“The topic in discussion, “Whether Digital artifacts have the tendency to show a political face value as well”, has been wholly debated. No idea is more provocative in controversies about technology and society than the notion that technical things have political qualities. In his article, Bruno Latour has mentioned about his favorite example of the low bridges in New York City and how, without any apartheid laws, it created a sense of politics and racism. One may even say that it was a clearly a case of misconception. Are Digital Artifacts prone to such misconceptions as well?
Although a digital artifact is created by humans to meet ends, but it might as well lead to political battles. Moreover it is almost impossible to figure out whether something is a misconception or is there a hidden selfish motive in it.
The modern age has already seen a lot of technological advances. With the advent of high end laptops, mobile phones and music players the sector of electronics has increased many folds. These days , personal grooming is incomplete without a high end mobile phone or an mp3 player, not forgetting the powerful Apple product, iPod.
As a tech savvy teenager, even I am very fond of these sleek and stylish products from Apple and always wish I had one. My insatiable curiosity led made me browse through a lot of reviews about these powerful products.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. For reasons as various as its philosophy of comprehensive aesthetic design to its distinctive advertising campaigns, Apple has established a unique reputation in the consumer electronics industry. This includes a customer base that is devoted to the company and its brand, particularly in the United States.
But one question which everyone has in mind is, “Why are the products so exorbitantly priced everywhere outside USA?” Some obvious answers might be, “Apple sells their products at an 18% gross profit margin compared to other manufacturers which barley make any profit.” Or “Since Apple is an American company so they don't have to pay shipping far distances”.
In the positive side, Apple's costs are high on their notebooks because they use quality parts from the ground up. For example, instead of moulded plastics, they use a block of aluminum and laser cut it to size, and then attach all the parts inside that single block. This is a more expensive process in all aspects, but results in higher build quality, showed by the low number of faults in their first year due to accidents. Their screens are much sharper than most of the competition. They are the only manufacturer on the market with a functional, highly sensitive and useful multi-touch track pad, made from frosted glass. Most of the competition use plastics. The list goes on.
In the positive side, Apple's costs are high on their notebooks because they use quality parts from the ground up. For example, instead of moulded plastics, they use a block of aluminum and laser cut it to size, and then attach all the parts inside that single block. This is a more expensive process in all aspects, but results in higher build quality, showed by the low number of faults in their first year due to accidents. Their screens are much sharper than most of the competition. They are the only manufacturer on the market with a functional, highly sensitive and useful multi-touch track pad, made from frosted glass. Most of the competition use plastics. The list goes on.
Looking into the other side, many of us know that Apple is an U.S. brand, but the question is, how many of us know where are apple products manufactured? Let me tell you about the ones who manufacture computers for Apple. Two large IT solution brands manufacturers in the industry are named Foxconn and Inventec. If you never heard of them, that may happen just because they aren`t Indian or U.S. brands, they are from China. Yes you got it, the answer for the question where are apple computers manufactured? It is quite simple. They are made in China. Then how does cost of shipping come into picture? Isn’t this quite similar to the issue of low bridges in New York?
“…If you are not an American you get to have the ownership of an Apple product only if you pay three times the actual price…”
In a lot of ways, Apple are like the BMW of computers, but different. Yes, they are expensive, but because of their process of construction, and dedication to their product. Also, they do need to feed their families, and keep the shareholders happy as well. Finally, they do not "cheap out" like a lot of other companies, they will stick their ground with pricing, and punish any reseller who under prices their products. Apple do not like to sell to the masses, they prefer to deal with special individuals, on a no pressure to buy basis, that is why they have Apple stores with specialist techies and bookings for one on one demos and support.
Well although this is a never ending discussion, I personally feel that when someone is paying a good amount for a commodity, he is entitled to get the best possible quality which is irrespective of the country or region he lives in. Yes, I do feel there is at least some amount of politics in this!
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SAPTARSHI PRAKSH
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I do not completely agree with this. If a company is providing commendable quality and build then it has every right to quote a higher price for its products. If an individual can afford to have it they will have it. For the people who cannot afford them, there are a host of other brands which can compensate.
ReplyDelete@Abhishek: It is true that every company has the right to make money. As mentioned earlier, I agree that the company provides state of the art design, build and quality, but the additional price they charge for it (Outside USA) is not worth it. Moreover it is interesting to note that the prices are sky rocking in places other than USA whereas the products are actually made in China. When the world is talking about equality and globalization, such kind of explicit biased attitude is not acceptable from a company like Apple.
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