What will it take for Apple to overtake Android's vast marketshare?

[b166er]

Once apple announced the original iPhone they had only a slight head start in this new era of smartphones. They will never overtake Android, just as OSX has never and will never overtake Windows. You can not compare hardware vs software, it's not a fair fight. Android is just software. iPhone is hardware and software. No other phones run iOS.

You see how this kind of iOS vs Android debate really can't ever make sense? I feel like this comes up a lot and people just refuse to get it.

It's like saying Dunlop sold more tires than Toyota sold cars.

 

[linkgx1]

There are 3 iOS phones available and one is free with a contract. If you prefer iOS you won't spend money on an Android phone if you can buy a 3GS for 1 cent. That's the cheapest anyway...

Good point with profitability though. Apple cleans up with their 40-50% profit margin on there phones. Its incredible, I do sales on occasion and if I was able to get that profit then I literally just ripped someone off....literally. Yet Apple STILL has people lining up around Apple stores...its truly incredible.

Meh, Luxury/Brand-name items have a different box of rules!

 

[cynics]

Meh, Luxury/Brand-name items have a different box of rules!

No its not. A BMW is literally more expensive to build then say a Kia. Profit margin is higher but not anywhere near apple. What BMW makes in profit margin Kia tries to make in volume (albeit they don't).

An iPhone is less expensive to manufacture then newer super phones. However unlike the car reference it is still sold at a higher profit margin. That is why although Apple doesn't have anywhere near the majority of the market but have the best profit.

The only way to sell less product but make more money is to charge more per unit right? The current iPhone is severely lacking in hardware vs the competition its obviously less expensive to build. No LTE, smaller screen, smaller battery, older processor, less ram, no nfc,no notification light, etc etc plus a manufacturing process that's been perfected since the 4 was released.

I would agree a crazy high profit is OK if you are buying art, or something handcrafted or very rare but not a phone that rolls off an assembly line in China every 10 seconds.

Thankfully carriers subsidize the phone and it doesn't matter to most people. And another redeeming quality of the iphone and its absurd price is its awesome resale price.

 

[G51989]

Meh, Luxury/Brand-name items have a different box of rules!

Luxury/Brand Name Items? Are you kidding? Its a Phone, its not anymore expensive, with a 2 year contract, or carrier upgrade than any other flagship android phone.

Apple products aren't " luxury " items. They're commodities sold at most major, like any other consumer electronics. If you think Macs are some kind of " luxury item " you should see High End PC's, they blow Macs out of the water

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

If you work in the upper tier of apple. Or your a share holder.

For the consumer margins are meaningless. And don't matter in this thread.

Um. I don't think you understand what the goal of a company is, it is to generate profits.

Right not Apple is the biggest company on the planet generating unprecedented profits while not being marketshare king.

You need to get your head out of your ass if you think the goal of a company is to do anything other than generate profits.

 

[G51989]

You know what's really going to be interesting?

As you can see, RIM and Symbian are what Android and iOS are eating up the most. Right now, people are just moving from the old to the new as a transition phase.

When Symbian and Bada are fully dead and RIM goes into a standstill at like 2% along with Windows Phone and Tizen (what Bada is merging into), Android will start eating iOS marketshare and widdle it down bit by bit...

That's when things will get truly frightening for iOS users.

Not sure iOS will ever become horrible.

However, I think that Windows Phone will start to pick up steam pretty soon, the new Windows Phone Hardware, the Nokia's look incredible. And W8 looks to be buttery smooth, and knowing Microsoft, they are already working on tons of first party and trying to attract 3rd parties, for tons of Apps.

I think Windows phone could easily become a huge thing. After I screwed around with 7.8 on a friends phone, I gotta admit, SUPER Impressed.

 

[Mac.World]

If you think Macs are some kind of " luxury item " you should see High End PC's, they blow Macs out of the water

Not really. Any time you are stuck with Windows, you automatically start off handicapped.

 

[DeathChill]

This is a problem for WP. I haven't ever seen one in the store that I can mess around with and I've never met a single person who owns one. I want to play.

 

[G51989]

Um. I don't think you understand what the goal of a company is, it is to generate profits.

.

Yes, I do understand what the point of a company is, to generate profits. And Apple does a great job, mostly by overcharging massively for outdated hardware.

Right not Apple is the biggest company on the planet generating unprecedented profits while not being marketshare king.

You can read headlines, want a cookie?

The point of this conversation is MARKETSHARE. NOT Profits.

You need to get your head out of your ass if you think the goal of a company is to do anything other than generate profits.

You need to get your head out of your ass and read the the the title of this thread. We aren't in this thread to talk about Apples Profits. B
Unless your a share holder ( I was, sold out last year, made a decent profit ). Or you work for Apple. Profits are meaningless to you.

This thread is about Marketshare and user base, not profits.

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Not really. Any time you are stuck with Windows, you automatically start off handicapped.

Any time your stuck with a Mac, your stuck on slow outdated hardware, with an OS that can't do heavy lifting Thats why its my living room computer and not my work computer

 

[Mac.World]

Not sure iOS will ever become horrible.

However, I think that Windows Phone will start to pick up steam pretty soon, the new Windows Phone Hardware, the Nokia's look incredible. And W8 looks to be buttery smooth, and knowing Microsoft, they are already working on tons of first party and trying to attract 3rd parties, for tons of Apps.

I think Windows phone could easily become a huge thing. After I screwed around with 7.8 on a friends phone, I gotta admit, SUPER Impressed.

Windows Phones have been predicted to pick up steam since it was launched. Remember that dumb 'iphone is dead' parade Microsoft had on its campus? People don't buy Windows phones for two reasons: they are too far into the Google or Apple ecosystem, with apps, hardware and software. Or, Windows Phone is simply not recognized as a potential market leader (WP barely accounts for 7% of the Chinese market, where Android has 80%. And this is the bright spot for WP! Worldwide it is below 4%, and currently few people are dumb enough to buy a wp7 phone, so market share will continue to fall until wp8 is fully ramped up and selling.

 

[G51989]

Windows Phones have been predicted to pick up steam since it was launched. Remember that dumb 'iphone is dead' parade Microsoft had on its campus? People don't buy Windows phones for two reasons: they are too far into the Google or Apple ecosystem, with apps, hardware and software. Or, Windows Phone is simply not recognized as a potential market leader (WP barely accounts for 7% of the Chinese market, where Android has 80%. And this is the bright spot for WP! Worldwide it is below 4%, and currently few people are dumb enough to buy a wp7 phone, so market share will continue to fall until wp8 is fully ramped up and selling.

Yeah, that parade was a little silly, I do not under any circumstances think the Windows Phone will ever get 50% marketshare or anything like that.

Could it replace RIM as the 3rd runner up? And hold 10-15% marketshare once Windows Phone 8 comes out? I think it could. Windows 8 Phone looks pretty awesome, so does the hardware.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

The point of this conversation is MARKETSHARE. NOT Profits.

Then it is a pointless conversation as you are making the false assumption that Apple or any other company cares about market share.

Apple could generate a MASSIVE bump in marketshare by cutting prices by 20% but that would cut into their profits.

Marketshare is 100% irrelevant.

 

[Mac.World]

Yeah, that parade was a little silly, I do not under any circumstances think the Windows Phone will ever get 50% marketshare or anything like that.

Could it replace RIM as the 3rd runner up? And hold 10-15% marketshare once Windows Phone 8 comes out? I think it could. Windows 8 Phone looks pretty awesome, so does the hardware.

absolutely Windows Phone could over take a third place from RIM. It will take a little while, but it will be done. I do think windows 8 has a lot of potential. i also think Windows Phone will overtake I O S in many markets around the world.

 

[G51989]

Then it is a pointless conversation as you are making the false assumption that Apple or any other company cares about market share.

Apple could generate a MASSIVE bump in marketshare by cutting prices by 20% but that would cut into their profits.

Marketshare is 100% irrelevant.

I think your missing the point, this thread is about Marketshare and userbase. Not Profits.

And if you think its pointless. Leave this thread. No one is forcing you to stay.

And even with a 20% price drop, I doubt their marketshare would explode, I think like...an updated OS might help? iOS was great in 2007...

 

[Mac.World]

Then it is a pointless conversation as you are making the false assumption that Apple or any other company cares about market share.

Apple could generate a MASSIVE bump in marketshare by cutting prices by 20% but that would cut into their profits.

Marketshare is 100% irrelevant.

Really? 0% marketshare = 0 dollars. I would say marketshare is 100% relevant. The percentage of marketshare becomes irrelevant when profits exceed that of every other player in the market.

 

[onthecouchagain]

iOS was great in 2007.

I want to take a moment to appreciate this simple one-sentence line. It really encapsulates everything that's happened in the smartphone world. Simply brilliant.

 

[thewitt]

Apple is not sitting on it's hands, and it's not going to compromise profits to gain market share. They are selling as many phones as they can make, still, and putting record profits in the bank.

They are clearly not worried about the things some of you seem to be rabid about.

 

[matttye]

It won't, Apple clearly has no interest in creating hundreds of devices and doesn't wish to offer budget devices, so it's never going to overtake Android.

 

[Greg.]

iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S.

Tell us again how many phones Apple has in the market...

The chart in the city post is new sales: I didn't think you could buy the iPhone 4 new anymore.

 

[Calidude]

Marketshare is 100% irrelevant.

That has to be the most ridiculous comment I've seen on this subforum. No marketshare, no money.

Get a grip.

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I want to take a moment to appreciate this simple one-sentence line. It really encapsulates everything that's happened in the smartphone world. Simply brilliant.

Haha indeed.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Apple doesn't want to outsell Android.

They want to emulate their Mac success where they skim the cream of the crop.

Apple will happily leave cheapskate bottom feeders to other platforms.

 

[G51989]

absolutely Windows Phone could over take a third place from RIM. It will take a little while, but it will be done. I do think windows 8 has a lot of potential. i also think Windows Phone will overtake I O S in many markets around the world.

Yeppers.

I do think that RIM will never totally die off, maybe hover around 10%, I've used Blackberries before, and while I don't like them, I can see why people who love them, love them. Very cool OS, very cool controls. Just not my cup of tea.

I got a buddy who's been using Blackberries for the better part of the Decade, their keyboard is awesome. I've never seen someone type so fast on a phone.

 

[Stuntman06]

In order for Apple to overtake Android's marketshare, it would have to cut its profits. Android makes a wide variety of products at a wide variety of price points. Apple aims its devices at the high end of the price range. They make a large profit on the devices that they make. Apple's goal is to make as much money as possible. If that means not having as high a marketshare, then that's fine. I don't think Apple is going to try to gain marketshare by cutting profits. Apple is doing quite well as is.

 

[Calidude]

Apple doesn't want to outsell Android.

They want to emulate their Mac success where they skim the cream of the crop.

Apple will happily leave cheapskate bottom feeders to other platforms.

This may be true, but I don't think they're happy with the way the market is going in favor of Android.

That cream of the crop will be in danger in about 5-10 years unless they do something revolutionary.

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In order for Apple to overtake Android's marketshare, it would have to cut its profits. Android makes a wide variety of products at a wide variety of price points. Apple aims its devices at the high end of the price range. They make a large profit on the devices that they make. Apple's goal is to make as much money as possible. If that means not having as high a marketshare, then that's fine. I don't think Apple is going to try to gain marketshare by cutting profits. Apple is doing quite well as is.

Nah. Apple oversimplified their business model. That's the main problem.

The iPad Mini is the start of their attempt to turn that around.

 

[mcman77]

iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S.

Tell us again how many phones Apple has in the market...

LOL! I love it when people use that line....you do know that suppling just 3 types of phones is a marketing strategy within itself? ie that is one reason for apples success.

There are plenty people out there that want what others have, with the iphone that is what you get. Noone is carrying a different version.

I dont think it will happen. The iPhones(iOS) biggest marketshare is in the USA. It gets killed everywhere else. Especially in Spain where its 86% Android there to iOS's 2.9%

Spain is in a pretty big recession now, unemployment rates are pretty high!

Could be a price deciding factor for them.

Um. I don't think you understand what the goal of a company is, it is to generate profits.

Right not Apple is the biggest company on the planet generating unprecedented profits while not being marketshare king.

You need to get your head out of your ass if you think the goal of a company is to do anything other than generate profits.

That is correct, even though android generates maximum profits by dominating the market share. I do think that apple would prefer to be a sole provider of smartphones too though...assuming they had a choice.

Apple doesn't want to outsell Android.

ok