Phil Schiller: Apple Doesn't Use Customer Input when Creating Products

[Akshay Masand]

Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, recently said in his brief time on the stand at Apple vs. Samsung court proceedings that Apple doesn’t rely on “typical” market studies to create its products. According to CNET, Schiller only had a few minutes before his testimony was cut short but during the time he did have, he managed to give the jury tidbits of inside information before Tuesday’s proceedings wrapped up. Ina Fried took notes of Schiller’s testimony in her AllThingsD blog, which stated the following:

So far he’s given his name, title and role and confirmed it was he that Steve Jobs sent the vacation photo to at the 2007 MacWorld introduction of the iPhone.

Schiller also detailed the systematic process Apple has for introducing new products, a cross-functional effort with the unexciting name Apple New Product Process (ANPP). Marketing is an equal member of the team, Schiller said, because Apple wants to make sure customer needs are represented.

That said, Schiller said the company doesn’t use any customer input into the creation of our products.

“It’s not a customer’s job to know that so we don’t ask them that,” Schiller said.

Based on Schiller’s comments, he seems to have similar thinking to Steve Jobs’ perspective on things. Apple’s late co-founder noted on several occasions that Apple doesn’t do focus groups, despite the company having done some market research in the past.

Whether Apple does or doesn’t rely on market studies to create its products, the company does in fact seem to know what consumers want. Apple seems to be gaining ground in the U.S. smartphone market, has a whopping $56 billion in expected sales for the holiday season, and seems to have many consumers at the edge of their seats awaiting news of the upcoming rumored “multiple product launches.”

We’ll be hearing more from Phil Schiller when the Apple vs. Samsung trial resumes on Friday.

Source: AllThingsD, CNET

[1shuttle1]

And I'm sure they don't take ideas from the Jail breaking community either.(wink-wink)

[Dark_Ninja]

And I'm sure they don't take ideas from the Jail breaking community either.(wink-wink)

Or android lol

[eightyk88]

Yeah if they listened to me the nano would have Bluetooth and an iMessages app.

[digitalreflex]

You beat me to it 1shuttle1 !!

[trek-life]

Where this is not true at all, I wish more companies would take a stronger stance against customer opinion. I'm sure a lot of you will bash me for this, but most times people are complaining because there's a forum to complain. Either buy the product or don't, the usage of these things is improved based on testing and "viable" opinions, which is about .00001% of the common customer opinion to begin with.

[jasvncnt10]

Im confused...first he says Apple wants to make sure the customer needs are represented..But then says the company doesnt use any customer input into the creation of products. Am I reading that right?

[feidhlim1986]

Apple doesn't need to bother with the opinion of it's customers. Apple tells its customers how to think.

[drigo1178]

Im confused...first he says Apple wants to make sure the customer needs are represented..But then says the company doesnt use any customer input into the creation of products. Am I reading that right?

in product devleopment, the main question is always customers needs/wants

companies use market research and tests for customer input. Apple takes the need/want and innovates to it without customer input/market reserach.

And I'm sure they don't take ideas from the Jail breaking community either.(wink-wink)

comprehension > U

creation/innovation of products is no where near continuous improvement.

millions of people bought the iphone before it had apps and ability to do what it does now = Innovation/creation of product

millions of people still buy the iphone due to new advancements and new needs/wants that a consumer has = continuos improvement

Apple doesn't need to bother with the opinion of it's customers. Apple tells its customers how to think.

this.
It then changes the way people think and feel about a product.

Ipod is now a household name because of this. basically they reinvented the walkman

at first people were skeptical...but look at the industry now.

[Breezer23]

They are like democrats with their product design - they know what's best for you!

[Zeal]

And I'm sure they don't take ideas from the Jail breaking community either.(wink-wink)

oooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooo

[Zokunei]

Yeah if they listened to me the nano would have Bluetooth and an iMessages app.

How would you type on a nano?

[subywrex]

well all i have to say is.. WHOOO FLIPPIN CARES!! apple obviously knows what the hell they are doing because look at how popular 1 phone is.. and not even phone but everything they make people who get it most of the time love it..

I say keep doing what your doing apple!! if they listened to what the customer had to say the iphone wouldn't be what it is today.. it would probably be less

[butler007]

How would you type on a nano?

I'm guessing Bluetooth keyboard?

[spectreracing]

They are like democrats with their product design - they know what's best for you!

lol that's because "we think we're so smart" but in reality "somebody else built that for us...." Thanks to "Government research, we have the internet" to even bring us to mmi.com. So just be thankful, ok?

Gah, that almost made me sick to my stomach from forcing all of that out as my reply.

[Rcooley617]

Rright, where else do they get these ideas from?...if they coming up with it themselves then they would been put new features out & not wait for the jbreakers to do it. Apple make great products, they're so full of themselves

[Eninety2]

They are like democrats with their product design - they know what's best for you!

Ah, the intellect of the far right shadows a technical discussion.