This clip is from the television show Futurama, which is a cartoon that is set in the future. Satire is used in this example to poke fun at the iPhone craze and Apple as a company. I think we all know one or two victims of the iPhone craze so it shouldn't be hard to get a laugh out of this clip.
In what ways does Futurama's portrayal of Apple criticize the company?
What do Fry's actions suggest about iPhone customers?
There is an interesting scene that when the consumer ask seller whether there is eyePhone left and the seller answers just one. However when the scene switches to the factory, there are hundreds and thousands of eyePhone. This indicates that Apple Company tries to use some fake marketing strategies to show that the new product is limited and is in hot sale. Moreover, the consumer’s react to the new product is also very ironic. He just wants to purchase as soon as possible without knowing the product well. This suggests that some consumers have cult for Apple products.
ReplyDeleteIn this clip the "eyephone" is portrayed to allow its users access to any and everything they could desire and do so from any location. When Fry goes to purchase this "eyephone" the sales clerk says there may be only one left yet there was an abundance of them in the back. It was also interesting to hear the sales clerk state how the battery was not efficient, how the customer couldn't decide what coverage they wanted or anything else. This is a mockery of some opinions of the Apple company. In conclusion Fry's actions were typical of the die hard Apple customer when a phone with newer and better technologically enhanced phone is created.
ReplyDeleteThe "Eye Phone" concept from the clip just looks like the initial design concept for New Iphone 5, which is the New Iphone 5 would be the most magnificent cell phone with it unique technology that would be different with any kind of cell phone for now(people called it "concept cellphone". Like the concept that the phone is a lucid square and the screen would only show when you need it).
ReplyDeleteI found the most interesting thing in the clip is about how the seller described about the storage of the New phone. Like Zhaoyang said, the clip satirized about the company's marketing strategies like use customers' human nature minds to abduct their fast shopping. The same situation happened on my friend as well. When the unlocked new Iphone 4s released at the end of last year, my friend tried to purchase for his relatives but got an "out of stock" on the online APPLE Store and was told the local shop also had no storage. Nonetheless, when he got Apple store in Easton center, the seller told him they still have 3 more left. And then, my friend just bought all of the 3 phones.
Thus, I think not only the clip satirizes about the Apple company's selling strategy, but also speaks something about the current people's thoughtless shopping mode.
However, keep the mind when face the same situation as the clip.
I thought it was interesting that it was the "eye"phone but the consumer didn't really know why it was called that. This clip is also criticizing apple when the sales clerk talks about how the battery cannot hold charge,the consumer has no choice of carrier, and that the reception isn't very good but the customer doesn't listen and says "just take my money" which makes fun of the quality of apple but also makes sun of the consumers that we buy brainlessly because others are buying it or because of the brand name. Another interesting thing was when the seller said "there might be one left" but in reality it was being mass produced which plays on the fact that apple pretends like their products are very limited and to have one of their new products you are lucky but in reality it is maa produced and everyone has one.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting the way the writers of futurama make fun of the apple corporation in this clip. First, the sales associate says how they might only have one left (popular trend with the iphone is how quickly it seems to be out of stock), yet he reaches into the back room and there are hundreds of thousands available. Later in the clip the salesman states how "you have no choice of carries, the battery can't hold a charge and the reception isn't very..."(cuts off there but its assumed that he was going to say good). This is a shot at the apple company for putting all their man power into making the iphone do cool stuff, but lacking in some of the important areas for cell phones.
ReplyDeleteI think it very ironic when the saleman answers there may be one but actually there are almost uncountable "eye phone"in stock. It reminds me of the same marketing strategies of the Apple Company. In order to attract people and creat a situation that the product is on hot sale, some companies not only the Apple, make fake news that the product is limited, which is an irresponsible behavior for the customers. What's interesting, the customers desire to buy the product as soon as possible, with knowing nothing about it. It implies that people have confidence on those new high-tech products because of the reputation of the famous company. But on the other side, people don't have their own ideas and may just follow the trends, buy what the others buy. What's more, Fry is put the "eyephone" into his eye, it implies that Fry seems to be controlled by those high-tech because it is not just the scene in front of him from his view, but all the screen of the phone. At the end of the clip, the salesman is doing some reforms on Fry's ears and Fry just lets the salesman do. It must also be uncomfortable as the "eye reform", but Fry doesn't care about it. It implies that customers got crazy with the product without thinking about the possible negative influnce it brings.
ReplyDeleteThe clip criticizes apple in the sense of luring in customers with its flashy yet simple commericals, must have features and can do everything approach to owning a cell phone. It makes the consumer feel as if they have to have the phone, him just wanting the phone and forking over the cash for it not paying any attention to its lack of individuality, carrier service and horrible battery.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the clip, there is an advertisement for the eyephone. The benefits of owning this cell phone mentioned are interesting because they are not all that good or desirable. Yet in today's real world, this idea that you can have everything at your fingertips is why many people want the iPhone. In this clip, the suggestions you can do while having this cell phone are sort of absurd, and not normally what an advertisement would mention, but it is interesting to see the truth in some of those things. For example, a lot of users of the iPhone ignore texts/calls, and stalk their ex. And not many people would think about how you could be checking your email while getting hit by a train. I think this was designed to make fun of the iPhone users and how many are glued to their phones, unable to put it down, and can be so caught up and distracted by checking their latest social network notification, that nothing in this world would be able to pull them out of their own world, including danger or threat of their life.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone catch what was said right after the eyephone commercial? It was a lady's voice that said "From..."
ReplyDeleteI thought it was quite interesting when Fry says "...you're from one of those ethnicities that knows about technology..." This statement, I assume, was point towards Asians. Maybe this is an approach to increase sale? Customers trust/believe more of what is told to them by people who look to be smarter. I think numerous companies use this kind of strategy to increase in sale.
Although this clip is a cartoon, I think it brings up points that are realistic. As an iPhone owner myself, I was hooked when I could have "the world at my fingertips." During this episode, the clip shows how the EyePhone can do anything and everything but in all actuality the applications aren't that great. Especially the part where you can check your email while getting hit by a train. I think that that specific part of the clip is trying to show the ignorance that some people have towards their own safety. Futurama is also implying that the Apple company has some sort of hold over its customers. Just because it's a popular name brand people go crazy over the new version of each device. They care about keeping up with the latest device so they can remain intact with the rapidly growing technology.
ReplyDeleteI think this clip brings up some very good points, especially the way the company markets its products. The illusion that there is a low supply, using employees that are stereotypically thought of as smart or knowledgeable, and then requesting such a large amount of money. I believe the clip is criticizing the deceiving marketing practices used by Apple to distract people from the actual features of the device and create the illusion that they are in high demand. The company is betting on the fact that if the device appears to be popular, then it must be a good product.
ReplyDeleteThere are three things I found interesting in the clip.
ReplyDeleteThe first is that the clip shows that the omniponent "eyephone" can do almost anything, however, it cannot protect you from hitting by train while you are checking your email with eyephone. It satirizes the real iphone which is really existing!
The second is that when the shop assistant says that there is only one eyephone, and then the scene switches to the back where are tremendous numbers of eyephone there. This makes a crack to the iphone company which create a fake market to our ordinary customer. It deceives us!
The third is that when the shop assistant introduce the eyephone to the customer step by step. The customer is careless to listenning to the introduction, cause the only thing he cares about is possessing the lastest thchnical product. He is one of the fanatic of iphone!
I enjoy the opening to this clip, the narrator has a nice smooth voice and he talks about what you can do with your eyephone. " Watch, listen ignore your friends, stalk your ex.....even get hit by a train when checking your email". Good way to show how obsessed people can be over these phones. Also I have seen many instances were the service rep is trying to explain the phone to a customer or even say that an HTC is even better in multiple ways, yet the customer does not care. All he/she wants is the phone due to the hype and craze. I believe that this is a very timely and successful piece of satire due to the accurate portrayal of consumer and customer.
ReplyDeleteThis clip is pretty comical in itself, as it generally makes fun of people following trends, specifically the iphone. I found it intriguing at the part when the guy asks if there are any phones left, and the employee says he thinks there is one left. I think it pokes at Apples advertising techniques and the reason for their astronomical success to a certain degree. I also agree that this clip is very timely as Tyler said, making it an excellent piece of satire.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how the slip portrays iPhone customers as crazed people looking for the newest piece of technology. I feel that they are right in the way they criticize the customers because they show them as people who want the latest newest thing around. Also, when the salesman says that they might have one more while there were really millions of them also demonstrates how the customers will jump on it because he offered as much money as they would want believing that it was the last one. I enjoy this clip because it rightly portrays an iPhone fanatic that exists in this world today.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I found interesting about this clip is how accurate is represents the real iPhone. All the things shown in the clip happen in real life. Not so much getting hit by trains but the #1 cause for death in teens is using cellular devices while driving. It was also amusing that the sales man was talking down about the product and pointing out all of its negative features and the customer could careless. I think Apple does a great job at developing their products and no matter how crappy the battery life maybe, or how much the cost is, people will pay for it because it goes beyond levels of its competitors.
ReplyDeleteFry's actions suggest that people who use the iphone are stupid. They will spend an unreal amount of money to buy a product that won't work as well as it is advertized. The part where they actually put the phone in Fry's eye and it projects a screen obstructing his vision is just like teens and their phones now except they just always have their phone in their hands and are never paying attention.
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