Roger Fingas
While the global smartphone market grew at an accelerated pace in the September quarter, Apple's share of it slipped from 13.6 percent to 12.1 percent year-over-year, according to new research data.
Android devices advanced their lead from 84.1 percent to 87.5, Strategy Analytics said. Platforms beyond Apple and Google's — such as Windows and Tizen — collectively shrank from 2.3 percent to just 0.3 percent.
Industry shipments rose 6 percent from 354.2 million units to 375.4 million, the fastest growth in a year. Strategy Analytics linked this to "emerging markets with relatively low smartphone penetration" spread across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with India and South Africa in particular being strong points.
Apple iPhone shipments dipped from 48 million to 45.5 million, reportedly because of mediocre performance in China and Africa. Apple CEO Tim Cook once touted China as the company's next major frontier, but while that market is still critical, the company has struggled to compete against rising local phone makers such as Oppo and Huawei.
Despite Android solidifying its control, the platform is facing problems, Strategy Analytics commented. It's becoming "overcrowded" with hundreds of manufacturers, the firm suggested, with few of them making profits. Google's new Pixel phones could also take marketshare away from some of Android's original hardware backers.
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58 Comments
Apple still makes far, far more profit per phone than any competitor, but the question remains: How do you follow the most successful consumer electronics product in history?
Anywhere near 10% is amazing considering the price of iPhones—especially the cost outside the US.
The cheapest iPhone Apple make is $555 in Europe. The cheapest iPhone 7 is $863. In Asia and India and Europe most people simply cannot afford an iPhone. Also Android has improved enough over the years as to be good enough for most people and the majority buy on price. So they buy a few Android phones and eventually maybe get an iPhone and in the meantime those Android numbers add up.
The best news of all for iPhone users is our ecosystem still seems to be the best. I think now's a good time for Apple to consider releasing that version of iMessage on Android. Best phones, best apps, best add-on-product ecosystem, and then an out of the box internet messaging system we can contact the whole 100% on. Without relying on Facebook Inc., Google Inc. or lousy SMS. Then you have a super out of the box messaging experience. And they need to greatly simplify iMessage signup too. I think it should work through your phone number. It's less hassle to signup then.
Despite some Apple diehards saying it'd be a bad move for Apple I disagree. And getting hooked on iMessage makes it very easy and tempting for an Android user to want an iPhone to get the full Apple experience and their messages just show up on their new iPhone like magic. That's an awesome experience. It is: we at Apple work so hard on our product and are so confident the experience is better that it's that experience which keeps people here and gets them to switch over. Experience should trump everything.
There is a simple way to improve the iOS to make it more useful globally. I can tell Apple if Apple can pay me as a consultant.
Yep 12% of the widget part count market, but 90% of the profits and the other 88% of the widget makers are all splitting 10% of the profits. Who's wallet would you like to have?