Apple's marketshare really did go down...

[kch50428]

Why market share doesn't (yet) matter in mobile | iMore

When it comes to "market share" figures don't lie, and any liar can figure.

 

[FFR]

Impact yes. Disastrous no. Android, due to its large number of devices from several manufacturers, will continue to dominate until there is a drastic change in Samsung (leader) or in the platform itself.

We disagree, Let's check back after the launch of the iPhone 6, Apples q1 numbers are usually released last week of January.

I maintain that the iPhone 6 will be disastrous to both android and their vendors, especially Samsung, and by extension microsoft; microsoft gets payed a royalty on every handset sold, I believe it's double for Samsung between 15-18 dollars per device.

 

[qbnkelt]

We disagree, Let's check back after the launch of the iPhone 6, Apples q1 numbers are usually released last week of January.

I maintain that the iPhone 6 will be disastrous to both android and their vendors, especially Samsung, and by extension microsoft; microsoft gets payed a royalty on every handset sold, I believe it's double for Samsung between 15-18 dollars per device.

Sure. No problem with your disagreeing with me.

It's not personal.

 

[lui22]

Sure. No problem with your disagreeing with me.

It's not personal.

I like your attitude

 

[Premium1]

The One-Horse Race: 85% Of The 300M Smartphones Shipped In Q2 Were Android | TechCrunch

Now are they truly doomed this time? I think it's worth some discussion either way.

I think apple is going to be content having lower marketshare like with their mac line. They never set out to be #1 in marketshare, and that would be nearly impossible with how many choices there is for android, and the low end market, which apple all but avoids anyway.

 

[Premium1]

We disagree, Let's check back after the launch of the iPhone 6, Apples q1 numbers are usually released last week of January.

I maintain that the iPhone 6 will be disastrous to both android and their vendors, especially Samsung, and by extension microsoft; microsoft gets payed a royalty on every handset sold, I believe it's double for Samsung between 15-18 dollars per device.

Remember when that was said when the iPhone launched on verizon, and then again when the 5 launched with larger screen? The iPhone will sell lots, but it is not going to cause a huge mass exodus all of the sudden from android or another platform to IOS. Most users by now are entrenched in one ecosystem and they stay with that ecosystem. I think the iPhone 6 will boost apples market share, but nothing groundbreaking.

 

[Speedygi]

The iPhone 6 would never boost long-term prospects for market growth, because it's not meant to be. It is a product category already existing within the world with Android phones that are, as statistics state, already dominating that market. Google, on the other hand, has the real long term prospects with their operating system being open sourced.

Apple needs marketshare not short term profitability...But they can't get the marketshare, and in fact is losing marketshare. IPhone 6 wouldn't be able to reverse that trend, not by a substantial amount anyways.

However iTunes would be Apple's trump card, their only gateway to long term profitability... But even people aren't switching over to iPhone just for iTunes... It just hasn't reached that kind of level yet.

Plus most of the profits gained by Apple over the last quarter are mostly people buying multiple phones or buying them to sell to the secondary markets, or upgrades, which wouldn't gain marketshare. Yes they are earning the profits but Apple isn't gaining new customers, and especially in China and developing markets.

 

[the_tech_eater]

The iPhone 6 would never boost long-term prospects for market growth, because it's not meant to be. It is a product category already existing within the world with Android phones that are, as statistics state, already dominating that market. Google, on the other hand, has the real long term prospects with their operating system being open sourced.

Apple needs marketshare not short term profitability...But they can't get the marketshare, and in fact is losing marketshare. IPhone 6 wouldn't be able to reverse that trend, not by a substantial amount anyways.

However iTunes would be Apple's trump card, their only gateway to long term profitability... But even people aren't switching over to iPhone just for iTunes... It just hasn't reached that kind of level yet.

Plus most of the profits gained by Apple over the last quarter are mostly people buying multiple phones or buying them to sell to the secondary markets, or upgrades, which wouldn't gain marketshare. Yes they are earning the profits but Apple isn't gaining new customers, and especially in China and developing markets.

Sources please! You made a lot of claims, I'd like to see some evidence.

 

[Speedygi]

Sources please! You made a lot of claims, I'd like to see some evidence.

Do the math, Apple is losing marketshare while gaining profits. Who are buying these Apple devices, not new customers, that's for sure. Or else Marketshare would Rise...

 

[the_tech_eater]

Do the math, Apple is losing marketshare while gaining profits. Who are buying these Apple devices, not new customers, that's for sure. Or else Marketshare would Rise...

Even if it was people buying more than one device, or people buying them to resell, they would still count as market share. Also, have you looked at web usage shares? iOS is equal to, or slightly less than androids wen usage share. So if android has such a huge market share, but iOS is has the same web usage, what does that say?

 

[the_tech_eater]

Do the math, Apple is losing marketshare while gaining profits. Who are buying these Apple devices, not new customers, that's for sure. Or else Marketshare would Rise...

Also remember that android OMEs report sell ins, apple reports sell through.

 

[Speedygi]

Even if it was people buying more than one device, or people buying them to resell, they would still count as market share. Also, have you looked at web usage shares? iOS is equal to, or slightly less than androids wen usage share. So if android has such a huge market share, but iOS is has the same web usage, what does that say?

Marketshare is unique subscribers, dude... Which means Apple isn't expanding in emerging markets as fast as Android.

People using iOS are more likely to use the Web, but that's nothing new.

 

[the_tech_eater]

Marketshare is unique subscribers, dude... Which means Apple isn't expanding in emerging markets as fast as Android.

People using iOS are more likely to use the Web, but that's nothing new.

We know apple isn't expanding in new areas like android is. But the web usage numbers show what those millions of android users are using their phones for--not much.

 

[the_tech_eater]

Marketshare is unique subscribers, dude... Which means Apple isn't expanding in emerging markets as fast as Android.

People using iOS are more likely to use the Web, but that's nothing new.

Also, a CEO, and the board measure their performance by the money. I just leaned that in my economics class today. So..... In Apple's leaderships' eyes, and the eyes of any one who thinks economically, Apple COULD NOT BE DOING ANY BETTER. Business never has, and likely never will be about market share. It's about money. And in apples case they also are about making a great experience. They are doing 100% at both.

 

[Speedygi]

Also, a CEO, and the board measure their performance by the money. I just leaned that in my economics class today. So..... In Apple's leaderships' eyes, and the eyes of any one who thinks economically, Apple COULD NOT BE DOING ANY BETTER. Business never has, and likely never will be about market share. It's about money. And in apples case they also are about making a great experience. They are doing 100% at both.

A great CEO sees opportunity for growth too, and yes, Apple does excel in refining new product categories but that's only going to be their only strong suit, but they are never going to be anything but a niche player in any given market...

And I think we should just accept that as a plus for Apple.

 

[the_tech_eater]

A great CEO sees opportunity for growth too, and yes, Apple does excel in refining new product categories but that's only going to be their only strong suit, but they are never going to be anything but a niche player in any given market...

And I think we should just accept that as a plus for Apple.

And that's what they want to be! Steve and Tim said and say repeatedly that they aren't about spamming the market like other companies. They've always been content to be a niche player. And why don't we talk about googles latest earnings report.... I think some google managers would kill to have apples latest earnings report!

 

[pappy53]

Also remember that android OMEs report sell ins, apple reports sell through.

They both base numbers on units shipped.

 

[pappy53]

The iPhone 6 would never boost long-term prospects for market growth, because it's not meant to be. It is a product category already existing within the world with Android phones that are, as statistics state, already dominating that market. Google, on the other hand, has the real long term prospects with their operating system being open sourced.

Apple needs marketshare not short term profitability...But they can't get the marketshare, and in fact is losing marketshare. IPhone 6 wouldn't be able to reverse that trend, not by a substantial amount anyways.

However iTunes would be Apple's trump card, their only gateway to long term profitability... But even people aren't switching over to iPhone just for iTunes... It just hasn't reached that kind of level yet.

Plus most of the profits gained by Apple over the last quarter are mostly people buying multiple phones or buying them to sell to the secondary markets, or upgrades, which wouldn't gain marketshare. Yes they are earning the profits but Apple isn't gaining new customers, and especially in China and developing markets.

From a Verge article:

"As for iOS, Apple said it has sold over 800 million iOS devices — 100 million iPod touches, 200 million iPads, and over 500 million iPhones. That's up from 700 million iOS devices shipped at the end of September 2013. Cook also said that 130 million of those users were new to Apple in the last year. And since iOS 7 launched last September, more than 97 percent of users have upgraded to the latest OS."


Apple has sold more than 800 million iOS devices, 130 million new iOS users in the last year | The Verge

 

[FFR]

They both base numbers on units shipped.

Yes but when those units are not bought, carriers can actually return the product, just look at blackberry, with all their write downs.

Samsung just announced it is sitting on a bunch of unsold inventory.

There is a huge difference between sell in and sell through.

 

[FFR]

Remember when that was said when the iPhone launched on verizon, and then again when the 5 launched with larger screen? The iPhone will sell lots, but it is not going to cause a huge mass exodus all of the sudden from android or another platform to IOS. Most users by now are entrenched in one ecosystem and they stay with that ecosystem. I think the iPhone 6 will boost apples market share, but nothing groundbreaking.

Then we disagree; as qb put it it's not personal.

The iPhone launch on Verizon, decimated the droid vendors, remember droid. Motorola, htc, Kyocera and even blackberry and palm, all now are dying or dead.
The iPhone 5 and 5s steamrolled over the competition; nokia, NEC, toshiba, Panasonic, Sony, again all dead or dying.

Who is left?
Samsung, they are down 7.4% vs apple's 1.5% "perceived" decline in marketshare. So according to a lot of people the sky is falling for Samsung as well, I mean 7.4% decline is larger than 1.5% decline?

*Perceived decline: because apple actually increased units shipped by 4 million iPhones yoy vs Samsung's actual decline in units shipped.

How can that happen?
Easily, by skewing results: