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ManagementProduct LaunchTechnologyIntermediate2007
Apple: iPhone Launch
The challenge
The mobile phone market in 2006 was dominated by Nokia, Motorola, and BlackBerry. Consumers accepted poor software as normal. Apple had zero experience making phones and faced entrenched giants with billions in resources.
The strategy
Steve Jobs reframed the category entirely. Instead of launching a 'better phone', he positioned it as 'an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator' in one device. The strategy was to make software the differentiator, not hardware specs.
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Try the full case free →Key lessons (preview)
- Reframe what category you're competing in.
- Storytelling at a product launch is as important as the product itself.
- Price signals value — don't race to the bottom.