Joining Apple in the late 90s of the last century, CEO Tim Cook solved one of the many problems Apple faced when it was that there were too many products that people didn’t understand the difference between them.
According to BGR, in Leander Kahney’s book Tim Cook: Genius took Apple to the next level, the author gives an interesting look at how Cook became Steve Jobs’ most trusted man, how Cook became Steve Jobs’ most trusted man. he creates efficient supply chains in partnership with Chinese manufacturers and streamlines the process of a consistent product flow ecosystem at the company.
The aforementioned book really made many people feel admired by Tim Cook. Of course, Steve Jobs had the vision, but it was Cook who made Apple work. Even when Jobs passed away more than a decade ago, Tim Cook kept the company strong and growing as it is today: a company worth more than $2.3 trillion.
No one can deny Tim Cook’s ability to make money for Apple, because even when other technology companies are struggling, Apple is still strong. But as a customer and technology enthusiast, It’s hard for someone to explain to people the difference between the products that Apple is making. That makes many people think that Tim Cook is recreating the problem he solved more than 20 years ago: creating confusing product lines.
For example, Apple sells 5 different iPhone lines with different sizes and storage options. Now, with the company using the same processor for two years in a row, it’s getting harder for customers to understand the value of an iPhone 14 when it looks almost like an iPhone 13.
Among Apple products, the company has the regular model, Mini, Plus, SE, Pro, Studio, Air, Ultra, and Max, but they do not mean the same depending on the category. For example, the best iPhone is the Pro model, but the best AirPods are the Max model. While the Mac Pro is supposed to be the best Mac computer, it’s the Mac Studio that holds the honor. The best Apple Watch is the Ultra model, but it uses the same chip as the Watch Series 6 from two years ago.
Another example involves the MacBook Pro. Apple offers a premium version and a low-end version. The cheaper option is technically inferior to the MacBook Air due to the lack of MagSafe. This means a customer buying this Pro product will not understand why it ranks behind the Air.
With what happened, it seems that Apple is having a moment like Samsung, the company has the concept of “the more the merrier”. While Apple doesn’t release more than 30 smartphones annually, the company is offering more products than ever before at different price points. While Tim Cook continues to bring in money for Apple, it seems the company is losing its most trusted customers, those who regularly opt for a premium product for the best experience.
Bringing in more products will make Apple more profitable, but perhaps the company should reduce the number of products and launch the most suitable products. The thing is, Tim Cook doesn’t seem to want to stop when some rumors suggest that Apple may launch an iPhone Ultra model in the future, which means it could announce up to 5 iPhone models at once. When this happens, it is very likely that the company will not have many features so that people can distinguish between 5 different iPhone models.
Obviously, Apple should focus on fewer products and make them different enough that customers can understand why they should or shouldn’t spend more money on the next best product.