It can be difficult to keep up with what’s “cool” in the world of technology. Half the time, by the time you understand it, it’s already outdated. Or maybe this is a situation like the Apple Vision Pro, where people disagree about whether the device makes someone look cool or like a clown. One thing that’s definitely not “cool” seems to be that it has green text bubbles.
Instead of conversations appearing in the typical gray and blue colors on Apple’s iPhone, text messages from non-Apple phones are recorded as gray and a kind of hot green. Personally, I don’t understand all the fuss about green bubble questions in text messages, but I know it’s a given in American culture. A former colleague of mine goes on a rant about how women judge him on dating apps for having an android (well, that and living in New Jersey).
Anecdotes aside, this alleged cyber discrimination has also attracted the attention of the federal government. The Justice Department explicitly points to the green bubble issue in its antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which claims the tech giant has unfairly cornered the smartphone market. The filing said people without Apple devices often feel “social stigma, exclusion, and blame for ‘breaking’ chats where other participants own iPhones.” ing. The department claims this is intentional, with Apple trying to maintain its smartphone monopoly and keep developers and consumers under its control over the messaging experience when communicating with non-iPhone users. He claims to be doing everything he can to make it different and strange.
The ultimate reason for Apple’s friction with products it doesn’t make is obvious. It’s about making money. But what drives consumers is worth stopping to look at. Sure, Apple is positioning the iPhone as a “cool” phone, but why should we care? Why is the blue iMessage bubble the preferred color? Why are so many consumers Do we see our buying habits as a sign of something bigger?
“Consumers rely on products and brands to express who they are to themselves and the world around them,” said Nailya Ordabaeva, associate professor of business management at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. I’m very interested.” She said, “Brands with really established images, Apple’s cool image, for example, is something they’ve worked hard to establish over the years, and consumers want that for themselves and others.” They see it as a legitimate signal of their coolness.”
Apple has spent over 15 years promoting in-crowd/out-of-crowd scenarios for the iPhone. The Cupertino, Calif., company has long positioned itself as ultra-innovative and glamorous, and the iPhone is the culmination of that effort. Steve Jobs called the device a “revolutionary and magical” product when it was introduced in 2007, setting an aura that lasted even after many other trendy products went viral. Did. The iPhone follows Apple’s minimal, sleek design philosophy and remains within the company’s tightly controlled production process. Android devices can be from any manufacturer, like Samsung, Google, Motorola, or anything else. He only has one iPhone, and there is virtually no cheaper version.
Consumers are very interested in using products and brands to express who they are to themselves and the world around them.
Apple enhances the appeal of the iPhone design by creating excitement with each new product release. Announcing a new version is treated like a sacred event, no matter how small the changes. The image of people lining up outside the Apple Store on iPhone release day is planted in our collective imagination. Lest anyone get confused, Apple doesn’t intend for the movie’s villain to have an iPhone. If you’ve ever watched something like “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+, you’ve probably noticed the ubiquity of the iPhone and his Apple products.
By elevating the iPhone to the status of a luxury item like a Louis Vuitton bag or a Mercedes car, Apple has capitalized on consumers’ desire to “keep up with the Joneses” and emulate those around them. We can make every effort to ensure that no one is left behind. . People tend to conform. We want to feel like we belong. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults. They don’t want their family to be seen as outcast or low-status, such as not being able to afford expensive items.
“They’re at a stage where they’re trying to formulate their identity, and when they’re trying to formulate their identity, they’re trying to figure out which social group they belong to, which social group insider they are, and who they are. “We need to figure out what social group they’re in,” said Joseph Nunez, a marketing professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. “And we all know that when you’re a teenager, being an insider and being left out is even more important.”
Apple has long used marketing techniques such as endless lines outside its stores to cultivate an image of prestige. Null Photo/Getty Images
This urge doesn’t end when you become an adult. It just changes. Maybe he’s a guy in his 30s who doesn’t care about what cell phone he has (although many people still do), but what car he drives, or what his kids are. I don’t care what school you go to. And while they’re probably still clutching an iPhone, they may or may not think it looks great because they’re used to it. They are already in too deep a situation and feel the switching costs are too high, especially when all their other devices are Apple.
Humans are a hierarchical species. We look down to feel good about ourselves and look up to see where we are on the scale. People are looking for ways to demonstrate status in social comparison settings, and having something that is perceived as attractive or special is a way to achieve that. It is a form of “conspicuous consumption” and a way to flaunt one’s status and wealth.
Joshua Clarkson, a consumer psychologist and marketing professor at the University of Cincinnati, says, “Consumers who seek approval from others or are motivated by social superiority tend to stand out to demonstrate their elitism to others.” consuming,” he said in an email. “Both of these consumer groups rely heavily on iMessage as a way to fit in or exclude (when seeking the approval of others) (i.e. people using Android in group chats) You can imagine trying not to be someone else (if driven by social control).”
Consumers seeking approval from others or motivated by social superiority engage in conspicuous consumption to demonstrate their elitism to others.
Some brands are taking advantage of these trends. Luxury and prestigious companies claim that their products are of high quality, and that is often true. However, functional properties are enhanced by aspirational positioning. You can’t just make something of high quality. You have to make people think they deserve more. Such positioning allows companies to price products that are considered premium accordingly. They use influencers and celebrities who fit their image to promote their products. They often inject a sense of scarcity and urgency into the mix. The iPhone is ubiquitous, but newer versions come with new prices, making them less popular.
Social context is also important here, Nunes said. “We are in a time today where there is great inequality in society, and that reinforces the idea that there are haves and have-nots.”
There’s nothing wrong with wanting an iPhone. In a world where some people are constantly seeking fame and status through consumption, it would be strange if there was no incentive to own a mobile phone that is perceived to be the best. And consumers are clearly starting to understand Apple’s point — with a market capitalization of nearly $3 trillion, Apple is one of the most valuable companies in the world. But it’s important to remember that no matter how fancy we have, it doesn’t ultimately make us happier. In some cases, it can even make us more judgmental, which contributes to the whole green bubble bias.
We see everything we own, especially our phones, as an extension of ourselves. Mobile phones are where many people spend most of their lives. Even if we don’t realize it, the iPhone bias is probably not going anywhere.
“Brands are more than just functional products; they represent who consumers want to see themselves as and who they want to become,” says Ordabaeva. said. Apparently, many of us like to think of ourselves as iPhone users and everything that comes with it. I switched from Samsung to iPhone in his 2014. This seemed like exactly what I needed to do. Apple is counting on this.
emily stewart As a senior correspondent for Business Insider, he writes about business and economics.