Has the iPhone killed the girl phone? we're customising the inside not the outside

223 iphone.jpgTwo or three years ago, on this very blog there would be a steady stream of girl phones. You know what I mean: pink, dimante-encrusted things that would come pre-loaded with girl-friendly ringtones ‘Oops I Did Again’ and would perhaps match with your make-up case and maybe have a mirror on the back so you could check the eyeliner dear.

While these phones have their place in the hearts of many girls and surely some boys, they seem to have died a death. While the odd pink-shelled lovely does swim our way, there are definitely fewer around.

So what’s changed? We’re saying they’ve been killed.

Handsets are always getting murdered in the world of technology journalism (iPhone killer! Blackberry killer! iPhone killer again!) but this time there is a corpse on the carpet and the clues point firmly towards the smooth black inscrutable iPhone. That dark horse.

My theory – alert: Gender Stereotype – is that women/girls like customisation. It matters to them more than it is does to boys that their phone is theirs. It’s not the same as everybody else’s, it’s a bit different. (IE – THIS IS LIKE WITH CLOTHES, you see, there’s a female penchant for individualisation. Boys will practically wear the same t-shirts as each other and not even notice.)

Previously the simplest way to get an individual or different phone was to buy one that looked a bit different, whether it was pink, purple or just had an anime kitten on it. They all texted and sent calls so that was standard.

iPhones have changed the game because it switched the customisation from the outside of the phone to the inside, from the hardware to the software: you don’t need to put stickers on your phone to customise it, you can download some of those those highly successful little software packages called apps and hey presto there’s a newsfeed from your favourite paper, a DJing app and 400 pictures of Robert Pattinson (if you want that).

Add in all the standard smartphone extras – your music, your photos and phones are very personalised devices.

Other reasons women prefer iPhones? okay, Gender Stereotype Alert No.2, I think girls like tech for what it can do rather than treating it as status objects. They are less likely to reel off lists of specs and engage in my RAM is bigger than yours competitions. They just want to know what they can do with it. Back to the app store and it’s evident that apps let you do stuff. It’s all pure function. Hardened geek heads may not be proud to admit that they have iFarm and iDoodle2Lite on their phones, but silly or not, apps multiply many times what you can do with your phone. I like it. I’m just saying, I think women generally like it too.

And let’s just add that girls like smooth touchscreens, fast processors, decent cameras and games where you can flick pygmies off islands (well, I like them) and it makes sense that the sleek iPhone has cleared the board of glittery competitors.

Then, need i mention skins (the cases, not the TV drama)? The iPhone is just a sexy blank slate that appeals to the creativity and desire for individualisation that women have. No need for keyrings or earring holders here…

Related:
The Porn on iTunes debate: gender wars? and Why Wii is a girl’s best friend

Anna Leach

32 comments

  • I wonder how you got so good. This is really a fascinating blog, lots of stuff that I can get into. One thing I just want to say is that your Blog is so perfect.

  • ( I agree girls like to customize their stuff. iPhone has the best graphics and customization with various iPhone applications. )

  • Only One word to characterize such a great post “WOW” that was a very interesting read

  • Only One word to characterize such a great post “WOW” that was a very interesting read

  • Girls usually go for coloured, handy and stylish phones. They wont be specific in the features.

  • ( I agree girls like to customize their stuff. iPhone has the best graphics and customization with various iPhone applications. )

  • Really you have done great job,There are may person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post.I like this blog..

  • iphones are really taking place every other phone company market share because they are the best

  • Agree with you because girls always want different stuff and iPhone has the best graphics and customization with various iPhone applications….Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

  • I agree girls like to customize their stuff. iPhone has the best graphics and customization with various iPhone applications.

  • Well that is really true Iphone has now overcome the all the other phones like Nokia ,BlackBerry etc.
    With this new development in technology of Iphone, Girls phones mean in specific colors etc are vanishing.

  • Well that is really true Iphone has now overcome the all the other phones like Nokia ,BlackBerry etc.
    With this new development in technology of Iphone, Girls phones mean in specific colors etc are vanishing.

  • Technology is growing so are the human needs.. so changes are to be accepted.

  • I think Michalyn missed the point of the article. Before the iphone, customization was limited to the outside of your phone. Now that we have the iphone, we don’t need the extra “doodads” on the outside to express ourselves as individuals. Regards.

  • If customization were the gender key, then Android would skew higher with women than the iPhone.

    And… it doesn’t. At least according to recent demographics pasted all over the tech blogs.

    iPhones have probably contributed to killing the “girl phones” because they are marketed with cute guy Justin Long (now a romantic comedy movie star) and the ads aren’t gender specific and annoying.

    But we’ll see — Droid is skewed towards men in their ads and the Palm Pre on Verizon is skewed towards women.

    Years ago while talking phones with a carrier rep, I was told that flip phones are “guy phones” because guys put their phones in their pockets and so protecting the buttons and a smaller form factor are important to guys. “Girl phones” typically weren’t (according to the rep) because women stuff their phones in purses and so protecting the keys isn’t so important.

    Maybe touch screen phones are unisex because once you lock them, there are no buttons to worry about?

  • haha Rammi, one day apple will realise that phone charm holders really would improve the iphone.. one day…
    :)

  • …Sometimes, I find myself wishing my iPhone had a place to dangle my phone charms off.

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