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

[MH01]

My old business school marketing professor always was preaching about "market share without profits is meaningless".

Only people I see with Androids are the misers who won't spend a buck on anything. Doesn't make sense to make commercial software for the Android platform.

Worldwide, this is certainly the case as people in China and India are not used to paying for software.

Markerting professor....... Well that says it all

Not sure where you live, but in the real world, there are plenty of misers who own iOS devices. You can pick up an iOS device for very little depending how many generations you go back, and most misers in the "the real world" buy their phones on contract.... Think about it!

I think you need to write to Tim Cook and tell him , the huge mistake apple is making trying to break into China !

 

[MH01]

Or you are a glutton for punishment. It seems like iOS 8 bugs will never go away. My iPhone 6 is as flakey as a box of frosted flakes.

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Too bad Apple doesn't have cheap smartphones...they would be crappy, too. You get what you pay for. There are plenty of high quality, expensive Android phones on the market, but your $49 bargain basement android phone will be junk.

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And most are crap. I'm not just saying it having no experience. Quality apps are a true FIND. Many of the popular social media apps are provided by 3rd parties instead of the actual entity.

At this stage of the game, I don't see Windows Phone succeeding. Lousy hardware (only budget phones being released, with no new high-tech phones), and an OS that has a real problem utilizing high-resolution, big screens, and a lousy selection of apps.

One mans trash is another mans treasure. Apple prices themsleves out of reach of certain people, for those, a $49 device is not junk, if that is all they can afford. Heck people who are about specs, consider the iPhone junk.

I have a Nokia 930, iPhone 6 plus and note 4, nothing lousy about the hardware in the nokia, it's the most snappy OS of the three. The OS, iPhone is the most buggy. Nokia have never made bad hardware.

For the apps, iOS is first and windows last. The question comes down to does a ecosystem have the apps you use , not how many it has. There is so much crap on iOS and android in term of apps, so numbers alone are meaningless. Windows was in a very bad place, but it is improving , and owning a windows device these days in terms of apps is acceptable.

 

[Max(IT)]

Yes, "crushing" it so badly that virtually all Android manufacturers are losing money and have no long term outlook on profitability. Then even the one Android OEM who is making profits just had theirs reduced to under 10% of the market. The only thing that's getting crushed are their businesses by Apple.

What good is marketshare when you have:
- Very low to zero profit, or even constant losses?
- 2nd tier development platform (iOS is still the primary development platform)
- Very low chance at long-term sustainability

Apple is just about the only ones doing it right. The practice of giving away junk devices at cost isn't sustainable long term and that's the main source of all this amazing "marketshare". It's just buying marketshare, and unlike with Windows and OS X, Android can't even become the dominate developer platform despite years of buying marketshare by its vendors. It's a failed business model and in the future we might see more Android vendors exit the market due to losses.

Apple has no reason to follow the failed model of "reducing prices to cost (buying marketshare)" as they already enjoy all the benefits of the market leader along with almost all of the profit. Honestly all they have to do maintain their position.

Business 101
Well written

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Markerting professor....... Well that says it all

Not sure where you live, but in the real world, there are plenty of misers who own iOS devices. You can pick up an iOS device for very little depending how many generations you go back, and most misers in the "the real world" buy their phones on contract.... Think about it!

I think you need to write to Tim Cook and tell him , the huge mistake apple is making trying to break into China !

Even two years old iPhones are quite pricey compared to the huge mass of Android powered crappy phones you can find on the market.....

 

[dec.]

Markerting professor....... Well that says it all

Not sure where you live, but in the real world, there are plenty of misers who own iOS devices. You can pick up an iOS device for very little depending how many generations you go back, and most misers in the "the real world" buy their phones on contract.... Think about it!

I think you need to write to Tim Cook and tell him , the huge mistake apple is making trying to break into China !

Are you drunk? It looks like Apple is doing pretty well in China so far, no matter if it matches your agenda or not. Get over it. Apple isn't evil.

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Even two years old iPhones are quite pricey compared to the huge mass of Android powered crappy phones you can find on the market.....

I sold my partners iPhone 64 GB 5S for $500 via kijiiji and my iPhone 5 64GB for $300 (I wanted a fast sale) and I had several offers, non-subsidized, obviously. The demand for used iPhones appears to be huge and people are paying far over what they'd pay for other phones with contract. This is totally anecdotal, but anyway, what isn't.. ;-)

 

[Max(IT)]

My Verizon Note 4 cost $699 and has 32GB out the box. Unless you like 16GB the cost bumps up to $850 for the iPhone.

Your note 4 price (a lot of Samsung users on an Apple based forum lately..............) is dropping because of its "huge" commercial success, like the galaxy S5 ....

 

[StoneJack]

Android is something like 200 companies, just few of them well known, and the rest is almost like no-name companies, who make headsets for minimal profits. Indeed, the low price/low profit was the only way likes of Chinese Meizu and Xiaomi got their market share. This is a possible market strategy and works mainly for homogeneous markets, where products are hard to differentiate (eg Android - everything is Android).

iOS and Windows Phone is represented by single companies which only make iOS and Windows Phones. In this case, Apple's 19% of market share, with a record 46% year-on-year growth rate in 4th quarter, is an astonishing success and even MS has managed well. Since this market grows at a cosmic space, even slower growth rate of market share means incredible increase in sales, which is fine for both Apple and also MS (BB is losing).

One can see that iOS adoption has accelerated from yearly 25% to 46% in last quarter, which is a great success either.

 

[roadbloc]

A shame. I personally believe Microsoft and BlackBerry deserve better marketshare. I've found both WP8 and BBOS 10 to be far superior to both iOS and Android.

 

[maflynn]

A shame. I personally believe Microsoft and BlackBerry deserve better marketshare. I've found both WP8 and BBOS 10 to be far superior to both iOS and Android.

MS is increasing, albeit very slowly (as compared to the others). BB, I'm not surprised and this may be the death knell for the company. They're quickly approaching zero marketshare.

 

[Trapezoid]

The iPhone 6 is selling in record numbers. It looks like the vast majority wanted a larger iPhone.

Doesnt every iteration of the iPhone sell in record numbers? How did you make the connection that this one selling in record numbers was due to
the large screen?

Crushing how?

I'm just trying to figure out the result of these "Android Dominates" headlines.

Android has had "the most market share" for 5 years... so no news there.

But that's really not surprising when you've got 60+ manufacturers who are now shipping a billion Android smartphones a year.

Meanwhile... Apple has NEVER had a lot of smartphone market share... yet they do just fine.

So again... what is Android crushing?

crush must not mean what he thinks it does

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.

This is worse than the car analogies that get thrown around here. If the landlord raises rent and you're unhappy, you'd move. Similarly, if you are unhappy with apples prices, you'd stop buying. Oh wait, is this that brainwashing stuff again? Where apple users hate Apple products but apples gamma ray brainwashing device is forcing them to keep buying it?

 

[AppleMark]

Android has that big of a market share? everywhere I look I see iPhones now

"I see no ships"

 

[MH01]

Are you drunk? It looks like Apple is doing pretty well in China so far, no matter if it matches your agenda or not. Get over it. Apple isn't evil.

You completely missed my sarcasm, against a stupid comment! Apple is doing the right targeting China!

 

[szw-mapple fan]

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.

Android itself is clean, but the carrier usually preinstalls all kinds of crapware.

 

[MH01]

Even two years old iPhones are quite pricey compared to the huge mass of Android powered crappy phones you can find on the market.....

Given Apple does not have low price devices, your statement is comparing apples against oranges.

Now looking at equal comparison, a few years old an Iphone 5 v Galaxy S4, very comparable prices, just checked on Ebay for new ones! Check yourself if you think a base iphone 5 is pricey, its not!

If we are talking current generation, most people buy on contract, and that makes the upfront price cheap, but locks you into a 24 month commitment.

 

[Taz Mangus]

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

I have a Windows 8.1 phone. Very good is stretching it.

 

[MH01]

Your note 4 price (a lot of Samsung users on an Apple based forum lately..............) is dropping because of its "huge" commercial success, like the galaxy S5 ....

hmmmm, looking at your avatar picture, its amusing reading your comment so you think we should only be allowed to discuss Apple products on MR?

Let the free opinions flow! Some of us have multiple devices, I use samsung/iphone/Nokia.

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I have a Windows 8.1 phone. Very good is stretching it.

Which phone? I have a Nokia 930, and I find the OS very good, its only let down by the poor battery life and support for certain apps.

 

[samcraig]

Are you drunk? It looks like Apple is doing pretty well in China so far, no matter if it matches your agenda or not. Get over it. Apple isn't evil.

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I sold my partners iPhone 64 GB 5S for $500 via kijiiji and my iPhone 5 64GB for $300 (I wanted a fast sale) and I had several offers, non-subsidized, obviously. The demand for used iPhones appears to be huge and people are paying far over what they'd pay for other phones with contract. This is totally anecdotal, but anyway, what isn't.. ;-)

Well maybe I'm in the minority here. I don't buy phones for what they might do in the future (upgrade/updated OSes) but what they can do for me today. Further - I don't buy my phones with any concern about resale value. I buy they best phone for my use case. When I upgrade - if I get money back, great. If not - I don't really care. Because after two years, I've used the device and gotten my money's worth. Everything else is gravy.

 

[Keane16]

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!

As a consumer I prefer them to make money up front, yes.

There's no right or wrong way.

But I pay Apple and get a device from them which doesn't rely on ads funding the relating services.

Google's 'mobile' profits are tiny because their profits show as ad revenue. Use Gmail and there are ads. User Google Music and there are ads. Use YouTube and there are ads. The devices they sell are cheap - with slim margins. I repeat - no right or wrong. But I prefer as a consumer to pay more up front fattening a companies margins that deal with the ads through the life of my device.

And the Android handset makers are so busy racing to the bottom they give up a large chunk of their potential profits with razor thin margins.

Your one line rebuttals are cool and all, but don't really do much except work up the fanboys.

The analogy to gas prices is a wild tangent - unless I had the choice of cheap gas from company A but I have to watch an ad whilst filling up, before a journey, at intervals during a journey. And company B which sells expensive gas with no ads attached.

 

[AppleScruff1]

This is worse than the car analogies that get thrown around here. If the landlord raises rent and you're unhappy, you'd move. Similarly, if you are unhappy with apples prices, you'd stop buying. Oh wait, is this that brainwashing stuff again? Where apple users hate Apple products but apples gamma ray brainwashing device is forcing them to keep buying it?

No it's not. I want the landlord to make an enormous amount of money. I want every company I do business with to make as much profit as possible. It's quite rational and logical.

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I have a Windows 8.1 phone. Very good is stretching it.

What don't you like about the OS? I like to hear real life feedback.

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As a consumer I prefer them to make money up front, yes.

There's no right or wrong way.

But I pay Apple and get a device from them which doesn't rely on ads funding the relating services.

Google's 'mobile' profits are tiny because their profits show as ad revenue. Use Gmail and there are ads. User Google Music and there are ads. Use YouTube and there are ads. The devices they sell are cheap - with slim margins. I repeat - no right or wrong. But I prefer as a consumer to pay more up front fattening a companies margins that deal with the ads through the life of my device.

And the Android handset makers are so busy racing to the bottom they give up a large chunk of their potential profits with razor thin margins.

Your one line rebuttals are cool and all, but don't really do much except work up the fanboys.

The analogy to gas prices is a wild tangent - unless I had the choice of cheap gas from company A but I have to watch an ad whilst filling up, before a journey, at intervals during a journey. And company B which sells expensive gas with no ads attached.

I was talking about companies making a profit. I'm not trying to rile up anyone. I'm merely giving my opinion that as a consumer it's irrational to brag about how much money a company makes when I have no vested interest in said company. It is as logical as hoping gas prices rise so Exxon makes more profit.

 

[gavroche]

Given Apple does not have low price devices, your statement is comparing apples against oranges.

More like comparing Apples against lemons

 

[Trapezoid]

No it's not. I want the landlord to make an enormous amount of money. I want every company I do business with to make as much profit as possible. It's quite rational and logical.

Your sarcasm betrays you. At least you know how ridiculous you sounded lol.

 

[4look4rd]

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

Because it has a lot of potential, especially with Windows 10 right around the corner. Imagine a phone that can be plugged into a monitor (or Miracasted) and become a full blown PC.

Microsoft is very close to pulling this off, and they also have other very interesting tricks under the hood like the Lumia camera.

Having used all three phone OS's (I am currently using Android), I can say that WP has by far the most fluid UI its just a shame that they take so long to release flagships and update the software, also availability is extremely limited.

 

[burgundyyears]

A shame. I personally believe Microsoft and BlackBerry deserve better marketshare. I've found both WP8 and BBOS 10 to be far superior to both iOS and Android.

WebOS was also superior to Android and iOS at the time it was released in 2009. Fat lot of good it did Palm.

 

[winston1236]

True, not $60, but charge $1.99 or thereabouts and make money with the quantity of downloads and no ads, or like some, have an ad-supported version AND a paid version.

I think a lot of it has to do with the current distribution model too. Both Apple and Google take a hefty cut of the purchase price so everyone is pressed to boost income.

An example of it done well is Monument Valley, one of the most successful games to date. A paid game where people were willing to pay for the game as well as an expansion pack with no awful ads. The market is there if the developers produce a game worthy of buying.

 

[malman89]

MS is increasing, albeit very slowly (as compared to the others). BB, I'm not surprised and this may be the death knell for the company. They're quickly approaching zero marketshare.

The thing is WP isn't increasing enough to have big name companies, like Chase, keep supporting their banking app. That's a deal breaker.

I love many of the Lumia phones and would like to see WP thrive, but it sure seems like too little, too late. Unless Windows 10 + an amazing Microsoft phone comes out to really spur growth, it seems like something that will just drag on in the 2-4% range.

 

[StoneJack]

Because it has a lot of potential, especially with Windows 10 right around the corner. Imagine a phone that can be plugged into a monitor (or Miracasted) and become a full blown PC.

Microsoft is very close to pulling this off, and they also have other very interesting tricks under the hood like the Lumia camera.

Having used all three phone OS's (I am currently using Android), I can say that WP has by far the most fluid UI its just a shame that they take so long to release flagships and update the software, also availability is extremely limited.

Yes, you will have BSOD screens everywhere, on your phone, PC display and even your tablet.