Exploding iPhones Could Be A Serious Matter For Apple
Apple’s reputation has been based on quality and reliability, says Don Reisinger. So the company needs to take reports of exploding iPhones seriously – alongside recent Macbook issues.
If Apple were any other company in the market, that might not be true. Dell and Sony dealt with public outcry when the batteries in their notebooks caused explosions. Any company that has experienced overheating troubles scrambles to fix the problem before it loses revenue.
But Apple is a different entity altogether. It’s highly respected by consumers. It has, arguably, the “coolest” products on the market. And although it’s easy for some to discount the impact Steve Jobs has had on the tech industry, he’s a celebrity that the average non-geek knows.
Those factors all help the company generate sales, regardless of the problems its devices might be experiencing.
There is another factor helping Apple: its loyal fan base. Apple fans are obsessive. They love Apple and everything it offers. Exploding iPhones or not, they stand by their company and their leader, Steve Jobs. More importantly, they support and defend Apple until the bitter end.
No matter the problem, Apple is, in their minds, still the best and brightest company in the tech space.
That’s a major advantage for Apple to have. Apple knows that it can rely on fans to quell the unrest, talk about the company’s virtues and, hopefully, make it all go away.
So as we consider how these recent troubles will impact Apple and its brand, perhaps it’s important to remember that this isn’t the biggest problem Apple has faced. And thanks to a loyal following, the fallout probably won’t be so bad.
But that doesn’t make it right.
Apple needs to start improving its offerings. These might be isolated events, but overheating and exploding iPhones are unacceptable. And if these problems become more widespread and consistent, even Apple may not be able to avoid damage to its reputation for quality and reliability.
It’s as simple as that.
