Now that Steve Jobs is gone the company is at risk of being overtaken by Samsung, a former Creative Director at Apple has claimed.
Hugh Dubberly stated: “It’s not so much that Samsung has gotten better, but Apple has fundamentally changed. The pipeline that Steve started is over.”
Dubberly also used to be a member of Samsung’s International Design Advisory Council.
The WSJ agreed, mentioning the crucial issue of whether Apple will fit a Touch ID sensor into the upcoming iPhone 8’s display.
Analysts quoted by the WSJ pointed out that Samsung is going all out with its Galaxy S8 during its 10th anniversary year and Apple will need more than a physical home button to beat them. The article argues that the S8 ended Apple’s lead over Samsung.
The S8 is slimmer, longer and virtually without a bezel — all this alongside the fact that it comes with a higher Consumer Reports rating than the iPhone 7. The article continues by saying that, with technological breakthroughs having become less of a factor, design plays a dominant role in purchasing decisions.
According to Charles L. Mauro, President of product design company MauroNewMedia, a smartphone’s appearance today accounts for nearly 50 per cent of a typical consumer’s buying decision. Recent research, he says, revealed that looks matter much more than most analysts were inclined to believe in the past.
However, another study reveals that the Samsung S8 story might not be quite as positive as suggested by the WSJ article. According to researchers, Samsung is selling fewer of the S8 model than last year’s S7 at the same stage.
A report released yesterday nevertheless suggested that Samsung could have more time to boost its sales, since mass production of Apple’s latest iPhone might not be in full force before November this year.