Blackberry Bold 9700 and iPhone - Comparing the Products and Brands' Features - Case Study Example

Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone Organization-Product-Brand Overview Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone are two firms that market a brand within the same product category. The iPhone is ideally, a line of multimedia-enabled and Internet Smartphone marketed and designed by Apple Inc., and released originally in 2007. An iPhone functions majorly as a camera, an Internet client (web browsing, e-mail, and Wi-Fi connectivity) and a handy media player (similar to a video iPod). The user interface of the iPhone is built around the multi-touch screen of the device, together with a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one. Third-party applications for the iPhone are available from the App Store that launched in early 2008 and currently has over 200,000 "apps" Apple- approved. These apps ideally have wide-ranging functionalities, including reference, social networking, games, GPS navigation, and advertising for films, celebrities and television shows. There have been at least four generations or versions, of iPhone hardware, accompanied by at least four cardinal productions of iOS (previously known as iPhone OS). Steve Jobs, Apple CEO announced the iPhone in 2007, January 9 after many months of speculation and rumors. Retroactively branded, the "original" iPhone introduction started in the United States market in 2007, June 29 before venturing into the European market. It had features of quad-band GSM actually with EDGE. Time magazine in New York named it the Year’s Invention in 2007. The iPod Touch, ideally with the internet and media features of an iPhone, but with no phone, released at the end of September 2007. Apple released into the market an SDK at the end of March 6, 2008, letting developers create the apps, which would be accessible beginning with version 2.0 of the iPhone OS. The iPhone 3G announcement was in 2008, June 9 and released into the market July 11, ideally replacing the original model. The phone supported faster 3G data with speeds via UMTS having 3.6 Mbps HSDPA, ran the 2.0 software and included assisted GPS. Apple introduced iPhone OS 3.0 in 2009 on June 17, and it included copy, cut, and paste and many other search capabilities. The iPhone 3GS running the 3.0 software, has relatively improved performance, with a camera having higher resolution as well as video capability and voice control, and supporting the 7.2 Mbps HSDPA downloading. This was released in Canada, U.S. and six other European countries in 2009, June 19, in Japan and Australia on June 26, and was introduced internationally in 2009, July and August. For the entire period, the iPhone 3G remained accessible at a reduced price. Conversely, The BlackBerry Bold 9700) is actually a high-end mobile phone device introduced and developed by Research in Motion. It is a smart phone codenamed as "Onyx." After a big run of Smartphone announcements, among them, the Motorola Droid/Milestone as well as the BlackBerry Storm2, it was comfortable for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 to be introduced under the radar. It was one of the greatest inventions of Research in Motion helping the company to continue thriving in the current difficult market of Smartphones. The original BlackBerry Bold 9000 that hit the market in 2008, May has been actually the flagship of the Smartphones for the BlackBerry line. The Bold 9700 introduction brought forth a better innovation. It was availed from T-Mobile for only $200 on a two-year contract. Since then, AT&T joined the race and offered the same Smartphone at same rates sometimes even better. Physically, Blackberry bold 9700 strongly resemble an assortment of Curve models, though it maintains the original, bold premium look as well as feel with a metal bezel precisely around the handset top and a leatherette back. As with recent curves, Blackberry bold 9700 replaces the squirmy track ball precisely with an optical sensor, which tracks finger movement ideally on a pad relatively below the screen. Blackberry bold 9700 weighs an estimated half an ounce (14 g) relatively less than then original Bold. One reason, which the Blackberry, bold 9700 lost so little weight in the shrinking process is one key component it actually shares with its predecessor, and this is a huge battery. In fact, the Blackberry bold 9700 innards seem to consist almost completely of battery but this is great because of maintaining the exceptional battery life. The specs ideally claim 6 hours of talk time or relatively equal time of 3G-network. The keyboard of Blackberry bold 9700 is a bit smaller even than the original Bold 9000, particularly because of the smaller handset, which is a quarter-inch at least 6 mm narrower. The Blackberry bold 9700 shares the new operating system of BlackBerry 5.0 with the Storm2. The browser is, greatly improved from the original. Identification of Relevant Theory/Concept Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone use different consumer behavior theory to market their brands. They have both looked into various aspects of consumer behavior since they are competitors and each purpose to have the competitive advantage and hail over the other in the market. They, therefore, look into what influences consumers in purchasing products in this case, which is the Smartphones. They have strategies to impact on consumer buying process bearing that is a complex matter because many external and internal factors influence the same (Fournier, 1998). The hierarchy of needs is a theory by Maslow in psychology clearly stipulating a Human Motivation Theory (Schiffman et al, 2008). This is a strong theory among consumer behavior theories which Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone make use of in targeting and influencing the consumers. One of the greatest parts of the theory, which the marketing strategies of these companies target, is the Self Esteem of the individual. It is apparent that in Smartphone are ideally classy types of phones, which are not only for communication but also for a higher class in the society. This is why Blackberry bold 9700 introduces the smartest and most classy Smartphones to fulfill the need of the upper classy in the society. It is learnt from the consumer behavior theory that humans have a want to be respected and to hold self-esteem as well as self-respect (Westbrook, 1987). This is also the belonging need, with esteem presenting the normal human desire particularly to be, respected and valued by others. The same reason for iPhone in introducing a brand that functions majorly as a camera phone (including visual voicemail and text messaging), an Internet client (web browsing, e-mail, and Wi-Fi connectivity) and a handy media player (similar to a video iPod). These features bestow esteem in the person owning the phone. They are not the normal features in phones and sound unique with exceptionally few people having the same. People need to practically, engage themselves in gaining recognition and have activities, which give the individual a sense of contribution, feeling accepted as well as self-valued, be it in a hobby or profession (Westbrook, 1987). Blackberry bold 9700 notices this case and came up with a great design of a phone unique and outstanding among other Smartphones. On the same note, iPhone considers the point that people have an urge for a stable self-esteem and self-respect. According to Maslow, two versions of esteem urges include a lower one as well as a higher one. This is why iPhone has introduced different types of phones in the market to cater for the respective level of esteem urge. This is in appreciation to the fact that there are people who go for lower esteem in the need for status (Eastman, Goldsmith & Flynn, 1999), need of the respect of others, recognition, prestige, fame, and attention (Thomson & Park, 2005). For the higher esteem urge, they are in need of self-respect, competence, the need for strength, mastery, independence, self-confidence, and freedom (Schiffman et al, 2008). Deprivation of the respective needs lead to inferiority complex, helplessness and weakness. In Smartphone productions, iPhone and Blackberry bold 9700 take note of this esteem needs releasing classy phones for the fulfillment of the customer’s satisfaction. They know that releasing the best and most classy phones is what can help particular brand gain recognition among the high-status people are hail as the best, therefore, acting as an advantage in the marketing. On the same note, iPhone introduced its Smartphone lately but with the target market unique to the esteemed potential consumer. This was released in Canada, the U.S., and six other European countries in 2009, June 19, in Japan and Australia on June 26 and was introduced internationally in 2009, July and August. For the entire period, the iPhone 3G remained accessible at a reduced price. The countries are among the most developed countries with a high purchasing power from the consumers because they have higher earnings. The majorities of consumers in these countries have enough and hold the capability of purchasing luxury products (Wallendorf & Arnould, 1988) for instance Smartphones. The introduction into these markets is ideal and appropriate as a marketing strategy taking into account the consumer consumption behavior and fruitful to increasing the sales of the Smartphone. Self-actualization is another significant concept highly valued by iPhone and Blackberry bold 9700 in their marketing of the Smartphones considering the consumer behavior. This is a concept under the hierarchy of needs in Maslow’s theory (Lee, 2000). The theory simply states, “What an individual can be, he must be (Paola, 2009).” The concept forms the basis of the individual perceived self-actualization need (Thomson & Park, 2005). This level of individual need relates an individual potential need and the process of realizing that potential. Maslow describes the desire as the desire of becoming more and more actually, of what one is, to become all that one has the capability of becoming (Paola, 2009). Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone take into account the self-actualization need by coming up with better Smartphones to fulfill the need of the people who own Smartphones. They keep advancing the features of Smartphones to help consumers who use these brands to have more actualization as they desire. With the Blackberry bold 9700 introducing a phone using 3-G-network, they boost the self-actualization of an individual who use the internet and need a faster browser for their operations. The company knows that the behavior of the consumer is to go for the best, and they realize that the internet consumer is always on the look out of the most advanced Smartphone to use in their internet applications. On the same case, the iPhone caters for the actualization need by introducing the iPhone 3GS running the 3.0 software, has relatively improved performance, with a camera having higher resolution as well as video capability and voice control, and supporting the 7.2 Mbps HSDPA downloading. The new and excellent features influence the consumer behavior to have the most advanced Smartphone and with consummate features in seeking self-actualization. The brands also consider that the definition of the self-actualization need is broad (Laurent, 2000), but when individually applied, the need is specific. For instance, one individual may have ideally the strong desire to own a Smartphone with the highest resolution of the camera and video because it is what they use the most in a smart phone. Conversely, for the other consumer, his need might be having a portable Smartphone with excellent features of the 3G network. This consumer behavior in preferences is excellent and what acts to the advantage of each brand of smart phones. The consumer ideally goes for that brand that suits his needs (Lee, 2000). It means that both the Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone have consumers and never cease to hold a certain portion of the market acting to their respective advantage. Consumer preference is also another significant concept affecting the behavior of consumers and relating to the Smartphone industry. Consumer preference succumbs to influences from many and uncontrollable factors (Laurent, 2000). These factors are physical, emotional and social factors, which have a strong effect on the individual consumer. Need Recognition is one part of this consumer behavior concept, which is widely used. The concept in simple terms means how one decides to buy specific products (Laurent, 2000). In our case, the companies look into how the individuals decide to choose a particular brand of Smartphones. It could be that the Smartphone he owns stops working and one has to look for a new one, maybe he can no longer browse efficiently, therefore, has a problem or another need. This is what Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone consider by first doing a research on the existing conditions of the market to determine behaviors and needs of consumers. In no circumstances do Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone introduce a product to a market without assessing the preferences because they are indispensable and help ascertain that the introduced product will be of value and sought more by the consumer. Information search follows on the same note of the consumer preference concept (Estelle, 2010). After customer realizes that his phone is not working and has a problem in browsing, he seeks for a solution. He goes out to purchase a new Smartphone but has to go through some information search helping them through in making their purchase decision. Some of the major sources of this information could be neighbors, family, or friends, who may have the Smartphone or alternatively enquires from sales people, or even Smartphone dealers. They may also read specialist magazines and search for information in other sources before making the purchase decision. Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone realize this point of information search as part of consumer behavior and they exploit many avenues for marketing the smart phones. For instance, in the modern era, where technology is on a high and many people seeking information online, Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone have established websites which are ideal and provide the information sought by the consumers. This is great for the brands because they exploit the opportunity and impact on the consumer’s choice for a first hand rather than letting them rely on second hand information. Consumer preferences follow evaluation of the purchase options (Hoyer & Brown, 1990). This is outright, and a key point for Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone because they are two brands of Smartphones from which the individual will have to make a choice. The question is the consumer’s minds is, so what Smartphone do I purchase? Shall it be Blackberry bold 9700 and the iPhone? Consumers allocate several attribute factors to particular products, almost as a point scoring system that they work out in their own mind over the brand to purchase. This means that the respective consumers know what available features from the product rivals will benefit them (Hoyer & Brown, 1990); therefore, they attach different degrees of relevance to each attribute. For instance Internet connectivity (web browsing, e-mail, and Wi-Fi connectivity) maybe better on the iPhone than on Blackberry bold 9700 of vice versa and this concept is excellent for the respective brands to exploit when making their products and release to the markets. The consumers brand preference especially with companies relatively because of a good history with a specific brand (Dick, 1994) is what iPhone and Blackberry bold 9700 materialize on to exploit their markets efficiently. For instance, there is a wide range of arguments that consumers prefer Blackberry bold 9700 because of its long battery life and smaller screen. The specs ideally claim 6 hours of talk time or relatively equal time of 3G-network. The keyboard of Blackberry bold 9700 is a bit smaller even than the original Bold 9000, particularly because of the smaller handset, which is a quarter-inch at least 6 mm narrower. On the other note, a strong attachment to iPhone is because of the phone supporting faster 3G data with speeds via UMTS having 3.6 Mbps HSDPA, ran the 2.0 software and included assisted GPS. These affiliations of consumers act differently to each brand, therefore, giving it an advantage over the other in the broad Smartphone market. On the same note, consumer preference concept applies to the purchase decision (Belk & Ger, 2003), Blackberry bold 9700, and iPhone marketers know this perfectly well. After evaluations as discussed, consumers make a choice for the final purchase decision (Belk & Ger, 2003). They reach the final process through the purchase action. For instance, the process of visiting the shop to buy the particular product that for some consumers can be as rewarding as in fact, purchasing the product (Estelle, 2010). Purchase of these products is done either through visiting the store, or the web. With this in mind, and to act on influencing the purchasing decision choice both Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone introduced the online shopping for their Smartphones. This is what they use majorly as a factor to ease the purchasing of the Smartphone and influencing consumer preference. In this case, the marketing of the online shopping has been the greatest impact on the sale of respective brands to consumers. Both Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone have online shopping features in respective websites with deliveries provided. It is a new initiative to influence the customer choice of Smartphone and strategies going in line with the new trends of online shopping common in the current era. Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone know equally well that, culture is one aspect influencing consumer preference and ultimately, their purchasing behavior (Johannes, 2004). In simple terms, culture is defined as the individual’s beliefs and attitudes. This is what the marketers of respective brands have in mind in marketing the products. The modern culture of Smartphone is an advantage and the respective brands exploit the current trends of Smartphones by introducing more and new Smartphone to help influence the consumer preference. It is a competition between the two brands as the Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone race to be identified with the latest released of a Smartphone, widely recognized as the best in the market and the one holding the appropriate features. Reference groups are also a significant determinant of consumer preference. This has, therefore, pushed Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone to use celebrities and other icons in their advertising. They value the fact that consumers relate with a particular product and make it their choice especially identifying with particular figures. For instance, some images advertising iPhone feature Carrie Underwood. She is an American country actor and singer-songwriter who rose to fame actually as the winner of the American Idol, fourth season. Underwood has since recorded albums as an artist, a Grammy Award winner, and the current selected Entertainer of the Year by ACM. With such a celebrity being associated to iPhone, there is a prominent link for customers, and it influences their preferences (Alpert, 1972) particularly in need of recognition and association with celebrities (Ahuvia, 2005). This is one massive impact that is an experience of the respective brands on issues relating to impacts of behavior of Smartphone consumers. On the same note, the consumer preferences depend on people’s social status influencing their purchasing behavior (Eastman, Goldsmith & Flynn, 1999). This, therefore, acts to the advantage of the two Smartphones companies because they hail in people’s statuses (Goldberg, 1990) that have to purchase the phones to fit in their social class. This includes what is the individual’s play within society, the type of job they do, and the general lifestyle of the individual (Cannon & Homburg, 2001). On this point, the income is a factor (Alpert, 1972), which dictates for instance what type of a smart phone an individual can afford. It, therefore, influences the consumers of the Smartphones as well as what type individuals go for depending on the price. For instance, someone earning £250000 would be different clearly, from another who earns £25000. Additionally, characters influences on making the buying decision (Mooradian & Olver, 1997). Whether the individual is extrovert (spends on entertainment and outgoing) or introvert, (keeps to him or herself) also has an impact on the purchasing decisions (Simonson, 2001). This dictates the results and benefits that the firms obtain from using the consumer behavior theories and the consumer preferences concept (Mooradian & Olver, 1997). The status either increases or reduces the propensity of buying a particular Smartphone. Using the same example as earlier, Carrie Underwood’s income allows her to make the choice, and on the same note, her spending is high, which associates her with classy, smart phones to the advantage of such brands as Blackberry bold 9700 and iPhone. References Ahuvia, C. (2005). Beyond the extended self: loved objects and consumers' identity narratives. Journal of Consumer Research, 32 (1), 171-184. Alpert, M. (1972). 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