Samsung Misses Earnings Estimates as Apple and Others Pressure Mobile Sales

[Karma*Police]

If that was true, Apple would have the same problem, as would everyone else.

Apple is on top because it's cool, they haven't had true innovation in the iPhone in a few years.

And please don't tell me that putting a 64-bit processor in is "innovation", it isn't, it's iteration. It's a decades old technology that finally became feasible for the size of a phone.

I think you may be confusing innovation with invention cos that's like saying the the retina display wasn't "true innovation" because the technology finally became feasible to cram more pixels into a given space. Taken further, one could, and many have, argued that the iPhone wasn't true innovation because Apple just took existing technology and wrapped it in a nice hardware/software package, but any reasonable person would tell you that the iPhone was truly a breakthrough, revolutionary device.

It doesn't matter that 64 bit processors have been around. Apple took desktop class technology and brought it to smartphones. That's the very definition of innovation. Just ask all the companies that were taken by surprise, who weren't expecting this to happen for a few more years, and they'll tell you the same. And Apple didn't stop there. They innovated further with a motion co-processor, duo-tone flash that fires off in a thousand different combinations for much more natural looking nighttime pictures and a fingerprint sensor that actually works in a consumer device.

Samsung had its share of innovations too. The problem for them is, most of them were gimmicks and flaky whereas Apple's more thoughtful innovations focus on providing real world benefits for its users.

 

[H2SO4]

9 million S4s vs. 50 million+ iPhones.

I'm not in a position to debunk this part right now but u need to be more careful with your figures for two reasons at least.
1. Your comparing one model, (S4), against all iPhones?
2. Are these figures for worldwide or US sales?

 

[the8thark]

The problem with Samsung is they're doing what Sony did from 2000-2010. Make too many products that did the exact same thing too soon... how many Galaxy tablets did they release? How many of each size? They cannibalize their own products by offering too many similar choices. What they need to do is streamline their product line like Sony has done in the last 2 years and focus on making a really good product in 2 or 3 tiers, not 10 versions of the same damn thing.

This is why Apple does so well, streamlined so the consumer isn't confused and they don't make their products looks like cheap bargain bin products.

Maybe one Samsung will learn.

Apple did this in the 90's. They (thanks in part to Jobs) learnt from this mistake. Is Apple going down this path again? Possibly but only time will tell.

Samsung is going down this path now. Will they have someone to pull them out of it and save this part of the company? Who knows.

 

[proline]

I'm not in a position to debunk this part right now but u need to be more careful with your figures for two reasons at least.
1. Your comparing one model, (S4), against all iPhones?
2. Are these figures for worldwide or US sales?

Actually, you need to read before you type. My next sentence specially addressed that Samsung also sells the Note and that there are a handful of other decent Android handsets out there. Both Apple's sales (50 million+) and Samsung's are for the entire planet so we are comparing Apples to apples here. Now we don't know for sure that Apple sells more $500+ handsets than all Android manufacturers together, but if the S4 is selling that poorly it is certainly suggestive.

 

[TMay]

I didn't call anyone else innovators, and I didn't call Samsung an innovator.

Apple innovated with the UI of iOS, they innovated with multi-touch and gesture.

Putting in a higher resolution screen is not innovating, sorry, that's technology progressing to a point where that pixel density is economically viable. Apple was smart enough to put the money in and get there first.

The secret sauce of Apple is not what you said, it's making something shiny and easy to use and marketing it so that people think it's cool. I don't have an iPhone because it is more "innovative", I have an iPhone because the hardware for my android phones was crap. I liked the software infinitely better. It was easier to use, easier to change, and curated in a logical and open way.

Apple's product is not flat out superior, it has it's advantages but the best thing selling the iPhone is Apple's marketing and the IDEA that it is better.

Apple's brand has marketing weight, well earned over its corporate life, but Apple actually spends very modestly on advertising. Perhaps the Apple stores are part to the secret sauce as well.

That better hardware for your iPhone? That's the result of Apple spending billions to purchase machining centers to carve out the Mac Book Pro, iMac, iPad, and iPhone casing. Apple brought a boutique manufacturing technology into the mainstream. Even now, there is no smartphone builder using this at anywhere near Apple's scale.

Heck, its so good that Apple can hardly sell a well built alternative, the 5c against it. The people want the 5s build.

Funny how the IDEA that Apple is better never seems to die off as a fad would; just keeps claiming another 100 million or so "sheeple" a year. How can that be?

For the record, there hasn't been any successful competition with the iPhone's form factor. None.

Telling that "phat" phones came about because the competition couldn't compete with the iPhone. When Apple does release it's own "phat" phone(s) with second generation 64bit processors, it will be like clubbing baby seals.

 

[peterdevries]

Apple is on top because it's cool, they haven't had true innovation in the iPhone in a few years.

And please don't tell me that putting a 64-bit processor in is "innovation", it isn't, it's iteration.

You have some of your terminology mixed up. The iteration that you mention is called "incremental innovation". This term is reserved for all those changes to products that DO require R&D, patenting, prototyping and testing etc (this includes new processors, TouchID and retina displays). This IS true innovation, although the perceived value to the wider public is generally lower than the other category.

"Disruptive innovation" is the other category, which is characterised by new products that create new product categories such as the iPad, the CD music disc, flat screen TV.

The mistake that most people here make is that a company cannot choose to do one or the other. It has to do with the maturity of the industry. Disruptive innovation is more difficult in a mature industry such as the mobile industry. The other variable is the size of the organisation. The larger an organisation is, the more difficult disruptive innovation becomes, although there are exceptions to that rule, one of which is Apple.

 

[nj1266]

I made the switch from the Note 2, to the iPhone 5s to the Note 3. I actually did not mind the small screen of the 5s. It was ios that drove me back to Android. And using iTunes to manage content drove me crazy. I just want to plug my device in and drag and drop. Anybody that claims that iTunes is better needs their head checked. Plus iTunes (along with many other programs) is black listed at my job.

I thought a larger screen would make me change my mind but once you use 2 totally different ecosystems you notice the pro's and con's. Not saying that Android is perfect but it's better suited for what I want to do with a smart phone.

And I doubt Apple will release anything bigger than 5" anytime soon. It will eat away at iPad mini sales. Just look at the price of the retina mini. Everything that Apple does has a reason.

If you want drag and drop then check out iTools. Just make sure you install iTunes, because it uses the same driver. I stopped using iTunes since I started using iTools. Great software.

 

[osx11]

The problem with Samsung is they're doing what Sony did from 2000-2010. Make too many products that did the exact same thing too soon... how many Galaxy tablets did they release? How many of each size? They cannibalize their own products by offering too many similar choices. What they need to do is streamline their product line like Sony has done in the last 2 years and focus on making a really good product in 2 or 3 tiers, not 10 versions of the same damn thing.

This is why Apple does so well, streamlined so the consumer isn't confused and they don't make their products looks like cheap bargain bin products.

Maybe one Samsung will learn.

Went on the samsung website recently just to see their latest offerings. ( I would never actually buy anything from Samsung besides TVs). Their website is so confusing and there are so many tablets available that I honestly didn't know which was the newest model. You see a screen with Note 2 and 8.1 and 10.1 and Tab 2 and I don't know what else. They seriously need to reduce their offerings.

 

[dec.]

If I see one more sarcastic "Apple is DOOMED" post, I swear I'm gonna backtrace some IP addresses, go to their houses, then say "safari is snappier safari is snappier safari is snappier" over and over again until they go insane.

TBH it's not much worse than your usual applescruff/samcraig/iG(RIP) "we're holding it wrong" circle jerk ...

 

[osx11]

I didn't call anyone else innovators, and I didn't call Samsung an innovator.

Apple innovated with the UI of iOS, they innovated with multi-touch and gesture.

Putting in a higher resolution screen is not innovating, sorry, that's technology progressing to a point where that pixel density is economically viable. Apple was smart enough to put the money in and get there first.

The secret sauce of Apple is not what you said, it's making something shiny and easy to use and marketing it so that people think it's cool. I don't have an iPhone because it is more "innovative", I have an iPhone because the hardware for my android phones was crap. I liked the software infinitely better. It was easier to use, easier to change, and curated in a logical and open way.

Apple's product is not flat out superior, it has it's advantages but the best thing selling the iPhone is Apple's marketing and the IDEA that it is better.

Well you bought it, so what's your point?

 

[jkichline]

Right.....

If that was true, Apple would have the same problem, as would everyone else.

Apple is on top because it's cool, they haven't had true innovation in the iPhone in a few years.

And please don't tell me that putting a 64-bit processor in is "innovation", it isn't, it's iteration. It's a decades old technology that finally became feasible for the size of a phone.

----------



Selective memory... Apple NEVER does that. Ever.

No, Apple is on top because their phones and user experience works.

64-bit in a phone isn't innovation? Please. If it's feasible then why didn't your precious Android device makers do it yet? We won't even see that this year because they are playing catchup AGAIN.

And TouchID is what? Not innovation? Accurate fingerprint technology that "just works". That doesn't exist in Android land because nothing "just works".

The UI is terrible and performance is abysmal. You need to get a high-end Android phone to complete with an iPhone 4 that's what, 2 years old now?

 

[F123D]

I'm not surprised. Hope this make Samsung realize specs aren't everything. Update and refine your OS and think quality instead of quantity when designing your devices.

 

[Smartass]

I'm not surprised. Hope this make Samsung realize specs aren't everything. Update and refine your OS and think quality instead of quantity when designing your devices.

actually, the new os in their tablets and in the new galaxy looks really beautiful and much more usefull and productive than it was in the older models.

 

[cclloyd]

If I see one more sarcastic "Apple is DOOMED" post, I swear I'm gonna backtrace some IP addresses, go to their houses, then say "safari is snappier safari is snappier safari is snappier" over and over again until they go insane.

And using it in a VM. Muahahaha.

 

[Zyiros]

TouchWiz needs some cleaning up. I would go with a Samsung, but Samsungs don't get the latest Android updates, I don't think, as fast as the Nexus line.

 

[Piggie]

It's all funny as so many people seem to also forget apple would be nothing without Samsung to r&d and made their hardware.
Also other companies for allowing ther software to run on apple hardware.
Apple are in everyone else's debt in reality.

 

[dec.]

It's all funny as so many people seem to also forget apple would be nothing without Samsung to r&d and made their hardware.
Also other companies for allowing ther software to run on apple hardware.
Apple are in everyone else's debt in reality.

Well technically "Piggie" would be nothing without Apple and it's rumour boards...

But seriously, you'd have to be an idiot if you believe that any software company provides their software/apps for fun... and I think you know that. There was a pretty degenerated guy around a while ago, he seriously meant that we'd need to be thankful for google to provide their apps for iOS. Yes, sure, they only want our best... they aren't interested in our data, in our device usage habits etc., and really they didn't hack Safari to track the users browsing either... no, Eric Schmidt is the Mother Teresa of IT.

 

[peterdevries]

View attachment 457963
And using it in a VM. Muahahaha.

Michael is that you?

 

[BiscottiGelato]

It's all funny as so many people seem to also forget apple would be nothing without Samsung to r&d and made their hardware.
Also other companies for allowing ther software to run on apple hardware.
Apple are in everyone else's debt in reality.

If you don't understand how the tech world works, then maybe you should not comment...

Apple have Samsung manufacture the Apple designed chips. There are plenty of other fabs in this world that Apple could've asked to fab the chips they have themselves designed. Maybe that someone else isn't as efficient, as low cost, as high yield, but Apple definitely does not 'need' Samsung, and Samsung did not do the 'Research' nor the 'Development' for Apple.

What you are saying is that an Artist is in-debt to the paint brush manufacturer and the paper manufacturer and the paint manufacturer. Or a singer is in-debt to the microphone manufacturer and the cable manufacturer. It can't be any further from the truth. The manufacturers should be the ones thankful for their customer's business. No if and buts about that.

 

[Mike MA]

That's the sake of a copy cat I guess. Quick success in the beginning, but from a strategic point of view they miss a real R & D.

 

[pittpanthersfan]

It's all funny as so many people seem to also forget apple would be nothing without Samsung to r&d and made their hardware.
Also other companies for allowing ther software to run on apple hardware.
Apple are in everyone else's debt in reality.

This is hilarious. Samsung literally uses an OS built by another company on devices that have been exposed in court as iPhone ripoffs.

Samsung's semiconductor innovations are impressive, but that's where the R&D ends.

 

[nzalog]

Yep the Samsung fad is finally over... People fell for it for a little and it became really popular, now they are all wising up. Sure not everyone is jumping ship to Apple but at least they are not sticking with Samscum aka Samesung.

 

[Zyiros]

No, Apple is on top because their phones and user experience works.

64-bit in a phone isn't innovation? Please. If it's feasible then why didn't your precious Android device makers do it yet? We won't even see that this year because they are playing catchup AGAIN.

And TouchID is what? Not innovation? Accurate fingerprint technology that "just works". That doesn't exist in Android land because nothing "just works".

The UI is terrible and performance is abysmal. You need to get a high-end Android phone to complete with an iPhone 4 that's what, 2 years old now?

Lets dissect this one.

Yes, Apple did innovate. TouchID and the 64-bit processor is great and all. Honestly, most people don't use a password, and I have no problem inputting one.

Android is powerful. My one (or two?) year old Nexus 4 matches the speed of the iPhone 5S. The Nexus 5 beats the 5S in speed on almost every test (almost).

Apple is doing very well. I have an iPad and Nexus 4, and I can tell you that neither experience is better than the other if you know how to tweak it to how you like.

Note: I don't like TouchWiz or Samsung.

 

[SeaFox]

Does this mean we will see less ads of people waiting in lines for iPhones?

Yes, but we'll continue to see them on TV... on the news.

 

[iMacian]

I think Samsungs shoddy quality is starting to hurt them. Just Google: "Galaxy S4 screen brakes by itself". A serious issue that was ignored by the press (because it's not Apple). Samsung completely refused to take any responsibility and their service blamed the customers and charged money for "repair". Not even a billion dollars can offset the negative word of mouth from a few thousand disgruntled customers.

Then there was region lock, which was actually reported by the press but very wrongly (claiming you can use your Galaxy only in your "home region".

People are finally getting a clue about Samsung.