Apple’s brand franchise is extensive, but most recently we have seen wave after wave of “i-Things” (iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iTouch, iPad). When Apple developed the iPhone, it did so in conjunction with AT&T. Many think that inhibited the brand’s growth, since AT&T had suffered from service issues. In fact, the introduction of the iPhone swamped AT&T and it struggled even harder to provide quality service, with little success. In some markets, the ratio of iPhones to AT&T’s bandwidth means that service has been spotty and unreliable, with a dropped call rate of about 30%.
While strategic partnerships are common in today’s business environment, choosing the right partner is critical. To begin your initial post, introduce yourself briefly. Then, respond to the following questions: What impact do you think Apple’s choice to introduce the iPhone in the US exclusively through AT&T had on its brand? What might Apple have done differently?
