I see apple as like LVMH, but for phones. It has a minority of overall sales, but a majority of the “luxury” part of the market. This gives them influence over the whole market, but not a real monopoly.
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I have an iPhone. It just does its job. Updates in the background. Repairs are a peach, especially by mail. They don’t spam me.
If you’re asking why it’s luxury, it’s a combination of the materials, machining and service experience. Luxury products aren’t necessarily better, certainly not for someone who can’t afford them. They’re simply more luxurious. Easier, more comfortable, et cetera.
So what makes an iPhone more luxurious than say, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, Z Fold 6, Pixel 9 Pro XL or 9 Pro Fold?
The machine quality is totally different.
> what makes an iPhone more luxurious than say, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, Z Fold 6, Pixel 9 Pro XL or 9 Pro Fold
Start with the BOM.
I've had this while trying to install apps on an iPad (you need a payment method if the free app you're downloading has extra paid stuff you could buy from it, but why would they need to tell you that) and with their TV+ service where downloading too many (how much? who knows) things at the same time, like you're about to board a long haul flight, gets them stuck in a loop without downloading.
Another one of my favourites is "A USB device is consuming too much power, try disconnecting and reconnecting it" without any way of identifying which device it is.
When I say machine quality, though, I’m referring to their titanium and aluminum. I’ve machined some aluminum and know people who have done titanium. It’s really hard, and they do it well.
What does that add to the user experience? I can’t say it’s anything tangible. But I appreciate it. That’s luxury. It’s orthogonal to utility in many ways.
Nevertheless it’s nowhere near the powerful experience that was palm OS when it was selling palm pre and the like
- Please tell me, what's stopping us from being seen as a true luxury brand?
- More than one calculator window.
I'm used to actual luxury goods, watches and clothing for example, where the quality is very much noticeably better. A Rolex or Audemars has way more attention to detail than, say, a Tissot or Tag which has far nicer materials than a Timex. Or suits, the kinds of fabric on higher end suits are very noticeable.
Or luxury restaurants. Where the ingredients, techniques, staffing levels and attention to detail far surpass normal restaurants.
Whereas with iPhone versus Samsung S24 Ultra, both are titanium, Samsung has nicer glass, less bevel and more utility (also costs more). The only real difference is Apple has much better marketing and their stores are nicer. Better logo too. Beyond that, there's no quantifiable quality advantage.
For instance if the EU or the DOJ were to require Apple to change their policies, we could say Apple isn't forced to do so, as they still can refuse and "just" pay enormous fines until bankruptcy.
I'm not sure what we would call "force" if we take that definition.
How unchivalrous of them.
I have no earthly idea what Apple has done to earn 30% of the sale of an eBook by Amazon for the Kindle.
I have no idea if the cut is 30%, but that's the same cut that Amazon takes from an author when they sell a Kindle eBook (and sometimes that goes as high as 70%). What on earth did Amazon do to earn that much of an author's sale...
I have little sympathy for Amazon, the largest retailer in the world, trying to play in someone else's playground. You can buy directly from your Kindle if you really have to have that browse-and-buy experience, but the iPhone app really is more convenient, isn't it?
For instance if Apple had to pay a global total of 2 millions of fine every year for their AppStore policy, it would be rolled in as cost of doing business and they'd keep ignoring the rulings for decades. If Amazon only had minor punishment for breaking AppSore rules they'd do it yesterday.
A binding contract is only as strong as its penalties, and in that regard we can see laws a form of contract and vice versa.
About as hard as opening a new phone network rivaling ATT back in the days, apparently.
If neither Amazon nor Microsoft couldn't do it you know it's not a matter of money and willingness to do it.
I don't know how much it made sense when it was to allow blind UI navigation (could have been a "navigation" or "interactions" setting).
But nowadays with the amount of stuff in there, including permissions for password managers, animation reduction, audio EQ etc., it just makes less and less sense.
No, I mean luxury good. I upgraded my phone for satellite-based emergency SOS and the titanium form factor. Those are luxuries. Same for my 2020 Mac and M1.
Apple’s products aren’t priced high enough to function as Veblen goods in most developed-country social circles. They’re a mass market product.
Yes. Me too. We’re rich and accustomed to luxury on HN. News at 11.
I don’t like the S24. Part of that is familiarity with iOS, which makes Android’s interface and design language feel clunky. Part of that is the squared-off look. I don’t deny that it’s a luxury product, too.
> Rolex or Audemars
Good example. I know plenty of watch connoisseurs who don’t believe Rolex makes a luxury product. They use similar arguments to yours, down to details of the movement and price. I think they’re wrong on designation even if I, too, don’t like Rolex either. (Patek and Vacheron Constantin.)
If you're referring to the Nokia acquisition, it was way past prime and relevance, at a time when Chinese makers were already on the rise.
Fines are not an exchange of value, even if some firms attempt to treat them that way. They are also not subject to agreement. They are risk and can be arbitrary.
So no. They are not the same.