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> the new focus on privacy is going to win them even more loyalty. This seems to be a common talking point, but I'm not convinced it is a real driver outside

> the new focus on privacy is going to win them even more loyalty. This seems to be a common talking point, but I'm not convinced it is a real driver outside of a small niche of within the niche of software people. Privacy is not something regular people really are aware of or give a damn about. The biggest driver towards getting an iPhone that I see is shutting up friends who whine because you're a "green person" in their iMessage.

zjaffee 8y ago
The privacy aspect is what has, and will continue to be why the iphone is the preferred phone for businesses and governments that give their employees a smartphone. This was a big factor as to why blackberry's phone business didn't die sooner than it did.
aaaaaaaaaab 8y ago
Apple have an edge over its competitors because they can afford to go full-on tinfoil with privacy; it wouldn’t put a dent in their business model. And while laypeople today care little about privacy, Apple can bring it into the collective consciousness. All it takes is a good meme (in the original Dawkins sense, not in the image-macro sense). A meme that tells people: “only the poor can’t afford privacy”. If they can get this into people’s heads then they’ll demand privacy, because nobody likes feeling poor.
- sdenton4 8y ago
  That causality assertion is hard to prove... Maybe true for you, may or may not be true generally.
fmajid 8y ago
I would have agreed with you about apathy in the general population, but The Information had an interesting data point a week ago: "According to a Pew Research Center study, 26% of Facebook users in the U.S. have deleted the app entirely and 74% have adjusted their privacy settings in the past 12 months. User growth on Facebook is slowing." So there is hope after all.
siquick 8y ago
> The biggest driver towards getting an iPhone that I see is shutting up friends who whine because you're a "green person" in their iMessage. Whatsapp is being used significantly more in Europe than SMS. I can't remember the last time I got an iMessage/SMS except 2FA prompts.
tajen 8y ago
Privacy is a driver for opinion leaders. It’s only 10% but... they’re opinion leaders. Also, I’ve founded a product. How do I justify an iPhone to my tax office, given I rarely call? Well I use the phone to fix production issues while away from a computer, and I couldn’t use an Android because security is shit.

zjaffee 8y ago

The privacy aspect is what has, and will continue to be why the iphone is the preferred phone for businesses and governments that give their employees a smartphone. This was a big factor as to why blackberry's phone business didn't die sooner than it did.

aaaaaaaaaab 8y ago

Apple have an edge over its competitors because they can afford to go full-on tinfoil with privacy; it wouldn’t put a dent in their business model. And while laypeople today care little about privacy, Apple can bring it into the collective consciousness. All it takes is a good meme (in the original Dawkins sense, not in the image-macro sense). A meme that tells people: “only the poor can’t afford privacy”. If they can get this into people’s heads then they’ll demand privacy, because nobody likes feeling poor.

sdenton4 8y ago
That causality assertion is hard to prove... Maybe true for you, may or may not be true generally.

fmajid 8y ago

I would have agreed with you about apathy in the general population, but The Information had an interesting data point a week ago: "According to a Pew Research Center study, 26% of Facebook users in the U.S. have deleted the app entirely and 74% have adjusted their privacy settings in the past 12 months. User growth on Facebook is slowing." So there is hope after all.

siquick 8y ago

> The biggest driver towards getting an iPhone that I see is shutting up friends who whine because you're a "green person" in their iMessage. Whatsapp is being used significantly more in Europe than SMS. I can't remember the last time I got an iMessage/SMS except 2FA prompts.

tajen 8y ago

Privacy is a driver for opinion leaders. It’s only 10% but... they’re opinion leaders. Also, I’ve founded a product. How do I justify an iPhone to my tax office, given I rarely call? Well I use the phone to fix production issues while away from a computer, and I couldn’t use an Android because security is shit.