Anytime I get to use the #ShotsFired hashtag, it’s going to be a fun post to read here at Android Headlines. Recently, Apple’s head of design, the infamous Jony Ives was featured in the New Yorker, and in that profile that was done of mister Ives, he bad mouthed Motorola and Moto Maker a bit. Although he didn’t come out and say Motorola, it was heavily implied. Let’s take a look at this excerpt from the New Yorker:
“In one of our conversations, Ive was scathing about a rival’s product, after asking me not to name it: “Their value proposition was ‘Make it whatever you want. You can choose whatever color you want.’ And I believe that’s abdicating your responsibility as a designer.” Cook told me, “Jony has better taste than anyone I ever met in my life,” and Ive might not demur.”
The BBC published a report recently, where Motorola’s President Rick Osterloh stated, “end user should be directly involved in the process of designing products”. Additionally, Osterloh attacked the pricing models of Motorola’s competitors.
“We do see a real dichotomy in this marketplace, where you’ve got people like Apple making so much money and charging such outrageous prices. We think that’s not the future,” he said. “We believe the future is in offering similar experiences and great consumer choice at accessible prices.” He added, “The mobile phone industry’s greatest failure is also its greatest opportunity: to make really good, affordable devices for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money.”
While Osterloh has a point, that Apple and other manufacturers do charge outrageous prices for their smartphones, it’s clearly working for Apple. Apple has the most cash out of any other company around right now. Which is just crazy. While Motorola’s approach is also working, but in a couple of ways. It’s bringing up their market share and also profitability. So to each their own, I guess.