Linked by Matthew Johnson on Tue 31st Jan 2012 22:24 UTC
In its analysis of last year's smartphone market in the U.S., NPD found that market share for Apple's iOS went up following the release of the iPhone 4S, to 43 percent of all smartphone sales in October and November from 26 percent in the third quarter. Android, meanwhile, retained its lead, but lost market share towards the end of the year, dropping in October and November to 47 percent from 60 percent in the previous quarter. These are some dramatic shifts in market share but what do they really mean to you and me?
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RE[2]: 1 Billion Android devices 5-10 years
by unclefester on Thu 2nd Feb 2012 04:45
in reply to "RE: 1 Billion Android devices 5-10 years"
Member since:2007-01-13
Apple have kept the iPhone 3GS available in order to provide a low-cost option...
The iPhone 3GS is still very expensive unless it is subsidised by a carrier. It costs AUD429 outright in Australia. This is 4x the price of similar Android hardware such as the Huawei X3 (AUD99).
The fact that components for smart phones are becoming increasingly cheaper applies just as much to iPhones as well as Android phones. I would not be surprised to see Apple replace the 3GS with a different low-end model later this year.
Apple can't compete with $50 Android phones. Apple is already losing marketshare very quickly in China.
Edited 2012-02-02 04:46 UTC
RE[3]: 1 Billion Android devices 5-10 years
by steve_s on Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:03
in reply to "RE[2]: 1 Billion Android devices 5-10 years"
Member since:2006-01-16
You're right of course - the 3GS isn't cheap when paid for outright. Very few people do that though, and most get a phone that's subsidised by their carrier. Often that means that you'll end up on a more expensive talk plan though.
As for Apple not being able to compete with $50 Android phones, well, if an Android phone can be manufactured for $50 then an iOS phone can too. Apple is making a choice to not make phones so cheap though.
And on Apple losing marketshare very quickly in China, I don't really buy that, at least not in any meaningful way. Apple have only been selling iPhones in China for just over a year, and on only one carrier (not a particularly big one), so they have not had time to build up a significant marketshare there yet.
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2006-01-16
Apple have kept the iPhone 3GS available in order to provide a low-cost option...
The fact that components for smart phones are becoming increasingly cheaper applies just as much to iPhones as well as Android phones. I would not be surprised to see Apple replace the 3GS with a different low-end model later this year.