Please correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe the only reason that android has a larger marketshare compared with iOS is because apple leaves uncovered huge world markets. Every place they both compete in more or less equal terms (some US carriers, for example), IOS is much more popular.
And that lower marketshare may be due to: a) unable to timely produce the stock for those markets, or b) a soon to be finished agreement with the main supplier (Samsung) to leave undeveloped countries for them, and so assuring a non compromised production commitment for Apple.
If a), the huge increase in capex of the last Q's is about to change this.
If b), the legal battles, investment in chip design and production, etc., may be the signs of this kind of agreement to be finished sooner than later.

I can't see Apple playing the Chinese market any differently than it plays other markets. Lower market share (except in the USA) but higher profits.

I'm beginning to think more and that this business plan will not have long term viability.

This is not to say that I think that Apple should join in the race to the bottom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mieswall 

Please correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe the only reason that android has a larger marketshare compared with iOS is because apple leaves uncovered huge world markets. Every place they both compete in more or less equal terms (some US carriers, for example), IOS is much more popular.

 

Unfortunately you need correcting.  Europe, for example.

Quote:

Originally Posted by island hermit 

I can't see Apple playing the Chinese market any differently than it plays other markets. Lower market share (except in the USA) but higher profits.

 

I'm beginning to think more and that this business plan will not have long term viability.

 

This is not to say that I think that Apple should join in the race to the bottom.

As long as market share is enough to provide a viable marketplace for app developers, I think apple should be just fine with lower share.  I don't know what the tipping point is, where developers will start deprioritizing iOS, but so far they are making more money there despite a smaller market to sell to because of the better security of the marketplace and (apparently) a different user profile that is willing to pay for good apps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronj 

As long as market share is enough to provide a viable marketplace for app developers, I think apple should be just fine with lower share.  I don't know what the tipping point is, where developers will start deprioritizing iOS, but so far they are making more money there despite a smaller market to sell to because of the better security of the marketplace and (apparently) a different user profile that is willing to pay for good apps.

The big question in my mind is whether or not Apple can supply all markets with enough phones.

China could easily be a market that doubles Apple's required units.

Too much demand and not enough supply could easily create a tipping point very fast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by island hermit 

 

Too much demand and not enough supply could easily create a tipping point very fast.

I think that's why Apple was so insistent on getting the iPhone 5 into as many countries as they could as quickly as possible. Not only to satisfy customers around the world who wanted the newest device, but also to see what type of supply chain modifications they might need to work on before attempting to supply China Mobile's customer base along with all the other carriers they already partner with. 

"Even though China Mobile has 707.3 total wireless subscribers"

Think there is an M missing there. Either that, or they are the worlds smallest wireless company and I'm curious as to 0.3 of a person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameronj 

Unfortunately you need correcting.  Europe, for example.

Yes. But in Europe would be a case of Blackberry and Symbian, not androids particularly successful, isn't?. Given that both of them are in almost terminal status, the preeminence of IOS would be more or less open there in the future, eventually competing with Nokia's Lumia. Even more, Asymco documented that the non-covered markets for iphone are a little more than 50% of the total smartphone world's market size. I doubt Android has any less of 90% of the market covered already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mieswall 

Yes. But in Europe would be a case of Blackberry and Symbian, not androids particularly successful, isn't?. Given that both of them are in almost terminal status, the preeminence of IOS would be more or less open there in the future, eventually competing with Nokia's Lumia. Even more, Asymco documented that the non-covered markets for iphone are a little more than 50% of the total smartphone world's market size. I doubt Android has any less of 90% of the market covered already.

You're correct that Android has nowhere near 90% of the EU market like they do in China. The highest share report I've seen put Spain at over 80%. Other countries tho are nowhere near that high, with one of the lower Android marketshare percentages being Italy at around 50%. I also think those numbers may have been before the iPhone5 was released, or perhaps very shortly thereafter.

There's lot of room for movement throughout Europe. Apple is doing well.