This is a battle that has already taken place and iOS has won.
The article is about smartphone share in the USA. Worldwide and platform to platform, iOS already "won" a long time ago. By the time the other smaller smartphone vendors have disappeared, iOS will be so completely dominant that it won't even matter.
This is just a USA only statistic of limited meaning and almost no consequence to the platform war that is currently going on.
But Apple doesn't really compete for marketshare. They would rather take the lion's share of the profits, let everyone else scrap it out for crumbs.
Apple is taking something like 60+% of the cellphone industry's profits with just 5-6% of the total share (all handsets, smartphone and dumbphones).
This is the same thing with their PC division. Apple takes the major of the PC industry's profits despite their low marketshare. Meanwhile, giants like HP sell a lot more systems, yet struggle to maintain profitability. HP intends to sell or spin off their Personal Systems Group because of this issue.
I see them a lot in the SF Bay Area and my anecdotal observations match the reported demographics: young, male, high-tech nerds.
0% market share means no products are sold, thus no profits. You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share. If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share.
What you're mistakenly saying is that slashed profits in order to artificially ballon their unit marketshare. But that's not correct; they won the unit marketshare the old fashion way, by having a more desirable product.
Quote:
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
That's just silly on so many levels.
Quote:
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
Again, it's about profit, not about going after the number of units in a market at the expense of profits.
The weird thing is I have met or seen literally countless people with iPhones and even many BBs but I have yet to see anyone with an Android phone. And yes I travel a lot!
Many people I know who bought Android because they did not want to switch from Sprint or T-Mobile, but they want a smart phone.
I just don't follow your logic. You said that iOS is a clear winner in worldwide market share, despite it actually having smaller share than Android AND slower growth.
0% market share means no products are sold, thus no profits. You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share. If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
Although I don't disagree completely, I will point out that Apple only has 5% of the desktop/laptop market but makes over 50% profit in that market. Apple cares about profit share much more than market share. I also think Apple is trying to get developers think that way as well which keeps them on the platform and why AAA gaming apps debut on iOS and not Android despite the gap in market share.
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
I guess you must be right because I also seem to see only glowing white Apple logos on the back of laptops these days too. I was stuck in Boston over Christmas for a week and the Parker House lobby area looked like an ad for Apple.
I just don't follow your logic. You said that iOS is a clear winner in worldwide market share, despite it actually having smaller share than Android AND slower growth.
1) You pointed to a site that is listing worldwide smartphone marketshare, not iOS marketshare.
2) Your hotlinked image doesn't show up.
3) I think Android probably does have a larger platform than iOS but you (and others) need to actually make an argument that defines what is meant. For instance, are you going to measure Apple's sales to Google's stated activations? What is considered an activation? Are you going to go with current quarter or installed base?
I guess you must be right because I also seem to see only glowing white Apple logos on the back of laptops these days too. I was stuck in Boston over Christmas for a week and the Parker House lobby area looked like an ad for Apple.
I'm frequnetly seeing iPads in use in public over notebooks. Not other tablets, but iPads. And very often more Macs and non-Mac PCs.
1) You pointed to a site that is listing worldwide smartphone marketshare, not iOS marketshare.
2) Your hotlinked image doesn't show up.
3) I think Android probably does have a larger platform than iOS but you (and others) need to actually make an argument that defines what is meant. For instance, are you going to measure Apple's sales to Google's stated activations? What is considered an activation? Are you going to go with current quarter or installed base?
The Canalys report I linked is reporting on shipped units, not activations.
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
You mean assuming Android is still around after Google has to start charging money for it and starts competing with other Android players through its Motorola purchase?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhyde
The real test is going to happen when all the low-end players (RIM, Windows, Nokia, etc.) are finally eliminated and the battle takes place between Android and iOS. Will Apple maintain its marketshare or will Android start eating away at Apple's share? Right now it's a growth market and the two leaders have lots of room to expand. The interesting question is "what happens when it's a zero-sum game?"
I think Solipsism means that iOS as a platform (phones, ipods and ipads) is larger than Android as a platform which is a metric that developers would care a lot about.
One thing I really like about the Apple Insider forum is that there are so many smart people here. If someone has a weak argument or posts something bogus they are quickly called on it.
Comments
This is a battle that has already taken place and iOS has won.
The article is about smartphone share in the USA. Worldwide and platform to platform, iOS already "won" a long time ago. By the time the other smaller smartphone vendors have disappeared, iOS will be so completely dominant that it won't even matter.
This is just a USA only statistic of limited meaning and almost no consequence to the platform war that is currently going on.
But Apple doesn't really compete for marketshare. They would rather take the lion's share of the profits, let everyone else scrap it out for crumbs.
Apple is taking something like 60+% of the cellphone industry's profits with just 5-6% of the total share (all handsets, smartphone and dumbphones).
This is the same thing with their PC division. Apple takes the major of the PC industry's profits despite their low marketshare. Meanwhile, giants like HP sell a lot more systems, yet struggle to maintain profitability. HP intends to sell or spin off their Personal Systems Group because of this issue.
I see them a lot in the SF Bay Area and my anecdotal observations match the reported demographics: young, male, high-tech nerds.
0% market share means no products are sold, thus no profits. You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share. If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share.
What you're mistakenly saying is that slashed profits in order to artificially ballon their unit marketshare. But that's not correct; they won the unit marketshare the old fashion way, by having a more desirable product.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
That's just silly on so many levels.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
Again, it's about profit, not about going after the number of units in a market at the expense of profits.
Enough said....
I believe he was being sarcastic...
spam
Dear Mods,
If ever there was a clearer case of a troll who has joined the forum simply to post garbage and generally make trouble, here it is.
Please consider removing the right to post for "Youarewrong."
Thank you
The weird thing is I have met or seen literally countless people with iPhones and even many BBs but I have yet to see anyone with an Android phone. And yes I travel a lot!
Many people I know who bought Android because they did not want to switch from Sprint or T-Mobile, but they want a smart phone.
...
I just don't follow your logic. You said that iOS is a clear winner in worldwide market share, despite it actually having smaller share than Android AND slower growth.
Worldwide and platform to platform, iOS already "won" a long time ago.
What's your source on that? It sounds highly dubious.
What's your source on that? It sounds highly dubious.
http://www.canalys.com/newsroom/andr...t-phone-market
0% market share means no products are sold, thus no profits. You simply have to look at the MP3 player industry to see, yes, Apple does indeed compete for market share. If Apple did not care about market share, they would not have wasted their time on Safari for Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, Google Chrome came along and took the lead as the WebKit-based web browser.
If Apple did not care about market share, they would not be litigation happy to block other competing hardware from being sold. There is synergy between market share and profits.
Although I don't disagree completely, I will point out that Apple only has 5% of the desktop/laptop market but makes over 50% profit in that market. Apple cares about profit share much more than market share. I also think Apple is trying to get developers think that way as well which keeps them on the platform and why AAA gaming apps debut on iOS and not Android despite the gap in market share.
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
I guess you must be right because I also seem to see only glowing white Apple logos on the back of laptops these days too. I was stuck in Boston over Christmas for a week and the Parker House lobby area looked like an ad for Apple.
I just don't follow your logic. You said that iOS is a clear winner in worldwide market share, despite it actually having smaller share than Android AND slower growth.
1) You pointed to a site that is listing worldwide smartphone marketshare, not iOS marketshare.
2) Your hotlinked image doesn't show up.
3) I think Android probably does have a larger platform than iOS but you (and others) need to actually make an argument that defines what is meant. For instance, are you going to measure Apple's sales to Google's stated activations? What is considered an activation? Are you going to go with current quarter or installed base?
I guess you must be right because I also seem to see only glowing white Apple logos on the back of laptops these days too. I was stuck in Boston over Christmas for a week and the Parker House lobby area looked like an ad for Apple.
I'm frequnetly seeing iPads in use in public over notebooks. Not other tablets, but iPads. And very often more Macs and non-Mac PCs.
1) You pointed to a site that is listing worldwide smartphone marketshare, not iOS marketshare.
2) Your hotlinked image doesn't show up.
3) I think Android probably does have a larger platform than iOS but you (and others) need to actually make an argument that defines what is meant. For instance, are you going to measure Apple's sales to Google's stated activations? What is considered an activation? Are you going to go with current quarter or installed base?
The Canalys report I linked is reporting on shipped units, not activations.
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
It's on!
You're not going to the right places. If you hang out with educated, sophisticated adults you're less likely to see an Android-based device? at least, that's what the advertising campaigns seem to indicate.
Post of the day!
The real test is going to happen when all the low-end players (RIM, Windows, Nokia, etc.) are finally eliminated and the battle takes place between Android and iOS. Will Apple maintain its marketshare or will Android start eating away at Apple's share? Right now it's a growth market and the two leaders have lots of room to expand. The interesting question is "what happens when it's a zero-sum game?"