Apple's Share of Smartphone Market Slips as Smartphones Outsell Feature Phones for First Time

[adnbek]

This may be a reason why. And only 2 per year are premium phones that make them any significant profit, the rest being cheap and underpowered and aimed at only gaining more market share but make Samsung little to no profit. It's a good strategy if your aim is dominating market share, but does nothing to the bottom line.

Plus Samsung never publicizes how much they actually sell, only what's been shipped to retailers. In the past, it's been found to be many times their actual sales. I'm willing to bet more shipments turn into sales with Apple than Samsung, percentage-wise.

 

[cdmoore74]

The 5's extra half inch does nothing for me.

That's what he said!

 

[Switchback666]

1) Quoted as people should really read this and understand it

2) Motorola went down the marketshare path. If that doesn't give you pause, I'm not sure what will. Heck, Motorola isn't even on the list now, they're clumped into "other."

People (consumers) shouldnt give a damm about a company profit margins.....

 

[adnbek]

because Apple forces you to use iTunes. Rather than having to go through the hassle of buying music from other places and then transfering it into their iTunes, they buy it straight from iTunes. Android users can buy their music anywhere and then just drag and drop into their phone.

So it's a hassle to drag and drop music into iTunes? If only we can conveniently drag and drop the music into the phone... Gotcha.

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You would think that 98% of iPhone owners here are shareholders as they clap and giggle every time Apple earns a penny.

If that what floats your boat, go for it. I'm happy for you.

Neither does market share numbers but hey since we're all touting information that doesn't directly benefit the end user, why not?

 

[Michael Scrip]

People (consumers) shouldnt give a damm about a company profit margins.....

You're right... if a company makes buckets of money... there's really no point in celebrating.

But consider the opposite of that. People should give a damn when a company doesn't make enough money... or they lose money and start burning through their cash... or they get acquired because they don't have any other options.

Or they go out of business completely.

Revenue, income, profit margin... all that stuff is fairly important.

Have you ever had a favorite store or restaurant go out of business? I bet money (or lack of money) was a big part of that.

 

[1984AppleMo]

What I love the most about Apple it was born in the USA, and it's got a lot of $$. I remember long ago Apple almost was bought out. Glad that didn't happen.

 

[1984AppleMo]

Apple is innovative, how can they not lose market share when their competitors basically clone their innovations, while calling it their own. They didn't earn it, they duplicated, and got market share by selling cheap, cloning the product, really even their advertising are Apple's knock-offs. I get it, it's easy, cheaper to mimic another brand. Competition is great, Apple actually thrives in being an underdog. However, it's a far different thing to be a follower, then a leader.

 

[bushido]

You're right... if a company makes buckets of money... there's really no point in celebrating.

But consider the opposite of that. People should give a damn when a company doesn't make enough money... or they lose money and start burning through their cash... or they get acquired because they don't have any other options.

Or they go out of business completely.

Revenue, income, profit margin... all that stuff is fairly important.

Have you ever had a favorite store or restaurant go out of business? I bet money (or lack of money) was a big part of that.

im actually praying for the day apples iPhone loses lots of market share so apple has a need to really reinvent it. their philosophy right now seems to be "hey lets tweak it a little" itll sell anyway

Apple is innovative

wrong. "was"

 

[tranceking26]

Originally Posted by lazard
because Apple forces you to use iTunes. Rather than having to go through the hassle of buying music from other places and then transfering it into their iTunes, they buy it straight from iTunes. Android users can buy their music anywhere and then just drag and drop into their phone.


Wrong. You can add files from elsewhere. File type needs to be the right one but iTunes is not the only method. I just did it right now.

 

[pirg]

im actually praying for the day apples iPhone loses lots of market share so apple has a need to really reinvent it. their philosophy right now seems to be "hey lets tweak it a little" itll sell anyway




wrong. "was"

Apple is not going to lose lots of market share so you'll be waiting a long time.

No smartphone company is innovative right now, apple included

 

[apple_iBoy]

That color balance depends on the person. Most people see the bright bold colors of the android phones and love them but for others it's like a girl with too much makeup on.

It's not really the brightness I object to at all. What you're talking about is saturation, and yes the Samsung screens look over-saturated to me. They're downright garish.

But it's more than that. They have a district cold green color-cast that is not subjective at all — it's simply inaccurate.


P.S. I got a Ph.D. in materials science & engineering, research area: photonic crystals. I have stared at enough color spectrums to know a bad one when I see it. I imagine many others are also sensitive to this effect, particularly people in art and design (or really anyone who has a moderately discerning eye)

IMO the people buying Samsung phones for the look of the screen are for the people who go to Best Buy and pick out the most unbalanced but bright TV they can find, and then leave it in store "demo" mode when they watch it at home. Hey, it's not color-accurate at all, but damn it's BRIGHT!

(No offense intended to anyone who does that. Beg pardon in advance.)

 

[barkmonster]

It's not really the brightness I object to at all. What you're talking about is saturation, and yes the Samsung screens look over-saturated to me. They're downright garish.

But it's more than that. They have a district cold green color-cast that is not subjective at all — it's simply inaccurate.


P.S. I got a Ph.D. in materials science & engineering, research area: photonic crystals. I have stared at enough color spectrums to know a bad one when I see it. I imagine many others are also sensitive to this effect, particularly people in art and design (or really anyone who has a moderately discerning eye)

IMO the people buying Samsung phones for the look of the screen are for the people who go to Best Buy and pick out the most unbalanced but bright TV they can find, and then leave it in store "demo" mode when they watch it at home. Hey, it's not color-accurate at all, but damn it's BRIGHT!

(No offense intended to anyone who does that. Beg pardon in advance.)

Never appolgise to people when you're pointing out the error of their ways. They won't concider changing their ways otherwise

 

[CEmajr]

But let's look at actual results.

Android has almost 3 times the market share of Apple's iPhone... yet web traffic from iPhones is way above Android... developers overall are more happy with iOS... and iPhone customers are extremely satisfied.

Apple might not have the "biggest number" on the market share chart... but I'm not seeing Android boast about anything except that market share number.

Great... Android has the most market share... now what are they doing with it?

I'm not seeing the problem by Apple not having the most market share.

I'm starting to believe that the headline "Android dominates smartphone market share" is nothing more than a headline.

There's no compelling story after that...

You're exactly right. These "Android has the most marketshare" articles have become redundant and since Android isn't enjoying any of the benefits that usually come with a platform having the most marketshare, it is just that. A number on a headline.


Despite Android's marketshare number:
- Android is still not the primary platform for devs
- None of the Android vendors make as much money as Apple
- Apps on iOS still have more features/are more polished than their Android counterparts
- Devs are still making more money from iOS despite Android's marketshare

 

[Jaimi]

The iphone screen is tiny compared to the Galaxy s3 and s4. Samsung realized that smaller is not always better. It's best to have multiple screen sizes, so everyone can get the size they want. The largest group of people with discretionary money are the middle aged and older folk. My daughter has already moved to the s3 last year for the bigger phone. My mother is purchasing a s4 (her first smartphone) because it is bigger. I'm holding off until the new model iphone is announced, and if the screen isn't 5", I'm moving too.

Whenever I mention I want a bigger screen iphone, I'm attacked by zealots merely for wanting one - as if I'm somehow wrong for wanting it. But we (customers) want what we want, and I'm gone if I can't get a bigger phone.

 

[Toltepeceno]

Fad is correct. People have completely lost the plot when it comes to phones nowadays. I NEED a bigger screen and MORE RAM just so I can show off when fishing for likes online.

I agree with the screen size comment too. The 5's extra half inch does nothing for me.

I agree with you, the 5's extra 1/2" also does nothing for me, it will take a 4.5" screen for me go go back to iphone.

Do you honestly think 3.5 being too small for some people is a fad? I have big hands and fingers and need something larger, period. Not to mention being able to see it. My wife also prefers in the 4.5 range, she also jumped ship from iphone. Fad has nothing to do with it, ease of seeing and using does. I would love to have a 4.5" iphone, I would be there immediately.

On the other hand a 3.5 is perfect for our 10 year old.

The point is that I do not get why some iphone users think everyone else is just clones of them, people are different. Period.

 

[pirg]

You're exactly right. These "Android has the most marketshare" articles have become redundant and since Android isn't enjoying any of the benefits that usually come with a platform having the most marketshare, it is just that. A number on a headline.


Despite Android's marketshare number:
- Android is still not the primary platform for devs
- None of the Android vendors make as much money as Apple
- Apps on iOS still have more features/are more polished than their Android counterparts
- Devs are still making more money from iOS despite Android's marketshare

Yeah this was the point I was making earlier. We get it, there are a bunch of cheap android phones out there and a bunch of expensive android phones out there and all of them combined outsell the iPhone.

But like you said it's a hollow headline because after that fact, which we've heard over and over again, the story ends. That's it, android has market share and apple controls the industry in every other way.

Contrary to what strangely appears to be popular belief, companies that are not making money don't really care about market share.

Samsung and apple are the leaders of the industry in terms of earnings. The market share of neither matters one bit.

 

[apolloa]

Fad is correct. People have completely lost the plot when it comes to phones nowadays. I NEED a bigger screen and MORE RAM just so I can show off when fishing for likes online.

I agree with the screen size comment too. The 5's extra half inch does nothing for me.

Well I don't think they are a fad, but I'm not a market researcher so... I personally am in the camp of Apple making a 3.5" iPhone as well as a 5" model. Keep everyone happy then.

 

[smithrh]

People (consumers) shouldnt give a damm about a company profit margins.....

Well, that was a very revealing non-sequitur - I never mentioned profit margins...

In any case, there are many people on this board who do pick companies to champion, Apple and others. I was merely pointing out that there can be big decisions made that will kill a company, and fairly quickly at that. In this case, a very comparable decision was made to what some are proposing here, and it ended horribly. Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it, etc etc.

Revenue, income, profit margin... all that stuff is fairly important.

Yes, yes it is.

I'm holding off until the new model iphone is announced, and if the screen isn't 5", I'm moving too.

Whenever I mention I want a bigger screen iphone, I'm attacked by zealots merely for wanting one - as if I'm somehow wrong for wanting it. But we (customers) want what we want, and I'm gone if I can't get a bigger phone.

Two things:

a) Apple is doing quite well, even without catering to everyone's whims. I suspect this will continue for some time yet. As long as that continues, I believe there won't be any major fragmentation of the product line.

b) There's enough attacking going in all directions now - but in this case, I suspect the folks who understand Apple's strategy are trying to let you know that you shouldn't be expecting to be catered to. They may do that in a clumsy fashion, or you may be mis-interpreting it.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Do you really find the screens on Samsung phones that much better? The ones I've seen in person have been horribly color-balanced.

i find them more, Vibrant, for want of a better word, richer colour depth, colours PoP on the samsungs, the iPhone looks "grey" side by side with them, i suspect its a personal preference thing, im sure the iPhone reproduces colours accurately, i just prefer the brighter, vibrant, and possibly completely incorrect colour balance on those Super AMOLED screens to the iPhone 5 retina display.

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The screens on iPhones are far more accurate and of a much higher quality than Samsung displays



Battery life preforms much better on the iPhone than on the S3.

Personal experience with both phones says not, my iPhone 5 needs charging desperately (less than 20% life) by 11am (unplugged at 630am after a night on charge) My Samsung would happily manage 630am unplug through to 10pm and around then give the 20% warning.

Screen wise, the S2, S3 and Note II screens , to me, look far richer and more vibrant, colours pop, side by side the iPhone 5 screen looks flat and washed out..

Now maybe, just maybe, this is just me not being a photographer or someone who is anal about colour saturation and reproduction etc, but the screen that looks more vibrant and colourful to me, is the one ill say looks better...remember im not disputing that the iPhone isnt reproducing an accurate image, im just saying the image it does produces is not as good from a perceptional standpoint to me.

 

[satcomer]

I always question Android numbers. I have been shopping around some cell phone stores trying to find a better carrier and at EVERY cell shop (three different carriers) the sales people were practically begging people to buy an Android phone by telling them they will get 2 or 3 more free! So I always wonder how many of these Android phone sales/shipments put in those free phones as sales.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Screen quality. Ugh, see here we have another person who doesn't know a damn thing about actual screen quality. The iPhone 5 has THE MOST color accurate display on the market. What you THINK is "quality" in Samsung AMOLEDs is actually incredibly inaccurate, oversaturated colors that make it pop more. But that doesn't make it a QUALITY screen, it makes the colors far more inaccurate and just appear better to the uneducated eyes.

Price for what you get is appalling? Hmm, ok, you think spec sheets and numbers is a true measure for quality.....I bet you think a Toyota Supra with a massive turbo and 900 whp is a superior quality car than an Aston Martin because, well the spec sheets don't lie

Yup ill admit my eyes are utterly uneducated, but they like what they see, and the samsung screens LOOK better to me, i dont need perfect colour reproduction, i want something that looks good to me.. and its all about POP..

Give me a Ford Mustang, Shelby, GT500 anyday, best car in the modern world , again, IMO

 

[StoneJack]

I always question Android numbers. I have been shopping around some cell phone stores trying too find a better carrier and at EVERY cell shop (three different carriers) the sales people were practically begging people to buy an Android phone by telling them they will get 2 or 3 more free! So I always wonder how many of these Android phone sales/shipments put in those free phones as sales.

Android is just like a new linux.
And linux never did well commercially.
Google trying to monetize it but its just a matter of time before this presumably open platform disintegrates into a number of fiefdoms (or already started to disintegrate). People call it fragmentation. By fragmentation, however, one can mean various version numbers of same software. By disintegration I mean different platforms, originating from android, which at some stage will become incompatible.

android fragmentation

Google is trying not only to monetize it (unsuccessfully - people actually pay to MS for using Android, a comedy!), but to standardize it under its own guidelines, but the question is that no one has to follow google and its guidelines, similarly like fedora developers don't have to follow ubuntu ones.

and the result will be that the mess of android distros, roms and incompatible apps will lead to its collapse, same as it led linux collapse on desktop.

the only reason android is doing fine now that a particular version of android, supported by Samsung, is being tied to samsung products.

Samsung already replicated all google services and if it wishes, by a simple move can actually delete all google services in future android devices. And it will, as soon as it prepares its software infrastructure (email, search, music).

 

[Oletros]

I always question Android numbers. I have been shopping around some cell phone stores trying to find a better carrier and at EVERY cell shop (three different carriers) the sales people were practically begging people to buy an Android phone by telling them they will get 2 or 3 more free! So I always wonder how many of these Android phone sales/shipments put in those free phones as sales.

Can you show where I can buy one smartphone and taking home TWO or THREE more phones?

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Android is just like a new linux.
And linux never did well commercially.

Mmm, no

Google trying to monetize it but its just a matter of time before this presumably open platform disintegrates into a number of fiefdoms (or already started to disintegrate).

Any proof?

and the result will be that the mess of android distros, roms and incompatible apps will lead to its collapse, same as it led linux collapse on desktop.

Linux never had any collapse on desktop, they never had any traction. It seems that you know the same about Linux that you know about Android, not much.

the only reason android is doing fine now that a particular version of android, supported by Samsung, is being tied to samsung products.

What is being tied to Samsung products?

Samsung already replicated all google services and if it wishes, by a simple move can actually delete all google services in future android devices. And it will, as soon as it prepares its software infrastructure (email, search, music).

No, Samsung has not replicated all of Google services, and if you think that people would change from GMail or Google Maps to S-Mail or S-Maps you're very naive.

 

[StoneJack]

Mmm, no

mmm, yes

Any proof?

amazon, samsung, chinese android.

Linux never had any collapse on desktop, they never had any traction. It seems that you know the same about Linux that you know about Android, not much.

it seems that you don't understand how market works, either android or linux. They both don't work

What is being tied to Samsung products?

the whole existence of android. without samsung its just a niche software for use of which you have to pay royalties to Microsoft.

No, Samsung has not replicated all of Google services, and if you think that people would change from GMail or Google Maps to S-Mail or S-Maps you're very naive.

you are very naive if you think people will not change to S services if nothing of G is available - that about such scenario (learn to read, btw).

 

[pirg]

Can you show where I can buy one smartphone and taking home TWO or THREE more phones?

How about FIVE more phones?

http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...campaign-lowers-prices-of-all-android-phones/

Promotions like this happen all the time with android. Another recent one was Verizon offering bogo on the droid razr maxx.

While it's not a constant thing, it definitely does happen.