Cell phones are something that have become something that nobody goes anywhere without. Most Americans own a cell phone and many of these people’s cell phones are smart phones. The Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone are two of the most prevalent smart phones owned by Americans and are a common sight every day. A simple Google search of “iPhone vs. Galaxy” brings up almost 300 million results. Both are similar in ways but are different and there is an intense rivalry between the two companies. When selling these products Apple and Samsung need to persuade people that they sell the better smart phone and that their phone is what you should have in your pocket or purse. The company must persuade the potential buyer that their product is better. Apple persuades people to buy their product by offering a highly regarded support system and millions of apps and music that can be used on the iPhone. Samsung persuades people to buy their product with also a good support system, and adapting to have apps like Apple and offering a phone that is a little larger initially having improved features that the iPhone did not originally have.
Apple came a long way before they created the iPhone. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976 by Ronald Wayne, and Steve Wozniak, and Steve Jobs. Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, California. Apple was a company that was already well known and headed by a man, Steve Jobs, who was known to be very smart and creative. Apple was known for their iPod and iTunes both of which are widely used. Apple revealed the first iPhone in January of 2007. People lined up worldwide at stores to purchase the iPhone which was an iPod and internet enabled smart phone with a touch screen. The iPhone was something new and it immediately captured people’s attention and drew in people by intriguing them. It was something different and new compared to what was before it. The iPhone had a target audience initially of college students and young businessmen and women. The target audience has since expanded greatly as smart phones have become much more common now than ever before. Apple’s reputation greatly grew after the iPhone was released and Apple and the iPhone are synonymous now.
Samsung was founded in 1969 by Lee Byung-chul. Samsung is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung had created other phones in the past but the Galaxy was something brand new. Samsung revealed the Galaxy smart phone in March of 2010. The phone resembled the iPhone in some ways but was different. The Galaxy was Samsung’s main smart phone and soon became a rival to the iPhone. Samsung released the Galaxy three years after Apple’s iPhone and faced the challenge of persuading people that the Galaxy was the better phone where as the iPhone was first and had already built up a reputation in the three years previous. The intended audience was similar to the iPhone’s intended audience which put the two phones and companies in direct competition. By having the same intended audience, young adults and working professionals, Samsung had to be able to persuade people who were not already with Samsung and trusted their products to buy a Galaxy instead of an iPhone. While Apple offered AppleCare, the App Store, and iTunes, Samsung needed to create a support system, apps for the Galaxy, and figure out their own music situation.
Apple had a rather large audience to start with when revealing the iPhone. Apple’s products were well-known already and the company already had a good reputation. While the iPhone was something new, Apple was not. Apple has AppleCare which is a hardware and warranty service that protects the user’s iPhone. The service provides coverage for repair costs and phone and internet support which is something that Samsung does not have. Apple is known for their support which can easily be accessed through their website and they may even send you a new phone if they cannot fix the problem with the original. There is a standard AppleCare coverage on all devices included when it is purchased normally for about a year but it can be increased. Apple is known for its support system and this is definitely an advantage for Apple as people like to know that the company is there for them if they have a problem. By offering this support system Apple not only sells you their product, but they can ensure that their product continues to work and that the customer has a good experience with the product even if there are problems. The customer may feel that the company wants to help them and not only sell a product. The iPhone has been made to look sleeker and modern which is appealing to people as people want something that looks new, sleek, and modern. Apple also has millions of apps available in the App Store and has coined the phrase “There’s an app for that” as there are a very wide number of apps for everything that you could need and certain apps are iPhone specific and not available on the Galaxy. ITunes has all the latest music and millions and millions of people buy their music from iTunes and it is instantly downloaded to the iPhone. Apple wants people to know that it offers many other things besides just the phone itself which make it more appealing to people. By including all this support with their product, Apple uses ethos. They become trustworthy and reliable as they want the customer to have a pleasant experience and want the customer to continue to buy from them and they also have a good reputation.
Apple’s website is modern looking and highlights the newest product on the front. It also has eight tabs to click on and a search bar. There is a tab specifically for the iPhone and also one for support. The iPhone tab focuses on the iPhone and shows what is new for the iPhone and what it offers. If you scroll down on this tab there is something that says “Which iPhone is for you?” and allows you to compare iPhones to find the best one for you. There are also links to a user guide, AppleCare, and the support page on this page. It also includes options that say iPhone for students and iPhone in Business further showing the target audience and how it benefits these groups. When clicking on these in takes you to a page where it says that the iPhone is “Brilliant in Business” and on the student one it says “Why the iPhone and iPod Touch for College.” These are meant to persuade people that the iPhone is the smart phone for school and business and that you should have it. It mentions all the advantages to having an iPhone and the capabilities of the iPhone. Apple is a trusted company as they consistently deliver and it has many loyal customers who will wait in line for days for the newest Apple product. People trust Apple and Apple does what they say they will do.
Samsung’s website is also very modern looking and also mentions the newest products on the front page of the website. At the top of the website there are four tabs labeled Shop Products, Get Support, Apps & Entertainment, and For Business. Samsung’s website also has at the bottom of the page a box that says “How Can We Help You” and it has a list of things such as contact us, find product support, and owner benefits sections. Samsung has a support page but it does not have anything like AppleCare. The support page allows you to contact support by phone, email, a live chat, or through Facebook and Twitter. One can schedule a repair or watch support videos found on the website. Samsung is making improvements to their support system to make it more efficient and so products will be more appealing as the customer will be able to gain help quicker.
Samsung has a Galaxy and smart phone tab which focuses on the Galaxy. When opening the tab there is at the top of the page a picture of the Galaxy and the words “The Next Big Thing is Here” next to the picture of the phone. The tab features articles about the Galaxy which include tips for using it. There is also an in depth section which includes the options Galaxy at work and an option to explore the Music Hub. It also includes a section for Apps that can be downloaded to the Galaxy. You can also manage your content and find a Samsung Experience Shop near you which can provide help. Samsung is also trying to use ethos by coming across as trustworthy and reliable. Samsung does not have the reputation Apple does and this may hurt Samsung a bit as people may see them not as credible.
Persuasion is used by both Apple and Samsung just like almost all other companies. Both companies use logos as they rely on facts and statistics about their product when advertising. Both Apple and Samsung are trusted sources and well known, worldwide companies. The websites use the same color scheme mainly and are similarly set up. The intended audiences are similar and both the product and websites must be appealing to this group.
Works Cited
Kale, Emory. “10 Facts That Prove Galaxy S4 Is Better than IPhone 5 | TG Daily.” TG Daily. N.p., 05 June 2013. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Kovach, Steve. “6 Ways The IPhone 5 Still Outshines Samsung’s Galaxy S4.” Business Insider. N.p., 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Stevenson, Alastair. “Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Apple IPhone 5 Head-to-head Review.” – Reviews for UK IT Professionals. N.p., 10 June 2013. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Tran, Louie. “Apple IPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S III.” Apple IPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S III. Brighthand, 10 Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
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