iOS and Android Combine for 96.3% Smartphone Market Share in Fourth Quarter

[btbeme]

I guess if you wrap money around your Android phone to sell it then you will get market share at the cost of declining or zero profit.

And now I see all kinds of deals in the making to fill Android phones with the same type of crapware that is choking every Windows PC.

You can take the flip phone out of the trailer park, but...

 

[AppleScruff1]

I guess if you wrap money around your Android phone to sell it then you will get market share at the cost of declining or zero profit.

And now I see all kinds of deals in the making to fill Android phones with the same type of crapware that is choking every Windows PC.

You can take the flip phone out of the trailer park, but...

And Apple bundles it's own crapware.

 

[logicstudiouser]

Wow, Blackberry down to just 0.4%. :O

 

[Gasu E.]

But its market share had a large percent increase!!

Did not. Market share shrunk.

 

[btbeme]

And Apple bundles it's own crapware.

Apple's "Crapware" doesn't interrupt my web browsing, or auto-install more crapware when I click the "No" button, or beg for money, or insist that a virus will empty my bank account.

Apple's "crapware" plays music, shows me stock prices and the photos I took, and tells me what the weather is like.

Big difference.

 

[stewy]

What was the income of the Android Corp in the 4th quarter of 2014? How much profit did they make? How about the handset makers who used their OS? Understand, if they open source it, that's fine. Oh, but you don't get the whole package unless...

What percentage of Android Corp phones are actually smartphones, running the latest version?

Relax... did these numbers hurt your feelings?

 

[AppleScruff1]

Apple's "Crapware" doesn't interrupt my web browsing, or auto-install more crapware when I click the "No" button, or beg for money, or insist that a virus will empty my bank account.

Apple's "crapware" plays music, shows me stock prices and the photos I took, and tells me what the weather is like.

Big difference.

Neither does Androids.

 

[SirCheese]

Apple's "Crapware" doesn't interrupt my web browsing, or auto-install more crapware when I click the "No" button, or beg for money, or insist that a virus will empty my bank account.

And neither does Android, but if you had ever actually used it instead of listening to all the FUD on the internet, you would know this. But hey, let's not let actual facts get in the way of Android bashing.

 

[Variant]

iOS is the only choice for people with the Apple ecosystem

No its not. Far from it.

Competition is good. Seems like a lot of poster here will never realize that. I'd like to see a serious third player. MS will do. Seems there is quite a bit to differentiate the 3 most popular system. BB seems to want to provide a mix of all three systems, Tizen, Firefox OS, and the like seem like Android copy-cats, and other systems aren't even worth mentioning.

 

[crsh1976]

Apple's "Crapware" doesn't interrupt my web browsing, or auto-install more crapware when I click the "No" button, or beg for money, or insist that a virus will empty my bank account.

Apple's "crapware" plays music, shows me stock prices and the photos I took, and tells me what the weather is like.

Big difference.

Never had or used an Android phone that does all these crappy things, and I've been on Android since 2010.

Let me guess, you've never actually used an Android phone, right?

 

[Darrensmac08]

Well globally it's a different story. I guess you're from the US?

Apples has 97% of the profit too. Lol

 

[AppleScruff1]

Apples has 97% of the profit too. Lol

And that's what consumers care about, a company that makes a huge profit at their expense. I hope gas goes up to $5 a gallon too!

 

[Candlelight]

That's rich. 19% of the share and yet to make Apple look better they combine Android's figures.

That's like saying between California and Rhode Island there's almost 40 million people.

 

[JonneyGee]

That's rich. 19% of the share and yet to make Apple look better they combine Android's figures.

That's like saying between California and Rhode Island there's almost 40 million people.

Exactly. When broken down by vendor, Apple and Samsung are typically far above the rest. They do the same thing when comparing computer OSes as well. Apple might outsell HP, Dell, etc. individually, but it's a stacked deck to try to outsell all of them together.

I don't think Apple is too worried about getting a majority of the phone market though. What they're doing is working very well for them, and they know Google won't be able to continue sinking development into Android while losing money on it at their current pace.

----------

And that's what consumers care about, a company that makes a huge profit at their expense. I hope gas goes up to $5 a gallon too!

Profitability is sustainability. Google is losing money on Android, and especially if Samsung begins putting Tizen on the Galaxy line as has been repeatedly rumored, Android is in big trouble.

 

[winston1236]

Apple was in that position regarding their only product (the Mac) back in the mid-nineties.

Times will always change.

This. No company stays on top forever.

----------

Profitability is sustainability. Google is losing money on Android, and especially if Samsung begins putting Tizen on the Galaxy line as has been repeatedly rumored, Android is in big trouble.

Google makes money on Android. Through that one program they have become one of the most recognized brand names in the world.

 

[Alenore]

I guess Blackberry still feels like there's a chance against Apple and Android (and even Windows). I'd just give in already and spend your time and resources elsewhere...

They've given up on consumer market quite a while ago. they're now a service / entreprise company

 

[LordVic]

Profitability is sustainability. Google is losing money on Android, and especially if Samsung begins putting Tizen on the Galaxy line as has been repeatedly rumored, Android is in big trouble.

True

But record profit everyquarter, large cash hoards, low percentage of those profits and revenues returned back to the company,

That has nothing to do with sustainability, that has to do with top level greed.

Apple would be just as succesfull right now if they made 10% profit margins or their 45% profit margins.

As long as your profits cover growth and maintenance, anything above and beyond is excess.

Saying this: You don't have to be #1, or #2, Or even #10 in an industry. if you are profitable, and can sustain operations on that profit, then all the power to you. If Blackberry is profitable, they have every right to exist in the market. Same with Windows. As a consumer, that is ALL you should care about. not how much record profit apple is pulling in each year as some sort of badge to prove their better

 

[SirCheese]

Let me guess, you've never actually used an Android phone, right?

Like most of the Apple users who repeat the same FUD over and over and over. Yet, they seem to be experts on Android somehow.

 

[X-Ravin]

19.7% of the market yet 93% of the profits. BAM!

And that is the worst stat of all! What motivation does Apple have to innovate and bug-fix when they can literally sit back and let the money pour in. Quality is dropping, and you have your head in the sand if you don't see it. Sure, it's still better than competitors, but for how long?

 

[AppleScruff1]

Profitability is sustainability. Google is losing money on Android, and especially if Samsung begins putting Tizen on the Galaxy line as has been repeatedly rumored, Android is in big trouble.

Hopefully your landlord raises your rent or your bank increases your mortgage interest rate so it can maintain sustainability. Ditto for your insurance company, power company, cable company, cell provider. And also your healthcare,and supermarket too. If we're going to brag about and support big profits, let's make it universal.

 

[KALLT]

Too bad about Windows Phone, it's a very good OS.

I think it’s still unimpressive. The lack of third-party apps wouldn’t be so glaring if at least the default apps were decent, but some of them are barebones. I was particularly shocked by the contacts and calendars apps, but the entire system seems at times so basic that even iOS has more customisation (a phone most often panned for its limited customisation options), despite the fact that Microsoft has a history with business software. Add to that the often confusing and inefficient design (clumsy headlines and big fonts everywhere that waste so much space) and you will have your justification for the small market share. The standard in smartphone software is just higher at this point and the disparity will only worsen if BlackBerry and Microsoft don’t increase the pace.

 

[Glideslope]

Can someone tell me why Windows imagines itself having a chance? lol

I actually like WIN8 Phone. There is currently too much established competition, and focus on other areas by Microsoft. It's too bad really.

 

[bobr1952]

No its not. Far from it.

Competition is good. Seems like a lot of poster here will never realize that. I'd like to see a serious third player. MS will do. Seems there is quite a bit to differentiate the 3 most popular system. BB seems to want to provide a mix of all three systems, Tizen, Firefox OS, and the like seem like Android copy-cats, and other systems aren't even worth mentioning.

Well if you want to be in the Apple ecosystem, it makes sense to have an iPhone. How else can you seamlessly integrate your MAC OS-X computers and your iPad, iPhone, Apple TV etc--that is the ecosystem and if you want that kind of integration, you need an iPhone. Not everyone wants to be part of the Apple ecosystem, but if you do, it makes sense to own an iPhone too.

 

[Mousse]

19.7% of the market yet 93% of the profits. BAM!

If you are an Apple stock holder then I would understand why this would make you happy. That's a great return on your investment.

But...if you're only an iPhone owner, then this should be bad news for you. Until Apple started shifting from computers to consumer products, I had never know anyone who was happy about being fleeced. Those who are rich, well, it doesn't matter does it? $600-$800 is less than what some spend for a meal at a swanky restaurant. It's nothing to them.

As someone who works for a living, the iPhone is not a good value. It's on the wrong side of the diminishing returns column. For some the little bit of improvement is worth the extra money. More power to them.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I think it’s still unimpressive. The lack of third-party apps wouldn’t be so glaring if at least the default apps were decent, but some of them are barebones. I was particularly shocked by the contacts and calendars apps, but the entire system seems at times so basic that even iOS has more customisation (a phone most often panned for its limited customisation options), despite the fact that Microsoft has a history with business software. Add to that the often confusing and inefficient design (clumsy headlines and big fonts everywhere that waste so much space) and you will have your justification for the small market share. The standard in smartphone software is just higher at this point and the disparity will only worsen if BlackBerry and Microsoft don’t increase the pace.

In all fairness, Android and iOS are confusing if you're not familiar with them. They all have a learning curve. People won't even try it because it's not Android or iOS and lacks the support those two platforms have.