4 ms·

Pre-conditioned to like. Interesting way of putting it, but then how exactly has Apple pre-conditioned people to like their designs? I think it's more likely t

• mkr-hn 15y ago
  Depending on the population you constrain the definition of majority to.
  • swombat 15y ago
    How about "the overall human population"? That seems like a good constraint when we're talking about consumer electronics.
    • mkr-hn 15y ago
      Do you have evidence that Apple's products appeal to the majority of the human population? And don't do the TC thing and extrapolate from a SV coffee shop/your office. A sentiment poll would do. I'm sure one exists, but I looked around and couldn't find one. It wont help us determine how humans overall perceive Apple products, but it'll at least cover markets where they operate.
      • swombat 15y ago
        Walk in any public place (tube, business lounge, bus, whatever) and look at what people are using... You'll see a lot of macs, iPods, iPhones and iPads. On the laptop side, it's not quite such a clear win, but about 50% of the people in a typical business lounge are using Macs. On the phone side, I'd say it's about the same. On the tablet side, I've yet to see someone actually using something other than an iPad to do work. On the music player side, it's easy to see that again, more than 50% of people listening to music are using an iPod (if they haven't upgraded to the iPhone).
        • mkr-hn 15y ago
          What you're describing is anecdata. I could drive down the street and say that 100% of churches in Georgia are Baptist and it would make as much sense. And your anecdata doesn't match my own. I see Dells in most businesses and government buildings, and few people carry around laptops or spend much time displaying their smartphone preference.
        • jarek 15y ago
          Are you making this claim regarding the overall human population, or just the parts of the first world you are familiar with?
    • nkassis 15y ago
      I don't know, when I don't think Apple products are as successful in the Asian markets for example. That could many things but maybe they don't like the look.
      • mkr-hn 15y ago
        Some Asian governments have a weird fascination with ActiveX controls. Edit: http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/google-chrome-will-support-activex-for-korea-62114316.htm http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/google-chrome-will-support-active... It might not be as widespread as I thought, but it's good to know if you plan to make a browser.
      • prewett 15y ago
        I hear China has a 20% Apple tax, as they are classified as luxury goods. Also, RMB -> US$ is 6.5:1, so assuming that the price is in US$, Apple products cost 6.5 times more from an economic standpoint. I hear that apartments in Beijing are 2000-4000 RMB/month. A MacBook Air at $999 is about 6500 RMB, so that's 1.5 to 3 months' rent (plus the 20% luxury tax). $1000 is probably not anywhere near 3 months' rent for us. So I don't think it's the looks. If a MacBook Air were priced at 2000 RMB, I bet they'd be really successful in the largest Asian market.
• kitsune_ 15y ago
  Apple products are classical status symbols. Interesting to me is the idea that aesthetically, the original iMacs were worlds apart from the current models and it took Apple more than one try to find a classical design that worked. The current Zeitgeist seems to favor classical designs. This is different to the 80's or the 70's where the intellectual and creative class were much more anti-capitalist. To me it feels like it's pre-68 again. Current life models are schizophrenic. On the one hand people plaster their agency's rooms with aesthetically pleasing objects, Eames chairs, iMacs, Tizio Lamps to please themselves and their corporate clients. On the other they think they are enlightened rebels, aware of climate change, the 3rd world, and the dangers of nuclear energy. I think there's no radicalism any more, no ideologies, no visions. In reality, I think this generation is full of conservative tagalongs, appeasers, yuppies in disguise.