I just read an article titled "Why Apple Needs Reminding We Don’t All Live In The United States", about the recent iPad WiFi+4G issues. Basically, Australians (among many others) have decided that Apple calling the new iPad ’4G’ is inaccurate, considering 4G LTE technology either doesn’t exist yet locally, or is not compatible with the iPad’s chosen LTE bands.
Either Apple did not have insight into the digital landscape of the markets it launched the iPad 4G into, or they chose to call it 4G anyway (which also demonstrates a lack of insight - into their digital consumers in those markets). Customers are none too happy to find, after they paid for the new device, that they don't get faster speeds. They are now causing a digital uproar which has extended to traditional media.
The article suggests that this is an issue that relates to Apple being a 'huge company' and 'being less agile'. I disagree. An organisation of any size can use a rigourous planning process, including gathering insight into all relevant local markets. It seems clear that basing plans on local insight would improve the user experience and perceived local relevance. So why do so few multinationals consider the local digital landscape of each relevant market?
I would have thought Apple, with its focus on user experience would have been at the leading edge of this practice.
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