"Us vs. Them" language shapes the Apple ecosystem narrative

https://twitter.com/xroissance/status/1825068918509072852

by retskrad • 2 years ago

33 24 2 years ago

https://unrollnow.com/status/1825068918509072852

pphysch4• 2 years ago

Apple doesn't necessarily making the best hardware or software, but they are definitely the best at branding and public relations.

layer82• 2 years ago

The former would benefit the user, while the latter mostly just benefits Apple.

Spivak3• 2 years ago

This doesn't stand up to reality. You can't market your way into billions of sales over such a long period while a superior product exists at a lower price sold literally right next to it. You just can't hide the lack of signal for that long. The "iPhones are a status symbol" hasn't been true for a long time because everyone has them.

They are the better software and hardware product full stop. Whether that makes them worth the premium they charge or whether the restrictions they impose make it less useful for the tasks you want to do is an individual decision. But the narrative that Apple has been pulling the wool over everyone's eyes for 20 years doesn't work because people are using the product constantly every day.

Source: Long time Android user from the Droid days who was fully convinced iPhones were a marketing scam until I actually used one in like 2022.

talldayo• 2 years ago

You can't market your way into billions of sales over such a long period while a superior product exists at a lower price sold literally right next to it.

Microsoft's "Internet Explorer" would like a word with you...

pphysch4• 2 years ago

You can't market your way into billions of sales over such a long period while a superior product exists at a lower price sold literally right next to it.

Of course you can! This is the point of marketing! You don't need to make the best product, you just need to make people think you make the best product (you can't skimp completely on quality). Apple has always been extremely good at that.

It's especially true for expensive gadgets that require familiarity, because 99% of people won't spend a lot of time and money testing each option. They will buy whatever seems to be best and stick with it.

mleo2• 2 years ago

They are good at branding and public relations, but that isn’t why people continue to buy their products. Look at how many AI hardware companies have recently tried branding and PR while launching their product to only flub when the quality wasn’t delivered in the product.

pphysch4• 2 years ago

Comparing the established markets that Apple operates in to AI/ML gold-rush (what even is the product??) is quite a stretch.

beardyw• 2 years ago

I think their public relations recently has been abysmal.

pphysch4• 2 years ago

Why?

wryoak• 2 years ago

I didn’t really see good examples of their claims in the unrollnow link - was there more on x proper? Admittedly I’m not an iOS/macOS dev so I’m probably not the target audience of this CtA.

Or maybe I’m just too keen to the irony of using language to deconstruct another’s use of language, how the “us vs them” language shapes the argument about Apple’s own so-called “us vs them” language…

LorenDB• 2 years ago

See Tim Sweeney's take: https://x.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1825184744792793265

(Yes, individual tweets can be viewed without an account.)

qwerty4561273• 2 years ago

4/10 The External Link Account Entitlement? It's like they're actively trying to make it sound complicated.

WTF this even is? I have no idea what could "The External Link Account Entitlement" mean.

chrisrhoden• 2 years ago

Entitlements are flags (like AndroidManifest permissions) for apps allowing them to do things. It’s not something a user will ever encounter.

In this case it is a flag indicating to the reviewer etc that the app links to a website for account creation and management rather than doing it all within the app.

qwerty4561273• 2 years ago

I see. Thank you for clarification.

frizlab2• 2 years ago

Yup. OP is deliberately comparing the language for the end users and the language for the developers for the purpose of a dubious conclusion.

ranger_danger• 2 years ago

"Us vs Them" was an actual line in the movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley", which was about Apple and Microsoft in the 80s. The phrase in the movie was referring to Macintosh vs Apple II camps within the company.

"Us vs. Them" language shapes the Apple ecosystem narrative

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