Why Are So Many Kids Obsessed With Apple?

[Shrink]

So what do you call Apple being the "cool thing" own and to be in the "in" crowd you need Apple products. only word I can think of that sums that up really well is fad.
Btw fads can last years and Apple really has been the in thing maybe 5 years.

Point taken.

However, I would suggest that something that is "in" or "the cool thing" that is around long enough may start out as a fad. Over time, it becomes a "classic". For example: Ray ban Wayfarer sun glasses may have started out as a fad, but it was the "cool thing" for so long it was no longer a fad, but has become a classic.

Just a thought...

 

[And1ss]

Dang. my bad for using the word fad. haha

 

[ucfgrad93]

Dude you are 17 years old. As for as I am concerned you are part of that group of kids.

Agreed, sorry OP, but no matter what you think of yourself you are still a kid.

 

[mrsir2009]

This has been on my mind for a while.

Everywhere I look on the Internet, there are like 10-13 year old kids using Macs, iPhones, iPads etc. YouTube is a prime example: kids are all over it making "tech" videos.

Why are there so many? Admittedly, I got my first Mac when I was 13 when Tiger was Apple's OS - I'm now 17. I always have really loved computers. I got my Mac because I loved the platform and the stability... and the fact that I was the only person I knew who had a Mac.

It was just so solid, and still is for the most part, but I can't help but feel Apple has gotten a little sloppy with its last 2 OS releases. I did hear that around the time of Leopard, Apple had to allocate a lot of its OS X developers to the (then) iPhone OS. I hope Lion will bring back the magic from back when I got my Mac.

Anyway, when I was 13, I was out playing with my friends for the most part, not making "tech" videos. I wasn't doing "giveaways". I was just out having fun.

These days all these kids have a Mac, it sort of makes me feel silly, I don't know why. The sad thing is, many of these kids can't even say "Mac OS X" properly, they say "Mac OS Ex". Do they just use Macs and make "tech" videos because they think they're being cool?

I just don't get why so many kids are seemingly obsessed with Apple now. Are kids growing up too fast? Is it just a sort of long term fad?

God I feel old.

Your thoughts...

I hear ya! I'm 14 and ages ago I got my Dad's old LC3, then his old Preforma, then his old iBook... And recently I got my first new Mac: 13" MacBook Pro

But for some reason it pisses me off when I see 5-10 year olds with iPhones and iPads and they think OSX is called Mac and stupid stuff like that...

Most of these kids probably don't know **** about Apple

 

[nfl46]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/9A5259f Safari/6533.18.5)

Because the iPhone is a toy, that's why kids love the iPhone.

Lol, someone had to say that rubbish.

 

[WillEH]

What's the problem? Who cares if "kids" are making YouTube videos, it passes the time, and they enjoy it. I wouldn't worry about them, seems you have some sort of chip on your shoulder.

 

[Apple OC]

13, 15, 17 ... all fall into the group known as Kids

who cares if they all want, use, get Macs

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Point taken.

However, I would suggest that something that is "in" or "the cool thing" that is around long enough may start out as a fad. Over time, it becomes a "classic". For example: Ray ban Wayfarer sun glasses may have started out as a fad, but it was the "cool thing" for so long it was no longer a fad, but has become a classic.

Just a thought...

you might want to Google history of those sunglasses. They were a fad.
They marked a change in era of sunglasses from metal to plastic frame but the Ray Ban Wayfarer were a fad the peak around 1990 and dropped. They have had some come back since mid 2000's but still a fad.
Raybands part is the fad.
Noticed I singled out Apple the company as the fad. Not the touch screen smart phones and the change the brought on. It is Apple part that is the fad. It is the single brand Apple that is the fad part. If you do not have an APPLE *blank* you are not in the in crowd.
the iPod to me is the signal of the end of the discman era and on to mp3 players. iPhone is early on the market of smart phones going main scream but honestly I give that title to the Samsung blackjac as the marker on when that happened. iPhone just made the wave bigger but was not the start. iPhone would be the changing point on when touch screen became the norm.

 

[The Norman]

Most everyone wants to stand out from the group where they fit in.
For instance, we like to hang out with fellow Apple fans, but we like to have better Apple toys.

 

[-tWv-]

At least in my school, it seems like they just want it because it looks cool and for the brand name. It's like a fashion trend, kids just want macs because they think they are cool and their friends have one.

This was definitely not the reason I got mine, and it bothers me that so many kids that I know get macs but have absolutely no idea how to use/care for them. Most kids I know have no reason to have such an expensive machine, and could get the same use out of a cheap netbook. I hope this trend changes, because it really bothers me that people buy apple products just for the brand name.

 

[chaosbunny]

What certainly helped Apple become the "cool" thing is that in the creative industries most people use(d) Apple computers. Designers, Audio, Video, etc., that's where part of the hip, creative, "think different" feel comes from.

With Apple more and more focusing on it's iToys, I see this changing as I read of more and more creative persons who use their machines professionally switching to Windows because Apple simply doesn't meet their needs anymore. This doesn't make a large portion of Apples sales, but this people tend to be opinion leaders.

I have been using Macs for over 10 years this way now and in the past 5 years like 5 of my more computer illiterate friends got MacBooks because they saw me doing all the pretty, cool things with it.

This is only personal opinion and observation.

Sure Apple is the trendy, cool thing now, and has been for the past couple of years, but no trend lasts forever.

 

[quasinormal]

What bothers me is that so many people have an iPhone and I don't. I've just got a crummy Nokia 1100 that can't even access the internet.

I used to get teased and called stupid by DOS users in the early 90's when i used a Mac 512 for word processing. That hurt.

I'm going to have a big cry now.

 

[eawmp1]

OP, I had my first Mac long before you were born.

"God I feel old"?!?!?!!?

Do yourself a favor...go-ahead and buy a rocker, put on a permanent scowl, and keep practicing the phrase "you kids keep off my lawn". You are a crotchety old man at 17.

Copy this thread, tuck it away, and pull it out once a decade.

 

[*LTD*]

iPhone is early on the market of smart phones going main stream but honestly I give that title to the Samsung blackjac as the marker on when that happened.

LOL the what?

There is no comparison between the two.

 

[RWinOR]

Noticed I singled out Apple the company as the fad. Not the touch screen smart phones and the change the brought on. It is Apple part that is the fad. It is the single brand Apple that is the fad part.

Apple is not a fad. Apple has worked very hard at brand recognition. Much in the same way that Harley Davidson did a while back.. Everyone knows about Harley's. It does not mean everyone buys one. But the brand recognition is fantastic.

Apple is the same way, right now whether you like it or not Apple is the company that is making the products people want! The iPod, iPhone, and iPad, iMac, MBA, MBP. Did you see the financials? They report numbers like that and you can honestly sit in your ivory tower and call them a FAD.

Sure others are imitating, but imitating is the key word. The copy cats are not first to market, not first in quality, not first in profitability, not first in user experience, they are just copies of Apples concept.

Now to the original poster, why do some many old people obsessed with MS Windows or Android. I just do not understand it.

 

[Shrink]

What bothers me is that so many people have an iPhone and I don't. I've just got a crummy Nokia 1100 that can't even access the internet.

I used to get teased and called stupid by DOS users in the early 90's when i used a Mac 512 for word processing. That hurt.

I'm going to have a big cry now.

In Mass we have anti-bullying laws.

I say, bring charges. Or better yet, sue those meanies who made you cry.

 

[mrsir2009]

What bothers me is that so many people have an iPhone and I don't. I've just got a crummy Nokia 1100 that can't even access the internet.

I used to get teased and called stupid by DOS users in the early 90's when i used a Mac 512 for word processing. That hurt.

I'm going to have a big cry now.

Now all those DOS users are using Win7 but using iPhones ... They don't seem to think they have any relation to Macs ... Goddam their stupidity.

 

[uspp144]

Less Wondering and Enjoy Your Life With Apple

Well I have been spending more time enjoying my self and less as to why people do things. One will never understand why people do things plus you can't change them. As for me I am waiting to enjoy my first Mac soon and at 65 there is still so much to do and learn about.

 

[voonyx]

Nope. I'm talking about the entire industry. The consumer market included.

Apple is established in what they do. It's not an "in" thing. It is "the" thing. It's reality.

iPod fad, iPhone fad, iPad fad, Mac fad . . . these things not only sell in record numbers but they also represent the highest and best expression of their market segments.

Looks like the iPad fad is killing the netbook fad, and is making a dent in the PC fad. The iPhone fad changed the face of the entire mobile industry, giving rise to the Android fad and WP7 fad (except the latter isn't' even that!)

If it's Apple, it has to be a fad. Tech that is "cool" and desirable and stylish can't by any means last in the market. No way. Not possible! It *is* possible and it's happening, but you don't think it's right. Of course, we're in a situation today in which tech needs to meet the above requirements as well. Tech is not simply a machine with specs, it's becoming a lifestyle choice. Apple is setting the tone for the next decade in consumer tech.

If you can't or won't deal with it, it'll just get more frustrating from here on in. Apple products aren't fads. They are standards to be met.

The numbers you've seen Apple post today are *nothing* compared to what's in store from them. This is but the tip of the iceberg.

I agree 100%. Apple is "the" thing to beat. That's quite evident when phones which have iPhone beat on specs are still being referred to as "iPhone killers". I mean shouldn't a 4G phone with a dual core processor automatically kill the iPhone without having to be referred to as such? Nope, we'll be hearing about "iPhone killers" forever, because no one phone is ever going to kill the iPhone. No phone will offer the ease of use, the fluidity or the quality that an iPhone does (battery life, customer service, product support, frequent updating of the OS, need I go on?) The reassuring thing is that you only see these silly statements on forums consisting of fanboys. The industry analysts continue to praise iPhone and Apple for what they do, and everyone who is qualified to speak on the situation knows that the iPhone and Apple are the ones to beat. The iPhone is the phone to beat, and no one has come close. The numbers are there for people to see, but if you choose to ignore it, there's not much that can be done.

 

[NXTMIKE]

P.S. if people don't understand me when I mention the amount of 10-13 year olds making "tech" videos, lo and behold: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=mac%20os%20x%20lion&search_sort=video_date_uploaded

lol at how many times he draws selection squares on his desktop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh_kfLkUKss

 

[ThirtyThr33]

These days all these kids have a Mac, it sort of makes me feel silly, I don't know why. The sad thing is, many of these kids can't even say "Mac OS X" properly, they say "Mac OS Ex". Do they just use Macs and make "tech" videos because they think they're being cool?

I just don't get why so many kids are seemingly obsessed with Apple now. Are kids growing up too fast? Is it just a sort of long term fad?

Your thoughts...

Let me answer your question by asking you a question... When was the last time you saw Microsoft come out with ANYTHING exciting?

Kids and adults alike, love Apple because they make computers and technology exciting and innovative. Microsoft makes machines that you find at work or school but have no real appeal to them other than possibly gaming. But seeing as Apple can run windows just fine there is no real draw to MS in my opinion. Especially since they don't do much but copy Apple.

 

[TheSideshow]

Let me answer your question by asking you a question... When was the last time you saw Microsoft come out with ANYTHING exciting?

Kids and adults alike, love Apple because they make computers and technology exciting and innovative. Microsoft makes machines that you find at work or school but have no real appeal to them other than possibly gaming. But seeing as Apple can run windows just fine there is no real draw to MS in my opinion. Especially since they don't do much but copy Apple.

Xbox, kinect (sold faster than iPads), I would say even WP was exciting for a lot of people (though obviously more limited to tech circles), and W7 was probably more exciting than Lion.

 

[KingCrimson]

With Apple more and more focusing on it's iToys, I see this changing as I read of more and more creative persons who use their machines professionally switching to Windows because Apple simply doesn't meet their needs anymore. This doesn't make a large portion of Apples sales, but this people tend to be opinion leaders.

I don't know if what you're saying is true. What I do know is Microsoft Expression Studio + Visual Studio .NET blows the pants off any other development tools. There are no more limits with what you can do with those in terms of application development!

 

[iLikeToDrum]

Xbox, kinect (sold faster than iPads

And snicker bars out sell both... because they're a dollar and change. Price has a lot to do with sale..

 

[gnasher729]

Xbox, kinect (sold faster than iPads), I would say even WP was exciting for a lot of people (though obviously more limited to tech circles), and W7 was probably more exciting than Lion.

According to Wikipedia, 55 million XBoxes were sold up to June 2011. There have been about 28 million iPads sold up to June 2011, that is just in 15 months, with numbers still growing, so in another 15 months I think iPads will have outsold XBox. Kinect sales have been 8 million in the first 60 days (November/December 2010) but only 10 million up to March 2011, and since then sales seem to have slowed down to a crawl. We'll see what the numbers are by the end of the year, but Kinect seems to meet the definition of "fad".