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Apple's U.S. Smartphone Usage Share Approaches 40%
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Wow that commercial was almost as bad as the Indian Gagnam Style thing. Almost.
The irony of course is that if Apple was only in the phone business they'd be considered lucky to be around in 5 years. Same old iOS basically since 2007. Same lack of innovation since 2007. Sure they wowed with thinner computers and the iPad but it was mostly form over function. I used to really like Apple but they'll be out of the phone market in a few years and unless they actually do something in next few years it'll be back to obscurity for them. Sure they could continue to exist as a vanity brand that people pay extra for a logo but it's sad to see how Apple has completely dropped the ball more and more. Let's not forget Apple's walled garden and how much that screws people over.
Of course the ultimate irony is blackberry had to go full touchscreen with their initial relaunch to appease the masses but stuck to a classic qwerty in the end. Android devices as glitchy as they are schooled Apple on HD and big screens. Once the general public tires of 6 year old designs and all touch screen interfaces what companies will be there with actual keyboards on their phones? Not Apple.
Tablets will eventually fade into a niche fashion item as well. Bloomsberg has that right. You'll have two markets. Power users that demand actual computers and general consumers that demand ultra portable small devices. And with the advancement of roll-up screens and heads up displays, tablets won't win in the general marketplace.
I went from Apple supporter to Apple hater not willingly but because of how limited Apple's technology has become. How many things I couldn't do on a Mac or how basic and limited iOS was becoming. Or how Apple meant well trying to "seamlessly" sync between devices which was a joke unless a.) you owned all Apple devices or b.) you only did it to their closed specifications and limited software design. Then you watch other device makers eons ahead of the iPhone AND look at how you can actually control your data and files on PC vs Mac and wonder why you ever went to Apple.
Overall I think Apple had a good comeback run. But unless you like outdated tech, Apple's time is limited in the phone market. They may have created a whole new trend and that's awesome but they just keep beating a dead horse with the same tired design. The only device that continues to wow me is the iPod Classic. Not only is it a great design, the interface is bar none AND it's the most affordable large capacity music player ever created. No other portable music/video device matches the sheer storage capacity combined with a simple interface and control. And it's nearly 4 years old.
Also you mentioned the new BB devices. Apple is currently considered the "trendy, cool, expensive" device. Yet BB is launching new devices at a higher cost to consumers than Apple. Premium cost tends to drive customers to buy. Once the general public perceives iPhones as "yesterday's trend" or "cheap" it's on to the next thing. And since practically all Android phones are bargain basement cheap that leaves BB with a "premium" status for a while. Go figure, because Apple was initially the sought after premium brand.
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the problem is, just yesterday I read this here:
http://news.yahoo.com/apple-bleeding-market-share-133002948.html
So who am I supposed to believe? I'm guessing Apple fanbois will believe anything that tells them the marketshare is up. Android fanbois will believe anything telling them the iOS marketshare is down.
Macrumors doesn't report in a balanced way, of course - they chose to ignore yesterday's article and only pushed the positive one.
In the end, it doesn't matter what exactly we believe - what matters is what the analysts and the stock brokers believe. And that's apparently that Apple is indeed bleeding marketshare.
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Let's use some common sense here: If a company starts selling, they make a million device, ship them, and hope to sell them. So that first number "one million shipped" means nothing except how optimistic the company is.
The second million is only built and shipped when the first million is sold. In the case of the Blackberry Playbook, that didn't happen
So one million shipped means nothing. 13 million shipped means 12 million sold. And every more million shipped is a million sold.
I thought so too. Windows phone is nice. My next will probably be a Windows phone.
Mhm
After using android and blackberry I still truly believe that Apple has created the best OS for a phone.
After using android and blackberry I still truly believe that Apple has created the best OS for a phone.
Apple(or any company) is usually better when their market share is small. They will be seen as "the rebel" and tend to offer better products/prices than the "big brother".
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keep ur fingers crossed for iOS7!
Global sales, which is why you see analysts speculating (more like pleading) for a cheaper iphone. Other countries don't get their phones subsidized like we do in the US. People outright buy their phones in other countries, so without the ability to sell a cheaper phone the android handsets come in and gobble up that entire market segment. Global economy means that you need to compete globally if you want to keep that ridiculously high stock price. Apple does not have to, as they have for the last decade primarily catered to the "high-end" crowd. Although, as of recent the premium Android phones are starting to eat into that number (HTC One and Galaxy S4). If they want to saturate more markets they need a cheaper phone (not a dirt cheap, just a more moderately priced version), which would increase the revenues on the App-Store and iTunes store (should make up for the lower margin on the phone itself). I do agree that they have the last generation phones for less and people could just purchase those, but realistically people do not like buying the "old" version of products when they are shelling out a good deal of money.
Who knows though, we may get a peek into their thinking and pathway at their next show.
The Numbers Don't Add Up?
The numbers in the 2nd table show:
1. Google: -1.4 %
2. Apple: +2.7%
3. BB: -1.2%
4. MSFT: +0.1%
5. Nokia: -0.1%
Add this all up and you get: +2.8% and -2.7% which equals +0.1%. For market share gain and loss it should all add up to zero. This means the anal-yst are doing something wrong in their reporting. Are Apple's market share being manipulated for stock price?
The numbers in the 2nd table show:
1. Google: -1.4 %
2. Apple: +2.7%
3. BB: -1.2%
4. MSFT: +0.1%
5. Nokia: -0.1%
Add this all up and you get: +2.8% and -2.7% which equals +0.1%. For market share gain and loss it should all add up to zero. This means the anal-yst are doing something wrong in their reporting. Are Apple's market share being manipulated for stock price?
Finally, empirical evidence rather than anecdotes that Apple is gaining not losing market share.
As the smartphone market saturates, people who have no need or desire for a smartphone are going to end up with Android phones foisted on them by carrier salesmen, and they're going to use them as feature phones. No matter what market share is, the iPhone is going to continue to excel in usage metrics because iPhone people are more apt to use their phones as smartphones rather than touch screen feature phones.
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I think he meant hilarious in its desperation???
Except that other "empirical evidence" that was published a day ago says the exact opposite. Go figure.
You made two mistakes. First, there are rounding errors. If you took five numbers that add up to 100, and round each to one decimal, the sum isn't guaranteed to be hundred. Simplest case: Three competitors with exactly 1/3rd share: 33.3% + 33.3% + 33.3% = 99.9%.
Second, there are more than five operating systems. "Others" which wasn't mentioned was about 0.5% and might be shrinking.
Google will always have the best search tech; algorithms and super computers. And so they'll always play a central role, and potentially compete, with any company that makes internet devices. Apple needs to make their ecosystem a big priority. As soon as consumers are locked into one, they most likely won't change out of it, ever.
Wishlist:
1. Have the best email server, with a solid name like @mail.com or @imail.com
2. Have better cloud storage. Not just photos, music, and contacts, but also plain file storage, with a ridiculously simple UI.
3. A simple web-based itunes/radio site to accompany itunes.
4. Better car integration.
5. Have multiple phones: large and small, keep them expensive. Sell an inexpensive phone that affluent people won't buy, but others will, as a means to capture future premium buyers.
6. A TV and/or box with a full IOS, magical control device, and great content.
Wishlist:
1. Have the best email server, with a solid name like @mail.com or @imail.com
2. Have better cloud storage. Not just photos, music, and contacts, but also plain file storage, with a ridiculously simple UI.
3. A simple web-based itunes/radio site to accompany itunes.
4. Better car integration.
5. Have multiple phones: large and small, keep them expensive. Sell an inexpensive phone that affluent people won't buy, but others will, as a means to capture future premium buyers.
6. A TV and/or box with a full IOS, magical control device, and great content.
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What are you gibbering about? Its a mobile OS, it does the job, what needs to change? Same with OS X - top menu bar and dock. Guts stay the same. And why would touch become boring? Way better than some fat chunky qwerty keyboard. The whole point of Apple is it just works, if you buy into Apple's ecosystem, then the limitations diminish. Look at Win 8's UI changes - bad idea. Compared to the clunky mess that is Android and its OS updates, iOS is leaps and bounds ahead.
The only irritating thing is lack of native .mkv support, its a free container Apple, add it in already.
You're ignoring the fact that the first column adds up to 99.6% and the second to 99.7%. In other words the residual 'other' decreases from 0.4% to 0.3%, making up your 0.1% difference.
And good one with 'anal-yst' - you're so edgy.
We don't really care for marketshare. But since android fanboys do. we just like to remind them once a while that apple is winning in market and profit share then we will watch them cry.