High end eReader saves Apple - well almost.

[Jessica Lares]

*YAWN*

The more money Carl Icahn loses, the better.

Apple will be OK. They don't need to be giving into the low end. That just means more people at the Genius Bar, which is packed as it is.

[Penforhire]

World wide, Apple has been losing smart phone market share to Android. But they are still kicking @ss in America, big gain in market share. I wonder why the difference? Americans more willing to pay too much?

The stock deserved a correction from this report. Investors pay for growth, not just for profit. My view is their long term competition isn't Samsung or any other hardware-only manufacturer. Their 'big picture' competitors are Amazon and Google, big businesses that sell media.

Icahn should keep his big mouth shut but I agree with him that Apple needs to make that mountain of cash work harder. IMO, they should be looking at buying more content providers and middle-men, thinking of, say, Sony Pictures and Netflix to roll into a new Apple TV service.

[frahse]

The point is that Apple lost 7.91% or $43.55 of its share price today.
(I must disclose that I just read those numbers on my 5" Android device.)

Yes, they do have the proverbial "hogsheads" full of money.
There can be great fortunes left after a dynasty has run its course because it has failed to adapt.
e.g. F.W. Woolworth, the US Steel Industry, Sears, Roses, TG&Y, Dodds.
They had their time and made a lot of money. Some of their heirs are storied.

[pl001]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

My view is their long term competition isn't Samsung or any other hardware-only manufacturer. Their 'big picture' competitors are Amazon and Google, big businesses that sell media.

Yes, and Microsoft as well. It's all about the ecosystem. Apple is the most restrictive of these, however, with the most limited selection of hardware. I marvel at how they keep doing as well as they do, but I don't see how it can keep going.

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

World wide, Apple has been losing smart phone market share to Android. But they are still kicking @ss in America, big gain in market share. I wonder why the difference? Americans more willing to pay too much?

I believe Apple's overall market share in smartphone sales in the U.S. in 2013 continued to fall, or at best was static. They had a strong holiday season, but for the entire year? Where are you reading that they are "kicking ass" in America? They have less than 50% of the market share in the U.S.

Regardless, worldwide Android currently has about 80% of the market share for smartphones. I don't think that will change much after Apple introduces their first phablets this year.

--Pat

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

World wide, Apple has been losing smart phone market share to Android. But they are still kicking @ss in America, big gain in market share.

In 2013, apple lost market share everywhere, including the US of A (-5.8%).

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by afv011

In 2013, apple lost market share everywhere, including the US of A (-5.8%).

Oooo... a chart; and it's in apple green - how apropos

[Penforhire]

Seems there are competing reports -- "Counterpoint Research passes along its latest report showing that Apple’s iPhone surged past Samsung’s smartphones in terms of market share in the U.S. over the holiday season, growing from 31% to 43% over the span of just a month"

from http://news.yahoo.com/apple-crushed-...hS_CsAU.bQtDMD

[cfrizz]

Samsung is just one company that sells Android phones. The more relevant report is the one that AVF011 posted.

[icebreaker]

you people sound like "stock analysts"

Market Share, the mighty market share.

That is a game Apple has never played and will not. They make in excess of 90% of all the profits in the world from mobile commerce and smartphone sales.

That is far more important than market share.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by icebreaker

you people sound like "stock analysts"

Market Share, the mighty market share.

That is a game Apple has never played and will not. They make in excess of 90% of all the profits in the world from mobile commerce and smartphone sales.

That is far more important than market share.

In November Apple's share of profits in the mobile device market was already down to 56%. And as market share erodes, so will the share of the profits. Apple had to introduce lower margin devices (the iPad Mini and the iphone 5C) which also keeps profits lower than they were before. No doubt Apple is still in a great position, but they have their work cut out for them.

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Seems there are competing reports -- "Counterpoint Research passes along its latest report showing that Apple’s iPhone surged past Samsung’s smartphones in terms of market share in the U.S. over the holiday season, growing from 31% to 43% over the span of just a month"

from http://news.yahoo.com/apple-crushed-...hS_CsAU.bQtDMD

Not only does that report compare Apple with just Samsung, as opposed to the entire smartphone market, but it only covers last December.

So that report and the numbers posted by AFV do not contradict each other.

Apple is not kicking butt in the U.S., though it remains a major player.

--Pat

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by PatNY

Not only does that report compare Apple with just Samsung, as opposed to the entire smartphone market, but it only covers last December.

So that report and the numbers posted by AFV do not contradict each other.

Apple is not kicking butt in the U.S., though it remains a major player.

--Pat

Well samsung are the only android manufacturers that really matter in the grand scheme of things. Samsung sell more than all the other OEM's combined.

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Well samsung are the only android manufacturers that really matter in the grand scheme of things. Samsung sell more than all the other OEM's combined.

Other = 27% of smartphone sales in the U.S. in December. I don't know how you can just dismiss that number within the context of this discussion.

--Pat

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by afv011

You're obviously not reading what I said. It is not a matter of "record this", "record that", it is a matter of growing at or above the market growth - if you're falling behind the market growth, then you're not doing it right.

Are Apple losing market share in the "premium" Smartphone market? That's the market they dominate, and I see no signs of that changing.