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iPhone 5c Broadens Apple's Customer Base, but Android Continues to Lead in Smartphones

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Research firm Kantar Worldpanel has released a new report (via TechCrunch) highlighting global smartphone sales over the August-October period, finding that Apple's market share in most regions is unsurprisingly now higher when compared to the months leading up to the release of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Apple's share is, however, lower when compared to the prior-year period with the iPhone 5 launch.

kantar_wp_dec13.jpg
Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, comments: "In almost all markets, the iPhone 5S and 5C releases have given iOS a significant bounce compared to the previous month. Generally, Apple's share of the market still remains lower than when the iPhone 5 was released, although this is not wholly unexpected as shoppers tend to react more positively to 'full' releases than incremental improvements such as the 5S and 5C.
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Apple's total market share in the U.S. hit 52.8% during October, with the report attributing the overall growth during the 12-week timeframe to the appeal of the cheaper iPhone 5c and noting that half of all iPhone 5c owners had switched from competiting brands:
"The cheaper 5C appeals to a broader audience than Apple usually attracts. In the US, the biggest demand for these mid-end models is coming from lower income households. Some 42% of iPhone 5C owners earn less than $49,000 compared with just 21% for iPhone 5S. iPhone 5C customers also tend to be slightly older at an average of 38 years compared to 34 years for the 5S. The good news for Apple is that this wider appeal is attracting significant switching from competitors. Almost half of iPhone 5C owners switched from competitor brands, particularly Samsung and LG, compared with 80% of 5S owners who upgraded from a previous iPhone model."
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While the iPhone continues to enjoy strong market share in the U.S., it also continues to face challenges in mainland Europe and China, where Android's market share is around 70% or even higher in many countries. Apple has, however, had more success in Japan, where the addition of NTT DoCoMo as a carrier partner helped the iPhone garner 76% of the market in October and 61.1% for the broader August-October period.

Article Link: iPhone 5c Broadens Apple's Customer Base, but Android Continues to Lead in Smartphones
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/02/iphone-5c-broadens-apples-customer-base-but-android-continues-to-lead-in-smartphones/
JaySoul

JaySoul

macrumors 68030
Jan 30, 2008
2,629
2,865
The strategy outside of the USA needs work, Apple.

Try reading MacRumors once in a while, we have all the answers.
 
C

Col Ronson

macrumors 6502a
Aug 7, 2008
619
2
PinkyMacGodess said:
Android leads because there are more different models from more different companies, which has the big negative of creating a fragmented user base.
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Basically. When you have 50 android phones and 3 iPhones, there will always be more androids out there.

Looks like the 5C set out to do exactly what apple wanted.
 
johncrab

johncrab

macrumors 6502
Aug 11, 2011
341
0
Scottsdale, AZ
The best life lesson I ever learned from life in America is never to be #1 at anything. The only thing Americans hate more than a loser is a winner. The top guy is always the target. It's better to slide in at #2 and not have to deal with all of the shells that are aimed at #1. Then you can get something done!
 
F

FrizzleFryBen

macrumors 6502
Dec 14, 2009
453
179
Charlotte, NC
PinkyMacGodess said:
Android leads because there are more different models from more different companies, which has the big negative of creating a fragmented user base.
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Exactly! There's also price point. In the US you can pick up an Android for free or near it (on contract). I really can't speak to price point in other countries paying non-subsidized prices.
 
avionicsman

avionicsman

macrumors member
Jan 6, 2009
46
0
Canuck Land!!
iphone vs ........

PinkyMacGodess said:
Android leads because there are more different models from more different companies, which has the big negative of creating a fragmented user base.
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Exactly!! I am getting so tired of the ios (iphone) vs android (LG Samsung et all) stat. Lets see a recent stat of iPhone vs hardware.
 
M

Merkie

macrumors 68020
Oct 23, 2008
2,119
734
These numbers are becoming increasingly clouded. A few years ago market share might have held some value, but that is not the case anymore. Almost every phone runs Android, it won't be long before my water boiler will run Android. Basically the only thing these numbers say is that for every 4 Android devices, 1 iOS device is sold (ratio may vary across countries). But is that good? Bad? Should Apple be worried? That's something that is absolutely impossible to say.

I bet Toyota sells a lot more cars than Ferrari. I highly doubt Ferrari cares how much cars Toyota are selling. That's basically the analogy going on here. A lot of these people weren't going to purchase an iOS device anyways (assumption). Toyota sales don't imply a loss of Ferrari sales. Android sales don't imply a loss of iOS sales.
Rogifan said:
More market share nonsense not based on actual sales figures from anyone. I hope MR also runs these stories:

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2013/11/29/e-commerce-sales-far-higher-for-ios-shoppers-versus-android/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjo...ouncing-androids-in-generating-on-line-sales/
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Who cares, actual sales market share won't make these numbers any less irrelevant than they already are. You're not seeing things clearly by worring about these insigifnicant details.
 
F

FrizzleFryBen

macrumors 6502
Dec 14, 2009
453
179
Charlotte, NC
johncrab said:
The best life lesson I ever learned from life in America is never to be #1 at anything. The only thing Americans hate more than a loser is a winner. The top guy is always the target. It's better to slide in at #2 and not have to deal with all of the shells that are aimed at #1. Then you can get something done!
Click to expand...

Martha Stewart could have used that advice before she went to jail while investment bankers walked away with billions from defrauding investors.

It's anecdotal proof that being the best at crafts will bite you in the ass one day.
 
G

goodcow

macrumors 6502a
Aug 4, 2007
749
1,001
JaySoul said:
The strategy outside of the USA needs work, Apple.
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iOS devices are priced at least double that of their Android competitors. In the US, this price difference is masked by carrier subsidies, which aren't given in Europe.

Either Apple can come down significantly on price to compete in volume, or they can continue to let iOS marketshare dwindle away and be happy being a premium brand. It's Mac vs. Windows again.
 
M

MacVista

macrumors 6502
Jun 18, 2007
303
2
$550, $650, $750 price points can't compete with a $200 Android with an SD card slot.
 
tmoerel

tmoerel

Suspended
Jan 24, 2008
1,005
1,567
goodcow said:
iOS devices are priced at least double that of their Android competitors. In the US, this price difference is masked by carrier subsidies, which aren't given in Europe.
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Wrong.......there are carrier subsidies in many European countries. Please inform yourself before making bold statements!
 
W

Weerez935

macrumors regular
Dec 13, 2012
187
0
It's because they make cheap off-contract phones. I would love to see a market share comparison of high end android phones (in iPhone price range) with the iPhone.

This is like comparing Hyundai, Honda, ford, Chevy, and dodge sales etc with audi, BMW, or Mercedes lol
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,132
31,175
Merkie said:
Who cares, actual sales market share won't make these numbers any less irrelevant than they already are. You're not seeing things clearly by worring about these insigifnicant details.
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I think usage stats are more meaningful than market share that stats that are never based on actual sales data. Take IDC for example. It's laughable the way they restate their data every quarter. And this "other" category keeps getting bigger and bigger. And does Apple really need to be worried about cheap POS android tablets and USB sticks that sell in China or at Walmart? I don't think those are the customers Apple is going after.
 
pgiguere1

pgiguere1

macrumors 68020
May 28, 2009
2,167
1,200
Montreal, Canada
JaySoul said:
The strategy outside of the USA needs work, Apple.

Try reading MacRumors once in a while, we have all the answers.
Click to expand...

Not sure if serious.

The answers here would be something like:

"You should sell the same iPhone 5C, but for $300 off-contract."

"Yeah, you would end up making no profit at all, and even cannibalize iPhone 5S sales, but think of all the market share you'd gain! You would win against Android again!"...
 
AppleScruff1

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
Quote:
"In almost all markets, the iPhone 5S and 5C releases have given iOS a significant bounce compared to the previous month.

I would certainly hope that sales increased with the launch of a new phones.
 
G

gcliv

macrumors member
Feb 19, 2008
38
12
I recently switched from iPhone to Android. I don't know why I waited so long - lots more innovation and choice on this side of the fence. Moved my parents over this weekend as well - they are also thrilled

I used to be 100% in the Apple ecosystem with laptop, phone, and tablet. Apple's lack of innovation (ever-thinner is no longer a suitable upgrade feature) is going to start to see the loss of a lot more people.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,132
31,175
AppleScruff1 said:
How many iPhone 5C's were sold?
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Who cares? I never hear people asking how many Galaxy Mini's or HTC One mini's were sold. I don't remember last year people being obsessed with how many 4S's Apple was selling. Besides, we'll never know as Apple will never break out iPhone sales.
 
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