Apple Now Ranked as Highest-Grossing Mobile Phone Vendor - MacRumors
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Apple Now Ranked as Highest-Grossing Mobile Phone Vendor

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Reuters reports that a new study from research firm Strategy Analytics is showing that Apple is now the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer as measured by revenue, outpacing Nokia for the first time ever in the January-March quarter.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) became the world's largest phone vendor by revenue in January-March, overtaking Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE) for the first time ever, research firm Strategy Analytics said on Thursday. "With strong volumes and high wholesale prices, the PC vendor has successfully captured revenue leadership of the total handset market in less than four years," said analyst Alex Spektor.

According to the report, Apple's iPhone revenue of $11.9 billion last quarter easily topped Nokia's phone revenue of $9.4 billion.

Apple has long led the mobile phone industry in profits, now raking in half of the industry's total profits. But Apple's ascendance to the top of the list for revenue in addition to profits demonstrates that the company's strong growth in the smartphone market is continuing.

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Top Rated Comments

Amazing Iceman Avatar
Amazing Iceman
201 months ago
I'm just going to leave this here:

Steve Ballmer: Right now, Windows is selling million and millions and millions of phones a year. Apple is selling 0 phones a year. (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U)

I can imagine how he bangs his own head against a wall every time he watches or remembers this interview.
Ballmer's arguments were accurate when thinking inside the box. Sure, it was a $500 phone with no keyboard, barely any multi-tasking, etc.
I used to think the same back then, as I was comparing to the commonly existent products at that time.

Now after all these years, everyone wants to make a phone and OS similar to the iPhone. Most new smart phones don't have a keyboard, and have their main interface look similar to the one on the iPhone.

In the beginning everyone wanted a Motorola phone because the name brand was well known; Nokia had to overcome that concept, at least here in the US. after that, Nokia has been #1 for decades mainly in Europe and Asia. Great quality phones, but still just phones. Same old, same old phone style.

Jobs thinks outside the box, and his ability to innovate allowed him to break the common denominators that outline the typical mobile phone.
If it wasn't for Apple, we would still be carrying crappy and bulky phones with either Symbian or the slow WinMo.

So this is why Apple now deserves to be #1.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Amazing Iceman Avatar
Amazing Iceman
201 months ago
While I agree, I was definitely a Mac user long before the introduction of the iPhone. They just had a pretty decent upgrade to the MacBook Pro, and are releasing Lion soon. To their credit I would say they have not forgotten about us :P

I'm daring to say that the impact the iPhone caused in people's lives also made the Mac more attractive to them.

Believe it or not, I still don't have an iPhone, but several of my friends do. Several of them even told me that the iPhone changed their lives ( ? ). Some were Mac haterz, but now own more than one Mac. :D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
cowbellallen
201 months ago
I'm just going to leave this here:

Steve Ballmer: Right now, Windows is selling million and millions and millions of phones a year. Apple is selling 0 phones a year. (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vincenz Avatar
vincenz
201 months ago
Except, Apple's not a phone manufacturer...
What??? :confused:

Where have you been the last 4 years?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JGowan Avatar
JGowan
201 months ago
That being said, I don't think Ballmer deserves all the heat he is getting for those statements.
Sure he does. All the heat and more. Why? Because in the case of Apple, it wasn't just statements that expressed doubt in Apple's strategy, but it was the disdain in which he ridiculed and mocked Apple and the incredible product that they just announced. It was all bluster to mask his fear. He was incredibly rude and he deserves the heat. And then some, actually.

If the iPhone had remained a $500 product, with a 2 year contract, I doubt it would be selling even a tenth of what it does now.
Ginormous and Incredibly humongous IF you put out there.

Ballmer did not recognize that Apple had the ability to change its plans. And that changing a pricing plan was far easier than changing your entire software ecosystem (which is what MS is having to do to compete).
Right -- instead of being a blow-hard, laughing at Apple, he should've been getting his strategy in order. We're just getting Windows Phone 7 and the iPhone has been out since June 2007 — 4 years?! Amazing. And you say he shouldn't have heat on him? Sorry, but that's just crazy.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2strokedude Avatar
2strokedude
201 months ago
I'm just going to leave this here:

Steve Ballmer: Right now, Windows is selling million and millions and millions of phones a year. Apple is selling 0 phones a year. (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U)
Ballmer isn't a good leader in this tech world. He has no vision. When Steve Jobs talks, he explains things. When Ballmer talks he makes excuses. The guy is so out of touch. Remember when he said the app store wouldn't make any money. Apple has paid out over two billion to devs. He's a buffoon.
MS is losing ground daily. They better wake up soon.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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