It seems that no matter how popular the iPhone 4 has turned out to be, it would appear that so long as the smartphone availability remains exclusive to AT&T, its marketshare's gonna take a beating. According to a report from market watcher ComScore, Apple's share of the American smartphone market is dwindling, despite strong sales of its flagship mobile phone. The report revealed that during a three month period ending last July, Apple's smartphone market share dropped by 1.3 percent while handsets powered by Google's Android OS clawed an extra five percentage points out of the American people.
However, this doesn't mean doom for Apple. It just shows the damage that the company's exclusivity deal with AT&T continues to do to the Apple's profits. With Android smartphones available from every major carrier in the United States, it's no wonder Apple's taking a beating. And really, if they're selling the handsets as fast as they can make them, as was mentioned during their last quarter's financial report, their marketshare can't be suffering because of the bad pressed caused by the phone's antenna woes. Right?
With the holiday season coming up fast, it'll be interesting to watch how this one pans out.
MitchNetzer
September 16, 2010 at 3:48pm
I'm willing to admit my iPhone isn't for everyone. But let's at least do some decent research and reporting. I agree with the first two comments (3 i guess). Glad they wrote it for me so I didn't have to waste my time. I poop upon this "research." It's like saying Ferrari is losing ground to Honda ...the market is nearly as saturated. Terrible argument.
Yay, I've added to the hate and fanboyism.
Inate77
September 16, 2010 at 1:21pm
What more can be said. I think both comments above sum this whole thing up. I myself have had just about as many cell phones as I have had windows operating systems. When it comes down to how these devices operate apple has it down. I have made up my mind and I will never go back to non apple device. Should apple branch out to other carriers that's up to them.
cfugle
September 16, 2010 at 1:02pm
As stated by timmytanner above…
Please put it into context…
The two different ecosystems exist on different planes. One system "IOS" is a closed system unavailable to other companies but as in most ecosystems from Apple, Microsoft, Motorola (cable) etc.. this is the norm. They provide a consistent interface or method of use.
The other system "ANDROID" is only an OS that is different on each hardware manufacturer as per Google's own Open Handset Alliance:
"Apache is a commercial-friendly open source license. The Apache license allows manufacturers and mobile operators to innovate using the platform without the requirement to contribute those innovations back to the open source community. Because these innovations and differentiated features can be kept proprietary, manufacturers and mobile operators are protected from the "viral infection" problem often associated with other licenses."
http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/android_faq.html
This allows each manufacturer to alter and change Android without contributing back to Google.
So note's see a comparison between all the hardware manufacturers that all compete against each other in the true marketplace and not any more of this Apple against the world crap. It's time to compare apples against apples finally. Thank you.
timmytanner
September 16, 2010 at 12:42pm
What a load of crap analysis! Please put in context. The iPhone is 1 (one, uno) phone with IOS on it. Apple doesn't license the OS to any other cell phone manufacturer. Android can be found on roughly 70 phones made by roughly 24 manufacturers; 24 tablet devices made by 19 manufacturers. Sure, you could deduce that it's popular and growing but it takes all these for Android to compete with IOS (iPhone and iPad).
You blame the drop in iPhone sales on Apple "taking a beating"? Or their "antenae woes"? Or their "AT&T exclusivity deal". Please, Google wishes it could do this well with 1 (one, uno) phone.
Just look at Google's market cap or its return and tell me who is losing in the smartphone market.
