Opinion & Technology: Apple's iPhone 5 Fun, Prank & The Halo Effect

 Looking to buy iPhone 5? Here you go.

Image from Android Headlines

Wait! There's an Android bee there! Why? Because this is actually the Goo-Phone from China. By now, Goo-Phone should be suing Apple for infringement of copyright in terms of the design of the phone. Yes, Goo-Phone sues Apple, not the other way round! That's because the copyright policy in China is that whichever device is released first get the copyright. Since Goo-Phone released their phone a week before Apple's iPhone 5, Goo-Phone gets the copyright.

Thinking that is a joke? Now, here are the jokes!

Image from elysplanet

Image from plurk.com

Image from elysplanet

Image from xcitefun.net

From the secondary creativity we are seeing here, it is not difficult to see what people are upset about -- that iPhone is no longer a symbol of world-class creativity. That throne has long gone to Samsung. Is that because Samsung hired all the ex-Apple employees to their company? Or is it because the South Koreans are getting much much smarter than we thought?

It is funny, but don't blame them for being silly, they are just experiencing the Halo Effect.

According to Wikipedia,

The halo effect or halo error is a cognitive bias in which our judgments of a person’s character can be influenced by our overall impression of him or her.

In short,

"I'll buy almost anything if it's shiny and made by Apple." -- Alex Zalban, Apple User

Image from cpcache

Under the influence of a phenomenal figure such as Steve Jobs, Apple has successfully created a Halo Effect in many users' mind, adding to the fact that these interviewees trust the reporter that what they were given was really an iPhone 5, since they knew the iPhone 5 must be better than the earlier versions, their minds naturally reflect what they believe in.

That doesn't mean everyone will fall for this trick. Imagine if they were actually given the Goo-Phone instead, I don't think they will be tricked because the logo is obviously different, but if we change that logo and use an iOS theme on top of the Android system, which I also use on my Samsung to trick my friends, then I won't be so sure if they will notice the difference.

Do read up Halo Effect in the Resources session below if you are interested.

More Effects will be discussed later this week.


Vocabulary:

secondary creativity -- (n) results from the use of higher thought processes; it is Apollonian. It takes over the creative process from primary creativity and adds to it analysis, discipline and hard work.
Halo Effect -- (n) The halo effect or halo error is a cognitive bias in which our judgments of a person’s character can be influenced by our overall impression of him or her.
cognitive -- (adj) [before noun] specialized connected with thinking or conscious mental processes
bias -- (n) [C usually singular U] often supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way by allowing personal opinions to influence your judgment


Resources:

Chinese Company Threatens to Sue Apple Over Design of iPhone 5 @ Android Headlines
http://www.androidpit.com/chinese-kockoff-iphone-five

Chinese Company Threatens to Sue Apple Over Design of iPhone 5 @ AndroidPIT
http://www.androidpit.com/chinese-kockoff-iphone-five

The iPhone 5 (Spoof): A Taller Change Than Expected @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNBP18nrRdw

Apple iPhone 5 Prank @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF636S21kww

Comparative Theories of Creativity @ vantagequest.
http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/comparative.htm#.UFqbhbIgdhY

Halo Effect @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect

Opinion: Apple's New Product -- MacBook Wheel!!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/07/opinion-apples-new-product-macbook-wheel.html

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cognitive?q=cognitive%5C
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/bias_1?q=bias+