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I think the take away from all of this is how much Android operating has grown, and there are some very interesting reasons it has.. I think in many aspects it is superior and exceeded iOS in innovation.

You can say Apple doesn't want marketshare, but when a competing operating system is doing a really good job, the worse thing you can do is go into denial mode and not look at your produce and R&D.
Yet every measure of what matters to a business (Revenue, Profit) apple is doing laps around Android.

What good is an install base if it's not generating a return? What incentives do developers have for a platform that makes half of the revenue with more than a quadruple install base?
 
But I assume you understand the difficulties on acquiring such data.
And, as Samsung or Apple sells one device, how users use their device is out of their concern.

Yes, I know it is difficult. I disagree about it not being their concern, it is their concern because attracting developers is their bread and butter. Take this example: Google says, hey develops, come develop for Android where your app is likely to get the most use because 75% of the market share in 2015Q1 is running an Android OS. With better data, we could know this is deceiving if, for example, we knew how many of those phones are not on a data plan, how many of those phones are running a slow CPU, or how many of those phones are generally being used as feature phones. Those things affect where a particular developer's app will get the most use.
 
It says it all, but what it doesnt say is that the competitions flagships phones are just as expensive but the price drops like a rock after launch.

So if you want to pay peak price for the latest tech, you can choose Apple or Android. If you want to save a bit with 6 month old tech, Android is your only choice.
 
Great. What are your recommendations?

here are some that aren't included in the rumor mill

1) Try and make Siri as good as Google now
2) Maybe looking at wireless charging (cota, Qi)
3) file system & Mirco SD slot
4) OLED screens
5) maybe reduce the size of the benzels
6) better battery (my personal favorite is the Apple battery case, that was a thing of beauty.
 
Hmm … I don't think I've ever seen someone with a cheap Android just text and call. They photograph (selfies mostly) use browsers, games, and other apps extensively. In fact I'm betting casual users utilize more apps then I do in my business. For me it's mostly about email and texting.

That was just an example. Another indicator could be whether the phone is tied to a data plan, or whether the phone is tied to a data plan exceeding 500MB.
 
That's a huge part of it.

I have a 6+ and it works great. No need to go to a 6S+ or a 7, and likely not an 8. As a photographer my 6+ is the perfect phone for my use. The battery lasts for two days, the large screen is great, it's fast, never hangs, and integrates well with Mac OS/AirDrop and the rest of the Apple ecosystem.

What I don't need is a version that is pimped up with a curved screen and other worthless dingle balls.

Same here. Waited from a 4S to a 6S plus AND until they offered a 128GB.
Now I'll outwait them until the 256GB comes out.

Stopped caring about the outside look as I always put on a case due to klutziness.
All other improvements are just part of my next upgrade.

The current 6S Plus does everything I need.
As for worthless, agreed again until I see Apple solve a problem I don't really have!
 
Yet another stupid chart showing sales of ALL Samsung smartphones when most of them are low-end junk phones. Same goes for the other manufacturers listed.

Next up IDC should show a chart comparing the sales of Toyota to Mercedes and tell us all how Mercedes market share is so much lower than Toyota.

That shows how you miss the point. Currently there is a luxury car, performance car, family car, economic car, and other car markets. This market division does not exist in the smartphone world.

btw, your example, Toyota = Toyota, Scion (being killed), and Lexus. Mercedes = Benz, Smart, Maybach, AMG. They overlap in some areas but also serve different market segments.
 
here are some that aren't included in the rumor mill

1) Try and make Siri as good as Google now
2) Maybe looking at wireless charging (cota, Qi)
3) file system & Mirco SD slot
4) OLED screens
5) maybe reduce the size of the benzels
6) better battery (my personal favorite is the Apple battery case, that was a thing of beauty.
great list! Can we add

1) water proofing
2) Ability to change default apps to whatever we want.
3) ability to change the icons in whatever arrangement we want them in.
4) ability to install third party launchers
 
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What's not true? The fact that they were pushing HD video with 16gig as a standard or the fact that they're double the going rate when you double flash storage from 16-32-64?
The iPhone 6S comes in 16-64-128 GB
The iPhone SE comes in 16-64 GB

So your 16-32-64 talking point is an out-of-date non-fact. I wonder if you'll keep using it.
 
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The one thing that s missing for first quarter is that people also delayed a purchase while waiting for the "new iPhone".

Hard to ignore that decline could also be partially reflected in people waiting for the next version.
 
The one thing that s missing for first quarter is that people also delayed a purchase while waiting for the "new iPhone".

Hard to ignore that decline could also be partially reflected in people waiting for the next version.

Thats also not a good thing. (or at least until we see the next iphone sales)

if the general consensus of the population is that the 6s is already stale enough ~6 months after release that they'd rather wait a year for the next device in hope that it's better, than something is lacking in the current device, at least with consumer perceptions.

sure, there will always been some people that do this. But we're talking a 10 Million iPhone drop from this point last year on a similar cycle. So what is it about the 6S that isn't nearly as compelling to buy 6 months in, compare to the 6? or other devices before it, which all saw the April quarter with higher sales then the quarter before it?

(I dont have the answer, but these are all questions that need to be asked)
 
Saturation.
Saturation.

Nope.

It's only saturation when you don't offer anything new to customers.

You offer something new, everyone wants one.
Little meaningless changes bore's people eventually.

Problem is Apple has to wait for someone else to invent something so they can use it.

Next BIG step I'd say is going to be the foldable screen phone, and that will, we think come from Samsung.
It's a shame Apple don't actually develop REAL things themselves as they are always limited by what others can supply them with.

If, and I know it's a BIG if, Samsung came out with something like this.
You wan't be talking about Saturation then as it will be another leap forward:

http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/970x/assets/images/phpt9jk7p.jpg
 
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The iphone age is dead- they just don't have the leadership without Steve. Ive is reckless, Cook is a bean counter, all short-term profits, no vision, no future. Ignoring glaring hardware issues I see few positive trends in ios or os x. Unless Apple shuffles its' brass at the top I am sorry to say the Golden Age of Apple has passed us by.
 
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Thats also not a good thing. (or at least until we see the next iphone sales)

if the general consensus of the population is that the 6s is already stale enough ~6 months after release that they'd rather wait a year for the next device in hope that it's better, than something is lacking in the current device, at least with consumer perceptions.

sure, there will always been some people that do this. But we're talking a 10 Million iPhone drop from this point last year on a similar cycle. So what is it about the 6S that isn't nearly as compelling to buy 6 months in, compare to the 6? or other devices before it, which all saw the April quarter with higher sales then the quarter before it?

(I dont have the answer, but these are all questions that need to be asked)
Maybe the general populace consensus is the wait for the iPhone 7 is what people want. And there will be extraordinary pent up demand for the i7.
 

I'm not sure it matters,. the share price nearly always drops after an earnings call, even if they announce record sales. The sales were within the guidance that Apple gave three quarters ago, it was the stupid analysts who where saying they'd sell more, I guess they can never be wrong though.

Comparing market share with Samsung who make far more low end, cheaper, phones is asinine as well, added to which Apple have never ever, ever chased market share anyway
 
Maybe the general populace consensus is the wait for the iPhone 7 is what people want. And there will be extraordinary pent up demand for the i7.

Very possible. Could also be that the iPhone 6 sold too well to the point that by the time the 6s came out, the pent up demand was so much lower for the 6s, that ti cant maintain it's sales.

I'm just speculating of course based on the limited information we get given. any of these options are possible. including what youve said about iPhone 7 pent up demand being the possible cause.

Though, (my opinion only), Based on leaks of the iPhone 7. I don't think this is the cause. I think people want a redesign. not just moving the antenna lines, but a real version revision.
 
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I agree, if price is the sole criterion.

Personally, my main criteria are screen quality, feel in my hand, and it just works. In the past I've bought iPhones and liked them, price wasn't a huge deal. Now, Android wins on all those criteria. iOS feels like windows 3.11 with clunky icons in clunky folders. Android feels like a modern OS with widgets, quick launchers, and a much cleaner look and feel than rows and rows of all your installed apps.

And after just a few weeks with Android, the lack of a hardware back button became a complete deal-breaker for me on iPhone. You have no idea how nice that little feature is.
 
I think it's a mix of reasons, at least in the US:
1. End of carrier subsidy, yes you are paying less, but sticker shock and the F word (Finance) will derail people. Also company phone users will very unlikely skip upgrades (those who's company pay their monthly bill)
2. Quality; older iPhones are still running great, hardware and software.
3. Features plateau: Features are becoming 'meh' and not a driver to upgrade.
4. Apps: Let's face it, five years ago you had to get an iPhone for certain Apps, now Android is all caught up.
5. (Maybe) Low price options; I tested a Moto E, for $80, and it had 80% of the iPhone 6S $650 features. I'm not saying that people will jump ship, but they will think twice.
 
If any company is going to produce cheaper products the quality of the product will be cheaper to justify the cost..then the you get the customer complains that the glass or casing is cheaper...Apple just does not do cheap products...cheaper products will also lead to lower profits, especially considering the market saturation of phones these days. Its a balancing act for Apple...lower revenues, small profits to stay profitable.
Let me ask you one simple thing: If you buy same thing from Costco and from Best Buy where you pay more money at Best Buy, do you thin Best Buy product is of much better quality than Costco?

It's not about Apple is spending 600$ making a phone. Apple needs to cut down on their profits and make the price reasonable. If the phone costs $250 to make, charge 400$ as retail price. That itself is a good amount of profit. Charging $650 for that phone is not right. And continuing to do so for these many years, at one point the cheaper phones will take over the market segment.
 
Price it at $550-$600 then sales will skyrocket again. But they won't do any of those things and the slide will continue.
They may do some, but you should not expect they will release a device with micro SD slot. This is too android-like.
Meanwhile, you can consider waterproof, dustproof and OLED display. They are possible for Apple to implement.
 
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