According to Gruber, the build-up of anticipation leading to the opening of the present that Apple offers is an important— if not the most important— aspect of the enjoyment people derive from Apple’s products. This is because the world divides into two camps:
- There are those who open their presents before Christmas morning.
- There are those who wait. They set their presents under the tree and, like a child, agonize over the enormous anticipation of what will be in the box when they open it on Christmas morning.
Apple designs for #2. No other mass-consumer products company puts as much attention to detail into the fit and finish of the box—let alone the out-of-box experience. If you’re an Apple enthusiast, you can capture the Christmas morning experience more than once a year with every stop you make at the local Apple store.
Alain Breillatt, Director of Product Management for The Nielsen Company, explains how he thinks Apple’s innovation engine works.
