So Apple has launched their new iPhone range, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Of course our next blog post will be about probably the biggest technology news at the minute! On top of the phone launch they also launched the Apple Watch with three distinct lines, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport & Apple Watch Edition. We all knew it was coming so it was no surprise!

The new iPhone is ‘bigger and bigger’ playing on the size as well as its general capacity in the market and how it has expanded over the years. Overall the phone has become similar to that of Apple’s biggest rival, Samsung. Their galaxy range became the main competitor for Apple with numerous lawsuits being thrown about for copyright infringement and design contradictions. Personally, I have always been an Apple fanatic. From getting my first iPhone 3GS when the iPhone 4 had been released I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I already had one of the 2nd Gen iPod classics which was the same thickness as the Nokia 3330. Yet it was so cool! I then bought myself an iPod Nano first Generation. Watching TV Shows on your ipod? No way! Then came the iPod touch which revolutionised mp3 players and eventually phones. I have been through Apple’s mobile and tablet revolution.

So yes I am that guy in Starbucks with his iPad mini, latest iPhone, and a Macbook Pro. Don’t hate on me! Obviously there is a need for me to be obsessed with any of Apple’s future releases so naturally I still attempted to sit up until 2am local time to watch the ‘September Event.’ Problem being, the event was moved to 10am, then 11am, which meant 4am local time. I of course fell asleep with the keynote buffering on a loading screen as I dreamt of an incredible phone which made you fly… Was I wrong?

So as stated, the new designs are very similar to that of their rival Samsung, for obvious reasons. However in true Apple style, they do everything better with classier looks and better software. I think that is a given with a 98% customer satisfaction rating and the iPhone 5S & 5C being the biggest and most used mobile/cell phone in the world! They are doing something right…

However all of this hype got me thinking. Even as an Apple follower (or whatever indie term has been used to describe their fans) is the hype worth it? We wait until Autumn or Fall every year for the word on a new product. They have such clever marketing techniques that really help reign people in and those who are already loyal Apple users – me included – are left to run a marathon to ensure we get our hands on the latest product. Apple are extremely effective at brand loyalty and ensuring customers are happy. As a consumer society grows even more, do we even have loyalty to a brand or is it loyalty to a trend?

Apple may well be the ‘in thing’ at the minute which is why they are so popular. What happens if a rival releases a product that surpasses anything Apple could achieve? Is that not how capitalism and consumerism operate? Through the medium of trends and, ironically so, ‘bigger is bigger’ products!

Companies have been trying to break into the marketing techniques of Apple over the years but Apple is so locked down with copyright law and their lawyers are like magpies to shiny objects. On top of that their advertising style is so unique that no one can really copy it. Minimalism is Apple’s key selling point. Its minimalism packed with maximum usage and software!

So what can your business do to try and compete with that? Hopefully your market is not as saturated as the cellular industry or even the tablet/notebook industry. However if it is, come up with ways to innovate like Apple does with its products. Innovate with your marketing techniques and really work on what your USP is that way giving more options to expand and get to the right audience. We can learn a lot from Apple’s monopoly not just through their technology but how they do business. Let’s hope in a few years we can have such a highly anticipated event like the “September Event’ to draw the customers in!