Apple’s Silence on 3GS Hardware Specs = Good Call
Like many people, I was quite surprised that Apple did not go into much detail at all about the full hardware specs for the new iPhone 3GS at their WWDC keynote last week. There was lots of talk about speed, and major speed improvements, but no revealing of, and boasting about, a specific new processor, or details on added RAM memory.
I even thought this was a little dumb, as lots of iPhone geeks like me wanted to know this stuff. Later last week we found out the details on the significantly better processor and doubled-up RAM in the 3GS “ and I also found an article at Apple Insider that helped me realize how dumb I was to doubt Apple, and why their desire not to focus on hardware is the spot-on right way to go.
The very simple, and very good, reason that Apple has not chosen to talk about detailed hardware specs for the 3GS, and why that is not a key area of emphasis for them, is that it ‘s all about the iPhone OS platform, and the wealth of apps available for it, when it comes to marketing the iPhone, any iPhone.
Here ‘s an except from Apple Insider highlighting this strategy:
The unique software capabilities of the iPhone, including its ability to run the 50,000 titles on the App Store, is far more important from a marketing standpoint than the hardware specifications of the iPhone that any manufacturer can match or exceed with little effort. The company faced similar issues in working to sell the original Macintosh against DOS PCs, which were marketed primarily as having a given number of megabytes and MHz rather than having the functionality or usability of the Mac’s graphical user interface.
Rather than being compared on the basis of MHz and MB of RAM, the numbers Apple would prefer to have consumers and pundits contemplate are the installed base of more than 40 million users, the tens of thousands of apps available from thousands of developers, and the number of free regular updates that Apple ships to enhance and secure the iPhone’s operating system. Those are numbers that phones using Android, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, WebOS, and Windows Mobile are hard pressed to match.
As soon as I read Apple Insider ‘s post I thought ‘of course that ‘s the way to go ‘. My own urges to hear about doubled RAM and faster procs had lead me to forget that it ‘s always been all about the platform with the iPhone. It always has been for me as well. Since the V1 iPhone launched, there have always been heavyweight phones around that boasted better cameras, more of this, better that, when it came to hardware features.
But the real revolution the iPhone brought to us was “ and is “ the OS itself, the major updates that it regularly receives, and the range of powerful apps that are available for it.
So I guess that de-emphasizing the hardware specs thing maybe isn ‘t so dumb after all, and maybe I ‘m better off not applying to be Apple ‘s Marketing Director just yet 
Only a dumb rear ended person like you would say, " sure I will give you my $499.00 or $699.00 dollars, to upgrade,, and I will give it to you with no questions asked related to what makes it better ". (I am sure all while you are kneeling with your hands clasped bowing up and down.)
You advocate, just listen to them and don't ask questions, seems alittle like the tactics in Russia or Cuba. Like government control tactics.
So I also guess when Apple told you to not jailbreak your Iphone, cause it was something they didn't want you to do, I assumed you listened to that as well,,,aye. So your one who has never jailbroken your phone I am assuming. (yeah right…)
Anyway you cut it, this is BS,,,especially when I am forking over my hard earned money for a product that isupply will most likely say costs 180-190 to build (as in the 3g) ,,,,and I paying 499 to 699 to get. Then to add insult to injury,being told like a kid,,,,"now run along son,,,,don't worry about whats in it,,,,only us apple executive grown ups are allowed to know."
F-that.
Thats my opinion.
Iphoneman – I didn't say anything about 'no questions asked' in terms of what makes the new model better – and I certainly never said 'don't ask questions'. For those of us who are into that sort of thing (and I made clear I'm one of those) the details came out soon enough on the 600MHz processor and the 256MB of RAM and all the specs. And we already knew it has a much-improved camera, video recording, and voice control.
My point in this post was not about whether we all have a right to ask and know what the specs are – of course we do – but rather that Apple's choosing which elements of the iPhone to * emphasize * in their marketing efforts, is a very smart one. The vast majority of iPhone users, and potential buyers, are not techies – they don't know RAM from ROM, or care much for processor speeds etc. And – all of these are things that can easily be matched, and have been matched by other smartphones. If that was my only reason for getting an iPhone – from back at V1 right up to now – then I likely never would have. There are plenty of other smartphones around with a little more this, and a fair bit more that etc.
This post is purely about how – I think – it is smart for Apple to market the iPhone.
Oh, and I've had my V1 and 3G iPhones jailbroken 99% of the time until firmware 2.0 came out, and at times (though not so often) since then as well. There are lots of posts on this site about jailbreak, jailbreak apps, and also lots that question and criticize Apple's decisions in various areas – so I don't think of myself as a 'yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir' person who always believes Apple is right etc.
In your keen observance of all things iPhone thus far, had you not ever noticed that nobody uses a capital I in iPhone?
Just to expand a bit – it's not Apple specific marketing tactic though,
I'm no marketing expert, but this is called "red-blue ocean strategy" basically differentiating yourself based on other values than rest of the market.
Nintendo did this with Wii, ignoring the cpu/gpu/memory/shaders war going on in the console industry, and simply making something that neither of the competitors even thought about (delivering different experience, and this parallels with iPhone) using to be honest quite crappy HW.
Yes, its not what you have it's how you use it. Despite the iPhone 3G S & the Pre using the same, for the most part, processor, they will apparently be two very different experiences because Pre uses the power to enable backgrounding whereas iPhone uses it for faster & more responsive foreground applications for a more tangible, noticeable enhancement to the experience.
People in general care about the experience and not the technical aspects. However, the technical specs should be provided for those who are interested.
aflorence – just to clarify, I'm certainly not arguing that tech specs should be withheld – just that the 'focus' Apple has in marketing is an effective one. Again, I'm very much among the folks who wants to know the specs as well …
Perhaps I am misunderstanding the ideology here, but I find Apple’s premise completely patronizing, if not grossly misplaced. Additionally, I find it hard to believe, in this place of all places, the individual behind this article acquiesces towards the very mindset of “the less the consumer knows about a product, the better off the consumer”.
I believe, for the most part, that we do not seek to be sold on a product by the manufacturer simply because the manufacturer says it’s a better product, we seek to know “why” it’s a better product. Using terms like “It Just Works [Better]” simply doesn’t work anymore. We are smart consumers who are becoming smarter and informative sites like “justanotheriphoneblog” lends to expanding overall product knowledge prior to any such purchase. That is why, for the most part, we are all here, and as an author/site contributor, you must know this. If not, then you have unfortunately misjudged your constituency. We are not guppies feeding from the hand of superior knowledge, but your peers.
Ask yourself what is more important; the correct answer, or the method by which one achieves the correct answer?
Martin – I'm the individual who wrote the post. I absolutely agree that readers here are peers, and are extremely knowledgeable. That doesn't mean that we are necessarily typical iPhone users though, or that all iPhone users want to be that knowledgeable about some of the more techie aspects of the device. I know for a fact that my wife, my mother-in-law, and several other users I know personally, could not care less about knowing in-depth tech specs for this or other phones.
Also, just one more time, I am * not * saying I believe Apple should withhold info. about the detailed specs – I am only saying that I think it's a smart marketing strategy to * emphasize * other aspects of the device – its OS and the powerful range of apps on the platform. I think those strengths, combined with its unmatchable user experience, are what have always been the iPhone's strongest points.
For those who want to know 'why is it better' I am all in favor of info being available – and in fact I'm one who wants to know it as well.
Your comments are most sincerely appreciated.
However, you write about consumers having, at the very least, the opportunity to explore the more 'techie' aspects of XYZ product. The article, or rather the Apple Insider quote, suggests culling that very opportunity.
Regardless, I would simply suggest that your initial suspicion of this type of marketing approach by Apple (and being adopted by others) is/was deserving of further consideration, as one is either an informed consumer or just … a consumer. I further suggest that the choice(s) made by your family members regarding the purchase/utilization of the iPhone was influenced directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by you, a person who garnered the information necessary to form an intelligent opinion based on fact.
If we (in our totality as consumers, techie and laymen alike) allow the very ideals of caveat emptor or merchantable quality to be defined by the very same manufacturer of said product, then we have all lost as the line by which we judge quality is mired not in fact but upon utter supposition.
Martin – I didn't get that suggestion of culling anything from the Apple Insider quote. I think they are simply stating that placing emphasis on the real, biggest strengths of the iPhone is a very sound marketing strategy for Apple – as this excerpt indicates:
"The unique software capabilities of the iPhone, including its ability to run the 50,000 titles on the App Store, is far more important from a marketing standpoint than the hardware specifications of the iPhone that any manufacturer can match or exceed with little effort."
As for my family members being influenced by me, that's correct – but I would also tell them that if they need to choose a smartphone based purely on hardware specs, the iPhone may well not be the best choice. I would tell them it's a great device for the other reasons I've stated several times in the comments.
One last time – I am not i favor of Apple hiding or preventing access to any hardware / spec details – I want to know them too. But I have no problem with Apple choosing a * marketing strategy * that emphasizes the OS, the platform, the apps, not the hardware.