Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iOS and Android Combined for Record 99% of Smartphone Sales Last Quarter
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is what happens when Apple focuses too much on profit only since it can't compete on the high end in features, design and quality with Samsung and too overpriced to compete with other low to mid end phones that have better specs.
If I remember correctly, before iPhone, iPod, iPad, AppleTV etc. Mac sales have been much lower. It is still an eco-system that works nicely together. Due to iOS the Mac market is larger than ever.
Staggering numbers.
Time for a new OS. Android sucks. iOS sucks.
It'd be nice to get a linux based phone, something with less crap filling the screen, without a billion notifications, crap crap crap...
I use my Phone, Messages, Music, Mail, Safari, and a few banking apps. I think the industry is way too nonsensical. How bored ARE humans, really? I am definitely not their target audience... so who is there to be my target manufacturer?
Sigh. First world problems.
Time for a new OS. Android sucks. iOS sucks.
It'd be nice to get a linux based phone, something with less crap filling the screen, without a billion notifications, crap crap crap...
I use my Phone, Messages, Music, Mail, Safari, and a few banking apps. I think the industry is way too nonsensical. How bored ARE humans, really? I am definitely not their target audience... so who is there to be my target manufacturer?
Sigh. First world problems.
Markets outside the US, where people often have far less disposable income, account for the numbers.
As a MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012) user I would have to agree its been a tough wait for a truly new version of MacBook Pro. Looks like it finally might happen 2016 Q4 or 2017 Q1. And Apple's decision to ONLY offer 2 core processors in the 2014 Mac Mini line update didn't make me happy either. Luckily my MacBook and Mac Mini 2012 are still working VERY well and getting good OS update support. So I really can't complain too much. At least Apple hasn't let me down after taking my money.
Does it even matter? If we start seeing Android phones in cereal boxes it still doesn't help Apple. Heck, a week ago I saw a $25 prepaid Android phone at Target. And before that as low as $20 with a $25 gift card, you actually made $5 (I use that phone when working on my car). Bottom line is that people don't use these phones to their full potential to care about the version of Android it's running. You don't need a $400 phone with the latest version of Android to play Pokemon Go, browse the internet, check emails or listen to music.
Apple
Who are those developers?
In January the App Store brought 75% more revenue than the Play Store.
Android has a lot of people on it but they don't spend money there while iOS has a lot of people that do spend money on it.
Also Android has what? 10/20 different manufacturers each with probably 20 different models each and thats without taking into account the different price ranges.
If they'd do a market share of over 500$ smartphones Apple would probably have around 60-70% of the market share there with Samsung probably capturing 20-30% and the HTC and other manufacturers being basically irrelevant on this segment.
So Apple generates 75% more revenue for developers, it has fewer hardware to support which inherently makes it easier to develop to and its selling 40 million devices on "bad" quarters (check Samsung sales of the S7 in Q2 in which they sold 10 million, falling in line with the sales of the Galaxy S4 which was itself outsold by the iPhone 5).
For people that will say that the S7 and now Note 7 (make no mistake, I like the Note 7 and im considering buying 1 depending on what the iPhone 7 Plus has) are selling well lets not forget its context:
Galaxy S7 are only up compared to the S6 and S5 which were, somewhat, failures in sales compared to expectations.
Samsung sold around 25 million premium phones in the first two quarters of 2016, compared to 40 million of Apple just last quarter.
Samsung sales have grown only compared to last year, remaining nearly flat compared to their peak sales (Galaxy S4).
There more Android users switching to iOS than the other way around.
Android growing number of sales are coming from lower cost brands in Chine and India, in a segment in which Apple doesn't compete (nor do they seem to have any intention to actually compete in), with razor thin margins (we all know Apple likes fat margins).
Apple does need to step it up but they're in a somewhat screwed if you do screwed if you don't situation:Samsung sold around 25 million premium phones in the first two quarters of 2016, compared to 40 million of Apple just last quarter.
Samsung sales have grown only compared to last year, remaining nearly flat compared to their peak sales (Galaxy S4).
There more Android users switching to iOS than the other way around.
Android growing number of sales are coming from lower cost brands in Chine and India, in a segment in which Apple doesn't compete (nor do they seem to have any intention to actually compete in), with razor thin margins (we all know Apple likes fat margins).
Unable to adopt new technologies fast due to the massive scale required, no manufacturer can, at its moment provide Apple with 40 million OLED screens much less the probably 60-70 million required for the launch quarter so they have to lag behind there.
Most companies will take advantage of Apples design, with pretty much blatant copies (chinese manufacturers) or taking cues.
The slow approach to services, both in improvements and features, and 'it just works' mentality leads to problems when things don't go near perfect.
Understaffed, with 4 different OSes, iPhone, iPad, iMac, Macbook, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, there are simply too many products for the people they have although this will probably be solved when they expand to the new campus nearly 2017.
Paid services when most people simply expect everything to be free.
Ability to expand services like Apple Pay, Maps transit/transportation and Siri.
Competition constantly showcasing "vaporware" like Google Glass that never turn into great products but generate incredible buzz which makes Apple seem slow and old due to their secretive nature.
Most companies will take advantage of Apples design, with pretty much blatant copies (chinese manufacturers) or taking cues.
The slow approach to services, both in improvements and features, and 'it just works' mentality leads to problems when things don't go near perfect.
Understaffed, with 4 different OSes, iPhone, iPad, iMac, Macbook, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, there are simply too many products for the people they have although this will probably be solved when they expand to the new campus nearly 2017.
Paid services when most people simply expect everything to be free.
Ability to expand services like Apple Pay, Maps transit/transportation and Siri.
Competition constantly showcasing "vaporware" like Google Glass that never turn into great products but generate incredible buzz which makes Apple seem slow and old due to their secretive nature.
Apple is not doomed, not even close, but they've grown so large that it sometimes gets in the way and they're the "golden" standard which means everyone has their eyes on them.
Maybe it isn't all about pricing and people actually LIKE Android or the OEM hardware? Did that ever cross your mind? I have seen this drivel from posters for the last six plus years now. Maybe some of us smartphone users actually prefer hardware over software which is where Apple gets beat from their procrastination.
Oh yeah, and Samsung makes more revenue than Apple every year. Or will you assume Samsung only makes appliances and electronics like you assume the only reason why Android is popular is because of price? Maybe some of us don't want to be stuck on crappy iTunes which can't recognize MKV or AVI. We want an sd slot, double tap to wake, file manager, Bluetooth transfer, FM radio, sideload apps, and several features that the iPhone 7 is barely getting now.
Assumptions is the mother of all f ups. Trying to speak for every Android user out there when not all of us are basing it on price but hardware features and a more robust OS that isn't some cookie cutter OS being spoonfed to us. Maybe we don't want to be trapped in some ecosystem we don't care for like many here.
umm you do know that android is based in linux right?
"Android uses the Linux kernel under the hood. Because Linux is open-source, Google's Android developers could modify the Linux kernel to fit their needs."
The change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fold, that's all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again, no, no
It's the 90s and early 2000s all over again, except Google has taken Microsoft's place time around.We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fold, that's all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again, no, no
Android is Linux. You can have a Linux shell with installable packages via Termux app and even control all aspects of phone such as speech to text, camera, GPS, etc. from command line.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.termux
As for the other issues it's an iOS limitation because Android home screen can be as personalized or as bare as you want and notifications can be disabled completely or per app.
Last edited:
Apple is in very dangerous territory with it's market share. At some point, developers will begin to focus much more on Android first and foremost. More importantly, there is a perception problem. If IOS dips into the single digits, people will just begin to believe it's no longer relevant. Combined with the absolute failure to innovate on the hardware side, it's hard to see how IOS devices survive long term. Just because this isn't hurting Apple today doesn't mean it's not going to be an issue. Just remember the days when the Mac OS was essentially an after thought and software was generations behind Windows.
It's not the 12%. It's the trend that should get Mr. Cook's attention.
It's not the 12%. It's the trend that should get Mr. Cook's attention.
The chart is dumb. Those numbers are in "thousands of units" so add three zeros to the end.
I understand that. I was talking about the market share and the decreasing units sold.
We are in an iterative age, just like adding blades to a razor... I'm personally OK with that. I can save by keeping my phone an extra year (or two) until the next revolution.
Dump the App Store and let developers sell direct on iOS? Sir, are you insane?
People have been saying that about the iPhone for 7+ years. They've also been saying that about the Mac for decades.
What's the reality? Apple is one of the most profitable companies in the world. How big is Apple? Their non iPhone profits is the size of Google.
You're rich.
[doublepost=1471544634][/doublepost]
iOS is, and software is in my opinion more important for a good user experience. I'm not saying the iOS is bad, but I'm pretty sure they're going in the wrong direction and I'm not optimistic about the evolution of iOS over the next few years. Even if the phone's hardware is awesome, it'll only be as good as iOS.
People have been saying for a while (even Eric Schmidt) that developers will switch to Android 1st due to marketshare..
It hasent happened. Developers go where the revenue is and at this point apple is making them money and a lot of it.
If Apple's strategy for the iPhone was the same for Macs, we'd go years without an updated phone. And as someone who has used both iOS and Android, the two are closer now than ever I think if you use Google Launcher and the Material Design Theme. This is especially true if you use Google Apps. Many of Google Apps for iOS are arguably better than Apple's version.
Apple's big advantage is iMessage, since Google refuses for whatever reason to create a similar service. Although Google seems to be following Apple's strategy of better hardware and software integration since they are now creating their own devices.