‘Apple’ Gen

As this pandemic wears on and the social changes continue, I have been thinking about the Millennials (born 1981-96) and Gen Z (born 1997-2012) generations.

I found a couple of interesting articles about millennials. One is from the Business Insider about the industries millennials are ‘killing’.  And here is another one with the millennial kill list.  

Here are a few things on the millennial ‘kill list’:

• Costco (order online instead)
• Beer (prefer cocktails or wine)
• Wine corks (screw tops preferred)
• Napkins (use paper towels)
• Cable and movie theaters (stream instead)
• Department stores (online instead)
• Landlines
• Business suits
• Golf (our Gen Z grandson does not agree)
• Hotels (Airbnb or adventure travel instead)
• Motorcycles
• Doorbells (text when you arrive instead)
• Postcards (this makes me very sad; I love postcards)
• Cereal (too messy)
• Beef (too expensive and bad for the environment)
• Banks

I am sure most industries are already aware of the upcoming sea change.  I also know that Millennials aren’t all alike any more than boomers are, but I still thought it was pretty interesting reading.  I imagine this list might apply to Gen Z somewhat as well. As a baby boomer, we were the last generation to have such a profound effect on the culture. And now here come what I call the Apple Gen – millennials and Gen Z.

I’ve been interested in the Apple vs. Android debate.  I am an Android user, but I think Apple is the future.  While Android has most of the worldwide market, Apple is big in the US, particularly with millennials and Gen Z. I found another blog that illustrates this. The younger the user, the more likely they are to have Apple products.  Our grandson (Gen Z) frequently asks me ‘when I am going to get an I-Phone?’  I also asked our granddaughter (Gen Z) about her classmates in middle and high school.  Virtually every student has a smart phone.  A few have Android (less expensive), but the vast majority have I-Phones.

I have used both but gravitate to Android because I am more familiar with it.  But I also know that most of my boomer friends use I Phones.  It is hard to believe that I-Phones were invented during Gen Z (June 2007)!

I am more familiar with Android so keep buying Samsung and I bet ‘Apple Gen‘ will keep buying I-Phones because that is what they are familiar with. Our grandson may be right, it might be time for grandma to get an I-Phone (too bad I just renewed my Samsung contract)!

I am borrowing Kim Shrier’s campaign slogan: wear a mask, get a flu shot, and VOTE!

See you on Friday!

Allene