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Is Apple doomed if the company doesnt release a larger iPhone this year?
- Thread starter rMBP13
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Who am I kidding? Obviously Apple needs to keep the 4" size, but in addittion they should also release a larger 5". Apple hasnt surprised us since the announcement of the retina macbook pro...
They're not suppose to surprise you.
Take the tools available and use them. Obviously, some people can't do that. All they want to do is complain that they aren't being stimulated enough.
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Its not always convenient to carry my iPad everywhere I go, its big and the iPad mini has a crappy screen resolution compared to the iPad 3 & 4 so I say again I need a nice phone that I can carry around and read emails, web sites, etc. I don't need the iPad mini with a phone but I could use something bigger than what apple claims is the best today.
As fast as the iPhone rose in popularity, it can drop in popularity even faster. Just ask RIM about what happened to the BlackBerry. The problem is that if people don't think the iPhone is fashionable/popular/cutting edge any more, they could leave in droves, which from the posts of former iPhone users on this forum, could very well be happening.
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The Mini isn't just a smaller S3 ... Facts are that if you want an high end droid by Samsung you have to take that ugly phone, and I'm not going to keep a 4.7-5" phone in my pocket now or never.
I think 4.3" is the right size and I really hope iPhone 6 will be that size. Not more than that.
That's a pretty arrogant thing to say. What if I'm not quite satisfied with the tools provided by Apple and would prefer a tool with a bigger screen? rMBP13 is right, they should keep the 4-inch version around, but make a 5-inch iPhone as well to reel in those who prefer a bigger screen.
Of course you have to assume Apple will keep the 4" screen. It would be market suicide to do otherwise.
So then, why would all the fanboy types be against Apple also satisfying the market that wants a larger iPhone? You guys make no sense. A 4.5-4.8" phone from Apple would crush the competition.
No one cares that you personally don't want a larger phone. The market demand for a larger iPhone is there and it's huge. We know this because without larger screens, Android and WP8 market would be a fraction of what it is.
Are you concerned that, by Apple getting into this larger market, your own iPhone will be less exclusive? I guess this and the thought of a plastic iPhone for less developed nations would be just too much for you to handle.
So then, why would all the fanboy types be against Apple also satisfying the market that wants a larger iPhone? You guys make no sense. A 4.5-4.8" phone from Apple would crush the competition.
No one cares that you personally don't want a larger phone. The market demand for a larger iPhone is there and it's huge. We know this because without larger screens, Android and WP8 market would be a fraction of what it is.
Are you concerned that, by Apple getting into this larger market, your own iPhone will be less exclusive? I guess this and the thought of a plastic iPhone for less developed nations would be just too much for you to handle.
Fact: Apple makes three times more money than Samsung.
Fact: Apple sales have been growing year after year after year after year.
Apple sells phones. Samsung sells ships
Most people think they look ridiculous with a five inch screen held to their ear. If anyone wants to amuse me, just get a Samsung Note, and use it anywhere I can see you.
Just repeating Fact 2: Apple's share of the artificial "smart phone" market is currently dropping. That's because more and more low priced feature phones are replaced by equally low priced smart phones. However, Apple's sales and Apple's share in the total phone market keep growing year after year.
Fact: Apple makes three times more money than Samsung.
Fact: Apple sales have been growing year after year after year after year.
Apple sells phones. Samsung sells ships
Most people think they look ridiculous with a five inch screen held to their ear. If anyone wants to amuse me, just get a Samsung Note, and use it anywhere I can see you.
Just repeating Fact 2: Apple's share of the artificial "smart phone" market is currently dropping. That's because more and more low priced feature phones are replaced by equally low priced smart phones. However, Apple's sales and Apple's share in the total phone market keep growing year after year.
You know, I'll gladly amuse you with my big phone if that's what it takes to finally get a decently sized screen on the iPhone. Hell, we both win - I get a larger screen and you get laughs!
Apple is doomed no matter what. The S4 is the most revolutionary and innovative phone ever made.
Yawn, another "Apple is doomed" thread.
Short answer: no.
Long answer: http://www.androidauthority.com/iphone-vs-galaxy-history-173560/
The Galaxy S line is arguably the only Android phones that are relevant in this discussion because they emulate Apple's strategy of selling "premium" products and also because they sell really well. While iPhone still outsells the Galaxy S line, Samsung is a formidable competitor and is catching up.
All other Android devices are almost irrelevant in comparison. The remaining Android premium phones made by HTC, LG, Motorola and Sony are struggling to gain traction and capture market share away from Samsung. (which is sad because there are some that are as good or even arguably better than Samsung's offerings)
Meanwhile the large majority of Android market share is comprised mainly of devices that fall under the cheap/junk category that are practically given away for free, run poorly and represent almost nothing in terms of revenue. This explains why usage statics, app purchases and revenue comparing Android and iOS still favour iOS by a long shot even when market share for Android is almost 3x larger.
Marketshare means nothing. Dell and HP were struggling for years flirting with bankruptcy while at the same time they dominated market share in the PC industry, while Apple was thriving with its measly 5-10% share. Why? Profit margins. Profit margins are what keeps a company successful and fuels growth and that's where iPhone still dominates, with Samsung's Galaxy S line still well behind but catching up. The remaining 70% of devices out there (Android, Windows, BB, etc.) are still a very distant 3rd in terms of profit or growth and are irrelevant to this discussion.
So no, Apple is not doomed. Not even close. It's the other players (HTC, LG, Sony, Nokia, Motorola and Blackberry) that people should worry about.
Short answer: no.
Long answer: http://www.androidauthority.com/iphone-vs-galaxy-history-173560/
The Galaxy S line is arguably the only Android phones that are relevant in this discussion because they emulate Apple's strategy of selling "premium" products and also because they sell really well. While iPhone still outsells the Galaxy S line, Samsung is a formidable competitor and is catching up.
All other Android devices are almost irrelevant in comparison. The remaining Android premium phones made by HTC, LG, Motorola and Sony are struggling to gain traction and capture market share away from Samsung. (which is sad because there are some that are as good or even arguably better than Samsung's offerings)
Meanwhile the large majority of Android market share is comprised mainly of devices that fall under the cheap/junk category that are practically given away for free, run poorly and represent almost nothing in terms of revenue. This explains why usage statics, app purchases and revenue comparing Android and iOS still favour iOS by a long shot even when market share for Android is almost 3x larger.
Marketshare means nothing. Dell and HP were struggling for years flirting with bankruptcy while at the same time they dominated market share in the PC industry, while Apple was thriving with its measly 5-10% share. Why? Profit margins. Profit margins are what keeps a company successful and fuels growth and that's where iPhone still dominates, with Samsung's Galaxy S line still well behind but catching up. The remaining 70% of devices out there (Android, Windows, BB, etc.) are still a very distant 3rd in terms of profit or growth and are irrelevant to this discussion.
So no, Apple is not doomed. Not even close.
It's the other players (HTC, LG, Sony, Nokia, Motorola and Blackberry) that people should worry about.
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Good grief, another Apple is doomed thread. Yep, if Apple doesn't release a larger iPhone, then people will not only stop buying them but iPods, MacBooks, iMacs, etc. as well.
I'm with ya bud, they will be far from doomed.
I wouldn't say as a company that they are doomed but in the smartphone market, they will notice a huge migration to phones with much larger screens. Consumers are fed up with the every other year intro of an "S" series phone with only minor upgrades. All the other companies, let me repeat, All the other companies make major releases and improvements once a year. Apple ignores this and therefore will no longer be innovative with smartphone devices. Its a shame but their arrogance knows no bounds!!!!!!
Samsung just did exactly this last week (Samsung, copy Apple - who'd have thought!?) - The S4 is hardly a major upgrade is it now?
I find it amusing that a small group of tech-obsessed gadget lovers think that all the 10s millions of iPhone users will suddenly jump ship to other manufacturers because this small group don't like the path that Apple is taking.
Do you think the average person on the street really cares about the upgrade cycle? Most normal people I know will keep their phones for a couple of years. One of my colleagues is still happily using the 3G. When it comes to changing their phone, they'll decide which new phone to buy based on their personal preference. It's also no good saying these people are all fanboys. They aren't - for most, the iPhone is maybe the first Apple product they have bought; possibly the second if they had an iPod.
Rumours of Apple's death are greatly exaggerated. Many of the rumours are probably stoked by those who are annoyed by Apple's ability to confound their hopes and expectations of its downfall these last few years.
Do you think the average person on the street really cares about the upgrade cycle? Most normal people I know will keep their phones for a couple of years. One of my colleagues is still happily using the 3G. When it comes to changing their phone, they'll decide which new phone to buy based on their personal preference. It's also no good saying these people are all fanboys. They aren't - for most, the iPhone is maybe the first Apple product they have bought; possibly the second if they had an iPod.
Rumours of Apple's death are greatly exaggerated. Many of the rumours are probably stoked by those who are annoyed by Apple's ability to confound their hopes and expectations of its downfall these last few years.
Your friend who's still using the 3G is currently less valuable to Apple than the fanboy who has bought each and every iPhone model they have released.
Once upon a time, smartphones were new, and there was a very large market for Apple to hold by the balls - a lot of people who didn't even know iPhones existed. Now smartphones are mainstream, and many of those who would ever buy one already have one.
What options does Apple have now? They can release a cheaper model of the iPhone to grab people with a bit less money, but I doubt they will do so. They can release a cheaper model for expanding markets, those with relatively little contact with smartphones, and that would be another big boom for them (expect the new iPhone plastic model to be a success in China). They can continue making new releases every six months with only minor upgrades, since fanboys will buy those anyway (which can be seen here).
But what about those who have a smartphone, and would only like to change their phones very once in a while, like your friend with the 3G? Who, incidentally, you used as your example of the average person? To grab that market, it's not enough to sell an iPhone slighthly faster, slightly thinner and with a slightly better camera. Apple needs a revolution as big as the revolution that was the gap between a common phone and a smartphone.
There doomed! Steve dead and china sweat shops running out of ideas on making another aluminum phone or maybe plastic this time? Hmmmm.....
They will upgrade when their contracts are up or when they feel they need a newer phone. In the mean time, Apple still makes money off them from the App and iTunes stores. Not a big deal. Plus, they may want to get an iPad or a Mac at some point if they're attracted to the ecosystem and integration. Possibilities are endless. And if not, doesn't matter. If this guy uses the 3G forever and never buys an app, song or movie in iTunes, that person is basically out of the market and no one is getting his cash anyway.
What does it matter anyway? Same can be said for any industry. People don't change TVs, cars or computers every year either. At some point the phone industry will also plateau and evolutionary changes won't occur as frequently as they've had before.
Should they? A 5" phone is a ridiculous product. It is neither a smartphone nor a tablet. You can't put it in your pocket. It won't fit in your hand while speaking. Tablet apps look tiny on that screen. You can't compress the tablet experience on such a form factor, or stretch it from a smartphone. All in all you end up with a bad user experience. Such a product can do anything, but it can't do anything right!
The tendency for bigger and bigger smartphone screens is just a hype and most people think that they have to go along with that hype otherwise they loose connection. It is simple: The bigger the screen, the more expensive the product. Most people see innovation in size. However, it is the other way around. Innovation takes place in the apps. It is more difficult to design an app that uses the space efficiently rather than an app with just more features that utilizes more space.
Whereas I agree, that Apple should release 2 differently sized iPhones, it is because people have different sized hands and not because of a hype. A 4,3" sized iPhone would fit in the hands of large people. A 3,8" iPhone would fit in the hands of small people. Both, the iPhone and the "iPhone mini" could have the same resolutions, similar to the iPads. And developing apps would be as easy as before.
We can see many parallels in the development of the laptops in the late 1990s. Most people bought Windows laptops because they were bigger and supposedly had more features. However, they had a bad user experience and were (still are) complicated to use. Apple did the right thing. They ditched OS 9 and replaced it with OS X. They dropped most features because most of them were just redundant or too complicated. And then the people said the Mac is innovative again, because Apple added new features. It's all about the features. Adding features does not necessary mean innovation. You'll end up with bloat. Creating the apps that do the things you want in the most simple way is the real innovation. However, most people nag and grumble and can not imagine how the situation can be improved. Most people just do not get it.
Agree entirely and you beat me to it on the iTunes revenue point. The very strong likelihood is that the vast majority of users wouldn't even dream of updating their phone every year. Most people have better things to spend their hard-earned cash on than such an indulgence. Yes, I know that you can upgrade every year for little outlay by selling up before a new launch and buying the new phone, but do you really imagine that the average person would be bothered to go to that trouble and take the risk?
Apple's business model will not depend on the annual upgrade cycle of tech geeks but on a 2-3 year upgrade cycle linked to contract length and the desire to grow the number of devices out there. The graphs of iPhone sales all show that this is happening, even if their slice of market share is slipping as the market itself grows.
One of the most annoying things about MR is people presenting their opinion, or accepting the rumours, as fact and getting upset/defensive when someone dares to disagree. It would be great if some people could understand that just because they don't like the development path that Apple is taking, not everyone else has exactly the same view and that they (just possibly) have an iPhone for different reasons than having the biggest and fastest phone around.