I Salute You, iPhone

For my second “free” blog topic, I decided to focus on something that I use constantly in my life: my iPhone. The topic may be pretty popular considering how many people have iPhones now, but I’m going to focus on how I think the iPhone provides consumers with the ultimate experience.

Apple's iPhone

I’ve broken my ideas down into different categories so my reasoning is easier to understand:

Everything You Need in One Place
I never really thought that I’d want access to the Internet 24/7, but let me tell you, now that I have my iPhone, I’m not sure what I used to do before it. Sure, sure, I would probably be fine if I never gotten the phone to begin with, but it just makes everything so convenient and accessible, which is always appreciated.

Since I’m able to check my email at any time, it’s easier to coordinate with friends, family, group members, and job recruiters, especially when deadlines are involved. Having the ability to look up directions or the weather at any time is really convenient, and of course, the ability to have my iPod built into my phone is great because that’s one less thing I have to constantly be carrying around.

This feature to me is probably the most important aspect of the iPhone that makes the customer experience so fantastic. Nowadays, consumers are always looking for the easiest way to access information, and I think Apple hit the nail on the head with this one. This feature, I think, is important because it’s universal and practical. No matter what type of iPhone user you are, you have the constant ability to check your email, access the Internet, or listen to your music.

The iPhone's Many Uses

Fun, but Completely Unnecessary, Gadgets
There is really an iPhone app for everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. There are the typical apps, such as Facebook or Google Mobile. But then there are apps like the Whoopie Cushion or BubbleWrap, which really serve no purpose in life. But when you’re bored one day and these apps are being offered for free from the App Store, why not download them? They’re ridiculous, yes. But yet again, there are at least a few apps for every single iPhone user, no matter who they are. Maybe somebody secretly loves popping bubble wrap. Now he or she doesn’t have to go through old boxes to find an old stash of wrap. Instead, he/she can download this app and enjoy the popping noise at any time.

BubbleWrap Application

In Your Face, Interface
Although the first aspect I mentioned may be the most practical to consumers, I really think the iPhone interface has catapulted Apple to the top when it comes to touch screen phones. The iPhone’s competitors don’t stand a chance when it comes to their product’s interfaces.

First, the fact that a touch screen phone can be so much fun and easy to use boggles my mind. The keyboard does take a little getting used to (by little, I mean about a week, which really isn’t anything in the grand scheme of things). But more importantly, the actual screen itself displays every single thing in such a great way. My personal favorite is text messaging because the conversation looks like an instant messaging conversation online.

Text messaging on the iPhone

With Love, from Apple
Let’s face it. If you’re an Apple user, you feel a certain type of pride that PC users just don’t understand. In addition to my iPhone, I’ve been a MacBook user for about a year now, and I can’t explain to you how glad I am that I made the transition to the brighter side. The same goes for owning an iPhone. Apple consumers are seen as being cooler and more fun and hip than any other PC or phone company. Consumers LOVE feeling like they’re part of a community, and Apple is probably one of the best neighborhoods to live in.

That’s probably because going into an Apple store is such a great experience. Whether you’re browsing, buying accessories, or going in for a maintenance appointment, it’s so much fun to be in an Apple environment because everything is so customer friendly. When you enter an Apple store, Apple employees make you feel incredibly welcome and comfortable. On top of that, convenience is really valued: users can make appointments online from anywhere so they don’t have to waste time waiting in line at the store.

Apple Store in New York City

For all of these reasons, I think Apple has really created a one-of-a-kind customer experience with the iPhone.