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Aoligei

macrumors 65816
Jul 16, 2020
1,147
1,363
This can’t be true— I keep hearing Apple is a monopoly!

Apple is monopoly in its own iOS ecosystem and it happened to have most profitable business and App Store. It has market power to dictate market movement and developer.

There is no competition within iOS ecosystem. Apple controls everything, down to iOS accessories. Apple is the monopoly in any measurable way.

Google has even less market share on smartphone hardware, does this mean Google is not monopoly
 

One2Grift

Cancelled
Jun 1, 2021
609
547
It doesn’t matter. Entry level to Mid-tire level phone is more than enough for most people. Not everyone need $1000 dollar phone.

If Apple doesn’t compete with mid-range market, then what is iPhone SE doing? $399 iPhone SE is essentially Apple’s response to growing market for mid-range phone.

Xiaomi also have some decent high end phone. Take Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra with Snapdragon 888, 120Hz OLED panel, decent camera setup.

Just because Xiaomi doesn’t sell phone in North America, doesn’t mean they only sell cheap phone in third world countries.

Good for Xaomi, not sure what your post is about except falsity. I never once said Apple didn't compete in the mid range space. I never once said Xaomi doesn't compete in other spaces than the lower cost space. Regardless of your posting, their significant growth was in the lower cost space. Apple does not in fact complete in that space as well as it's widely known (and completely understandable) that Xaomi is targeting better growth in the consumer spaces above the lower cost space.

Your posting misconstrues aside, it was great Xaomi ad work.
 
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TallManNY

macrumors 601
Nov 5, 2007
4,785
1,656
apple controlling the platform they built from the ground up isn't a monopoly
Under current laws, it isn't an illegal monopoly. But it gives them financial power very similar to having a monopoly. There is a reason why Apple makes vastly better profits on their phones than the Android phone makers. And there is a reason why the App Store is immensely profitable and with quickly growing profits.

There were private business that built their own railroads and then controlled what could get shipped on those railroads. They got busted up for a reason.
 

lolOwO

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2021
56
124
Under current laws, it isn't an illegal monopoly. But it gives them financial power very similar to having a monopoly. There is a reason why Apple makes vastly better profits on their phones than the Android phone makers. And there is a reason why the App Store is immensely profitable and with quickly growing profits.

There were private business that built their own railroads and then controlled what could get shipped on those railroads. They got busted up for a reason.
until iphones come anywhere close to being the only phones you can buy, apple cannot be a monopoly in any meaningful sense of the word. your railroad analogy is garbage
 

jdawgnoonan

macrumors 6502a
Apr 22, 2007
719
1,058
Jefferson, WI
Apple is so lucky that these reports are out there. It makes all the many anti-trust challenges that Apple faces much easier to defend against. Apple just has to point to their relatively modest portion of the market. Meanwhile Apple gets to sit there with a monopoly on iOS, all software sales into iOS, access to all users of iOS, and huge lead in the quality of the chips running the phones (and a monopoly on using those chips).
I think that the US Antitrust investigators only care about the US market where Apple controls 50%.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,966
12,654
NC
Apple is monopoly in its own iOS ecosystem and it happened to have most profitable business and App Store. It has market power to dictate market movement and developer.

There is no competition within iOS ecosystem. Apple controls everything, down to iOS accessories. Apple is the monopoly in any measurable way.

That means Apple has a monopoly on Macintosh computers, too.

What will they be forced to do... let HP and Lenovo sell computers running MacOS ?

:D
 

Aoligei

macrumors 65816
Jul 16, 2020
1,147
1,363
Good for Xaomi, not sure what your post is about except falsity. I never once said Apple didn't compete in the mid range space. I never once said Xaomi doesn't compete in other spaces than the lower cost space. Regardless of your posting, their significant growth was in the lower cost space. Apple does not in fact complete in that space as well as it's widely known (and completely understandable) that Xaomi os targeting better growth in the consumer spaces above the lower cost space.

Your posting misconstrues aside, it was great Xaomi ad work.

Where did you get your data on majority of Xiaomi’s growth is from lower cost space?

How do you define lower cost space? Sub 100? Sub 200? Or Sub 400 dollars? I would say iPhone SE 2 is low cost devices.

You don’t have to purchase Xiaomo’s phone. It is not even available in United States. There are million of people who use it and don’t agree with you.
 
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Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,966
12,654
NC
Apple at one point allowed Mac Clone.

I remember... we had some Mac clones at my college in the 90's

They were terrible. Everyone had to fight to use the "real" Macs in the graphics design department.

But allowing clones was a (terrible) decision made by Apple Executives at the time. Apple made that decision.

I'd hate to see Governments force Apple to allow clones.

And that's what scares me when people throw around the "M word"

:oops:
 
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Aoligei

macrumors 65816
Jul 16, 2020
1,147
1,363
I remember... we had some Mac clones at my college in the 90's

They were terrible. Everyone had to fight to use the "real" Macs in the graphics design department.

But allowing clones was a (terrible) decision made by Apple Executives at the time. Apple made that decision.

I'd hate to see Governments force Apple to allow clones.

And that's what scares me when people throw around the "M word"

:oops:

Actually allow Mac clone could be perfect business opportunity. Microsoft and Google all pulled off with license their OS.

The old Mac clone was poor done, that all too it. For sure, Apple will make less with hardware sell, but hardware sale is just one time earning. Apple has planety of subscriptions services at the moment, so it is perfect timing for Mac Clone.

Also taking ARM, it could be chance Apple start dominating PC market with macOS.
 

falkon-engine

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2010
1,304
3,089
This can’t be true— I keep hearing Apple is a monopoly!
You have to properly define the relevant geographic market. On iOS and iPadOS Apple is the sole App Store operator. It is the sole entity that can charge and collect fees from digital in app purchases. It gets to decide what can and cannot be installed on the iPhone and the power to limit access to competing apps if it wanted to.

When you define the relevant geographic market as “App Store Operator” Apple is indeed a monopoly. whether or not that’s legal or good or bad is another question.
 
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SFjohn

macrumors 68020
Sep 8, 2016
2,199
4,464
Apple is monopoly in its own iOS ecosystem and it happened to have most profitable business and App Store. It has market power to dictate market movement and developer.

There is no competition within iOS ecosystem. Apple controls everything, down to iOS accessories. Apple is the monopoly in any measurable way.

Google has even less market share on smartphone hardware, does this mean Google is not monopoly
I don’t think you understand what a monopoly legally is. According to you, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft X Box ~, Nintendo Switch, Walmart are monopolies.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,966
12,654
NC
Actually allow Mac clone could be perfect business opportunity. Microsoft and Google all pulled off with license their OS.

The old Mac clone was poor done, that all too it. For sure, Apple will make less with hardware sell, but hardware sale is just one time earning. Apple has planety of subscriptions services at the moment, so it is perfect timing for Mac Clone.

Also taking ARM, it could be chance Apple start dominating PC market with macOS.

I don't think Apple will ever license MacOS (again)

But your suggestion is noted.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,966
12,654
NC
I don’t think you understand what a monopoly legally is. According to you, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft X Box ~, Nintendo Switch, Walmart are monopolies.

According to them... Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are not monopolies because you can buy games at GameStop and elsewhere.

That's why these retail-store analogies are unproductive. Kinda like car analogies...

:p
 

tongxinshe

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2008
1,066
655
The investor analysts have all been hyping this “super cycle”, but now we are seeing that Apple growing just 1% year-over-year while all of the other brands are growing 15%, 30% or 80%. What a joke against those analysts!
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,330
4,724
Georgia
Apple would be worried if the average Xiaomi sold for $800 not $150. They make their money from different markets. They are as much a competitor as Rolex and Timex are competitors.

Samsung's the one who has to worry. But not that much since even if they don't sell a phone the sell the parts that make other phones.
 

Art Mark

macrumors 6502a
Jan 6, 2010
500
1,248
Oregon
Apple has always said they don't aim to be number 1. NEVER. From Jobs original announcement on, it was - we hope to be profitable with a small section of this large market. So what this means to me is -- how can a number three manufacturer be a monopoly within any market except a market where people choose to buy their product? Can we please get an end to the monopoly BS now? Big boy pants up to the developer whiners out there.
 
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