I’ll be the first to admit that I am one of the bigger Mac geeks out there. And I should also mention that they are a client of mine. But I was a fan 20 years before I was a vendor, so I write this completely as the former.
So here’s the deal.
I had my guard up with the iPhone. I knew it would be awesome, but I told everyone I knew that I would wait until the second generation came out. You know, give them the chance to iron out the bugs. See what they come up with for improvements.
That kind of thing. 
And I was doing pretty well at keeping to my word. I had gone 2 weeks since the June 29 launch, in fact.
But then I got my hands on one. And 2 hours later I was at the Apple Store in Valley Fair buying an 8GB iPhone. To be honest, there was no way I could have slept otherwise. And I mean that quite literally.
To make a long story short, I love my iPhone. I love the way it looks. I love the way it works. I love how I have all my music, photos, and videos right there when I need them. But I’ve had them all with me before on a cell phone and iPod. So what’s the big difference?
It’s all about the experience of using the iPhone. I have never had one like it before. And that is what sets it apart from every other product out there.
When I use my iPhone, I just feel really, really good. It makes me smile. It makes me happy. I have an emotional connection to this product in a way that I just don’t (and perhaps, shouldn’t) have with any other electronic device. (Except for maybe my Canon Digital Rebel camera - a year later I still get a giant rush whenever I use it.)
Now this emotional connection has nothing to do with being on the cutting edge of technology. Sure, it’s fun to be an early adaptor and see the looks on people’s faces when I show them new gadgets. But I find myself there all the time. In fact, I’m trying to be a little discreet about using the iPhone in public. Don’t want to seem like I’m trying to draw attention to myself.
What I’m talking about is a much deeper connection. This thing allows me to take the most important “things” in my life (photos and music - and everything they represent to me) with me wherever I go. This means I can share them with anyone I want when I am away -- much easier than carrying around loose photos and the such—or I can just sit back and enjoy the experience myself. And what a user experience it is.
It’s only been a few days and I can’t imagine life without it. So much for having my guard up. This thing rocks.
Which begs the question: what kind of experience are you giving your customers?
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