Form

Design

Design largely determines how successful a webpage is in communicating its message to its users, and the customizable nature of the Internet lends itself to countless design possibilities.  Evident in the vast array of templates across the Internet, site designers are constantly seeking to “break through the clutter” and capture Web users' attention.

Interestingly, Apple benefits from choosing a daringly minimalist aesthetic route.  Like its products, the website’s design is sleek, unobtrusive, and user-friendly.  While lesser-known sites would not likely attract much attention with such a simple format, the approach works to Apple’s advantage.  The site’s streamlined look reinforces Apple’s goal to provide a simplified alternative in the computer world—a substantial reason for the company’s snowballing popularity.

Keeping true to its minimalist approach, the site's color scheme is uncomplicated: exclusively black and grey font, light blue links, and a steel-colored menu bar, thematic with the recent release of Apple's first eco-friendly aluminum laptops. It is superimposed over a clean white background, making tasteful use of white space and reducing eye clutter.

Layout and Organization

Upon loading the Apple website, the user is greeted by a preview, selected at random from a series, that calls attention to new products and developments in the Apple world.  The prominent placement of new content emphasizes Apple’s role as a leading technological innovator.

At the top of Apple’s webpage is a menu bar, which remains fixed in place while one navigates from page to page.  This feature is beneficial in that it provides the user with direct, effortless navigation to any area of the site at any time.  Moreover, the menu bar clearly delineates the site’s disparate topics, providing designated sections for the Apple Store, Mac products, the iPod and iTunes, the iPhone, and customer support.

The information on the Apple website is detailed and logically presented.  Included under the support section are complete online manuals for each product as well as thorough walkthroughs for troubleshooting.  The site also boasts guided video tours for several products such as the Mac OS X Leopard, Apple's newest operating system.  These visual tours demonstrate the products' features and capabilities in a series of easy-to-understand visual steps.  Apple effectively provides well-organized information, to the extent that even the most inexperienced user will (ideally) be able to master everything the brand has to offer.

The site includes several interactive features, including discussion forums for quick-response, hands-on support.  For those wary of solving problems through indirect online interaction, Apple offers customers the option to make an appointment with a real-life representative via the Genius Bar.