[berryite]

Original Article Here ... Apple: The World's Most Discreetly Feminine Brand? - Forbes.com

Apple: The World's Most Discreetly Feminine Brand?

Bridget Brennan, 07.24.09, 04:00 PM EDT

Their products have feminized the formerly dude-driven world of technology.

I just returned from visiting my mother in Texas, where she proudly showed me her new flat-screen television. Sleeker and smaller than the one she had before, it looked tasteful and didn't dominate the entire living room wall. Well done, Mom.

I congratulated her on her great taste. She smiled. Then she tried to turn it on.

This involved holding two remote controls--one in each hand--and pressing buttons simultaneously on each one. She squeezed the buttons. Nothing happened. This went on for several minutes, during which time she vigorously shook the remotes.

"I hate it when they don't work!" she yelled. I looked over at the coffee table and noticed there was yet another remote. This one was for the DVD. We fiddled with it, pressed a lot of buttons on all three remotes, and finally the TV burst into life. We looked at each other in frustration. "Whatever happened to the on/off button?" she asked.

My mother is a smart woman who runs her own business. She values her time and has no desire to spend it configuring devices that should be elegant and easy to use, given their high cost. I couldn't help but think: Why does the consumer electronics industry make things harder the more advanced technology gets? And then my thoughts turned to fantasy: Why doesn't Apple ( AAPL - news - people ) make remote controls?

You ask:Why Apple? Because if any company could improve one of the world's most user-unfriendly electronic devices, it would be Apple. And then there's this: Apple just may be the world's most discreetly feminine brand.

The underlying assumption this story presents -- that women can't understand technology as well as men can -- is offensive and false.

Which brings me back to Apple.

Earlier this week, Apple reported in its quarterly earnings call that it had outrun the rotten economy. The company reported net income of $1.2 billion for the quarter, compared with $1.1 billion for the same period the year before. Meanwhile, sales rose to $8.3 billion, up from $7.5 billion for the same period the year before.

Is it too much to attribute at least some of Apple's success to its female-friendly approach to product design? If women are indeed influencing nearly two-thirds of consumer electronics sales, surely that says something.

Here's how Apple does it:

Apple products don't need manuals. Too many consumer-electronics products put the burden of configuration on the purchaser. They often come with instructions that are poorly written and hard to understand. Not so with Apple's famously intuitive products, which are loved by techies and non-techies alike.

Apple offers face-to-face service. At a time when retailers are cutting back on staff, the world's most technologically advanced company staffs its stores with living, breathing employees, and lots of them. From Apple's Genius Bars (tech support stations) to the free classes taught daily in its stores, Apple understands the power of the human connection. It even offers a One-to-One program, which gives customers a weekly, personal tutorial with a "genius" for $99 a year. Great service is an important differentiator that has huge female appeal in virtually every industry.

Apple should be viewed as a leading light for manufacturers and retailers seeking thebusiness of women. Yes, I know they already get so many things right, but appealing to the world's alpha consumers is critically important and more proof of just how smart Apple is. Moreover, Apple's success also demonstrates that when you make women happy, you make everybody happy. Now if you'll excuse me, my iPhone is ringing. It's probably my mother.

Bridget Brennan is CEO of Female Factor and author of the new book, "Why She Buys: The New Strategy for Reaching the World's Most Powerful Consumers" (Crown Business).

[jbdale]

Did you lose your forum? Off you go, theres a good chap.

[clownfart]

What does Forbes know?

[avt123]

That's funny. I see more men with iPhones than women. I really do not find the iPhone to be feminine.

[Duvi]

A woman wrote this. LOL. That explains it.

Does the iPhone need a remote? How is a mac easier than a PC? This is why they have classes. How many times have I seen someone (especially females) say "these mice don't have a left and right click?"

[RetroAndreas]

Makes sense to me.
I bought an Imac for the family (wife and two girls) and I think its an awesome computer.
I'm also considering an Iphone for my wife but I just bought a Tour for myself.

[shawnomega]

Stories like this are dumb, I don't think you should really put gender base on any phone. I think it's why most phones stick with basic colors like ( grey, black, white etc. ) because colors like pink and purple can limit the market value of handsets.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[berryite]

Did you lose your forum? Off you go, theres a good chap.

"Shut up," he explained.

[berryite]

A woman wrote this. LOL. That explains it.

Shouldn't that give it even more credibility?

[berryite]

Stories like this are dumb, I don't think you should really put gender base on any phone.

You need to re-read the article. The author (a woman) cites specific design features and marketing strategies which, in her opinion, make the device basically feminine in nature.

[fastfinger]

The baby changing table app is what gave it a way

Seriously, woman are now claiming everything for themselves. Do you remember back in the day when an SUV was a man's car? All of the sudden every car that isn't hugely expensive & can't go over 170 mph is a chicks car. Guys used to get all the cool stuff while the woman stayed home and took care of the kids. I really think this all started with Barbi with her cool Corvette while pretty boy Ken sat in the passenger seat in his sequined skating outfit. Dudes, we need to stand up for ourselves before we have nothing left. Carry your iphone with pride, Also keep buying those farting and beer drinking Apps. : )

Anyway, every girl I work with has a blackberry

[berryite]

Anyway, every girl I work with has a blackberry

Pearl no doubt. Totally girly BB.

But seriously, it's very cool that you are in touch with your feminine side and wear your iPhone proudly!

[Duvi]

Pearl no doubt. Totally girly BB.

But seriously, it's very cool that you are in touch with your feminine side and wear your iPhone proudly!

The 8900 seems to be more of a feminine phone. I work for AT&T, and that's all the ladies rave about... cute and small. I got it and it was too small for me, didn't feel like a man with it. Got me something bigger (I got a big ego), a Bold and iPhone

[berryite]

The 8900 seems to be more of a feminine phone.

LOL. Not a chance.

[Bajanbastard]

Personally I don't find the iphone or 8900 'girly'. Love my 8900.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Duvi]

LOL. Not a chance.

The numbers don't lie... I'm a manager. I see them all the time. Female customers call in for the 8900.

Females customers love the 8900. Heck, as I think about in my call center, I've seen 1 female actually buy the Bold, 3 females received a Bold from the site director for free(so they don't count), probably 4 with the original iPhone, 2 with the 3G, 5 with the 3GS and probably 45+ with the 8900 (t-mobile/at&t) and I'm sure there is more. The ones on AT&T don't even get a discount through our company for it. The original iPhone is discounted and the 8900s still beat all 3 models combined with room left to multiply by 4!

[Duvi]

Personally I don't find the iphone or 8900 'girly'. Love my 8900.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Neither do it, but if we're going by berryite's theory, it would be his phone to be considered 'feminine'

[berryite]

The numbers don't lie... I'm a manager. I see them all the time. Female customers call in for the 8900.

Females customers love the 8900. Heck, as I think about in my call center, I've seen 1 female actually buy the Bold, 3 females received a Bold from the site director for free(so they don't count), probably 4 with the original iPhone, 2 with the 3G, 5 with the 3GS and probably 45+ with the 8900 (t-mobile/at&t) and I'm sure there is more. The ones on AT&T don't even get a discount through our company for it. The original iPhone is discounted and the 8900s still beat all 3 models combined with room left to multiply by 4!

Your logic is about as accurate as me saying that I used to work for the police department (I actually did) and the majority of criminals we booked carried Bold BlackBerrys so the Bold must appeal to criminals. Nothing objective there. Just as there is nothing objective about "thinking" that certain phones appeal to certain people in *your* call center which we have no way of getting any empirical data on to validate or not validate -- all we have is your "feeling" which doesn't prove anything factually.

But I do applaud you for trying to turn this around and make the 8900 the issue. But it isn't. The topic of the thread is the iPhone being a feminine device. Forbes Magazine did not write an article about any BlackBerry device being feminine. They did write an article about Apple being a feminine centric company. Now no one should need to bring to your attention as a mod that taking things in a thread off topic is really a no-no here on CrackBerry. If you wish to go to the 8900 forum and create a thread about your thoughts on the 8900 appealing to women, well that would be terrific but here in *this* thread, the topic is the femininity of the iPhone.

BTW, it's not just Forbes who thinks that the iPhone is feminine. There are people everywhere who share this observation.

Here's yet another ... iPhone Matters | Is the iPhone Too Feminine?

Now, let's keep this thread on topic. The topic isn't the 8900. It's the iPhone. Sheeesh, I gotta be a mod too? LOL.

[Duvi]

It is on topic... it's about the iPhone being feminine and I feel the 8900 should have been in that spot if it was about the phone being the most feminine. What's off topic about that?

Reading is fundamental... I stated that this was the case for "female customers" and that they buy the 8900 more so than the any of the iPhone models, which you conveniently quoted, so I'm unsure how you missed it I added the part about the call center reps to add to that and because I was

It's not my opinion, it's the facts. We sell more iPhone to males ages 19-35. And 8900 for the same age group. That's a fact. We mention the 8900 first to women and then the Bold for men. The Samsung Jack comes in second to offer women.

I will also let you be... it almost seemed as though you were getting offended because I put the 8900 in the mix; I actually noticed that you had the 8900 after my first response on the 8900 being more feminine. I was honestly stating what the numbers are in reference to what majority of females purchase. Once again, I do not feel either device is "girly", but if it had to be between the iPhone and 8900, it would be the 8900. My apologies

I'm done with the topic though... Goodnight.

[fastfinger]

Here is an article that claims just the opposite.

Women With Long Finger Nails Complaining That iPhone Is Sexist

and another

The iPhone fingernail problem | Technology | Los Angeles Times

[stuaw11]

Your logic is about as accurate as me saying that I used to work for the police department (I actually did) and the majority of criminals we booked carried Bold BlackBerrys so the Bold must appeal to criminals. Nothing objective there. Just as there is nothing objective about "thinking" that certain phones appeal to certain people in *your* call center which we have no way of getting any empirical data on to validate or not validate -- all we have is your "feeling" which doesn't prove anything factually.

But I do applaud you for trying to turn this around and make the 8900 the issue. But it isn't. The topic of the thread is the iPhone being a feminine device. Forbes Magazine did not write an article about any BlackBerry device being feminine. They did write an article about Apple being a feminine centric company. Now no one should need to bring to your attention as a mod that taking things in a thread off topic is really a no-no here on CrackBerry. If you wish to go to the 8900 forum and create a thread about your thoughts on the 8900 appealing to women, well that would be terrific but here in *this* thread, the topic is the femininity of the iPhone.

BTW, it's not just Forbes who thinks that the iPhone is feminine. There are people everywhere who share this observation.

Here's yet another ... iPhone Matters | Is the iPhone Too Feminine?

Now, let's keep this thread on topic. The topic isn't the 8900. It's the iPhone. Sheeesh, I gotta be a mod too? LOL.

The whole point being made is just because someone SAYS so doesnt make it true, its just a personal opinion/observation, NOT fact.

Just because a Forbes writer (a female by the way) wrote basically and editorial, doesnt mean its credible fact! This is for sure just an editorial of "what she thinks" I see not a stitch of fact that supports her "conclusion"

[igorsky]

What exactly is the point that the OP is trying to make with the article? That you're somehow less of a man if you have an iPhone? And why does he seem so threatened by a phone? Seems weird.

[BrianW2007]

I know a bunch of females at work that have the iPhone, maybe one guy (who's on the other-side of the fence)

I used to have one, but I really feel as it's more of an accessory than a Phone.

My brother-in-law came up from FL for my sister-in-laws graduation, His iPhone 3gs was starving for signal (and i'm from a pretty large area)

Or, I run into my buddy at the grocery store that I haven't seen in forever. I say hey take my new number down. He responds, I've got the Iphone, the piece of garbage needs a "restore" So, I ended up giving it to him on an old receipt. SOOO 1990's!


So, yes.. If you have the Iphone you have genitalia of those of a women..

[mdude85]

The fact that the author suggests that Apple is "feminizing" its products by making them easier to use is probably a little insulting to women. And it's a little bit odd that he would say that, and then turn around in the same article and say that women just as easily can understand and use technology as men can.

According to this data, men use the iPhone much more than women do:

comscore-smartphone-iphone-total-mobile-usage-by-gender-may-2008.jpg

[BrianW2007]

Does the iPhone need a remote? How is a mac easier than a PC? This is why they have classes. How many times have I seen someone (especially females) say "these mice don't have a left and right click?"

I think this is where you're wrong. Apple is very intuitive and I believe makes some of the EASIEST things to use. If anything, it will only take a little time to tinker with (the new device) toy.

I'm an apple (MAC) die-hard fan. We've got over 3 Mac Desktops, and 4 Mac notebooks in the house. We keep Two MINI's running XP for the windows stuff.

I think it's much easier for a person to adapt to Apple, rather to something else.