I have to disagree, Sam. I know it's a popular meme right now that "the premium smartphone market may be maturing," but it's simply lazy journalism to repeat it without insight or consideration. The fact is that there are only two companies that seem capable of reaching the premium smartphone market, Apple and Samesong. They're having no problem making huge profits in that area. HTC may want to repeat that excuse for failure, but the truth is they haven't figure out how to compete in the "premium smartphone market."
It would seem that if you're Samesong, the way to do it is copy the iPhone, sell them as fast as you can, deny that you're stealing, drag out court cases as long as possible.
<span style="line-height:1.231;">Actually, Samsung's high end sales didn't take off until they stopped copying the iPhone's looks, and instead advertised their products as alternatives with more advanced features, bigger screens, etc.</span>
I wouldn't consider Samsung as a major player in the high end smart phone market.
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
Samsung is playing the mid tier market with so called premium phones.
The only true high end smartphone is the iPhone and the truly rich don't want Android devices.
I wonder why out of the Android makers, only Samsung seems to be doing well?
Samsung was the only company with detailed knowledge of Apple's technology, and used their money to steal Apple's patents. They were able to use Googles inside information on Apple software (via Schmidt).
Bad news about a competitor eventually brings out the "Is it possible to love Apple and yet be critical of them?" trolls. It's coming, even though this article has nothing to do with Apple.
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
No it doesn't at least not in the US. For example, off-contract 16GB S4s go for around $600, $640 and $650 depending on the carrier or even $699 from Radio Shack. The off-contract 16GB iPhone 5 is $650. Where exactly are you seeing off-contract S4s selling for hundreds of dollars less than off-contract iPhones? Random Amazon Marketplace or Ebay sellers do not count.
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
Likewise, the overwhelming majority of iPhone sales are wherever it is carrier subsidized, or has incentives such as trade-in programs or loans.
In other words, where it is priced so that the masses can afford it.
It's all about upfront price, no matter whose phone it is.
Quote:
The only true high end smartphone is the iPhone and the truly rich don't want Android devices.
The "truly rich" buy obscenely priced Vertu smartphones running Android.
No it doesn't at least not in the US. For example, off-contract 16GB S4s go for around $600, $640 and $650 depending on the carrier or even $699 from Radio Shack. The off-contract 16GB iPhone 5 is $650. Where exactly are you seeing off-contract S4s selling for hundreds of dollars less than off-contract iPhones? Random Amazon Marketplace or Ebay sellers do not count.
I agree. Where I live a 16GB off-contract S4 goes for $699 and a 16GB off-contract iPhone 5 goes for $649.
No it doesn't at least not in the US. For example, off-contract 16GB S4s go for around $600, $640 and $650 depending on the carrier or even $699 from Radio Shack. The off-contract 16GB iPhone 5 is $650. Where exactly are you seeing off-contract S4s selling for hundreds of dollars less than off-contract iPhones? Random Amazon Marketplace or Ebay sellers do not count.
Overseas in the EU and Asia the Galaxy S4 is priced closer to the equivalent of $500 while the iPhone's starting price is anywhere from $700-800 depending on the country.
As I said, in the US, S4s have been discounted from carriers since coming out. I was seeing ads for S4s being free with 2 year contract and even some with buy one get one sales. The S4 isn't even 6 months old and its already being given away!
<span style="line-height:1.231;">Likewise, the overwhelming majority of iPhone sales are wherever it is carrier subsidized, or has incentives such as trade-in programs or loans.</span>
<span style="line-height:1.231;">In other words, where it is priced so that the masses can afford it.</span>
<span style="line-height:1.231;">It's all about upfront price, no matter whose phone it is.</span>
The "truly rich" buy obscenely priced Vertu smartphones running Android.
$1000+ iPhones dwarf sales of the Vertu.
The point being that the truly rich in the "so called" premium market are buying iPhones by and large and not Samsungs or HTCs.
The media talking point of the high end market being saturated because of low S4 sales was and still is unfounded. Just because Damsung is having a harder time selling S4s doesn't mean the high end market is saturated. It means high end customers aren't interested in the S4...
<span style="line-height:1.231;">Likewise, the overwhelming majority of iPhone sales are wherever it is carrier subsidized, or has incentives such as trade-in programs or loans.</span>
<span style="line-height:1.231;">In other words, where it is priced so that the masses can afford it.</span>
<span style="line-height:1.231;">It's all about upfront price, no matter whose phone it is.</span>
The "truly rich" buy obscenely priced Vertu smartphones running Android.
Don't Vertu phones run on their own proprietary OS and not Android?
This is too bad. Although, I am not going to give up my iPhone anytime soon, I recently checked out the HTC 8X and it's a really great Windows phone - build quality is good, great camera, sleek design, etc. Feels solid and not cheap at all. And the Windows phone system is so much better than Android IMO - while there is not as many apps in the store, it's quick and easy to use and a real alternative to iOS that offers something truly different.
I don't think Samsung is doing as well on high end smartphones as they, or the analysts/stock manipulators claim. Remember a couple of years ago when it was all over the blogs and tech news outlets about how the Samsung tablet was selling in the millions and then it was revealed via discovery or testimony that their actual sell through was dismal, as in hundreds of thousands only?
I think HTC just bumped its head against what I suspect is the pervasive consumer mindset: If I'm going to spend a lot of money on a smartphone, I'm getting an iPhone. All the Android mfrs, including Samsung, are faced with this obstacle. It's just that Samsung has spent prodigious amounts of money on advertising and promotions to either a) sell their high end smartphones or b) give the impression that their high end smartphones are selling well.
The tablet thing is believable because frankly I don't see people with anything other than iPads but I do see plenty of people using SGS 3s/4s and Note 2s in public.
Let's see who could have helped HTC. What about Google? Did they try to help out HTC? Nope. Google doesn't care which of its Android handset partners live or die. The last Android hardware maker standing will probably end up being Samsung. And Google still won't care. All they care about is ad revenue. 96% of Google's revenue comes from ads, and they make more money from iOS ads than they do from all of Android.
So what about Facebook? Did that Facebook phone help HTC at all? Negative. It was a desperate attempt by Facebook to do something, anything, in the mobile space. And a desperate attempt by HTC to find any kind of edge over Samsung. Putting a Facebook layer on top of HTC Sense on top of vanilla Android wasn't the key to selling hardware.
And what is HTC going to do now? They're going to do the same old Android thing but with cheaper hardware.
Love you like a sister, Cher. Good luck with that.
Those in the know know that HTC produced too much swag. I saw this coming years ago. Apple maintained a calm storm while her competitors produced multiple phones against ONE IPHONE!! playing that game against an outfit like Apple will destroy you. Now just imagine an iPhone the size of that Galaxy with retina display. Game over!!!
Let's see who could have helped HTC. What about Google? Did they try to help out HTC? Nope. Google doesn't care which of its Android handset partners live or die. The last Android hardware maker standing will probably end up being Samsung. And Google still won't care. All they care about is ad revenue. 96% of Google's revenue comes from ads, and they make more money from iOS ads than they do from all of Android.
So what about Facebook? Did that Facebook phone help HTC at all? Negative. It was a desperate attempt by Facebook to do something, anything, in the mobile space. And a desperate attempt by HTC to find any kind of edge over Samsung. Putting a Facebook layer on top of HTC Sense on top of vanilla Android wasn't the key to selling hardware.
And what is HTC going to do now? They're going to do the same old Android thing but with cheaper hardware.
Love you like a sister, Cher. Good luck with that.
2 most stupid companies in the history of humanity have got together to take over the world ... not just internet .... but the WHOLE WORLD and each and every one of us!
Comments
I wouldn't consider Samsung as a major player in the high end smart phone market.
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
Samsung is playing the mid tier market with so called premium phones.
The only true high end smartphone is the iPhone and the truly rich don't want Android devices.
Advertising and Marketing. Ironically, Android fanatics refer to Apple fanatics as "sheep."
Quote:
Originally Posted by BuddyRevell
I wonder why out of the Android makers, only Samsung seems to be doing well?
Samsung was the only company with detailed knowledge of Apple's technology, and used their money to steal Apple's patents. They were able to use Googles inside information on Apple software (via Schmidt).
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
No it doesn't at least not in the US. For example, off-contract 16GB S4s go for around $600, $640 and $650 depending on the carrier or even $699 from Radio Shack. The off-contract 16GB iPhone 5 is $650. Where exactly are you seeing off-contract S4s selling for hundreds of dollars less than off-contract iPhones? Random Amazon Marketplace or Ebay sellers do not count.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
Samsung's flagship phone the S4 consistently sells for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone off contract and always has BOGO sales and deals on contract.
Likewise, the overwhelming majority of iPhone sales are wherever it is carrier subsidized, or has incentives such as trade-in programs or loans.
In other words, where it is priced so that the masses can afford it.
It's all about upfront price, no matter whose phone it is.
Quote:
The only true high end smartphone is the iPhone and the truly rich don't want Android devices.
The "truly rich" buy obscenely priced Vertu smartphones running Android.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJones
No it doesn't at least not in the US. For example, off-contract 16GB S4s go for around $600, $640 and $650 depending on the carrier or even $699 from Radio Shack. The off-contract 16GB iPhone 5 is $650. Where exactly are you seeing off-contract S4s selling for hundreds of dollars less than off-contract iPhones? Random Amazon Marketplace or Ebay sellers do not count.
I agree. Where I live a 16GB off-contract S4 goes for $699 and a 16GB off-contract iPhone 5 goes for $649.
Overseas in the EU and Asia the Galaxy S4 is priced closer to the equivalent of $500 while the iPhone's starting price is anywhere from $700-800 depending on the country.
As I said, in the US, S4s have been discounted from carriers since coming out. I was seeing ads for S4s being free with 2 year contract and even some with buy one get one sales. The S4 isn't even 6 months old and its already being given away!
$1000+ iPhones dwarf sales of the Vertu.
The point being that the truly rich in the "so called" premium market are buying iPhones by and large and not Samsungs or HTCs.
The media talking point of the high end market being saturated because of low S4 sales was and still is unfounded. Just because Damsung is having a harder time selling S4s doesn't mean the high end market is saturated. It means high end customers aren't interested in the S4...
This is too bad. Although, I am not going to give up my iPhone anytime soon, I recently checked out the HTC 8X and it's a really great Windows phone - build quality is good, great camera, sleek design, etc. Feels solid and not cheap at all. And the Windows phone system is so much better than Android IMO - while there is not as many apps in the store, it's quick and easy to use and a real alternative to iOS that offers something truly different.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rot'nApple
"Predicted"?! If HTC was able to predict its first-ever operating loss, you think HTC would have done something about it prior to incurring.
Now 'experienced'... there's a word...
"HTC has experienced its first-ever operating loss"... Works for me.
As I read the article, HTC reported second quarter results, and predicted a loss for the third quarter, as guidance.
The tablet thing is believable because frankly I don't see people with anything other than iPads but I do see plenty of people using SGS 3s/4s and Note 2s in public.
Let's see who could have helped HTC. What about Google? Did they try to help out HTC? Nope. Google doesn't care which of its Android handset partners live or die. The last Android hardware maker standing will probably end up being Samsung. And Google still won't care. All they care about is ad revenue. 96% of Google's revenue comes from ads, and they make more money from iOS ads than they do from all of Android.
So what about Facebook? Did that Facebook phone help HTC at all? Negative. It was a desperate attempt by Facebook to do something, anything, in the mobile space. And a desperate attempt by HTC to find any kind of edge over Samsung. Putting a Facebook layer on top of HTC Sense on top of vanilla Android wasn't the key to selling hardware.
And what is HTC going to do now? They're going to do the same old Android thing but with cheaper hardware.
Love you like a sister, Cher. Good luck with that.
Now just imagine an iPhone the size of that Galaxy with retina display.
Game over!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
The point being that the truly rich in the "so called" premium market are buying iPhones by and large and not Samsungs or HTCs.
What's your definition of "truly rich" ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Amhran
Don't Vertu phones run on their own proprietary OS and not Android?
Vertu was owned by Nokia until recently and used Symbian. Now that they're privately owned, they're switching their smartphones over to Android.
Their first Android model cost $10,000 and came with a polished titanium case and the largest sapphire crystal ever made for a touch phone display.
Of course, it also comes with single button access to 24/7 concierge service. Slightly better than using Google or Siri.
Is it just me, or do the Vertu phones look like they're made for Russian billionaires?
How is Google supposed to help out?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BuddyRevell
I wonder why out of the Android makers, only Samsung seems to be doing well?
Why?
Here are just a few:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/07/30/galaxy-s-4-on-steroids-samsung-caught-doping-in-benchmarks
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/07/30/google-caught-using-misleading-report-to-claim-nexus-7-outsold-ipad-in-japan
2 most stupid companies in the history of humanity have got together to take over the world ... not just internet .... but the WHOLE WORLD and each and every one of us!