Vicky,

Thanks for taking the time to comment! We agree that there is a difference between new product development and innovation. The former is often evolutionary, while the latter is revolutionary.

Our point here is not to say that the new phone is a bad product, but rather that the name and chassis are synonymous with "old" phone and do not cause the brain to ask "What changed?" Rather, they tell the brain that not much has changed. Here, the change in brand identity did not reflect the degree of change within the product offering.

While speaking with an employee at the Apple store, I asked who the typical iPhone 4s customer was. She said that most were either upgrading from the iPhone 3G (or 3Gs) or were new customers (the iPhone 4s being their first iPhone). She also said that of those upgrading from the iPhone 4, few were willing to do so unless they were eligible for subsidized pricing. As it turns out, this was similar to the launch of the iPhone 3Gs.

Do all products need to be innovative? We think not. Should a change in brand identity directly reflect the degree of change in the product. We believe it should.

Cheers,

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

Marcus,

The numbers are amazing! According to the Wall Street Journal, Sprint has committed to buy $20 billion in iPhones over the next four years. This is the first time Sprint will carry the iPhone. In addition to this, the 3GS is being offered free with contract. However, we still believe that be it apple or any other company, the name and chassis are core signals in managing consumers' expectations.

Cheers,

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

Marcus,

We fully agree that Apple has an adoring public and a tremendous amount of good will! Our issue here is how key signals, such as the name and chassis styling, manage our expectations as to whether the new phone is NEW, or just a slight update. The hardware is truly different, yet given the virtually identical names and cases, Apple has (in our opinion) done a poor job of managing consumers' expectations on this launch.It may look like we're picking on Apple here, but this was simply a great example of how humans are hardwired to group similar things together and call them the same.

Thanks for sharing ; )

Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

Sent from my iPad

Steve,

There's no question Steve Jobs would have presented better. However, I have to say, Laura and I are both a bit taken back by his passing. He put a dent in our universe!

Rock On!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

Justin,

We fully agree that there are always third party influences -friends and colleagues, the media and even competitors.

However, tonight Steve Jobs passing will eclipse any misstep Apple may have made and shift our focus towards how Apple has touched our lives.

Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

John,

To your point, re-dressing the chassis and calling it iPhone 5? Hmm… New name + new look = new product. Sounds like the iPad2. Actually, it sounds exactly like the iPad2! And that worked! Tens of thousands of people upgraded, selling their original iPads, or passing them along to friends or family members and thus growing the number of iOS users (market share) and app store customers (revenue).

The issue here is that when people see the same product with the same name, often their reaction is not to run out and upgrade. The brain says "SAME = SAME, no need to change." However, when that same hardware package is presented with a NEW NAME and a NEW CHASSIS people wonder "what am I missing out on?" A new name and chassis would have been a declaration by Apple that the new phone is deserving of "iPhone 5" status. The expectation is that when Apple says this is new, innovative and a must have, IT IS!

We always love your comments! Although, I didn't think you'd like the idea of integrated passive location. After all, that's just another way for THE MAN to track your movements!

Cheers 
Mark Gallagher 
Brand Expressionist®

We agree that a brand is an emotional short cut. So, the message here is the new phone is a better version than the old phone.

We're not saying that this is the first nail in Apple's coffin, or that they didn't make the right financial move. What we are saying is that the promise didn't meet expectations. So to quote
Public Enemy "Don't believe the hype."

Thanks for sharing your view. We'll have to pick up this conversation a year from now ; )

Cheers,
Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

Jordan,

I'm a car guy and I get criticized all the time for mentioning the specific model number, because to most people think "a BMW is a BMW." And that's going to be the case here. Many people will download the new operating system and that will satisfy the "new phone" urge. Simply put apple failed to provide the signals that tell consumers that they need a new phone and tell other that those people got a new phone.

There are a lot of great phones out there. Enjoy your android.

Thanks for commenting!

Cheers
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

"It gets dangerous when a brand cedes too much control to consumers. The brand needs to set the pace." - Totally agree! If consumers run the brand, the'll run it into the ground.

We, like many, couldn't believe that Apple would have a new CEO introduce an evolution when the expectation was revolution. We were expecting a new phone and were ready to shell out the cash for the new iPhone 5, not the newer iPhone 4S. Maybe we're calling for planned obsolescence or perhaps perception is reality.

Perhaps Martin Lindstrom is right: http://www.fastcompany.com/1784845/coke-5-iphone-... />

Cheers
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

Sent from my iPad

Ken,

We're NOT writing Apple off, just calling out their misstep. This would have been except able under Job's rein, but as the incoming CEO Cook will be held to a ridiculous standard.

Personally, we think a new name or updated case would have made for a huge shift in expectations.

Thanks for sharing!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expression®