The mobile OS war is over

[Vsweety]

Android dominates globally 2:1; iOS owns key Western countries

Thenextweb.com published the tell-tale figures.
As the West is in decline while the rest is on the up the mid- to longterm prospects of Android are rosy.

 

[eggantom]

Android dominates globally 2:1; iOS owns key Western countries

I'm not a big Apple fan, but don't you think that Android dominates because it's actually pretty cheaper than iPhones? I'm not speaking about the high-end devices. But you definitely can buy two decent Android devices instead of just one iPhone.

 

[JeffDenver]

I'm not a big Apple fan, but don't you think that Android dominates because it's actually pretty cheaper than iPhones?

The argument I would make is that maybe people think iPhones are overpriced for what they do if they are willing to purchase Android instead.That they do not believe Apple products are worth the price Apple is asking for them.

 

[Ry]

Android dominates globally 2:1; iOS owns key Western countries

Thenextweb.com published the tell-tale figures.
As the West is in decline while the rest is on the up the mid- to longterm prospects of Android are rosy.

It's Apple vs. a group of OEMs building phones on an open platform. There's something wrong if Android isn't winning in marketshare.

 

[JeffDenver]

It's Apple vs. a group of OEMs building phones on an open platform. There's something wrong if Android isn't winning in marketshare.

If Apple really has the better product, why would it not be winning marketshare?

Hamburger Stand is cheaper than McDonalds...why is McDonalds still selling more? Why are generics at the store not outselling the name brands?

 

[Ry]

If Apple really has the better product, why would it not be winning marketshare?

Hamburger Stand is cheaper than McDonalds...why is McDonalds still selling more? Why are generics at the store not outselling the name brands?

Order these companies by how many phones they sell: Samsung, Apple, Nokia, Motorola, LG, Sony, HTC, ZTE, Huawei.

Apple wants to be a premium brand. There's is nothing wrong with that. That doesn't make their products better. That doesn't mean it's competitors suck. Look at the automotive industry. There's a place for BMW and Mercedes among Toyota and GM. Volume doesn't mean the product is better. Volume also doesn't mean the product is worse.

It's all just different philosophies. Apple is more hardware than services. Google is using the open Android platform and the Google Play Store to get people to use Google services. Room for both. Not a zero sum game. They all want to lock you in. But if you guys want to argue about winning and losing by comparing sales and marketshare, go right ahead.

 

[JeffDenver]

Order these companies by how many phones they sell: Samsung, Apple, Nokia, Motorola, LG, Sony, HTC, ZTE, Huawei.

I think Samsung still tops Apple in overall sales don't they?
http://hexus.net/mobile/news/general/65505-idc-smartphone-sales-surpassed-1-billion-first-time-2013/

Apple wants to be a premium brand.

I agree. It appears that there are a lot of people who believe their brand is not worth paying for.

 

[Ry]

I think Samsung still tops Apple in overall sales don't they?

Probably.

I agree. It appears that there are a lot of people who believe their brand is not worth paying for.

I don't see that at all in the US market. iPhones and Android flagships come in around the same on-contact price and people in the US still buy phones on-contact. That's changing now with what T-Mobile has done but I don't full-retail buyers make up any significant amount of customers.

Apple wants $650 for their base iPhone 5S. AT&T wants $640 for the HTC One. Verizon wants for the HTC One $600. T-Mobile wants $660 for the Samsung Galaxy S5. Sprint wants $650 for the Samsung Galaxy S5. The "premium" Apple product falls right in-line but perception is killer.

 

[phonejunky]

Finally. Someone with common sense. Ry I appreciate your post. They aren't oh Google's better look how many phone they sell. It's Apple vs Everyone when it comes to the Google operating system. Apple has offered for the most part one choice until recently. Apple still has amazing sells numbers but they gear towards a smaller market. It's common since Googles operating system is on more handsets and sells more. Doesn't mean Apple doesn't produce a great device themselves and surpass their own sales goal consistently.

 

[RavenSword]

Do we really gain any benefit if these numbers are mostly junk phone sales? I mean, it's not like google gaining revenue in the App Store from these people.

 

[JeffDenver]

I don't see that at all in the US market.

I see it especially in the US market, because the US is a wealthy nation. People here can afford iPhones. So if they are not buying them, it is not because they can't afford them.

There really is no getting around the fact that people are making a choice. Even on-contract, there are Android phones at all the same price points as iPhones. But people are buying Android phones instead.

Apple wants $650 for their base iPhone 5S. AT&T wants $640 for the HTC One. Verizon wants for the HTC One $600. T-Mobile wants $660 for the Samsung Galaxy S5. Sprint wants $650 for the Samsung Galaxy S5. The "premium" Apple product falls right in-line but perception is killer.

Maybe they do not see it as being premium? Which is understandable if it only does half as much.

 

[JeffDenver]

Do we really gain any benefit if these numbers are mostly junk phone sales? I mean, it's not like google gaining revenue in the App Store from these people.

Google is gaining a platform free from Censorship. Which might be important if you make your money off ads. In a closed system, the gatekeeper can decide to block your ads in favor of it's own if it wants.

Why are people buying these "junk phones" if they can get an iPhone for the same price? What is Android offering them that they cannot get from Apple?

 

[Haalcyon]

The argument I would make is that maybe people think iPhones are overpriced for what they do if they are willing to purchase Android instead.That they do not believe Apple products are worth the price Apple is asking for them.

I'm sure there are plenty of savvy folks out there that feel that way.


via the phone

 

[Ry]

I see it especially in the US market, because the US is a wealthy nation. People here can afford iPhones. So if they are not buying them, it is not because they can't afford them.

There really is no getting around the fact that people are making a choice. Even on-contract, there are Android phones at all the same price points as iPhones. But people are buying Android phones instead.

https://www.comscore.com/Insights/P...ry_2014_US_Smartphone_Subscriber_Market_Share

In US devices, it's 40% Apple, 25% Samsung.

In US platform market share, it's 40% iOS, 50% Android.

People are still buying and using iPhones. Yeah, in the US people are making a choice. Nearly half are still picking iPhone.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[JeffDenver]

People are still buying and using iPhones. Yeah, in the US people are making a choice. Nearly half are still picking iPhone.

Over half of them are choosing Android phones over any iPhone in the US, according to your own link. By a 10% margin even. It's not even close.

https://www.comscore.com/Insights/P...ry_2014_US_Smartphone_Subscriber_Market_Share

So why are they buying Android phones instead of iPhones if it is not because of cost?

 

[thatotherdude24]

I do think that if Apple offered cheaper new phones the Android 'domination' would be smaller. The free phone Apple offers is 2 years old. Or if Apple had affordable devices off contract they would be selling more devices.

 

[Vsweety]

Google is gaining a platform free from Censorship.

(Italics mine)

Ah, wouldn't that be nice!

 

[Ry]

Over half of them are choosing Android phones over any iPhone in the US, according to your own link. By a 10% margin even. It's not even close.

https://www.comscore.com/Insights/P...ry_2014_US_Smartphone_Subscriber_Market_Share

So why are they buying Android phones instead of iPhones if it is not because of cost?

10% isn't that large. But why does Apple have to lose for Android to win? It's silly.

Apple continues to sell more iPhones than it ever has. They're doing just fine.

http://mashable.com/2013/05/15/larry-page-google-io-speech/

The talk continued in that vein as Page discussed the competitive thinking that he says stifles innovation and collaboration. "When I read about us in the press, it's always us vs. some other company or some stupid thing," Page said. "I just don't find that interesting." Page added that "most important things are not a zero-sum game. There's a lot of opportunity out there."

This war? This negativity? You can have it.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Haalcyon]

Thanks Ry, you nailed it.


via the phone

 

[_X_]

It's Apple vs. a group of OEMs building phones on an open platform. There's something wrong if Android isn't winning in marketshare.

If you drop all the Android competitor and just pair up Samsung vs Apple and you'll see Android is still dominating.

The logic you follow still is false when the iPhone came out Windows phones where made by a multitude of vendors, by yoyr logic they should have never surpassed Windows.