Verizon iPhone Surge Yields First Slip in Android U.S. Sales Share in Two Years

[iOS v Android]

Show me list of dozens, please. 24 phones minimum. i would like to see you provide even one example.




Good thing you can get it on Verizon

Droid X
Droid 2
Droid World edition
Galaxy S (Family)
T-mobile G2
HTC Evo
HTC evo Shift
MY touch
My touch Slide
My touch 4g
Moto Clique
T-mobile G2X
Samsung Side kick
Moto atrix
Lg Optimus 1 (Family)

Thats all i can think off. But that is a long list of great phones. I happen to own two of this list. The G2 and one from the Optimus 1 family (you may call it a bogo phone. But a great phone none the less.)

 

[AaronEdwards]

Imagine the iPhone 4 sitting in the 3GS position a year from now. It will be amazing you can get a phone like that for the price it will be available for...

The current 3GS with the cheapest plan you can get from AT&T would cost you 90% of what the same plan and a 4 would cost you.

Not sure what's amazing about that, and I'm pretty sure that when the 5 is out, the 4 will end up costing roughly the same.

Hardly amazing.

Unless you're math challenged.

Which anyone would be anyone who would consider such a deal for 3GS now or for a 4 when 5 is out.

Considering the number of 3GS still being sold, there's a lot of math challenged iOS users out there.

 

[marksman]

First of all, you can do that on an iPhone already. There are any number of ways to do that. Full keyboard? Yeah, tons of people want those... that's why they're selling so well!

Yes. I am sure the number 3-25 top selling smartphones all have hardware keyboards.

The 1 and 2 are both Apple iPhones and they don't have them though.

I suspect the sales figures of the iPhone 4 and 3GS probably surpass the top 8-10 Android devices combined.

That is called marketplace domination. Clearly a lot of people here don't have much business experience or understand how business works, but such control of a marketplace is significant, especially given the number of devices available for sale.

Does HTC sell more smartphones than Apple? Does Motorola? How about Samsung? No, no and no.

 

[marksman]

The current 3GS with the cheapest plan you can get from AT&T would cost you 90% of what the same plan and a 4 would cost you.

Not sure what's amazing about that, and I'm pretty sure that when the 5 is out, the 4 will end up costing roughly the same.

Hardly amazing.

Unless you're math challenged.

Which anyone would be anyone who would consider such a deal for 3GS now or for a 4 when 5 is out.

Considering the number of 3GS still being sold, there's a lot of math challenged iOS users out there.

I don't know if you know how math works, but there are no discounts for not having a subsidy. You don't factor in the cost of service, that is not relevant. You will pay that regardless of the handset device. My regular iPhone would cost that.

What about someone with multiple accounts? The additional line is $10 a month. You failed to consider all the factors in your math.

For people buying an expensive smartphone getting the 3GS is a good deal. Notice how they sell more of them then any other smartphone besides the iPhone 4, even when Android handset makers give away their product.

 

[LagunaSol]

*long list of forgettable Android dreck with a few good models tossed in the mix*

Thats all i can think off.

Care to prove how these phones are "more reliable" than the iPhone?

This should be good.

 

[AaronEdwards]

I don't know if you know how math works, but there are no discounts for not having a subsidy. You don't factor in the cost of service, that is not relevant. You will pay that regardless of the handset device. My regular iPhone would cost that.

What about someone with multiple accounts? The additional line is $10 a month. You failed to consider all the factors in your math.

For people buying an expensive smartphone getting the 3GS is a good deal. Notice how they sell more of them then any other smartphone besides the iPhone 4, even when Android handset makers give away their product.

The plan is part of the price, getting a 3GS without a plan would net you $449.

And, you don't get an 3GS for $50 for an $10/month additional line. You need to pay for a real plan for that. And the least expensive would still net you more per month than you paid up front for the 3GS.

Not sure why you bring up Android phones? I'm discussing the stupidity of getting a 3GS instead of a 4. Or for that matter a 4 instead of a 5.

My math is correct.

 

[Avalontor]

<snip>


You want rip-off? Microsoft makes its billions charging hundreds for a 10-cent CD in a dollar's worth of packaging. So does Adobe. Where's your outrage?
<snip>

seriously? so does Apple, where's your outrage?
how much is OSX again? maybe it would just be easier if you listed all the Apple software that is priced around $1.10

 

[marksman]

The plan is part of the price, getting a 3GS without a plan would net you $449.

And, you don't get an 3GS for $50 for an $10/month additional line. You need to pay for a real plan for that. And the least expensive would still net you more per month than you paid up front for the 3GS.

Not sure why you bring up Android phones? I'm discussing the stupidity of getting a 3GS instead of a 4. Or for that matter a 4 instead of a 5.

My math is correct.

You don't get it.

 

[AaronEdwards]

You don't get it.

That's all you got?

What don't I get?

How I can get a 3GS for $50? Or how I can get a 3GS for $50 with a $10/month additional line? Please tell me how.

Or why paying 90% of the total cost for a 4 and only getting a 3GS is a good deal.

 

[tigress666]

That's all you got?

What don't I get?

How I can get a 3GS for $50? Or how I can get a 3GS for $50 with a $10/month additional line? Please tell me how.

Or why paying 90% of the total cost for a 4 and only getting a 3GS is a good deal.

Uh the fact that if you have a cellphone unless you want to pay for something that doesn't do what you want it to do, you are going to pay for a plan regardless so one really should not factor that in to the cost of the device (as it is assumed you are going to want cellphone service if you have a cellphone. And what cellphone you get does not affect the cost of your service so the service cost is irrelevant).

The point is it is silly to factor in a cost that you are going to pay no matter what phone you get as to the cost of the phone. The phone does not affect that cost and therefore it should not be factored in (the only way not to pay that cost is to buy a cellphone that doesn't do what it's suppose to since you have no service to use with it or to just not buy a cellphone).

 

[BrianKonarsMac]

the iPhone doesn't compete against Android. The iPhone competes against all of the handsets running Android. And it's killing them. The 3GS as the second best-selling handset? That's frankly embarrassing for Android.

So tell me, in what world is having:
1 - the most popular handset
2 - the 2nd most popular handset
3 - the most popular mobile OS
4 - the most popular tablet
getting "badly beaten"?

That's a very nice spin you put on it there

You actually gave the exact reason why the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS sell more than any android phone. Android offers you so many more choices, that there is no way any single one of them would sell as many units as the two options you have for a phone with iOS.

 

[LightSpeed1]

As time moves forward, well start to see a lot of this.

 

[GuitarDTO]

FYI...if you are looking to switch to a Verizon iPhone but your contract isnt up...my store let us add a new dummy line without a data plan for 9.99 on our account (2 year contract), and we got the white iPhone for 200 so overall we are basically paying 440 for the phone instead of full retail $650. Now we still have an upgrade coming in 6 months so I can get the 5 ; )

 

[mccldwll]

Uh the fact that if you have a cellphone unless you want to pay for something that doesn't do what you want it to do, you are going to pay for a plan regardless so one really should not factor that in to the cost of the device (as it is assumed you are going to want cellphone service if you have a cellphone. And what cellphone you get does not affect the cost of your service so the service cost is irrelevant).

The point is it is silly to factor in a cost that you are going to pay no matter what phone you get as to the cost of the phone. The phone does not affect that cost and therefore it should not be factored in (the only way not to pay that cost is to buy a cellphone that doesn't do what it's suppose to since you have no service to use with it or to just not buy a cellphone).

It's thinking like that which makes lotteries so successful for raising revenue in so many states. Total cost is always a factor, and total cost includes not only plan costs for two years, but it also includes the value of the respective phones at the end of the contract period. At a minimum, a 3GS is going to be worth $100 less than an iPhone 4 after 2 years. So, with a total expenditure in the $1500-$2000 range, you'll be lucky if you save $50 in the long run by going with the slower, lower resolution, older technology model. Hardly worth it.

 

[k995]

For people buying an expensive smartphone getting the 3GS is a good deal. Notice how they sell more of them then any other smartphone besides the iPhone 4, even when Android handset makers give away their product.

No its not, its old hardware and knowing apple after 2 years the iOS support isnt going to last for very long. Seeing its only 100 under the iphone 4 price with less disc space its really only for those people who desperatly want an apple phone but cant spend that extra 100 . But for those people no doubt there are plenty of very good and cheaper alternatives.

 

[tigress666]

It's thinking like that which makes lotteries so successful for raising revenue in so many states. Total cost is always a factor, and total cost includes not only plan costs for two years, but it also includes the value of the respective phones at the end of the contract period. At a minimum, a 3GS is going to be worth $100 less than an iPhone 4 after 2 years. So, with a total expenditure in the $1500-$2000 range, you'll be lucky if you save $50 in the long run by going with the slower, lower resolution, older technology model. Hardly worth it.

Ok, that works if you are thinking of getting a cellphone vs. not getting a cellphone.

But when you are thinking of getting what type of cellphone, no, it doesn't count. Cause by deciding you are getting a cellphone but trying to decide which type, you already committed to buying the plan,what type of cellphone does not affect the cost of the plan, you are going to pay it regardless. So the cost of the plan really doesn't count for the cost of the cellphone when you are comparing cellphones together.

Maybe if we were comparing getting a landline to a cellphone (where the costs of the service for the landline are going to be drastically different).

Or even if we were comparing going from AT&T to Verizon there might be some small difference. So only if the cellphones are on different networks (with the iphone though, this only matters if you are comparing to a T-Mobile or Sprint phone as you can get an iphone on either AT&T or Verizon so the plan cost will be the same for the iphone as whatever other phone you want to get on either network).

You still don't get the point.

The point is when we are comparing different cellphones to each other, the service doesn't matter cause if you are getting the cellphone, you are going to pay the service regardless and which cellphone you get isn't going to affect the service's price. Therefore it is irrelevant when talking cost of one cellphone vs. another to bring in the cost o the contract.

 

[AaronEdwards]

Ok, that works if you are thinking of getting a cellphone vs. not getting a cellphone.

But when you are thinking of getting what type of cellphone, no, it doesn't count. Cause by deciding you are getting a cellphone but trying to decide which type, you already committed to buying the plan,what type of cellphone does not affect the cost of the plan, you are going to pay it regardless. So the cost of the plan really doesn't count for the cost of the cellphone when you are comparing cellphones together.

Maybe if we were comparing getting a landline to a cellphone (where the costs of the service for the landline are going to be drastically different).

Or even if we were comparing going from AT&T to Verizon there might be some small difference. So only if the cellphones are on different networks (with the iphone though, this only matters if you are comparing to a T-Mobile or Sprint phone as you can get an iphone on either AT&T or Verizon so the plan cost will be the same for the iphone as whatever other phone you want to get on either network).

You still don't get the point.

The point is when we are comparing different cellphones to each other, the service doesn't matter cause if you are getting the cellphone, you are going to pay the service regardless and which cellphone you get isn't going to affect the service's price. Therefore it is irrelevant when talking cost of one cellphone vs. another to bring in the cost o the contract.

Total cost matters. And since you are going to have to pay the monthly payment even if you don't use the phone one second or download even one byte, then, yes, the plan is part of the total cost of the phone.

Without the plan, the 3GS costs $449 not $49.

The monthly cost for a 3GS will be higher than the initial payment. And my example is with the cheapest plan I could get, with a more expensive plan the difference in what you pay for the phone will matter even less. And mccldwll has an excellent point about the value of the phone at the end of contract period.

Anyone who is unable to pay the extra $150 up front, probably shouldn't get a phone with a plan that will at least cost you $55/month. And if go for the cheapest plan, then what's the point of getting a smart phone?

Is there actually anyone here who would buy a 3GS over a 4? Anyone who thinks that's a good idea? For themselves? Considering that most people here are talking about waiting for the 4S/5.

 

[caspersoong]

Great! Can't wait for the universal iPhone.

 

[bpaluzzi]

That's a very nice spin you put on it there

You actually gave the exact reason why the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS sell more than any android phone. Android offers you so many more choices, that there is no way any single one of them would sell as many units as the two options you have for a phone with iOS.

If by spin, you mean "reporting of facts without any opinion injected at all", then yes.

Here's an opinion: You don't have the foggiest grasp of economics.

 

[mccldwll]

Ok, that works if you are thinking of getting a cellphone vs. not getting a cellphone.

But when you are thinking of getting what type of cellphone, no, it doesn't count. Cause by deciding you are getting a cellphone but trying to decide which type, you already committed to buying the plan,what type of cellphone does not affect the cost of the plan, you are going to pay it regardless. So the cost of the plan really doesn't count for the cost of the cellphone when you are comparing cellphones together.
...........
The point is when we are comparing different cellphones to each other, the service doesn't matter cause if you are getting the cellphone, you are going to pay the service regardless and which cellphone you get isn't going to affect the service's price. Therefore it is irrelevant when talking cost of one cellphone vs. another to bring in the cost o the contract.

Carriers love consumers who think like you do. It's how they are able to lock people into contracts and get rid of crappy phones--make them believe that getting a POS andrrhoid for free is such a wonderful deal compared to paying $200 for an iPhone 4 (forget the fact that that they'll be stuck with a piece of junk for a long time, suffering with poor support and function, and stuck with something completely worthless at the end, all because advertisers dangle bright, shiny objects in front of their eyes and let them believe they're saving so much in the beginning).

 

[ghostlyorb]

Once iPhone is on all carriers... it will pwn everyone!

 

[ciTiger]

Yes. I am sure the number 3-25 top selling smartphones all have hardware keyboards.

The 1 and 2 are both Apple iPhones and they don't have them though.

I suspect the sales figures of the iPhone 4 and 3GS probably surpass the top 8-10 Android devices combined.

That is called marketplace domination. Clearly a lot of people here don't have much business experience or understand how business works, but such control of a marketplace is significant, especially given the number of devices available for sale.

Does HTC sell more smartphones than Apple? Does Motorola? How about Samsung? No, no and no.

I side with you but Apple could launch different models if it wanted...

 

[iOS v Android]

Yes. I am sure the number 3-25 top selling smartphones all have hardware keyboards.

The 1 and 2 are both Apple iPhones and they don't have them though.

I suspect the sales figures of the iPhone 4 and 3GS probably surpass the top 8-10 Android devices combined.

That is called marketplace domination. Clearly a lot of people here don't have much business experience or understand how business works, but such control of a marketplace is significant, especially given the number of devices available for sale.

Does HTC sell more smartphones than Apple? Does Motorola? How about Samsung? No, no and no.

I believe samsung is the highest selling smartphone manufacturer when you take into account that it does have its own OS that it still sells. They are currently the highest selling phone manufacturer. It is difficult to compete with the iPhone. One factor many of you are simply ignoring is that if you want iOS on your phone you have to buy an iPhone. If you want android you do not have to buy a nexus. Limiting the amount of models that run the software will funnel all the sales into those models. It makes since when you think about it.

The second thing is do people consider the phone "families". Like how Samsung makes the Galaxy S then they redo it several times in the Year. They release it on different carriers with slightly different bodies and button layout and different radios. It happens their is a Galaxy S phone on every major US Carrier. The LG Optimus 1 is on every US carrier but Boost mobile.

 

[newagemac]

I'm honestly surprised by a lot of you. The whole "no single android phone outsells the iPhone!" argument, is foolish and weak. It's a platform war. You basically get ONE CHOICE with the iPhone. Now it's a great choice, but of course it's going to be a top seller as a result. There are so many good Android choices out there that a single model isn't going to dwarf the others. Since there are, you know, options? As a platform it seems iOS is getting whooped on. Does that not register, or are people that much in denial?

Now myself, I like my iPhone, but come on...in this case we are talking about platforms...So weird...

Well if it's a platform war, Android is getting seriously spanked by iOS. The iOS platform is holding its own in smartphones and still growing in market share and in dedicated media players, portable media players, and tablets, it isn't even a contest. The iPad, Apple TV, iPod Touch and all the rest of the products on the iOS platform are seriously spanking the crap out of the Android alternatives.

That's one of the reasons why the big developers concentrate more on the iOS platform than Android.

Now did that register or are you just in denial?

 

[Eric374]

i think you meant buy one get one free numbers instead of sales. omg i fed the troll.


android is not a handset manufacturer. it just is a viral mobile platform supplier. it works for them for market share but low on maximum profitability. apple must be appreciated for what they are. Leaders. they did what everyone else was scared to do with smartphones (no stylus) and took the jump into a dead segment (tablets) and they went about it well and reaped the rewards. now johnny come lateley (goog) has come in with the "ours is almost as good but for FREE" and have roped in many marginally satisfied adopters. android's every success is a tribute to its forerunner and DADDY, apple, who still does it best and wont relinquish that fact ever because they Lead the entire industry in all things and they lead well. stop being so butthurt about it and raise your glass to the best. APPL!

The most factually accurate post in this entire thread.