Apple Diversifies product line
By Karolina Dejnicka, Mike Naraine, Rob Rubbini, Sonya Snyder
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Stranded
Apple Inc. is renowned for pushing the boundaries of technology, but on Jan. 27, it announced a change that will revolutionize the company of the iPad.
Apple's foray into feminine hygiene products marks its first break from computer-related endeavours into the everyday lives of the average Luddite. "We wanted to be able to reach everyone, not just the technologically adept," said Jeeves Stob, the company's director of marketing, in an interview. "Here at Apple, we're all about bridging the gap."
The iPad, slated for release in March, is the product of much research and preparation. "We chose women as our first market for our new direction because they comprise 52% of the population. That's more than half! Show me a company bridging the gap between them and half the population, and I'll show you Apple."
Stob claims, however, that this is just the beginning, and that feminine products are only the first of many steps in a new direction. At a press conference, he stated "We started off with the iPad because of its universal interest to women, but we have even bigger plans for the future. We're also working on a prototype of a robot for the visually impaired called the seeingiDog. Production is in its rudimentary stages; nevertheless, we believe it will be on sale before summer. Bridging the gap, it's what we do."
This would not be the first time that Apple has turned heads. The iPhone, only on the market since the summer of 2007, has changed the way people think about phones and is a well-established staple on the market. But what does the general public think of all this? Some customers have shown their support for Apple during this transition period, but not everyone shares the feeling. One employee, wishing to remain anonymous, actually quit as a result of the change in company mandate. "This is stupid," he told Stranded. "Apple is supposed to make computers. I understand why one might want to expand into new markets, but this is just ridiculous."
Nevertheless, the brains behind the marketing remain unworried. Stob stands by his company with confidence, stating "there is no reason for this to even be a concern at this point in time. The vast majority of the feedback I have heard has been positive. When we first came out onto the tech scene back in the seventies, people were incredulous. They thought we were a fruit company. Well, look at us now."
Apple's foray into feminine hygiene products marks its first break from computer-related endeavours into the everyday lives of the average Luddite. "We wanted to be able to reach everyone, not just the technologically adept," said Jeeves Stob, the company's director of marketing, in an interview. "Here at Apple, we're all about bridging the gap."
The iPad, slated for release in March, is the product of much research and preparation. "We chose women as our first market for our new direction because they comprise 52% of the population. That's more than half! Show me a company bridging the gap between them and half the population, and I'll show you Apple."
Stob claims, however, that this is just the beginning, and that feminine products are only the first of many steps in a new direction. At a press conference, he stated "We started off with the iPad because of its universal interest to women, but we have even bigger plans for the future. We're also working on a prototype of a robot for the visually impaired called the seeingiDog. Production is in its rudimentary stages; nevertheless, we believe it will be on sale before summer. Bridging the gap, it's what we do."
This would not be the first time that Apple has turned heads. The iPhone, only on the market since the summer of 2007, has changed the way people think about phones and is a well-established staple on the market. But what does the general public think of all this? Some customers have shown their support for Apple during this transition period, but not everyone shares the feeling. One employee, wishing to remain anonymous, actually quit as a result of the change in company mandate. "This is stupid," he told Stranded. "Apple is supposed to make computers. I understand why one might want to expand into new markets, but this is just ridiculous."
Nevertheless, the brains behind the marketing remain unworried. Stob stands by his company with confidence, stating "there is no reason for this to even be a concern at this point in time. The vast majority of the feedback I have heard has been positive. When we first came out onto the tech scene back in the seventies, people were incredulous. They thought we were a fruit company. Well, look at us now."
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