Samsung takes top spot in global smartphone share from Apple's iPhone, TrendForce says

AppleInsider

Samsung became the global leader in smartphone marketshare during the March quarter, pushing Apple back into second place, according to production estimates published on Tuesday.

Samsung claimed 26.1 percent of production volume versus Apple's 16.9 percent, TrendForce said. In the December quarter Apple held 20.3 percent, commanding over Samsung's 18.5.

While Samsung's high-end phones have suffered in the wake of the Galaxy Note 7 recall, the company has done well in low- to mid-range segments, TrendForce noted. In fact much of this was attributed to the low-cost Galaxy J series, noting that it helped Samsung become "the only brand that saw positive growth in production volume during the off season of the first quarter."

iPhone production fell 36 percent versus the December quarter and 41 percent year-over-year, TrendForce indicated, pointing out however that this meant an overall improvement in sales. Some of the sales boost was reportedly linked to the (Product)Red iPhone 7.

Production is forecast to drop 17 percent sequentially in the June quarter. Apple typically sees lower sales and production numbers in the March and June quarters, as the rush of launch and holiday sales fades and the company turns its attention to manufacturing new iPhone models.

Android phone makers like Samsung are actually liable to suffer in the June quarter, as shoppers hold off in anticipation of 10th-anniversary iPhones Apple will announce in the fall, TrendForce commented.

Apple is thought to be preparing three new iPhones. While two of these should be "7s" models with 4.7- and 5.5-inch LCD displays, the "iPhone 8" is expected to feature a 5.8-inch OLED screen, with a small section replacing a physical home button with virtual controls. The phone should also have wireless charging, iris and/or facial recognition, and possibly color-changing True Tone technology.

radarthekat

I just wrote this comment earlier today as a response to a comment on another AI article. Didn't think I'd have opportunity to post it again so soon, but this seems the perfect time...

Funny how folks claim iPhone's low global market share as evidence of some kind of weakness in Apple.  How is it that these people miss that Apple is taking 90% of global smartphone profits already.  The company, really, doesn't want most of the rest of the market.

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China, where there is a huge base of very poor people, on top of which there is a much smaller proportion (relative to the U.S.) with the money to afford a premium smartphone.  Apple is concerned first with that portion of the global population, same way Ferrari and Louise Vuitton are.  So Apple is, in fact, competing extraordinarily well in the foreign markets it pursues.  It's just that those markets are NOT synonymous with the names of countries on a global map.  They are, for the most part, markets within those countries.  Let's call them premium markets. There's one in almost every country on earth.  But the China Premium Smartphone market is not the same thing as the China Smartphone market.

mike1

"Samsung claimed 26.1 percent of production volume versus Apple's 16.9 percent, TrendForce said."


When has production volume mattered even a tiny bit!? Silly me, I always though the key metrics were sales and profits.Does this production share include the millions of G7s sitting in a warehouse somewhere?

rotateleftbyte

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Rayz2016

mike1 said:

"Samsung claimed 26.1 percent of production volume versus Apple's 16.9 percent, TrendForce said."


When has production volume mattered even a tiny bit!? Silly me, I always though the key metrics were sales and profits.Does this production share include the millions of G7s sitting in a warehouse somewhere?

Possibly the weirdest metric I've seen yet. 

boltsfan17

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Apple has a higher market share than 10% in Europe. In the UK alone, Apple has close to 40% of the smartphone market. Of course you are going to see promos all over for a new phone. Samsung is in damage control mode after the Note disaster. When I was there in the UK a few weeks ago, I just laughed at all the commercials from Samsung showing their new phone testing. Fell about laughing? Somehow I find that hard to believe. Were you shopping at a street vendor? All the major mobile companies in the UK offer the iPhone with a two year contract. 

wigby

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Don't know about Europe but Apple's marketshare in the UK alone is way ahead of all others. If your UK mobile network were only pushing S8 contracts, that means they are only getting commissions on those contracts. Never trust any sales people for real numbers.

magman1979

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

I would've laughed at them and said "If you want good paying customers, stop selling garbage and start selling a real smartphone" and walk out laughing at their sorry asses!

brucemc

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
- Already refuted with some facts by multiple posters above.

At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
- Samsung tends to advertise heavily when their new flagship launches.  Has happened for the last 5+ years.

Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
- Lots of "techie" people, who might work in such stores, don't care for iPhone.  Again, has been case for last XX years.  As for no 2-year contract, have no idea.  Which carrier was it?  Let us know and this can be quickly checked online.

As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
- For someone that posts regularly on an Apple forum, you don't seem to understand Apple's target market at all.

Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
- About 5+ years and counting.  Most money is made in the premium end of any market.  Apple is dominant in that part in most of their markets.  Apple has had the same approach with Mac since 1984 - seems to still be in business.

Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
- Well, you are cherry picking what it is now the highest end model/configuration for iPhone, rather than entry point for iPhone 7 @$650 - or the entry price for iPhone SE @$399.  And that doesn't even touch the very vibrant resale market.  But hey - whatever makes you feel better.  But in general yes - people will pay more for something that they perceive to have more value.

Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.
- Said every pundit about Apple for the last 30 years.

rotateleftbyte

boltsfan17 said:

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Apple has a higher market share than 10% in Europe. In the UK alone, Apple has close to 40% of the smartphone market. Of course you are going to see promos all over for a new phone. Samsung is in damage control mode after the Note disaster. When I was there in the UK a few weeks ago, I just laughed at all the commercials from Samsung showing their new phone testing. Fell about laughing? Somehow I find that hard to believe. Were you shopping at a street vendor? All the major mobile companies in the UK offer the iPhone with a two year contract. 

Yes, I was at a High St outlet for one of the major networks. You are right about the iPhone. It is there on their website just invisible in the store.
My guess is that the staff didn't get much commission with an Apple sale when compared to a Samsung.
Samsung and especially the S8/S*+ are the flavour of the day. But even one of the major MNVO's (Tesco) are renowned for favouring Samsung although they are offering iPhone SE's (16Gb) and iPhone 6S's on special at the moment
http://www.tescomobile.com/special-offers?icid=nav
Scrolling down they are offering the iPhone 5S (16Gb) for £17/month.
Seriousl folks, the 5S.

metrix

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Really, Apple better be careful because that iPod is the only thing making them money, ...iPhone....iPad....AppleWatch...Apple? Please stop after almost 30 years in business and the largest company in US Apple isn't going down anytime soon. Apple does need the next best thing soon though.

gatorguy

sog35 said:

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

I have no idea where you are getting your stats from.

10% market share in Western Europe is total bull sheet

http://bgr.com/2017/01/12/iphone-vs-android-market-share-q4-2016-us-uk/

But for the Nov2016;

iPhone had
21% market share in Germany
48% market share in Great Britian
25% share in France
46% in Australia
54% in Japan

The lagers are Spain and Italy which are about 15%, but its understandable since their economy has been total CRAP for the last 5 years.

So I have no idea where you shop for phones but Apple is doing GREAT in Europe. The salesmen were probably laughing because they get more bonus for selling Android phones. Apple does not give rich incentives to sell phones.

The shop you went to was probably a piece of crap shop thats not even an Apple distributor. They probably have terrible credit and Apple does not do business with them. Any decent phone shop in Western Europe will have iPhones for sale

There's plenty of muddy numbers available from any number of sources to support anyone's market share claims.

So iPhone share is either growing or decreasing, and either giving up some to Android or stealing the highest number of switchers from them in all history. Android is either dying or iOS is stagnating. Pick any of the above and there's numbers to support you.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/05/17/android-roars-back-in-strongest-growth-in-two-years-as-apple-shr/
https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Share-Tops-75-in-Europes-Largest-Markets
https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=9&qpcustomb=1
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3415117
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/ios-stealing-market-share-from-android-research-says-as-people-stop-buying-first-phones-10295444.html

gatorguy

sog35 said:

gatorguy said:

sog35 said:

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

I have no idea where you are getting your stats from.

10% market share in Western Europe is total bull sheet

http://bgr.com/2017/01/12/iphone-vs-android-market-share-q4-2016-us-uk/

But for the Nov2017;

iPhone had
21% market share in Germany
48% market share in Great Britian
25% share in France
46% in Australia
54% in Japan

The lagers are Spain and Italy which are about 15%, but its understandable since their economy has been total CRAP for the last 5 years.

So I have no idea where you shop for phones but Apple is doing GREAT in Europe. The salesmen were probably laughing because they get more bonus for selling Android phones. Apple does not give rich incentives to sell phones.

The shop you went to was probably a piece of crap shop thats not even an Apple distributor. They probably have terrible credit and Apple does not do business with them. Any decent phone shop in Western Europe will have iPhones for sale

There's plenty of muddy numbers available from any number of sources to support anyone's market share claims.

So iPhone share is either growing or decreasing, and either giving up some to Android or stealing the highest number of switchers from them in all history. Android is either dying or iOS is stagnating. Pick any of the above and there's numbers to support you.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/05/17/android-roars-back-in-strongest-growth-in-two-years-as-apple-shr/
https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Share-Tops-75-in-Europes-Largest-Markets
https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=9&qpcustomb=1
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3415117
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/ios-stealing-market-share-from-android-research-says-as-people-stop-buying-first-phones-10295444.html

I never said Android or iOS is dying.

I'm simply refuting his claim that Apple's share in Western Europe is 10%. There isn't a single data point that has iOS at that low of a share.

Apple has a healthy 25-30% share in GB, France, and Germany combined.
China is lower at 20%. But that will explode up with the iPhoneX.  China is down because last year the stock market/currency/economy was in chaos. Its recovering nicely now. Plus China loves new form factors, they will eat the X up.  iPhone is strong in Australia, Canada, and the USA.

My main point is Apple has nothing to worry about regarding market share. Their install base is bigger than ever. And probably is close to 40% in the USA/Japan/GB/France/Germany/Australia combined.  Don't forget iPhones last much longer than Androids. So even if Android has 80% market share, their user base is closer to 65%

I wasn't referring to you specifically Sog. It's just an "at-large" comment with all the numbers being bandied about to prove this or that person's position. 

lordjohnwhorfin

Beyond all this bickering, one thing is absolutely true: it was once a totally acceptable strategy to come up with an iOS app only and completely ignore Android; it is no longer the case and hasn't been for about three years.
Those of us who are old enough remember the days when Apple owned a significant part of the desktop computer market and enjoyed 50% margins (whereas the competition barely eked out 10 on a good day). MacOS was so advanced compared to creaky ugly old DOS, and the hardware was so much better and faster (and consistent) that it fostered innovation, creating the desktop publishing industry.
This kept Apple fat and happy for a long time, ignoring the slow but steady migration of software developers and innovation to the much larger PC market -- until the Mac's quasi-extinction (Desktop publishing barely kept it alive during these dark years)
I fear this loss of market share could start a costly developer exodus. After all, who would write for a 10% minority platform?

StrangeDays

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Doom. Doooooom. Beware....

StrangeDays

metrix said:

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

Really, Apple better be careful because that iPod is the only thing making them money, ...iPhone....iPad....AppleWatch...Apple? Please stop after almost 30 years in business and the largest company in US Apple isn't going down anytime soon. Apple does need the next best thing soon though.

40 years old, actually. Has outlived all the other PC makers from the PC revolution. 

quadra 610

Good for Samsung, I suppose. At least it's actually worthwhile for an Android purveyor. 

Apple and Sammy tend to trade places monthly
or quarterly.

No doubt it spells doom for Apple, though. Because reasons. 

Doomed since 2007. 

StrangeDays

gatorguy said:

sog35 said:

gatorguy said:

sog35 said:

rotateleftbyte said:

radarthekat said:

Outside the United States there are huge populations, think China,

and what about Europe? It is a larger market by population than the USA and with 1st world incomes yet Android is apparently wiping the floor with Apple phones. Some {trolls} are saying that Apple's market percentage is less than 10%. I don't believe it but there is a lot of data out there that might or might not be true.
At the moment, (in the UK at least) all the promo's are for the S8. TV and billboard advertising is all Samsung. Apple is nowhere to be seen.
Out of interest, I went into one UK mobile network today and asked about a contract with an iPhone 7. The sales team almost fell about laughing. IT was the S8/S8+ or the Galaxy A or a one year old Sony. That was all the devices they were offering on a two year contract!
As much as we might like/love Apple there is a huge world out there that don't even consider an iDevice when choosing their next phone.
Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?
Apple had better be careful or what little market share they have this side of the Pond will go down the drain.

I have no idea where you are getting your stats from.

10% market share in Western Europe is total bull sheet

http://bgr.com/2017/01/12/iphone-vs-android-market-share-q4-2016-us-uk/

But for the Nov2017;

iPhone had
21% market share in Germany
48% market share in Great Britian
25% share in France
46% in Australia
54% in Japan

The lagers are Spain and Italy which are about 15%, but its understandable since their economy has been total CRAP for the last 5 years.

So I have no idea where you shop for phones but Apple is doing GREAT in Europe. The salesmen were probably laughing because they get more bonus for selling Android phones. Apple does not give rich incentives to sell phones.

The shop you went to was probably a piece of crap shop thats not even an Apple distributor. They probably have terrible credit and Apple does not do business with them. Any decent phone shop in Western Europe will have iPhones for sale

There's plenty of muddy numbers available from any number of sources to support anyone's market share claims.

So iPhone share is either growing or decreasing, and either giving up some to Android or stealing the highest number of switchers from them in all history. Android is either dying or iOS is stagnating. Pick any of the above and there's numbers to support you.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/05/17/android-roars-back-in-strongest-growth-in-two-years-as-apple-shr/
https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Share-Tops-75-in-Europes-Largest-Markets
https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=9&qpcustomb=1
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3415117
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/ios-stealing-market-share-from-android-research-says-as-people-stop-buying-first-phones-10295444.html

I never said Android or iOS is dying.

I'm simply refuting his claim that Apple's share in Western Europe is 10%. There isn't a single data point that has iOS at that low of a share.

Apple has a healthy 25-30% share in GB, France, and Germany combined.
China is lower at 20%. But that will explode up with the iPhoneX.  China is down because last year the stock market/currency/economy was in chaos. Its recovering nicely now. Plus China loves new form factors, they will eat the X up.  iPhone is strong in Australia, Canada, and the USA.

My main point is Apple has nothing to worry about regarding market share. Their install base is bigger than ever. And probably is close to 40% in the USA/Japan/GB/France/Germany/Australia combined.  Don't forget iPhones last much longer than Androids. So even if Android has 80% market share, their user base is closer to 65%

I wasn't referring to you specifically Sog. It's just an "at-large" comment with all the numbers being bandied about to prove this or that person's position. 

Er, but you replied to Sog and he was being very specific with his numbers. Nobody mentioned muddy waters except you. FUD?

StrangeDays

lordjohnwhorfin said:

Beyond all this bickering, one thing is absolutely true: it was once a totally acceptable strategy to come up with an iOS app only and completely ignore Android; it is no longer the case and hasn't been for about three years.
Those of us who are old enough remember the days when Apple owned a significant part of the desktop computer market and enjoyed 50% margins (whereas the competition barely eked out 10 on a good day). MacOS was so advanced compared to creaky ugly old DOS, and the hardware was so much better and faster (and consistent) that it fostered innovation, creating the desktop publishing industry.
This kept Apple fat and happy for a long time, ignoring the slow but steady migration of software developers and innovation to the much larger PC market -- until the Mac's quasi-extinction (Desktop publishing barely kept it alive during these dark years)
I fear this loss of market share could start a costly developer exodus. After all, who would write for a 10% minority platform?

1) Not according to app devs I know -- iOS first, Android maybe. Why? Because iOS is where the paying customers are. 

2) legacy MacOS never had a significant market share that i'm aware of. What numbers and when?

3) What 10% minority market share are you referring to?

brucemc

lordjohnwhorfin said:

Beyond all this bickering, one thing is absolutely true: it was once a totally acceptable strategy to come up with an iOS app only and completely ignore Android; it is no longer the case and hasn't been for about three years.
Those of us who are old enough remember the days when Apple owned a significant part of the desktop computer market and enjoyed 50% margins (whereas the competition barely eked out 10 on a good day). MacOS was so advanced compared to creaky ugly old DOS, and the hardware was so much better and faster (and consistent) that it fostered innovation, creating the desktop publishing industry.
This kept Apple fat and happy for a long time, ignoring the slow but steady migration of software developers and innovation to the much larger PC market -- until the Mac's quasi-extinction (Desktop publishing barely kept it alive during these dark years)
I fear this loss of market share could start a costly developer exodus. After all, who would write for a 10% minority platform?

I believe that iPhone is at about 15% market share globally for smartphone shipments.  However, shipments are only part of the story, and not what developers are ultimately concerned with.  The iPhones are well acknowledged to have longer lives, and have a vibrant resale and hand-me-down market.  The iPhone "installed user base" continues to grow well (Above Avalon is one source), and is likely to approach 800 million by end of this year.  That is 800 million iPhone users, the majority of which are in the "premium" segment and spend more on apps/services.

This of course does not include iPad, to which the same iOS developers sell into with slightly modified apps.  And despite the "doom" around iPad the size if its installed base is estimated around 300 million units.  

So over 1.1 billion active, in-use, premium devices.  Doesn't seem like a bad market.

But still doomed, so there is that...

farmboy

rotateleftbyte said:

Yes, Apple makes 90% of the smartphone profits but how long can it last?
Will people actually pay more than $1000 for a phone (or £1300 in vat in the UK and 1200+ Euros)?
Seriously?

How long can it last? Indefinitely.  If I'm making all the money it's Samsung that has to worry. Shareholders can't spend market share.