Apple versus Leica: is one of these brands a money grabber?

This is not an indictment of either Apple, Inc. or Leica Camera AG. Instead, it’s about your treatment by a corporation as a consumer of their products. Are you treated special or like a financial contribution to a bottom line?

This treatment goes way beyond what is colloquially known as a product unboxing (see Figure 1). Specifically, it focuses on product performance after the sale. At a more visceral level, how do you feel about a product? In other words, does the product meet or exceed your expectations?

Neither of these brands manufactures inexpensive products. There are thousands of lower-cost smartphones and cameras, however, that can perform the same basic features as an iPhone and a Leica camera. So, what’s the point of paying a premium price tag?

First, let’s examine what you receive when you pay a significant amount of money for a high-end, iconic consumer product. In this comparison, a target price of $1,399 is used to purchase an Apple product and a Leica product. The Apple product is a new iPhone 15 Pro Max 512GB model. Obtaining a new Leica camera at this price is not possible (excluding the Leica Sofort 2). Therefore, a “new, old stock” Leica X1 Digital Compact Camera (Steel Grey #18 420) is used.

Note: At the time of this article’s publication, Camera Wholesalers has a new, old stock Leica X1 (Black) listed for $1,499. The steel gray X1 model cited in this article, however, cost $1,395 from Freestyle Photo & Imaging.

Here’s what you get for your $1,399 investment:

The Apple product arrives in a small white box containing the iPhone 15 Pro Max and a USB-C charging cable, as shown in Figure 2. Some controversy has been caused by Apple’s election to not supply earbuds, a charger, and a simple protective case with an iPhone purchase. Ironically, many other smartphone manufacturers, like Google, Nothing, Samsung, and Sony, don’t include these accessories, either.

Conversely, the actual Leica camera gray/black box is encased inside a secondary, intricately folding silver-colored flower-petal outer “sales” box (see Figure 3). Once inside the unfolding outer container, the camera box, as shown in Figure 4, includes the X1, a Leica BP-DC8 battery, a battery case, a battery charger with international plugs, a USB cable, a leather carrying strap, a lens cap, and a hot shoe cover.

It’s probably safe to say that even the most die-hard, ardent iPhone fanatic would love to see Apple adopt a smartphone boxing strategy similar to the one used for a Leica camera.

Straight out of the box, the practical use of each product is somewhat limited. The iPhone could be charged with an “on-hand” charger or via a USB port on a personal computer. Additionally, a WiFi connection could be used for setup and data use. However, for the sake of true compliance with its intended usage, a cellular connection subscription will be needed, as well as buying a higher-wattage charger.

The Leica X1 exhibits a similar out-of-the-box functional limitation with regard to the storage of photographs. While the camera does have approximately 110MB of internal memory storage (enough room for about 6 photographs), an additional purchase of a secure digital (SD) card will be required to enable the X1 to function as a viable camera.

Once you’ve purchased each product and obtained the additional subscription and support products, the capability derived from either the iPhone or the X1 is truly mind-boggling. Secure online shopping, video playback, email, teleconferencing, and social interaction, not to mention photography and telephony, are tasks that are safely and securely accomplished with this smartphone.

Similarly, the superior photographic power of the diminutive X1 enabled it to become the first digital compact camera to be approved by Getty Images for contributions from photographers.

Conservatively speaking, both products satisfy consumer expectations for providing the features and capabilities of a smartphone and a camera. “Yes, but at what cost,” you ask. Apparently, the high purchase price for the iPhone and Leica cameras is irrelevant to owners.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Apple ranks very high in terms of consumer satisfaction. User satisfaction is regularly reported at around 80% for the iPhone (although Apple hires its own polling firm, 451 Research, which claims a 97% rating).

Leica, on the other hand, doesn’t share consumer satisfaction ratings. In fact, trying to track down any kind of sales/marketing metric for Leica is very difficult. The sales revenue for financial years is readily available, although Leica Camera Group does not break out the overall sales on a camera model basis.

Historically speaking, though, in 2011, Leica predicted that it could, within 10 years, have a global market share of 1%. At the time of that report, Leica had a 0.15% share of the worldwide market.

Beloved by their owners, these products possess a quality that transcends a specification sheet and a price tag. Wouldn’t a Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS camera be just as capable of photography as a Leica X1? Couldn’t a Motorola Edge+ handle every smartphone task the same as an iPhone 15 Pro Max? The short answer is NO, at least not to iPhone and Leica owners.

The high consumer satisfaction ratings for the iPhone belie the subdued unboxing experience. The Leica unboxing experience echoes its premium brand status, which has been cultivated by a small group of appreciative photographers. Regardless, you must think outside of the box before you can derive the true benefits of these high-end, iconic consumer products. Then it’s just a matter of, “You’ve got to pay to play.”