Android Cheap iPhones?

[mikelcal]

Sorry I should have hinted at my sarcasm better. I'm a huge Apple fan and I know they are the most valuable tech company in the world. They also have more things to sale then just phones unlike RIM.

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You know, as they say... The bigger they are, the harder they fall...

If I can just add my 0.02, its not about cheap iphones or plastic housings over alluminum ones. It has just become a fashion accessory race that IMO lacks any rational thought. why are we paying $200 or more for phones? If anything, we should be outraged that the sum of the components of a modern cell phone doesn't even add up to that amount. and that's with a 2 year contract! I'd be furious if I had to pay $20 for a cup of coffee. Android or iPhone or BlackBerry, it is not about the size of the ship, but rather the motion of the ocean. what best serves you mobile needs. I don't have "time to kill" in my line of work, so it doesn't matter if I have an app or a million at my disposal, if I can't use any of them.

and by the way, just as a side note, RIM isn't dead, it may have to go to the backburner like yahoo and msn did when google exploded, but they are still around. heck aol still has a homepage. I'm hopeful for what they have in store next week ath their developer conference, which may keep them relevant for a while longer, while I fear that iOS needs a software facelift more than a jump in specs and Android needs to devise a way to make newer os upgrades to be backwards compatible with more devices, to just throw out a buzzword, its very "fragmented"

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[cckgz4]

I can't...

 

[axne1]

Google fix the way you do business! I am upset with ics and the update rollouts, or the lack their of.
So as of right now. I'm selling my gnex and totally going to the darkside. Good rid dons google untill
You fix your Os to work with all of your devices. Beta is not a knock on android. It's a honest evaluation on the current way they do business!


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[Ricky Babalu]

Huge Android Fanatic here. Initially I was trying to talk my wife into an Android phone............Phewww, glad she went with the iphone instead. Because if anything went wrong with my phone recommendation, she would have sung the "I should have gone with an Iphone instead" song, and blamed me for everything

So in the end I did the smart thing and I recommended the Iphone for the following reasons:

1. Ease of use
2. For the most part trouble free
3. And best of all my 2 younger daughters have been helping her learn the ropes on her new iphone which free's me up for a lot of relaxation time (believe me the questions have not stopped since she got her new phone). I can claim ignorance.

But to answer the OP question, I think both have their pros and cons when it concerns: quality, design. I will admit though that the Iphone does "feel" like it is a better built device.

 

[Maikai.Guy]

I agree kids should probably have iPhones. This has nothing to do with which platform is better. It has everything to do with trends and fads and demographics.

Although Android has won more than half the market and more than twice the market share iOS has, I would think iOS absolutely crushes Android in the tween and adolescent demographic segments.

As much as kids say they want to be different and independent, the truth is they actually strive to be similar and it is easy for companies like Apple to manipulate them. IMHO, if a pre-adult of any age asks for an iPhone, that's the phone they should get. No discussion of architectures, features, benefits, etc... is called for. None of that matters.

 

[Speedygi]

Well said. But I still think buying a phone that carriers pay unfair amounts of subsidy to get them to sell in the first place is daylight robbery, but that's a whole other story...

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[axne1]

I'm a grown man who has had almost every so called high end android. Fail...
iOS just works for me. I've spent too much time with googles beta os sadly. Wish I would have bought the iPhone in the first place. Don't try to sneek a shot at me. iOS just works. If you want to tinker and pray for support for your device stick with android. You will be happy. I work for a living and can't be right by a charger all day so... The beta test is over for me. Please be respectful in your choice of words. Besides I just Bought my 12yr old a inc 2!


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[Ry]

I agree kids should probably have iPhones. This has nothing to do with which platform is better. It has everything to do with trends and fads and demographics.

Although Android has won more than half the market and more than twice the market share iOS has, I would think iOS absolutely crushes Android in the tween and adolescent demographic segments.

As much as kids say they want to be different and independent, the truth is they actually strive to be similar and it is easy for companies like Apple to manipulate them. IMHO, if a pre-adult of any age asks for an iPhone, that's the phone they should get. No discussion of architectures, features, benefits, etc... is called for. None of that matters.

But even for older, but "regular" customers, architecture shouldn't matter either.

Features are kind of a wash, unless you're talking about various screen sizes. Cameras? Every Android phone is different. Processor is kind of irrelevant too. If navigating the UI is snappy and apps run smoothly, a regular consumer isn't going to care if their Android phone is running a 1.2 GHz or 1.5 GHz processor.

iOS also crushes Android in revenue per user.

In my line of work, I've seen this first hand. iOS apps outsell Android apps. Heck, in my experience, free downloads from the iOS App Store far outnumbered free downloads from Google Play.

If someone wants an iPhone, let them get an iPhone. If they have an iPhone already, it'll be hard to convince them to switch just because of the ecosystem. They've probably spent money on apps that they'd have to repurchase if they switched. Plus hardware accessories - any docks or chargers or cables they've purchased.

 

[axne1]

Omg thank you. Over $2000 later I had to switch. I still love android central though. I've spent 2yrs on here and have had great time trying android, until now...


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[jontalk]

Yes, Apple does indeed crush Android in revenue per user and for one reason: The Squeeze. The thing that I see with Apple is while the focus is to be advanced with sleek design and marketing, the underlying premise is "How much more can we squeeze out of the customer once they're addicted".. Good example of this is Apple TV as well as other Apple products.

For the record, I use a Roku which has FAR more content that's FREE (similar to Android), has a good UI and can be purchased for less too.. But since this is a smart phone forum, let's stick to the hand held device.

I'm done with Apple, even if the 'next iPhone' is far and away superior to the GS3 (which it will really have to go some to achieve). When they released the iPhone 4 and iOS 4, they made a HUGE error by releasing an OS that was not suited to previous devices essentially turning the phone into a brick. And even with everything shut down, it STILL crawls along. End of discussion.

In the end, the functionality of the device and ability to do more, learn more and have more device choices is why Android leads and will continue to lead in my estimation. I can hardly wait to get an Android phone and get up to speed, not to mention, customize it to my liking. And while I'm not a fan of the bloatware there are workarounds as we all know.

My two point five cents!

 

[axne1]

Great points. I feel the same way, but opposite side of the fence now oddly. I felt like I have givin android a fair chance, and needed a change after being let down by Googles flagship. They should be embarrassed with how they are handling the software updates with the vzw gnex..


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[Maikai.Guy]

Yes, iOS crushes Android in revenue per user for two reasons. One is certainly "the squeeze", but the other is the fact that an enourmous segment of their users are tweens and adolescents who spend their parents money on music, apps and games.

My kid is in 11th grade now, has a GNex and has throttled down from purchasing so much, but he still spends about $5 to $10 per week. He was pushing >$50/week back in 2009/10 when he had an iPhone.

 

[lpt2569]

Yes, iOS crushes Android in revenue per user for two reasons. One is certainly "the squeeze", but the other is the fact that an enourmous segment of their users are tweens and adolescents who spend their parents money on music, apps and games.

Here we go again...

How do you know this to be a fact? Do you have the evidence?

Apple makes their money from selling high priced hardware, the rest (apps, music etc.) is just gravy. Teens and adolescents are not the ones spending billions every year on Apple hardware.

sent from the future via frozen donkey wheel

 

[cordoni]

Here we go again...

How do you know this to be a fact? Do you have the evidence?...

sent from the future via frozen donkey wheel

Exactly.
Trust in God. All others bring data.


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[Maikai.Guy]

Here we go again...

How do you know this to be a fact? Do you have the evidence?

Apple makes their money from selling high priced hardware, the rest (apps, music etc.) is just gravy. Teens and adolescents are not the ones spending billions every year on Apple hardware.

sent from the future via frozen donkey wheel

Sorry. No data. Just sharing an opinion. I reserve the right to be wrong, as always.

I've looked for the demographic breakdowns for iPhone ownership, but have not found them.

My comments are just personal observations. My own child's buying behavior, along with all his schoolmates, and what I see here on Long Island, makes me believe iPhones are overwhelmingly the phone of choice for tweens and young adults and iTunes is a cash cow for Apple.

If you walk into any Apple store here on Long Island, the overwhelming majority of customers are under drinking age. Any older customers are typically women. Again, just my observations.

I'm interested in hearing/seeing the data if you have it.

 

[phonejunky]

Sorry. No data. Just sharing an opinion. I reserve the right to be wrong, as always.

I've looked for the demographic breakdowns for iPhone ownership, but have not found them.

My comments are just personal observations. My own child's buying behavior, along with all his schoolmates, and what I see here on Long Island, makes me believe iPhones are overwhelmingly the phone of choice for tweens and young adults and iTunes is a cash cow for Apple.

If you walk into any Apple store here on Long Island, the overwhelming majority of customers are under drinking age. Any older customers are typically women. Again, just my observations.

I'm interested in hearing/seeing the data if you have it.

I respect that you came on here and told the truth. most won't.

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[lpt2569]

Sorry. No data. Just sharing an opinion. I reserve the right to be wrong, as always.

I've looked for the demographic breakdowns for iPhone ownership, but have not found them.

My comments are just personal observations. My own child's buying behavior, along with all his schoolmates, and what I see here on Long Island, makes me believe iPhones are overwhelmingly the phone of choice for tweens and young adults and iTunes is a cash cow for Apple.

If you walk into any Apple store here on Long Island, the overwhelming majority of customers are under drinking age. Any older customers are typically women. Again, just my observations.

I'm interested in hearing/seeing the data if you have it.

Not a big deal, but you claimed your opinion to be a fact, which is certainly not the case.

All of this info is readily available from Apple's Earnings Report for 2011, or from a multitude of sources. Apple made $108 billion in revenue for Fiscal Year 2011.

iTunes sales account for $1.5 billion (6%) of Apple's revenue. So even if teens and young adults are making 100% of the iTunes purchases around the world, (which we all know is not the case), but if it were the case, that still only accounts for 6% of their business. iTunes is not a cash cow by any stretch of the imagination. Since one must have an iTunes account to make purchases, and that account must be linked to a credit card, it is nearly impossible to come up with the exact demographics of who is acually making these purchases, beyond the person's name associated with the account. I would venture a guess that less than half of those iTunes purchases are made by teens and young adults, but that is simply based on my own observations and opinion.

iPhones (43%), iPads (19%), iPods (7%) and Macs (20%) account for 89% of Apple's revenue. Who is using all of these products is another story, again it is impossible to determine the demographics because who purchases the product does not always equal who ultimately ends up using the product. But I find it hard to believe that the majority of these purchases around the world are made by teens and young adults. Just my opinion.

My opinions and observations are pretty much the exact opposite of yours, but opinions and observations certainly do not equal fact.

So to get back on track, Android phones don't have to be high-end hardware like Apple for the most part, because Google and the device manufacturers make their money from other avenues, not just on hardware sales. Samsung, Sony, Motorola, etc. make billions from a mulititude of revenue streams, so they can afford to make mobile devices that range in price from free to hundreds of dollars. Apple has bet the farm on people buying their hardware at a high profit margin, then hooking them with the entire Apple ecosystem, and keeping them hooked by offering new high end hardware once a year or so, and the cycle continues.

 

[Ry]

In my group - old people and women get iPhones. The men get Android.

 

[jontalk]

I have to say this is an interesting discussion on many fronts. And it appears there's a consensus with regard to the demographic that Apple appeals to. And since women tend to drive the spending dollars along with teens, it's easy to see why Apple is so successful.

Now where phones are concerned, I think judging an OS by how often it pushes updates isn't relevant. What IS relevant however is CHOICE. And while I have been loyal to Apple for years, it became blazing clear that open source developers move much quicker, develop more advanced functionality which is then matched with hardware that can deliver by an array of manufacturers working for market share. And it's also clear that the statement about the hardware manufacturers having multiple streams of income thereby not needing to do 'the squeeze', is right on the money.

And yes, I've hesitated pulling the trigger on an Android device when I see the issues. But the fact remains that MANY of the devices on the market today are far advanced of Apple and can be customized and changed to offset the shortcomings. If you don't like the way Apple creates a device, you're stuck. End of story.

 

[Maikai.Guy]

Not a big deal, but you claimed your opinion to be a fact, which is certainly not the case.

Colloquial usage. Didn't mean to underscore it was fact. In retrospect, I should choose my words more carefully. Especially considering the all-too-ready-and-eager-to-be-hostile audience one finds here.

All of this info is readily available from Apple's Earnings Report for 2011, or from a multitude of sources. Apple made $108 billion in revenue for Fiscal Year 2011.

iTunes sales account for $1.5 billion (6%) of Apple's revenue. So even if teens and young adults are making 100% of the iTunes purchases around the world, (which we all know is not the case), but if it were the case, that still only accounts for 6% of their business. iTunes is not a cash cow by any stretch of the imagination. Since one must have an iTunes account to make purchases, and that account must be linked to a credit card, it is nearly impossible to come up with the exact demographics of who is acually making these purchases, beyond the person's name associated with the account. I would venture a guess that less than half of those iTunes purchases are made by teens and young adults, but that is simply based on my own observations and opinion.

iPhones (43%), iPads (19%), iPods (7%) and Macs (20%) account for 89% of Apple's revenue. Who is using all of these products is another story, again it is impossible to determine the demographics because who purchases the product does not always equal who ultimately ends up using the product. But I find it hard to believe that the majority of these purchases around the world are made by teens and young adults. Just my opinion.

My opinions and observations are pretty much the exact opposite of yours, but opinions and observations certainly do not equal fact.

So to get back on track, Android phones don't have to be high-end hardware like Apple for the most part, because Google and the device manufacturers make their money from other avenues, not just on hardware sales. Samsung, Sony, Motorola, etc. make billions from a mulititude of revenue streams, so they can afford to make mobile devices that range in price from free to hundreds of dollars. Apple has bet the farm on people buying their hardware at a high profit margin, then hooking them with the entire Apple ecosystem, and keeping them hooked by offering new high end hardware once a year or so, and the cycle continues.

Well... the only "adult" place where I see iPhone dominate is in the medical professions. That is because of the early adoption of smartphone by certain medical companies and iPhone was really the only game in town. Blackberry presented too many obsticles at the time.

Hard to believe people would have such a radically different experience and observations, since I travel the country and the world on biz. I get around quite a bit and it seems to be the same all over.