What a difference a year makes in the tech world. Last year saw the release of the iPhone 7 with reports of people desperate to get their hands on one and shops running out of stock. Apple’s London flagship store announced customers could only buy any iPhone if they had preordered it. Yet this year reports used words such as “muted”, “modest” and “slim turnout” to describe the public’s eagerness to get their hands on the new iPhone 8.
So why the change? Is it completely because of the phone or partly due to our relationship with technology? Peer pressure plays a huge part in our choices, especially for the younger generation, so if you’re losing one person from your customer base, chances are you’re losing one or more of their close friends too.
But if we’re buying a tech device for reasons including the fact that friends or celebrities we admire have it, does that mean we’re not buying it because of its functionality and so not using it to its full extent? Hands up who has an Apple Mac because it looks good but who only uses a fraction of what it has to offer. Yes, me too!
Are we guilty of chasing the image rather the technology? Do we blindly follow our peers and buy these devices without understanding all the technology they offer? Do we get the full benefit from them or are we missing out?
It sounds as if the consumer is at fault but this is a two-way street. Yes, we should understand them more – after all in most cases we’ve paid a lot of money for these devices. However, it’s also down to the tech companies to educate the consumer by translating the technology in a way the end consumer will relate to. They need to understand how, not only the visible but also the invisible technologies, will benefit them and which will make it personal to them.
For today’s tech companies, it’s not just about great technological innovations but also the benefits and marketing is key to translating these in a way the end user will relate to. Find out more about translating your technology here.