the foundational pillars of globalization are formed by big businesses so that the economic benefits generated are directed mainly towards the rich and the elite. Apple's pricing approach reflects the ideals of neoliberalism and capitalism that are outlined in this particular model as the company has maintained a high price for its products which is mainly seen as a revenue maximization strategy.

Political Issues

Apple's iPhone has been affected by an array of political factors. These have had an adverse impact on the performance of the company in global market. Apple recently filed a lawsuit against two of its major competitors, HTC and Samsung (Reardon, ...