Design and brand identity is extremely important to Apple.
Apple has been making earbuds for two decades, but they’ve only ever offered them in one color: white.
So
why is Apple willing to make colorful iPhones and iMacs, but not
colorful earbuds? Well that’s what I’ll explain right now. Design and
brand identity is extremely important to Apple. They want their products
to look unique and be easily identifiable in public. That’s part of the
reason why Apple’s notebooks used to feature illuminated logos. But
when it came to the iPod in 2001 they ran into a unique problem. Since
it was a small mobile device that would be hidden in people’s pockets,
instead of being prominently displayed like computers. So how would
Apple incorporate a strong brand identity with the iPod if it would
hardly ever been seen in public?
Apple continued to include white headphones
Well,
they focused on part of the product that would be visible: it’s
headphones. But earbuds were too small to feature something like an
Apple logo, so they focused on any headphones most defining feature:
their color. At the time, virtually every pair of headphones included
with CD players and Walkmans were black.
So
to stand out, Apple went the other direction. Making their headphones
pure white, which matched the iPod. Apple even highlighted this design
choice with their iconic silhouette ad campaign that featured the white
headphones perhaps even more than the iPod itself. The product went on
to become the best-selling music player in the word, and it’s white
headphones became synonymous with the brand. But in 2004, Apple had
another decision to make, when they began offering the iPod in different
colors.
Some customers expected them
to create colorful headphones to match. But instead, Apple continued to
include white headphones that made their music player instantly
recognizable. And this approach continues today. Despite the iPod touch
being offered in a variety of colors, they all include white EarPods.
Despite two generations of AirPods, plus an additional AirPods Pro
model, Apple continues to offer those in just one color: white.
But
with the release of AirPods Max and the iMac,there’s reason to believe
Apple is finally changing their tune. Their first over-ear headphone
called AirPods Max is available in five colors, and the iMac is
available in seven. But what’s even more important is the approach Apple
took to the iMac’s accessories. For the first time ever, they included
color-matched cables. An approach that could be carried through to the
next EarPods model, and to Apple’s entire AirPods line. So after two
decades of waiting, we may finally get colorful earbuds from Apple in
the near future.
Post a Comment