4 ms·

It’s because in many parts of the world, people won’t buy expensive things unless there is some way for people to know you spent a lot of money and have the new

by jhugg 9y ago

It’s because in many parts of the world, people won’t buy expensive things unless there is some way for people to know you spent a lot of money and have the newest thing. I hate the red dot too. Already ordered my WatchDots.

eridius 9y ago
Exactly this. China is a great example. Many many people will buy the LTE model strictly for the red dot, with no intention of actually using LTE, because it's a status symbol. I'm really surprised Gruber doesn't get that. There was a post I saw recently, that I thought Gruber linked to but I can't find it anymore, about how Apple's strategy of taking old phones and selling them as the lower tier models is great because it means people can buy those phones and nobody can tell that they bought a lower-tier phone (because it looks like they could have just bought the top-tier phone last year and not gotten around to upgrading yet). This was also used to explain why the 5C was apparently a flop, because it was immediately obvious to anybody that a 5C owner bought the cheap phone. Status symbols are important.
- matrixtransform 9y ago
  It's the same reason why earpods only come in white. It makes them stand out. White iPod headphones were a walking advertisement/status symbol for years.
  - photojosh 9y ago
    I will buy AirPods the moment they come in black... so I'm guessing I probably never will. :)
- sirn 9y ago
  They also further reinforce the status symbols of the top-of-line Watch by discontinuing Stainless Steel case in all editions except in the Series 3 LTE as well. Though, this also means that the Stainless Steel Watch is not available to purchase at all if your country don't have Series 3 LTE available.
- TheOtherHobbes 9y ago
  Red is a lucky colour in China. I hope that's not the reason, because it a huge wart on the side of a device that already isn't as thin and elegant as it might be. But who knows?
jmull 9y ago
I don't think that could be it in this case. The LTE version is only $70 more. That's not going to wow anyone. (Well, plus a monthly service charge, which is more significant financially, but has no weight as a status symbol.) Meanwhile, there are more expensive upgrades that are at least as obtrusive, like the stainless-steal case and those designer bands. I mean, I don't really get it either, but it isn't this. Maybe it's just a way to highlight a significant new feature?
- rconti 9y ago
  Well, maybe it's to signal "I have the latest!" (as opposed to a few-year-old one) rather than "I spent $70 more!" But I don't get it either. I always bought my iPhones when they did the hardware revision (the "s" models), not the design change. It's like how folks said Starbucks cups were a status symbol. On what planet does $3 buy you status?

by jhugg 9y ago

eridius 9y ago

Exactly this. China is a great example. Many many people will buy the LTE model strictly for the red dot, with no intention of actually using LTE, because it's a status symbol. I'm really surprised Gruber doesn't get that. There was a post I saw recently, that I thought Gruber linked to but I can't find it anymore, about how Apple's strategy of taking old phones and selling them as the lower tier models is great because it means people can buy those phones and nobody can tell that they bought a lower-tier phone (because it looks like they could have just bought the top-tier phone last year and not gotten around to upgrading yet). This was also used to explain why the 5C was apparently a flop, because it was immediately obvious to anybody that a 5C owner bought the cheap phone. Status symbols are important.

matrixtransform 9y ago
It's the same reason why earpods only come in white. It makes them stand out. White iPod headphones were a walking advertisement/status symbol for years.
- photojosh 9y ago
  I will buy AirPods the moment they come in black... so I'm guessing I probably never will. :)
sirn 9y ago
They also further reinforce the status symbols of the top-of-line Watch by discontinuing Stainless Steel case in all editions except in the Series 3 LTE as well. Though, this also means that the Stainless Steel Watch is not available to purchase at all if your country don't have Series 3 LTE available.
TheOtherHobbes 9y ago
Red is a lucky colour in China. I hope that's not the reason, because it a huge wart on the side of a device that already isn't as thin and elegant as it might be. But who knows?

jmull 9y ago

I don't think that could be it in this case. The LTE version is only $70 more. That's not going to wow anyone. (Well, plus a monthly service charge, which is more significant financially, but has no weight as a status symbol.) Meanwhile, there are more expensive upgrades that are at least as obtrusive, like the stainless-steal case and those designer bands. I mean, I don't really get it either, but it isn't this. Maybe it's just a way to highlight a significant new feature?

rconti 9y ago
Well, maybe it's to signal "I have the latest!" (as opposed to a few-year-old one) rather than "I spent $70 more!" But I don't get it either. I always bought my iPhones when they did the hardware revision (the "s" models), not the design change. It's like how folks said Starbucks cups were a status symbol. On what planet does $3 buy you status?