Why The iPhone Remains So Popular

It may seem like the iPhone has been around forever, but in reality, Apple released its first version of this iconic smartphone in 2007. Its minimalistic design and intuitive interface soon captured the imagination of consumers and the iPhone quickly became the first choice among tech-savvy consumers across the globe – a status it still enjoys being one of the most popular cell phones. The iPhone was by no means the first cellphone – but the impact of the iPhone on the market was like nothing ever seen before. Steve Jobs’ vision had become a reality. The iPhone featured a high-resolution screen and suited the needs of multiple types of users due to its general purpose nature and the ability to use apps. For the first time, consumers had access to what would become known as a smartphone. Apple has leveraged the impact of that first model to launch newer and more advanced models on a regular basis – and achieve dominance of the smartphone market.  

Nokia, a dominant player in the cellphone market at the time of the first iPhone launch had drastically underestimated the central role that technology was playing in the lives of consumers. Its equipment was of exceptional quality, but the app functionality was missing. Apple came to dominate the market due to the sheer power and versatility of its iOS operating system. Google launched the HTC Dream phone with the Android operating system making it a ‘watching device’. Nokia’s Achilles Heal was its preoccupation with the Symbian operating system. By 2008 Nokia’s income from smartphones fell 3.1%, in contrast, Apple’s iPhone sales had grown by 327.5%.

It was the dawn of a new age, and it soon became apparent that Nokia could simply not keep up with either revenues or technology. A last roll of the dice saw Nokia teaming up with Microsoft only to sell off Microsoft’s s phone division and exit the market. 

Apple has built a reputation on the back of its attention to detail during customer-centric interactions. It provides a standard high-quality experience across all consumer touchpoints. This has allowed it to aggressively grow its market share over the past decade in areas where the ‘Apple Experience’ is simply part of everyday life. The so-called ‘universe’ of the Apple experience continues to grow due in large part to the company’s focus on empowering developers and adhering to the highest standards. An enormous contingent of salespeople focuses on up-selling, cross-selling and simple devotion to making Apple a part of every person’s life. However, this has led to many consumers becoming irritated and confused.   

Starting in 2007 Apple used the Net Promotor Score (NPS) as a measurement tool that focuses on how willing a consumer would be to recommend Apple products to others. This became a key metric in the measurement of brand loyalty and performance. Apple uses the NPS across its 500 stores as a measurement of employee performance. feedback from the NPS is regularly shared with teams and any negative feedback will result in the consumer receiving a call from the store manager within 24 hours. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is an essential tool for Apple. It guides everything from promotions to the fine-tuning of the long-term strategy.