When is Apple/IOS going to catch up to Android sales?

[jamezr]

Like the topic says: When is Apple/IOS sales going to catch up to Android sales?
The iphone is really falling far behind the Android phones sales.
Will Apple ever catch up to Samsung's sales? Will Apple ever catch up to Android's global sales domination?

http://www.idc.com/prodserv/smartphone-os-market-share.jsp

http://www.idc.com/prodserv/smartphone-market-share.jsp

 

[MRU]

Surely though, this is inevitable and logic would dictate that a sole manufacturer producing iOS compared to the many dozens producing android devices - its marketshare will always comparatively fall against android.

What is important for Apple and it's shareholders is how many devices it actually sells and whether it can improve on itself year in / year out.

As long as it is selling more and more IOS devices than it did before then it is doing ok.

 

[I7guy]

This thread can be dispensed with quickly with the correct answer.

The correct answer is Apples ios sales will never catch up with Android, because Android adopts the Windows model.

Perhaps some smarter questions to ask is: "When will Flagship Android Sales Catch Up With IOS", or "Why don't the sales of Android phones turn into the same profit that Apple has".

 

[burgman]

This thread can be dispensed with quickly with the correct answer.

The correct answer is Apples ios sales will never catch up with Android, because Android adopts the Windows model.

Perhaps some smarter questions to ask is: "When will Flagship Android Sales Catch Up With IOS", or "Why don't the sales of Android phones turn into the same profit that Apple has".

Agree, threads like this just show how some don't understand how to read charts. Model to model comparisons are what is important. Apple seems to care less about the low end so yeah they lose that share.

 

[0000757]

The iPhone currently is the #1 selling global smartphone, after a short 3 year period where it was #2 and #3, and in the US alone (arguably the iPhone's biggest market), it has always been the #1 selling smartphone since it's conception.

What you're looking it is not "how many iPhones are sold" but actually "how many iOS enabled smartphones are active compared to how many Android devices are active".

As far as I can remember, the only two phones to have actually ever outsold an iPhone were the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S4. Otherwise the iPhone has sold more than any Android phone individually (though combined Android sales are way higher).

 

[jamezr]

The iPhone currently is the #1 selling global smartphone, after a short 3 year period where it was #2 and #3, and in the US alone (arguably the iPhone's biggest market), it has always been the #1 selling smartphone since it's conception.

What you're looking it is not "how many iPhones are sold" but actually "how many iOS enabled smartphones are active compared to how many Android devices are active".

As far as I can remember, the only two phones to have actually ever outsold an iPhone were the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S4. Otherwise the iPhone has sold more than any Android phone individually (though combined Android sales are way higher).

I think there is no disputing that the iPhone is the single best selling phone model in the world. I think it would be extremely tough to topple it from the top spot.

 

[kungxpao]

I doubt Apple cares. They're the most profitable company in the world.

 

[apolloa]

It will never be able to match let alone beat the market share Android has, also it won't ever be able to match the innovation of Android because Apple is one company, Android has so many different OEM's and Google themselves all coming up with alternative innovations, and most importantly, choice. And you can clearly see choice being more successful by the way Apple has copied some of that innovation due to market pressure like phablets.

 

[dejo]

Like the topic says: When is Apple/IOS sales going to catch up to Android sales?

My response would be: Why does it need to?

 

[Truefan31]

My response would be: Why does it need to?

It doesn't.

When will the flagship Samsung Galaxy phone catch up to the iPhone?

----------

It will never be able to match let alone beat the market share Android has, also it won't ever be able to match the innovation of Android because Apple is one company, Android has so many different OEM's and Google themselves all coming up with alternative innovations, and most importantly, choice. And you can clearly see choice being more successful by the way Apple has copied some of that innovation due to market pressure like phablets.

It's that openness that imo hurts the android oems. It's great for Google but the individual android oems basically compete internally with each other, along with Apple. It's why Samsung is trying with tizen.

 

[placidity44]

It will never match Android devices in sheer sales volume. Since google licenses Android to all different manufacturers at dirt cheap prices for some they will have the majority market share. Apple doesn't give a hoot about market share as long as they're making what they believe to be the best phone/tablet on the market and raking in cash from it. Apple made 89% of the total profits in the smartphone industry in Q4 2014. That is incredible. That means out of every manufacturer in the industry Apple is taking 89% of the total profit. With marketshare where it is Apple still has a ton of people across the world that they can have as potential customers. The chinese market is huge! They are right where they want to be with a ton of potential to attract even more customers and continue to grow market cap wise significantly. Market share means nothing if you as an industry are making 11 percent of the profits. It's like a dogfight at the bottom and Apple isn't letting up at all. They just continue to love doing what they do and make the best products they can and let everything else take care of itself. It's working out Extremely well for them. They're worth 763 Billion dollars with almost 200 Billion sitting in overseas banks with lower taxation rates. That means they have more cash sitting in overseas banks than the United States entire federal government. Money is power.

 

[burgman]

It will never be able to match let alone beat the market share Android has, also it won't ever be able to match the innovation of Android because Apple is one company, Android has so many different OEM's and Google themselves all coming up with alternative innovations, and most importantly, choice. And you can clearly see choice being more successful by the way Apple has copied some of that innovation due to market pressure like phablets.

Well having the latest software on 4000 different models will never happen so much for innovation across the platform.

 

[Abazigal]

I guess the better question ought to be - when will Android get to reap the benefits of its larger market share?

Apple rakes in all the profits. Developers still release apps for iOS first or exclusively. Apple products are still spoilt for choice when it comes to accessories and peripherals.

If there is a benefit to OEMs to be had from android's 80% market share, I am not seeing it.

 

[apolloa]

Well having the latest software on 4000 different models will never happen so much for innovation across the platform.

Don't think their are 4000 different models? But I was thinking of hardware just as much as software like the skins OEM's make which add features and functionality. Like battery enhancing, better cameras, different designs and screen sizes. And you can always put a custom ROM on a device.

It's that openness that imo hurts the android oems. It's great for Google but the individual android oems basically compete internally with each other, along with Apple. It's why Samsung is trying with tizen.

Hurting who exactly? It's a great platform that iOS users I don't think understand, because it gives you choice. Apple makes the choice for you. It's up to the OEM's to update their devices and if they want to, make skins. they don't have to.
Sony are doing well with updating models to lollipop at present, no reason other OEM's can't follow suit.

 

[Truefan31]

When is Apple/IOS going to catch up to Android sales?

Don't think their are 4000 different models? But I was thinking of hardware just as much as software like the skins OEM's make which add features and functionality. Like battery enhancing, better cameras, different designs and screen sizes. And you can always put a custom ROM on a device.







Hurting who exactly? It's a great platform that iOS users I don't think understand, because it gives you choice. Apple makes the choice for you. It's up to the OEM's to update their devices and if they want to, make skins. they don't have to.

Sony are doing well with updating models to lollipop at present, no reason other OEM's can't follow suit.

Again, hurting the individual android oems. They compete within each other. Samsung has to contend with not only Apple but other android oems. Lg, Sony, htc, one plus, xiaomi etc they all use the same os. It hurts their business. If they all use android as a base, imo only Google is really reaping the full benefit. They all use googles App Store. They can put skins on it and change it a little but in the end it's Google who's getting the real benefit. It's why Samsung wants their own os. More control, better interaction between hardware/software, unique experience including unique apps. And yes, more profit.

 

[apolloa]

Again, hurting the individual android oems. They compete within each other. It hurts their business. If they all use android as a base, imo only Google is really reaping the full benefit. They all use googles App Store. They can put skins on it and change it a little but in the end it's Google who's getting the real benefit. It's why Samsung wants their own os. More control, better interaction between hardware/software, unique experience including unique apps. And yes, more profit.

Google gives them Android for free, and the store firstly benefit all the devs, that is a incredibly weak argument to make there! Google take 30% of transactions which is the same as what Apple take. OEM's make money on the hardware and that is a the same business model Apple uses, although they also rake money from the store.

You really are IMO making very weak arguments for Tizen, All Samsung want to do is attempt to copy Apple, which I think they will fail at, in fact the reason their are lots of OEM's is partly the reason for that, people will see a Samsung device running Tizen with hardly any apps available, just like Windows phone, and get an iOS or Android instead.

 

[adnbek]

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/21351885/

Just gonna put this here so I don't have to say it again in different words.

 

[burgman]

Don't think their are 4000 different models? But I was thinking of hardware just as much as software like the skins OEM's make which add features and functionality. Like battery enhancing, better cameras, different designs and screen sizes. And you can always put a custom ROM on a device.



Hurting who exactly? It's a great platform that iOS users I don't think understand, because it gives you choice. Apple makes the choice for you. It's up to the OEM's to update their devices and if they want to, make skins. they don't have to.
Sony are doing well with updating models to lollipop at present, no reason other OEM's can't follow suit.

Actually every year Open Signal has a report on the number of different models that use it's app. The 4000 model number is from 2012. Last report was 18,000. or so different model numbers.
http://opensignal.com/reports/2014/android-fragmentation/

 

[adnbek]

The iPhone currently is the #1 selling global smartphone, after a short 3 year period where it was #2 and #3, and in the US alone (arguably the iPhone's biggest market), it has always been the #1 selling smartphone since it's conception.

What you're looking it is not "how many iPhones are sold" but actually "how many iOS enabled smartphones are active compared to how many Android devices are active".

As far as I can remember, the only two phones to have actually ever outsold an iPhone were the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S4. Otherwise the iPhone has sold more than any Android phone individually (though combined Android sales are way higher).

Just to correct you on something. There has never been a Galaxy S model that has ever outsold an iPhone of the same generation, ever. It's a common misconception however that the S3 had based on how Samsung fudges their number or obfuscation by the media in general looking to create clickbait-worthy news stories (all Samsung handsets vs. galaxy s units sold, quarterly vs. cumulative, sales of just launched device vs. sales of old device about to be refreshed).

But it's never happened. Not even close.

 

[adnbek]

As an addendum to all that I've said so far... The way I see it is that the smartphone industry is no different to the computer industry, with one platform (iOS, OSX) sold by one manufacturer going up against another platform (Android, Windows) that runs on thousands on devices made by a multitude of different manufacturers.

And the end result is the same in both. 10-20% share in each of these industries, which is impressive considering that it is up against not just one competitor (platform) but by dozens of them (OEMs), each churning out a crapload of devices yearly and at every price point.

Not to mention that, in both industries, the majority of the OEMs of the competing platform are struggling to even make a profit, because they have to compete more often with each other more than with Apple, while Apple can just sit on the sidelines and not worry about having to fight over razor thin margins.

 

[jamezr]

My response would be: Why does it need to?

Why not? Isn't more sales a good thing?

 

[0000757]

Just to correct you on something. There has never been a Galaxy S model that has ever outsold an iPhone of the same generation, ever. It's a common misconception however that the S3 had based on how Samsung fudges their number or obfuscation by the media in general looking to create clickbait-worthy news stories (all Samsung handsets vs. galaxy s units sold, quarterly vs. cumulative, sales of just launched device vs. sales of old device about to be refreshed).

But it's never happened. Not even close.

I was speaking on terms of "an iPhone". The S4 sold more than the 4S, I mean, but that's it that I can think of.

 

[Truefan31]

When is Apple/IOS going to catch up to Android sales?

Google gives them Android for free, and the store firstly benefit all the devs, that is a incredibly weak argument to make there! Google take 30% of transactions which is the same as what Apple take. OEM's make money on the hardware and that is a the same business model Apple uses, although they also rake money from the store.



You really are IMO making very weak arguments for Tizen, All Samsung want to do is attempt to copy Apple, which I think they will fail at, in fact the reason their are lots of OEM's is partly the reason for that, people will see a Samsung device running Tizen with hardly any apps available, just like Windows phone, and get an iOS or Android instead.

Huh? All u did was reinforce what I said. Google reaps the overall benefits. I understand hardware profits. If u buy an app, song, game, movie, ringtone, etc from the play store what percentage does the oem like Samsung/htc/lg get? If it's anything it's not as much as Apple. and again because you can get that app on multiple android models from different oems, it becomes a competition within android oems. Apple offers a truly unique experience.

I'm not making arguments for tizen I'm saying Samsung wants the model Apple has. Unique os with its own App Store they can benefit from.

 

[tbayrgs]

Why not? Isn't more sales a good thing?

Not necessarily, as is already proven by the current state of the mobile industry. Abazigal was spot on with this post.

I guess the better question ought to be - when will Android get to reap the benefits of its larger market share?

Apple rakes in all the profits. Developers still release apps for iOS first or exclusively. Apple products are still spoilt for choice when it comes to accessories and peripherals.

If there is a benefit to OEMs to be had from android's 80% market share, I am not seeing it.

Forgive me if I'm mistaken--it's late, I'm about to turn in and don't feel like researching the numbers--but IIRC, doesn't Apple make more profit from the iPhone than the result of the mobile industry combined (or close to it)? If that truly is the case, there's all the proof you need that increased sales aren't always a good thing.

Apple would likely have to aggressively price the iPhone to see a significant bump in sales vs. Android, something that could see greater market share but kill their margins. I think ultimately, just about any company would take higher profits first and foremost.

 

[burgman]

Why not? Isn't more sales a good thing?

No profits are, look at the profit margin on most of the cheap phones sold, hint there isn't any.