Responsive Web Design Fail: Apple.com Alienates 30% Of Its Visitors

Finally, Something Apple Isn’t Good At

Unless you’ve been living under a Dell for the last 10 years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of a ‘fruit’ company that Forrest Gump indirectly helped launch in the early 1980’s. Instantly recognizable, the Apple brand boasts the 42nd most visited website in the galaxy (23rd most visited in the U.S.) and is an industry leader in state-of-the-art, lifestyle-changing products. Now, Forrest wasn’t a smart man, but he knew what love was. So why does one of the smartest companies in the world have no love for its mobile visitors, and how can they fix their outdated website? The solution is simple: responsive design.

What Is Responsive Design?

Responsive web design incorporates sizing capabilities that adapt to multiple platforms, like smartphones, tablets, or computers. You know, the gadgets Apple is known for. Responsive websites respond to their environment via the client’s browser and adjust the viewing area to fit the device’s screen size. But Apple’s website isn’t responsive, which means you can’t navigate it effectively on your raspberry iPhone 5C. As a leader in website redesign services, this is surprising coming from Apple

Grab The Icy Hot.  Prepare For Hand Cramps:

On your smartphone, navigate to the Apple website. Notice how hard it is to see everything? That’s because you’re viewing a website that was designed for a desktop. Text disappears from sight and it’s almost impossible to use the navigation bar. And where’s the footer? With the amount of manual dexterity it takes to pinch, swipe, and zoom your way to the iPad you’re looking to buy, you may as well be topping Fruit Ninja leaderboards.

Going Mobile Pays

So is Apple alienating mobile customers and losing out on potential profits by not having an updated website? Yes. No wonder thousands wait in line for weeks to buy their latest products in-store. That’s at least less frustrating than scrolling every which way on a handheld device just to read a headline. The cost of exclusivity may soon be too rich for the tech giant’s blood if Android users eager to purchase iGadgets are hindered by an incompatible Apple Store app or an unfriendly website.

Apple.com’s Redesigned iPhone Page For Mobile:

[SCROLL inside the iPhone below]

Why We Care

As a burgeoning L.A.-based digital agency with a pulse on all things web, we honestly couldn’t believe it when we pulled up Apple’s site on our smartphones.  After a quick search on Googs, we saw similar surprises from others around the web.  Since we are designing ninja’s we quickly put together these mockups to show the world what their site could look like.

No Need For Carpal Tunnel:

The Redesigned iPad Page:

[SCROLL inside the iPhone below]

The Redesigned Responsive Apple Store Page:

[SCROLL inside the iPhone below]

5 Reasons Why Apple Needs Responsive Design

• User Experience: It doesn’t take a Steve Jobs-caliber visionary to see that poor customer experiences will hinder sales. Improving accessibility across devices means greater exposure to millions of mobile device users and greater potential for increased profits. By incorporating web development languages into their website that make using the site easier, Apple will be able to retain its name in the market by making its users want to stay on their page.
• Lost Sales: Apple isn’t hurting for cash, but we’re positive their business model doesn’t include missing out on beaucoup bucks, such as the $25 billion in purchases mobile users spent in 2K12. The thing to note here is that they do not have to put too much effort into capturing this market. All they need to do is hire digital marketing agencies that specialize in responsive web design.
• Rep Control: Consumers choose Apple because their products are stylish, their technology is cutting edge, and their products are easy to use. Currently, however, their mobile presence doesn’t measure up to its well-established hype. By ensuring they undergo simple website redesign, they can save their reputation in the market.
• Competition: Right now, Android, Samsung, and Microsoft are all bonding over how much better their mobile presence is than Apple’s. Apple needs to re-enter the conversation by making sure they have top-notch web design Los angeles on their mobile devices.
• Peer Pressure: Mashable called 2013 the Year of Responsive Design. Seriously, everyone’s doing it; from the POTUS to McDonald’s. If it’s good enough for the Prez and a scary-ass clown, it’s good enough for Apple.

Wrap-Up and Peace Out

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