Culture of iPhone - Case Study Example

Introduction The Iphone currently is one of the most popular new mobile devices in the current telecommunication industry. Depending on any person you ask, the Iphone is considered to be a greatest electronic device to grace their world. Iphones can be differentiated from other mobile phones due to its distinct features and size of internal memory. This paper intends to carry out a cultural study of this mobile phone through the use of Circuit of culture model by du Gay’s Sony book as one of the model in the analysis. The analysis will involve five processes of Circuit of culture model which comprises representation, identity, production, consumption and regulation (Du Gay 1-58). The first section deals with the form in which Iphone is represented both oral and visual. Here we concentrate on culture, media and identities. Various Advertising methods related to Iphone will be analyzed as well as various forms of representation. Section two will analyze production and consumption of Iphone as a cultural artifact. Here it will involve analyzing and understanding the object how is technically produced and also how the Iphone is culturally produced. Section three highlights the ways in which Iphone is regulated in the mobile industry (Du Gay 10-24). Section: Representation of Iphone The new Iphone is not only part of our culture rather its impending release all over the world is good representation as well as reflection upon the Apple’s place in the world. Around the development as well as invention of Iphones several meanings and practices have developed. The word Iphone can actually be used to intercept various meaning hence being perceived as a cultural artefact. Meanings constitutes our culture hence various life experiences portray different meanings.Iphone can be used for communication as well as for music but a person cannot think with it but he/she can speak and write with it. Iphones therefore are considered to be a cultural artefact because they have meaningful attachment (Brwon 58-68).Though, not everyone can own Iphone some individuals cannot live without them since they form part of their daily. Introduction of Iphones in the market has changed the entire scenario of mobile telecommunication market into a cool market full of technology as well as competition. With increased demand on the distribution as well as marketing of Iphones over the world by Apple Company, this phone has become the center of cultural technology apart from being used for voice calls only. Telecommunications as well as mobile industry has changed from just a voice communication mobile to an advanced technological, flexible and customizable Iphones which have a variety of characteristics and features such as revolutionary mobile phone, widescreen iPod and a breakthrough Internet device. Iphones have been developed to be associated with various individuals rather than household in various societies and situations. Iphones play an indispensable role in the society as well as the everyday lives of consumers. A bewildering and proliferating range of cultural activities revolve around Iphones. Iphones in its cultural manner it is connected to a set of social practices such as constant communication between various people, countries, text messaging, fashion, identity-construction, music, mundane daily work routines, remote par-enting, interacting with television programs, watching video, surfing the Internet, meeting new people, dating, flirting, loving, bullying, mobile commerce, and locating people. Iphones have come to be associated with a variety of qualities such as mobility Portability and customization which forms part of various individual culture or way of life. Iphones being one of recent mobile phones with high levels of integrated technology and recent features that can fit in any environment they are considered cultural because they associated with different kinds of people the young who primarily are lovers of music and internet, old and businesses since they have acquired a social identity as well as profile. They construct identity and belonging to a particular group (Baig & LeVitu 23-40). In terms of constructing identity, Iphones have created new and advanced ways of organizing as well as conducting one’s life through communication, new ways of keeping in touch with friends, romantic intimates, and family; new ways of conducting business; new ways of accessing services or education. Additionally, Iphones have become of intense economic and political interest since they are considered to be a centre of vast transformation in communications as well as technology. Moreover, Iphones have a cultural perspective since they frequently used in communication as well as they have been represented within the visual languages of the society and media of communication. The image of Iphone and its features, big screen which allows for wireless internet, cool and essential gadgets which have features that allow the phone to be compatible with Mac OS software tools, television, touch pad has become a metaphor which actually represents a distinctively late modern technological culture as well as way of life. These meanings, practices, images and identities allow various individuals to study Iphones as a cultural artefact (Feiler 34-67).The study of Iphones therefore is part of the modern culture since it is associated with shared meanings and social practices. Advertising texts play a crucial role in fixing the meaning and image of Iphone. This section is not only concerned with representation rather with how various groups and types of people come to be associated with Iphone. This section therefore covers representation as well as media identities. According to Wellman (pp.73), the Iphone represents a popular idea of something which is typically American in terms of technical sophistication and know how. Building from various individuals’ culture for the love of Apples this product is usually promoted and advertised through free publicity by giving little details on how to buy one as well as other services associated with it. The Iphone actually represents a popular idea of Tech- loving Apple fans. When Iphones are advertised in the magazines one can easily figure out the American life style even without an individual having to go through the entire Advertisement (Marsh 67-90). Since Iphones are usually associated with young people who love music as well as internet, most of these advertisements is normally done via the internet through the use of Google, newspapers, facebook, twitter personal blogs (Wellman 67-90). In order to compliment the idea of gender sensitivity without over use of women, advertisements portraying both young male and female are usually used in famous magazines mainly for the purpose of identification, lifestyle and generation. These meanings usually cluster around youth, activity, sport, leisure, outdoors, fitness, health movement along use of Iphones. Primarily this is normally the case since most of the purchases of these products are considered to be young people hence Apple Inc uses them in the advertisements to give a reflection of who purchase and use Iphone. Though, to some extend it is true, it is considered a simple way of understanding how representation works. This is assumption made on youth and youth culture as well as generational youth styles (Straubhaar, LaRose, Robert, & Davenport 377-380). This helps in fixing cultural and social identities outside of and apart from the product. This implies that Apple Inc uses such advertisements to give a simple reflection of the social world and real users of Iphone. Advertisements normal picturing Iphones portrays true concepts and ideas of technological diversity through mobile phones creating a personal stereo among people to purchase and own it. This usually attracts bright, young market orientated consumers who want to consume both in a global market as well as express individual choice (Rideout 236). Apple a company concerned with manufacturing this phone has built this phone by integrating technology primarily to please its consumers. Apple Retailers use visible advertisements which have the pictures along with features of Iphones in the media to make people more familiar with this mobile phone with its characteristics. Advertisements Iphones in the magazines, books and journals usually constitute images of individuals holding and surfing Iphones (Hart –Davis 271-289). This primarily is aimed at portraying Iphones as handheld devices which contain digital as well as computing power that can be easily configured by its users. Pictures of young people listening to music at the same time communicating are used in most of the advertisements to portray the diversity of the product in the market (Kronenburg & Klassen 177-190). The different advertisements of this product indicates that Iphone is associated with a range of different ages, gender, national identities and lifestyle groups within the advertisement is an implication of “whoever you are, the Iphone can satisfy”. This words have a strong emphasizes on mass marketing and personal differentiation. Production and consumption The design of Iphone by Apple was specifically meant to have a great impact upon individual’s style as well as culture.(Bell 70-124).The Iphone was actually born in the United States out of Americans love for Apples along with their own new and exciting technologies. Iphones are usually manufactured and produced by Apple Inc Company primarily as well as way of introducing new technology and more advanced mobile phones in the telecommunications market (Tasner 58-70). Iphone is associated with other innovative mobile phones and products such as iPods, Nokia, Motorola, and Smartphones. The association of Iphones with the youth actually identifies Iphones with a particular market segment thus portraying the youth culture. The association of internet as well as entertainment with Iphone actually connects the product to the world of leisure and pleasure (Mackay 35-68). Its associations with the world of popular music and recording industries that currently is the center of modern leisure represent it a cultural artefact. . Primarily Iphones are used for voice communication they have other features which enable it to perform other functions like recording music, performing computer functions, acting as a television and even can be used for playing games (Nayer 158-178).Though, Iphones are considered similar to other mobile phones in the market, it is quite different from phones such as Nokia. Motorola, Smartphones due to its unique features and characteristics. Iphones have changed the nature of communications. Like other products which have been developed by various companies to serve various purposes, Iphones have been manufactured mainly to be used for voice communication as well as other tasks. To make this product more attractive in the eyes of consumers, Apple Inc has made it possible by integrating new styles of production which are based on multiple variations, basic designs and also on the revolution in global marketing .This has moved the selling of Iphones from small consumer markets to large differentiated niche mass markets (Blokdijk 28-38). The Iphone is used for various applications by its consumers. Some individuals use the Iphone for new Skullcandy Iphone application which actually is a unique application that supports the skater culture, catering mostly too surfers, snowboarders and skateboarders. This application provides consumers with useful information like snow forecast, a skate park finder mostly for adventurous souls, free Skullcandy-approved music for download as well as other essential information. Moreover, Fierce Mobile Healthcare provides information to its members through Iphones. Users who have Iphone’s built -in GPS therefore use it to search doctors as well as hospitals within a specific radius from their own location. Moreover, consumers use it to search for maps and directions for their health providers through custom application which offers a symptom navigator as well as other educational resources. The Medzio Mobile health partners through GPS-enabled local settings of the Iphone has developed Health Talk program for all its care centers primarily to connect consumers with experts as well as share thoughts about health topics. Other consumers use the Iphone Toolbox A. D.A.M Symptom Navigator to determine the time and appropriate period for self-care or a doctor visit through easy access into the award-winning A.D.A.M. Health Illustrated Encyclopedia. Since Iphones allow its consumers to customize the menu using downloadable options various consumers use it to track stocks, check current and future weather conditions as well as checking on airport flight data. Due to its unique features, consumers who are technological based use the Iphones to import current digital Rolodex from a computer to Iphone as well as back to the machine hence saving on time(Druin 35-67). Regulation This section primarily explores the regulation of Iphones in the cultural life of modern societies .Iphone is one of the latest mobile phones along lines of technological as well as telecommunication innovations. The circulation and selling of this product is regulated by various bodies in the telecommunication sector in terms of pricing. Though, they have an impact towards the production as well as distribution of these phones in different markets major is usually done by Apple Inc which is the manufacturer of these phones (Druin 35-67). This company has stipulated rules to monitor these phones in the market primarily to curb any copyrights. Moreover, health institutions regulate the production of these phones by ensuring that they have no side effects on their users as well as to their health (Pogue 18-16). Bibliography Baig, Edward , and LeVitus, Bob. IPhone For Dummies. 3rd ed.Publisher: For Dummies, 2009: 23-40 Bell, David. An Introduction to Cybercultures.Publisher: Routledge, 2002: 70-124 Biersdorfr, JD. Best IPhone Apps. 2nd ed. Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2010:93 Blokdijk, Gerard. Iphone 100 Need to Know Time Savers.Publisher:Lulu.com,2008:28-38, Brwon, Stephen. Consuming books: the marketing and consumption of literature Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 2006 :58-68 Druin, Allison. Mobile technology for children: designing for interaction and learning Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2009:35-67 Du Gay, Paul .Production of culture/cultures of production. Vol 1 of Culture, media and identities. Publisher: SAGE, 1997:10-34 Du Gay, Paul. Doing Cultural Studies: the story of the Sony Walkman. Vol 1 of Culture, media and identities. Publisher: SAGE, 1997:1-58 Feiler, Jesse. Get Rich with Apps!: Your Guide to Reaching More Customers and Making Money. Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional, 2010:34-67 Hart –Davis, Guy. How to Do Everything IPod, IPhone & ITunes.5th ed. Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional, 2009:271-289 Kronenburg, Robert & Klassen, Filiz. Transportable environments .Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 2006:177-190 Kubasiak, Varsalone & Morrissey. Macintosh OS X, IPod, and Iphone Forensic Analysis DVD Toolkit. Publisher: Syngress, 2008: 5-23, Mackay, Hugh. Consumption and everyday life. Vol 2. Publisher: SAGE, 1997:35-68 Marsh, Jackie. Play, creativity and digital cultures. vol 17.Publisher: Routledge,2008:67-89 Nayer, Charles. Contemporary Literary and Cultural Theory: From Structuralism to Ecocriticism. Publisher: Pearson Education, 2007: 150-178, Pogue, David. IPhone: The Missing Manual: Covers All Models with 3.0 Software-including the IPhone 3GS.3rd ed.Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2009:8-16 Rideout, Philip. Phone 3D Programming: Developing Graphical Applications with OpenGL ES Publisher: O’Reilly Media, Inc., 2010: 236 Straubhaar, LaRose & Davenport. Media Now: Understanding Media Culture, and Technology.6th ed. Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2008:377-380 Tasner, Michael. Marketing in the Moment: The Practical Guide to Using Web 3.0 Marketing to Reach Your Customers. Publisher: FT Press, 2010:.58-70 Wellman, Jerry, L. Organizational learning: how companies and institutions manage and apply knowledge. Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009: 67-90 www.consumerreports.org Available: http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/goods/gadgets/2007/06/27/iPhone-Facts/#ixzz13qSrj8bE accessed on 30th October 2010 Read More

Iphones have come to be associated with a variety of qualities such as mobility Portability and customization which forms part of various individual culture or way of life. Iphones being one of recent mobile phones with high levels of integrated technology and recent features that can fit in any environment they are considered cultural because they associated with different kinds of people the young who primarily are lovers of music and internet, old and businesses since they have acquired a social identity as well as profile.

They construct identity and belonging to a particular group (Baig & LeVitu 23-40). In terms of constructing identity, Iphones have created new and advanced ways of organizing as well as conducting one’s life through communication, new ways of keeping in touch with friends, romantic intimates, and family; new ways of conducting business; new ways of accessing services or education. Additionally, Iphones have become of intense economic and political interest since they are considered to be a centre of vast transformation in communications as well as technology.

Moreover, Iphones have a cultural perspective since they frequently used in communication as well as they have been represented within the visual languages of the society and media of communication. The image of Iphone and its features, big screen which allows for wireless internet, cool and essential gadgets which have features that allow the phone to be compatible with Mac OS software tools, television, touch pad has become a metaphor which actually represents a distinctively late modern technological culture as well as way of life.

These meanings, practices, images and identities allow various individuals to study Iphones as a cultural artefact (Feiler 34-67).The study of Iphones therefore is part of the modern culture since it is associated with shared meanings and social practices. Advertising texts play a crucial role in fixing the meaning and image of Iphone. This section is not only concerned with representation rather with how various groups and types of people come to be associated with Iphone. This section therefore covers representation as well as media identities.

According to Wellman (pp.73), the Iphone represents a popular idea of something which is typically American in terms of technical sophistication and know how. Building from various individuals’ culture for the love of Apples this product is usually promoted and advertised through free publicity by giving little details on how to buy one as well as other services associated with it. The Iphone actually represents a popular idea of Tech- loving Apple fans. When Iphones are advertised in the magazines one can easily figure out the American life style even without an individual having to go through the entire Advertisement (Marsh 67-90).

Since Iphones are usually associated with young people who love music as well as internet, most of these advertisements is normally done via the internet through the use of Google, newspapers, facebook, twitter personal blogs (Wellman 67-90). In order to compliment the idea of gender sensitivity without over use of women, advertisements portraying both young male and female are usually used in famous magazines mainly for the purpose of identification, lifestyle and generation. These meanings usually cluster around youth, activity, sport, leisure, outdoors, fitness, health movement along use of Iphones.

Primarily this is normally the case since most of the purchases of these products are considered to be young people hence Apple Inc uses them in the advertisements to give a reflection of who purchase and use Iphone. Though, to some extend it is true, it is considered a simple way of understanding how representation works. This is assumption made on youth and youth culture as well as generational youth styles (Straubhaar, LaRose, Robert, & Davenport 377-380). This helps in fixing cultural and social identities outside of and apart from the product.

Read More