High quality Quote by Martin Lindstrom
““Americans are accustomed to an instantaneous feedback loop, and have little patience with a product that doesn’t come to life immediately. An American tourist traveling abroad who switches on a Bang & Olufsen television in his hotel room will likely perceive the set as broken, not realizing it takes roughly seven seconds to turn on. Apple is one company that has solved this issue smartly. When a consumer powers on an iPhone, the silvery Apple logo appears, alerting users that the phone is on. Knowing the phone works, a consumer is happy to wait an additional 30 seconds before the phone is officially ready for use. I have no doubt that Apple engineers could tinker with the insides to make the phone turn on more quickly. Instead, they’ve designed the iPhone to give users both instant gratification and a sense of anticipation, which they interpret to mean that the phone is both technologically sophisticated and high quality””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Consumer Behavior, 2015
Apple designs product activation to balance instant gratification with a brief anticipation period, satisfying impatient expectations while signaling quality.
In simple terms: Apple uses a short delay to make users feel both satisfied and impressed.
Key Takeaway
Design for brief anticipation to enhance perceived quality.
Themes
consumer behavior
product design
patience
branding
technology perception
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
observational
insightful
When to use this quote
- marketing strategy
- product launch
- customer onboarding
- tech retail
- user education
Key Concepts
anticipation
instant gratification
user experience
perceived quality
Questions to Reflect On
- How does anticipation affect perceived value?
- Can delays be optimized without losing brand perception?
A Different Perspective
Some users may find any delay frustrating, reducing satisfaction.
