While Apple‘s lead designer, Sir Jonathan Ive, did not exactly say the brand’s name in a recent interview, Motorola felt like they had to respond, because he was obviously talking about them. Motorola President Rick Osterloh said their company just has a “different philosophy” while also managing to take a few potshots at Apple and their “outrageous” prices.
This tech showdown started when Ive told the New Yorker magazine (and also asking them not to name the company he was talking about) that a value proposition to “Make it whatever you want” is not a good way to go about selling a product, and as a designer, that’s just a way of “abdicating your responsibility”. Motorola has been known for its Moto Maker where users can choose “thousands of ways” to personalize their Android Moto X smartphones, including the color of the model, the color of the metal trim, whether to include leather, etc.
But Osterloh told the BBC that the company’s philosophy is to let the “end user be directly involved” in creating the product that they themselves will be using. He says that this is even beyond just the design and that this is the future of the industry. “We believe the future is in offering similar experiences and great consumer choice at accessible prices,” he said. Of course he couldn’t help comparing it to Apple’s financial strategy, which he says is to “make so much money” by “charging such outrageous prices.” He goes on to say that a great smartphone should not be a luxury, but rather “a simple choice” for the consumer.
When Motorola launched Moto Maker, they were still under Google at the time, but now, they are owned by Lenovo, a Chinese OEM trying to stamp its brand in the market. While Apple continues to be the market leader, smaller brands are starting to make headway, specifically in the emerging market where consumers may not have the budget for an iPhone but are on the lookout for smartphones that have great features at an affordable price. Let’s see which brand philosophy will eventually stand the test of time.
