If ever an email should have arrived with a Minnie Riperton song as its soundtrack, this is the one. On Saturday afternoon, Apple sent a blast message to customers pointing out how awesome the iPhone 5 is, in so many different ways. The email points to a new “Why iPhone” page on Apple’s site, which is also linked directly off the Apple home page. (Riperton, like the iPhone 5, found acclaim for her remarkable range.)
The web page emphasizes customer satisfaction (eight consecutive J.D. Power awards for iPhone), precision manufacturing, the great Retina display, processing power (the A6) without compromising battery life, the camera, the App Store & iTunes store, iCloud, iOS 6, LTE wireless and the support infrastructure of AppleCare and the retail Genius Bar. All great points, and all valid, but why the full-court press now?
The first-blush answer would seem to be the Android market pressure, and specifically the Samsung Galaxy S IV launch this week (see Engadget’s liveblog here). Apple SVP Phil Schiller did a little bit of media this week, touching on many of the same themes while reminding WSJ readers that the churn rate of Android-to-iPhone switchers is much higher than the inverse. Schiller, and the Why iPhone page, also point out the popularity and quality of Apple’s 8MP camera combined with great software, in a bit of specification judo against the S IV’s 13 MP module.
Putting aside the head-shaking spectacle of Samsung’s launch event, the S IV’s feature list includes a few items that might make would-be iPhone buyers think twice: simultaneous front and back camera video recording, 802.11ac WiFi, a 1080p 5″ screen — all marquee items that Apple’s hardware won’t offer until the next iPhone release, if ever. Given the fact that the S IV isn’t shipping for six weeks, it certainly behooves Apple to remind the consumer about what they all loved about the iPhone 5 in the first place, and why they might consider signing up for another two-year contract hitch to upgrade those aging 3GS, 4 and 4S handhelds.
[hat tip 9to5Mac]
Apple’s new “Why iPhone” page reminds customers of key features originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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