Apple shares of smartphone market jumps more than twofold

[AppleInsider]

Apple saw its share of global smartphone market more than double on a year-over-year basis during the first quarter of the year but still has much work to do before catching BlackBerry maker Research in Motion and market leader Nokia.

For the three-month period ending March, Apple's shipments of roughly 3.94 million iPhones garnered a 10.8% share of the worldwide smartphone market, according to data released Wednesday by market research firm Gartner. That was good enough for the Cupertino-based company to maintain its third-place ranking overall with twice the share of HTC, which shipped 1.96 million devices to register a 5.4% share.

Still, Apple trails arch rival Research in Motion (RIM), whose sales of more than 7.23 million BlackBerries helped it achieve nearly 20% market share, and leader Nokia, which sold almost 15 million handsets for a commanding 41.2% share of the market. Fujitsu ranked fifth overall in smartphone shipments, selling nearly 1.39 million devices for 3.8% share.

Gartner said that worldwide mobile phone sales totalled 269.1 million units during the quarter, a 8.6% decrease from the first quarter of 2008. However, the smartphone segment of the market fared much better, surpassing 36.4 million units, a 12.7% increase from the same period last year.

Smartphone sales also represented an increasing slice of the global handset market at 13.5%, up from 11% during the same quarter of 2008. Gartner attributed the growth to the positive performance of both RIM and Apple, which continue to demonstrate that attractive services and applications are instrumental to the success of the integrated devices.

"Much of the smartphone growth during the first quarter of 2009 was driven by touchscreen products, both in midtier and high-end devices," said analyst Roberta Cozza. "Touch for the sake of touch’ was enough of a driver in the midtier space, but tighter integration with applications and services around music, mobile e-mail, and Internet browsing made the difference at the high end of the market."

Although Apple saw sales jump more than 100%, its 10.8% share of the market isn't the highest its achieved during its short tenure as a smartphone maker. The company actually registered a near 13% share of the market back in the third quarter of 2008, immediately following the launch of its second-generation iPhone.



For the current second quarter of 2009 ending June, Apple's likely to see its share of the market recede slightly as consumers start delaying their handset purchases in anticipation of third-generation iPhones that should arrive by summer. Therefore, a more accurate benchmark of the company's momentum in the mobile space may come during the third quarter of the year when sales of those new handsets can be weighed against figures from the 2008 iPhone 3G launch.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[anantksundaram]

How does Apple perform in arena of just touchscreen smartphones?

And, what about Samsung and LG -- one would have thought they'd figure somewhere up there in this list?

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I hope it would... Last year same time, the US only sold the iPhone. It should have more than doubled! The fact that the iPhone is in over 40 more countries and it only doubled is BAD news.

The iPhone is only HOT when released and dies down very fast as the months pass.

The iPhone sells very well on launch and dies from there.

iPhone and the new iPhone 3G are perfect examples. Same thing will happen with the next release.

This is not good for Apple. The device needs to sell well throughout the year.

And market share matters how?

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Market Share talks... seems to be very important with every Mac site.

Market share "talks?" What the heck does that mean?

Equally, my question is how the issue of market share matters to you (and not Mac sites), since you are the one making the claim that "...this is not good for Apple."

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Samsung and LG came out with touch based phones first. Apple went one step further. In no way, shape or form did Apple invent touch.

Samsung and LG both have sold 20+ million touch phones each in 2 years.

(i) I did not say anything about who invented what - that's pretty irrelevant to the questions I was asking; (ii) If they've sold 20 million each, how come their names didn't even figure in the rankings (or merit a mention)? Just curious.......

[beg]

Originally Posted by italiankid

This is not good for Apple. The device needs to sell well throughout the year. It doesn't.

Apparently well enough to give them the #3 spot...

[macxpress]

Considering that Apple only sells 1 type of iPhone this is pretty good IMO. If Apple were to sell 3 different iPhone models they're marketshare would be much higher. This is exactly what happened with the iPod when Apple expanded that lineup.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by italiankid

... The iPhone is only HOT when released and dies down very fast as the months pass. ... The iPhone sells very well on launch and dies from there. ... Same thing will happen with the next release. Guaranteed. ...

As usual, you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

All sales have cycles like this, it's nothing new that sales generally drop off when the new model is imminent. The key in these things is the management of the supply chain which (in case you didn't know), Apple has won many awards for.

I think I will trust the sales figures coming out of Apple and the analysis of, you know ... the analysts, before I believe the word of some anonymous always-angry teenager who never has a good word to say about Apple and mostly posts illegible junk.

[Dr Millmoss]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

And market share matters how?

Quite right, it doesn't really matter. Rank matters even less, especially when it's in this artificial category called "smart phones." What are the other kind, dumb phones?

What does matter is sales growth, and Apple can continue to grow iPhone shipments by redefining the categories.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Samsung and LG came out with touch based phones first. Apple went one step further. In no way, shape or form did Apple invent touch.

Samsung and LG both have sold 20+ million touch phones each in 2 years.

Again, you don't know what you're talking about here. Touch-screen portables and phones have been around for many many years. LG wasn't even a company when the first touchscreen mobiles/phones were made.

Apple was the first multi-touch phone. Big difference.

[vinea]

Please stop feeding the trolls. Geez, if you can't not swing at a post that consists of "Apple's share doubles...Apple is doomed"...

Frankly, it seems that Apple has positioned itself quite well in another high margin segment of an otherwise commodity market. Apple has no more desire to be Nokia than it does to be Dell or HP.

[dizzy13]

Makes sense. Whenever I'm out anywhere it seems that at least every other person with a phone in there hand has an iPhone. Even my less than technical friend bought one and a month later he had to buy one for his g/f.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I hope it would... Last year at the same time, the United States only sold the iPhone. It should have more than doubled! The fact that the iPhone is in over 40+ countries and it only doubled is very BAD news.

The iPhone is only HOT when released and dies down very fast as the months pass.

The iPhone sells very well on launch and dies from there.

The iPhone and the iPhone 3G are perfect examples. Same thing will happen with the next release. Guaranteed.

This is not good for Apple. The device needs to sell well throughout the year. It doesn't.

You read every bit of information in your odd, negative way.

Every phone dies down after some time after release. That's normal. IPhone sales stay higher than others for longer. You might notice that Apple broke the 10% number they said they wanted to reach in smartphone sales. That's pretty good.

You seem to be the only one who has this interpretation of the numbers.

[iVlad]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I hope it would... Last year at the same time, the United States only sold the iPhone. It should have more than doubled! The fact that the iPhone is in over 40+ countries and it only doubled is very BAD news.

The iPhone is only HOT when released and dies down very fast as the months pass.

The iPhone sells very well on launch and dies from there.

The iPhone and the iPhone 3G are perfect examples. Same thing will happen with the next release. Guaranteed.

This is not good for Apple. The device needs to sell well throughout the year. It doesn't.

Ummm, hello. That applies to any phone!

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by italiankid

It won't happen. Take a walk to an Apple store... They are always booked solid with exchanges for the iPhone 3G.

Can you imagine 3 models? Apple would need a bigger Genius bar just for exchanges. Or they would need to create a new space called... "iPhone Genius Bar" lol

These phantom "exchanges" you're talking about don't support what the numbers say. You seem to be confusing the Storm with the iPhone. Deliberately.

You're making things up just to get attention around here. It's a way of dominating the conversation without saying anything constructive or meaningful. Your dissenting opinion (in and of itself not a problem) offers no exposition or description of anything. And you've been doing that for some time now. At least for as long as I've been around here.

You're the kind of troll that consistently walks the line, just shy of doing anything that will get you banned or your account suspended. You don't actually post opinions, just random comments and one-liners purely for the hits. And you know that this is just the place to do it because it's a dedicated Apple forum, unlike say, Neowin or ars technica, etc.

The real problem is that your motivations are dishonest. The anonymity of the internet allows for an abundance of game-playing and chicanery on forums. Some of those that have little to offer the discussion (and likely little to offer outside of cyberspace, too) tend to take advantage of the situation.

Enjoy your fun. You have every right to continue doing what you're doing because censorship is restrained around here, as it should be. It doesn't, however, mean that you have anyone's attention, much less their respect.

Cheers.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Samsung and LG came out with touch based phones first. Apple went one step further. In no way, shape or form did Apple invent touch.

Samsung and LG both have sold 20+ million touch phones each in 2 years.

Which models from those companies had touch before the iPhone?

And I assume you mean multitouch, which is where Apple made a mark?

[iVlad]

Originally Posted by italiankid

It won't happen. Take a walk to an Apple store... They are always booked solid with exchanges for the iPhone 3G.

Can you imagine 3 models? Apple would need a bigger Genius bar just for exchanges. Or they would need to create a new space called... "iPhone Genius Bar" lol

That's why Apple is opening more Apple Stores and hiring more phone technicians.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Market Share talks... seems to be very important with every Mac site.

Marketshare is important to every site, and to the manufacturers as well.

I've noticed some people throwing around Nokia's marketshare, though they quiet down when it's pointed out how much it's dropping.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I was just saying...

I believe Palm was the first lol hahaha

If you actually knew something, your gloating might be in order, but as usual, you don't.

I've had a Palm Treo 700p for several years. It has no touch screen, which as almost everyone except you knows is capacitive, rather than the resistive screens Palm has always used until the Pre comes out.

Smacking that screen with your nail isn't even close to a "touch" experience.

You've obviously never used one.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

to handle all the exchanges for the defect iPhone 3G's

Either stop you constant trolling, or leave. At some point, it will be too much.

If you can prove anything you say, do so. Otherwise, stop making junk up to annoy us.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

we are trolls because we voice an opinion different than yours? I can voice an opinion that can be negative or positive on Apple. If it is negative, you consider it TROLLING. Guess what?

You are wrong!

No, you're a troll because you make things up. Constantly.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Would you like facts of the defects for the iPhone 3G?

I can give you links and photos... You want some?

If you can show that the iPhone has real problems, not just an isolated one here and there, then do so.

The only problem they had was in the very beginning, when some reports of cracks around the connectors were mentioned, but that stopped quite a while ago.

There have been no other real problems reported, other than some minor software glitches.

So if you have links to real problems that are affecting more than a very small number of people, sure put them out.

[jb85]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Would you like facts of the defects for the iPhone 3G?

I can give you links and photos... You want some?

well don't threaten us with your "facts". show us!

[RCO3]

Seriously, I'm begging.

I don't want to tell ANYONE else how to use this forum, but haven't we all figured out by now that neither italiankid nor teckstud have anything useful to contribute? I believe that's the entire point of the ignore list. There's no way that you're going to use reason or intellect to shift their perceptions at all; much the opposite, in fact, as both of them (and a few others) derive all of their pleasure from coming here and getting us all worked up.

There's a word for people like them: troll. There, I said it!

And the way you deal with trolls is to stop feeding them. Again, I don't want to tell anyone what they can and can't do on AI, esp. since I have neither the authority nor any conceivable right to do so, but won't you please reconsider replying to them? Ask yourself: is there anything at all to be gained from responding to anything italiankid has ever posted? Or teckstud? I'm all about discussion, alternate points of view, etc. I don't want to suppress anyone's opportunity to express their opinion on an open internet forum. But that doesn't mean you have to take this particular bait. Would your life be in any way less enjoyable if you simply ignored them?

I'm very sorry that I've used one of my very infrequent comments to discuss an off-topic matter like this. I'll stop talking now.

[mjtomlin]

Originally Posted by italiankid

Samsung and LG came out with touch based phones first. Apple went one step further. In no way, shape or form did Apple invent touch.

Samsung and LG both have sold 20+ million touch phones each in 2 years.

You're right, Apple did not invent touch, but had a touch based device on the market long before either of those companies; the Newton in 1993.

Apple has sold 37 million iPhone OS touch based devices in under two years, not too mention those users have downloaded over a billion applications. So if you want to talk about market penetration with touch devices, Apple is the clear winner over any other company.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

enjoy...

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

these are a few of the example of the problems with the device. I have had problems with each one.

Tons of pages to read... Call me a troll after.

hat's he best you could do/

If you go through several pages of the links for each, one thing you'll notice is that many are repeats of the same forums. sometimes the forum shows up, and sometimes the individual posts, time after time.

This isn't exactly a big problem.

Neither are the others. The third is hardly even reported in the links you provided.

Good try, but no cigar.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

A billion downloads because Apple had a contest to get it going... It would have not reached one billion if it wasnt for the contest. It would have taken 6 more mths to do so. I bet in June Apple will mention 1 billion downloads... That is why the contest was created. To get this under there belt. LOL

This is your problem. You say really stupid things.

Apple was almost at the billion download point when they started the contest. It's hard to believe you don't know that.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I would do more but you guys are not worth it... I am doing this while working LOL

Then why do you bother to come here? We wouldn't mind you leaving for greener pastures.

Just say when.

[greenheaven]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

These phantom "exchanges" you're talking about don't support what the numbers say. You seem to be confusing the Storm with the iPhone. Deliberately.

You're making things up just to get attention around here. It's a way of dominating the conversation without saying anything constructive or meaningful....

Well stated!

iPhone versus others. What I love about the situation is how Apple just came up with so many things that Nokia and others were just left picking their waxy anti-design ears. Love it!

You know, Ovi = "door" in Finnish. How lame!

Just waiting for iPad to beam us all (filthy, nasty, greedy) Westerners to the next era of personal computing.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by italiankid

It won't happen. Take a walk to an Apple store... They are always booked solid with exchanges for the iPhone 3G.

Can you imagine 3 models? Apple would need a bigger Genius bar just for exchanges. Or they would need to create a new space called... "iPhone Genius Bar" lol

"Kid" you're giving all Italians a bad name. Give it up.

[aaarrrgggh]

Originally Posted by RCO3

Seriously, I'm begging.

I don't want to tell ANYONE else how to use this forum, but haven't we all figured out by now that neither italiankid nor teckstud have anything useful to contribute? I believe that's the entire point of the ignore list. There's no way that you're going to use reason or intellect to shift their perceptions at all; much the opposite, in fact, as both of them (and a few others) derive all of their pleasure from coming here and getting us all worked up.

Praise Buddha! Didn't realize that the forum had ignore lists. Wish it completely deleted their posts, but better than nothing. (Click here to add him to your ignorelist)

[melgross]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I disagree.

Then show it.

[JupiterOne]

Originally Posted by italiankid

could have fooled me. they are trying to get into every market... sell tons of these phones and gain market share. You do this when you are trying to get BIG.

Originally Posted by italiankid

Apple is well aware of the light leak issues and dust under almost every device. Even the genius reps are well aware of it.

Its the stupid gasket they use holding the glass in place...

Would you like some pics?

I think something is wrong with that italiankid troll bot. It's starting to randomly respond to its own posts.

[Sipadan]

Originally Posted by italiankid

I would do more but you guys are not worth it... I am doing this while working LOL

Holy crap I feel for your co-workers.... and hope you apply better reasoning and communication in your job, whatever it is that you do.

If only you could focus more on whatever that is

[MacShack]

If you would just ignore him. I think the other companies are getting scared. They may be able to match everything in the area of hardware but their software... It's nothing compare to Apples. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Hehe

[delreyjones]

Originally Posted by RCO3

Seriously, I'm begging.

I don't want to tell ANYONE else how to use this forum, but haven't we all figured out by now that neither italiankid nor teckstud have anything useful to contribute? I believe that's the entire point of the ignore list. There's no way that you're going to use reason or intellect to shift their perceptions at all; much the opposite, in fact, as both of them (and a few others) derive all of their pleasure from coming here and getting us all worked up.

There's a word for people like them: troll. There, I said it!

And the way you deal with trolls is to stop feeding them. Again, I don't want to tell anyone what they can and can't do on AI, esp. since I have neither the authority nor any conceivable right to do so, but won't you please reconsider replying to them? Ask yourself: is there anything at all to be gained from responding to anything italiankid has ever posted? Or teckstud? I'm all about discussion, alternate points of view, etc. I don't want to suppress anyone's opportunity to express their opinion on an open internet forum. But that doesn't mean you have to take this particular bait. Would your life be in any way less enjoyable if you simply ignored them?

I'm very sorry that I've used one of my very infrequent comments to discuss an off-topic matter like this. I'll stop talking now.

Thanks for educating me about the Ignore List. I've added ItalianKid and TechStud and things looks better now. Their "contributions" to the discussion seem very childish to me and my time is too valuable to spend it reading their words.

[teckstud]

....the tone on here!
Seriously I would have thought by all the posts on here for the last 2 years that iPhone would be at least #2 by now because we know it has everything people want, it does it so much better, that it was going to take over the smartphone market, etc, etc, etc.
A lot of people sure get upset when they have to eat crow.
What do you expect when you only have 1 phone with 1 carrier in the US? HEllo?

[MissionGrey]

One quick note: The iPhone is only carried by one service provider. The others are carried by all or must of service providers in the U.S.A. and I am guessing this is the same outside the U.S.A., that would effect everything a few people have been ranting on.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by RCO3

Seriously, I'm begging.

I'm very sorry that I've used one of my very infrequent comments to discuss an off-topic matter like this. I'll stop talking now.

That's hysterical. You are really either out of your mind or off your meds. Blocking anybody that disagrees with Apple? Pathetic.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by iStink

LOL look how the page shrinks with all his posts omitted.

Except now he's highlighted in blue for a quick fix.