Rumor: Handset vendors waiting for iPhone 4S demand to cool before releasing new models
Taiwanese smartphone supply chain makers have reportedly indicated to industry publication DigiTimes that Apple's rivals are holding off on device launches because, based on previous experience, iPhone 4S sales "will remain at peak in the first quarter of 2012" before declining in the second quarter. The report claimed that the second-quarter releases from a range of smartphone makers are specifically timed "to avoid competing too directly with the iPhone 4S."
Several of the aforementioned smartphone makers will unveil new models at the 2012 Mobile World Congress, which takes place from Feb. 27-March 1 in Barcelona, Spain, in "consideration of advantageous timing," the report went on to note. Despite their first-quarter unveiling, the devices will reportedly not go on sale until the second quarter.
It should be noted, however, that DigiTimes' sources have at times proved less than reliable and should be met with some skepticism.
After Apple reported last week unprecedented sales of 37 million iPhones in the December quarter, one market research proclaimed the company the world's largest smartphone maker for the period, naming Samsung a close second with estimated shipments of 36.5 million units.
The company's impressive performance last quarter was good enough to barely beat out Google's Android platform for the first time in several quarters, according to one analysis. All told, Apple has sold 350 million iOS devices, including tablets and the iPod touch.
Analysts responded to the iPhone maker's quarterly results last week by raising their forecasts for the first quarter of calendar 2012. A number of them predicted that the company's smartphone sales will remain strong during the period due to incremental geographic and carrier launches.
The first quarter has already seen so far the launch of the iPhone 4S in China and 21 other countries. Despite the fact that the device's release in China was marred by a near-riot outside of Apple's flagship store in Beijing and experienced some delays as a result, the device is currently sold out in the country.
41 Comments
I guess we could all wait and see what happens, but we already know the answer to that one. Right Apple?
Makes sense, it sucks for us consumers but I can see them waiting. I hope they come out swinging at both ends with quad core and 2 ghz dual core phones though. If we have to wait it better be for something decent and not more crap with poor building materials and horrible designs. I really think companys have way to many choices anyway, just release three maybe four phones a years covering the low end to the high end. Wait a little pay more in research and develpment, spend some time testing. It seems like for every 20 Android phones that come to maket one is decent enough to purchase. I mean out of the entire line up of Samsung phones only three are even considered to be worthy to be put up against the iPhone. You don't need 4 models of the same phone either with just tweaked features to distinguish them from each other. Motorola I'm talking to you.
I hope they come out swinging at both ends with quad core and 2 ghz dual core phones though.
So do I. It will be all the more delicious when the iPhone 3GS, running a downclocked 633MHz, beats them all in sales.
Took five years, but they're finally starting to see that, I think. Even just a little.
"But all of our users have different wants and needs! We should cater to all of them!"
Doesn't work in sales. You see maybe three or four toilet designs ever. Not that there couldn't be thirty.
International smartphone vendors, including Samsung, HTC, Nokia and LG, are rumored to be waiting until the second quarter to release new handset models in order to avoid direct competition with Apple's hot-selling iPhone 4S.
Brilliant timing, copycats. Just in time to be blown out of existence by the iPhone 5...
Morons.
Brilliant timing, copycats. Just in time to be blown out of existence by the iPhone 5...
Morons.
That's right. Blow them sky high out of the water Apple.