What’s up with Apple? As a company they have always had a reputation for being out front and ahead of the curve. Up til now!
Their revently announced new laptops are the same as the old ones except for a few (seemingly pointless ) gizmos. Does it matter. I think it does because these are the laptops that creatives and fashion leaders use and it from them that Apple’s reputation has been built. The response from them has been underwhelming to say the least just at the same moment as the boring company Microsoft seems to be getting its shit together with the various iterations of the Surface line.
Branding and reputation are subtle and nuanced and the deterioration of a brand starts many years before it is really evident on the street. Over the past two years, it feels as though Apple have kept missing the bulls eye with their launches. The iPhones have been underwhelmingly received, the apple watch seems moribund – almost a joke in some circles and now the laptops seem forgettable.
Update:
see the cries of horror from the key constituency – designers, creatives and “makers” whose schutzpah drives the underlying meaning of the Apple brand!
