A Category of One

Have you ever noticed that Apple don't do any events aside from their own?

It's called being in a 'category of one' i.e their own.

Right now, every Smartphone brand on the planet is in Barcelona at MWC, the big annual Communications industry conference.

Except Apple.

Apple has perfected not just owning the high end of the Smartphone/Tech industry, but the idea of owning their own category.

Apple used to do lots of conferences, famously Computex, CES etc.

Then Steve Jobs realized that with Apple Retail e-commerce and stores, customers and fans of the brand would come to him.

And now Apple has over 500 such stores world-wide.

And doesn't attend any industry events.

Yet is still the phone brand everyone desires to own.

When you don't compete on other people's terms, you get to set the rules.