I’m excited about the DROID being released next week. From all the reviews and specs I’ve read on it, it looks to be one of the best phones put out by Verizon. I remember going to look at the G-1 at T-Mobile when it first came out and was impressed, but now that they’ve upgraded the OS to Android 2.0 I think the DROID is going to blow all other phones Verizon offers out of the water (especially WhackBerry). But I’m no “smart” phone expert. My only hint of concern is that Verizon would try and inject their own crappy software in to this phone, but I’ve been told that’s not the case here. So keeping my fingers crossed.

And I do get the weird looks about working on Windows. I run a very large design networking group, the crowds always get weird when I talk about using Windows.

On the other hand, I do have an iPhone.

Around here, non-iPhone phones are a definite minority, I don’t run into them often. Though that might fuel the persecution complex their owners have.

On the other note:

I’m not sure the word “superior” is articulating the concept I was thinking about the best way – I used it more in reference to perceived quality of product and in turn the perceived quality of any given user’s “taste”.

I’m a Graphic Designer / Front-End Web Developer / and office IT guy (I used to repair laptops for extra cash during college.) I work on a Mac, but have a PC at home because when I started freelancing (before getting hired at my current agency) I was broke and I needed to purchase a computer with a decent processor / decent ram / etc but had an almost non-existent budget. So I did research and found that I could get just as much power as some of the higher level Macs for less in a PC. That being said I do prefer OSX for design work – and now that I’m not so strapped for cash I’d more apt to spending the extra cash for it – but its a matter of preference not quality.

Whats interesting though is if I tell anyone I still have a PC at home, I get weird looks because all the “cool” designers/developers work exclusively on Apple products. “Perceived Quality” plays a huge role here. I know that my PC has just as much juice as the Mac equivalent but folks assume it doesn’t. I could see folks taking that kind of response in a negative way and getting defensive – then bragging about their non-Apple product in an attempt to show that the perceived quality difference is just that… perceived, not actual.

And regarding Jeffrye’s point about non-iPhone users bragging about their gear etc – The sheer numbers mean you’ll run across more jerks that use PC etc then jerks that use Apple – not that the ratio is any different. Apple is still a fraction of the market so you’re less likely to run across them. I get blasted with “Why don’t you have an iPhone! They’re so cool, look at this, look at that! See! You need to ditch the pc and the reg phone for this asap!” – same thing just flipped reverse.

While normally, Apple would wait until there was a confirmed release date and run the ad right before it, this move seems to be directly defending against the iPhone-Verizon deal talks. The future purchase rates are a big factor if a deal is made. Imagine the market share that iPhones will pick up on the Verizon network. It could all be moot, though, since to really fit the network, the iPhone hardware has to change. (The latest speculation is that they will hit the network with the next release, June-July 2010).

Oh, and as an iPhone user I personally do not feel superior, but I definitely feel that I have the superior product on the market.

On the other hand, once people that have a Palm Pre or any of the other recent “iPhone killers” see that I have an iPhone, they feel compelled to tell me at great length why their phone is superior.

The dynamic seems to be that some people refuse to buy anything Apple branded, and those people feel like Apple’s marketing is denigrating them, so they leap at any chance to “show those Apple snobs.”

That seems to be exactly the sort of person this ad campaign is targeting.

Is this dark and gritty or whimsical and snarky? Is this cute (eyes under the ‘R’) or foreboding (giant red eye)? Are you trying to say I’ll get a pocket full of chaos or was Chris Cunningham just free one afternoon?

People put a lot of trust into their phones — they need stability, reliability, order, and accessibility — which I’m not really feeling from this. I think the campaign might be better suited for a gaming console. (iDon’t is even derivative of the Nintendon’t campaign of the early 90s, but Sega was able to connect the “don’t” and “does” much better).

As for the “feel superior to them”. Thats Apple’s forte as well… buy an Apple product and be superior/cooler to folks who use PC / Blackberry / etc.

However, Verizon as a carrier is still like 10+ million subscribers in the lead of AT&T (last I checked) so that lends itself to Verizon having a larger internal market to push the Droid on. Pushing it further they have a broader current customer base outside of the wireless industry because they provide broadband, wired solutions etc. All of these folks may be brand loyal already.

What would *really* be interesting to learn is what market share Apple holds on SmartPhone Users – instead of the wireless market on the whole.

I guess what sums it up for me (and why I think the campaign is a relative success) is the fact that their goal with the Droid was to curb the “future purchase rates” that they have been losing to AT&T because of the iPhone phenomenon. There really hasn’t been anything that can equate to the iPhone yet – and these ads push the idea that there is another option now. If they can back it up with a lower price on release, then folks who’ve been with Verizon for a while can stay there, and still have something as cool as the iPhone. (or at least comparably as cool).

My T-Mobile contract is up early next year – so I won’t be an iPhone user or Droid user any time soon – but I can’t wait for the reviews.

Here’s the video if you’re interested : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPYM-XTqcec

Apple succeeded by pitting itself against Microsoft (when in reality Microsoft owns 90% of the market — Apple shouldn’t even really be considered their competition when the market share they hold is so much smaller). Their ads make it sound like they are just barely #2 to PC, so it builds brand credibility and encourages users to swap to a product with much less of a track record etc.

Droid is facing the same challenge – overtaking a competitor who owns the vast majority of the market on cool, new age, smartphones with apps and other awesomeness. Following the same strategy makes sense.

Unfortunately the web experience they use to back those spots is pretty terrible. Why put users through so much? Develop a cool way for users to preview of the new phone, take their email, and shoot them updates / press releases about it occasionally. Simple right? The site they have up definitely botches it. I just hope the phone’s OS doesn’t share the same user interface problems.

What I don’t understand is why they aren’t pushing the fact its on the Verizon network. Verizon is *huge* compared to AT&T – iPhones main network.

And what about price. PC is still the market leader because they can provide the higher level processors (among other bits and pieces) at a lower cost then Apple. Like it or not the “Apple-Tax” is very real even after taking in to account support and computer longevity. You pay more for the same product from Apple, which is fine if you know that and still prefer OSX and the more-awesome looking hardware design.

I think for Droid to succeed and not just be tossed aside as a passing fad, the price will have to be significantly under that of the iPhones – and from what I seen I don’t think it will.

What do you guys think?