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Apple Regains Market Share in Some Countries with Strong iPhone 5s Sales
Research firm Kantar Worldpanel has released a new report (via TechCrunch) highlighting worldwide smartphone sales over the January-March period, finding that Apple has regained share in markets such as Europe, Japan and Australia due in part to the strong sales performance of the iPhone 5s.
However, Sunnebo noted in a prior Kantar report highlighting smartphone sales over the August-October 2013 period that customers in the U.S. generally react better to "full releases" like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 than "incremental" updates such as the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. Apple is expected to release a larger-screen iPhone 6 this year with new features including a thinner profile, faster A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and an improved camera with optical image stabilization.
Meanwhile, the iPhone's surging popularity in Japan has continued in the months following its debut on the country's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo:
Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, comments: "Apple regained ground in the first quarter of 2014, primarily due to the strong performance of the iPhone 5S, growing its sales share in Europe, Japan and Australia. By contrast, Windows had a tough start to the year as a result of its entry-level Nokia models facing fierce competition from low-end Motorola, LG and Samsung Android smartphones."Apple's total market share in Japan, Australia, and Europe hit 57.6%, 33.1%, and 19.2%, which are increases of 8.6%, 2.0%, and 0.1% compared to the same timeframe last year, respectively. In the United States, Apple's market share was at 35.9%, which was down 7.8% compared to the 43.7% market share it held a year ago.
However, Sunnebo noted in a prior Kantar report highlighting smartphone sales over the August-October 2013 period that customers in the U.S. generally react better to "full releases" like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 than "incremental" updates such as the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. Apple is expected to release a larger-screen iPhone 6 this year with new features including a thinner profile, faster A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and an improved camera with optical image stabilization.
Meanwhile, the iPhone's surging popularity in Japan has continued in the months following its debut on the country's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo:
Sunnebo continues: "Japan’s love affair with Apple shows no sign of fading. Even though the iPhone has now been available on Japan’s largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, for a number of months Apple still accounts for more than 40% of sales on the network. The success of the iPhone is also filtering through to the iPad, with almost a quarter of Japanese iPhone owners also owning an iPad. With smartphone penetration in Japan lagging well behind Europe and the US, Japan will remain a key growth market for Apple."Despite its solid market share in numerous countries however, the iPhone continues to face challenges from Google's Android platform, which had its market share continue hover above 70% in many markets. Microsoft's Windows Phone also increased its market share, with the platform even holding a 4.3% advantage over iOS in Italy.
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11 months ago
I honestly thought that Apple's market share in Japan was around 70 percent or something.
It seems that Apple's market share in most countries is decreasing rather than increasing so the headline is misleading.
But from the earnings report, that's not a huge problem, as the overall number of iPhones sold has increased and Apple is still raking in more money than anyone else.
It seems that Apple's market share in most countries is decreasing rather than increasing so the headline is misleading.
But from the earnings report, that's not a huge problem, as the overall number of iPhones sold has increased and Apple is still raking in more money than anyone else.
11 months ago
"... countries such as Europe..."? Seriously?:P
I apologize for the error! I've been going back and forth between "market" and country" too often, it's been fixed now!
11 months ago
iOS looks more and more like 90s Windows.
Actually, Android looks more and more like the '90s Windows. It was inspired by Apple, is generally cheaper and now dominates the market. And just as with that PC analogy, for many people iOS still offers a better experience.
11 months ago
I wish there was some other way to illustrate smartphone market share.
Right now it's broken down by platform... which seems like a good idea on the surface. Some companies are the platform... in the case of Apple and Blackberry. And Windows Phone is primarily Nokia at this point.
But then there's "Android"
The problem is... any phone running a version of Android is counted the same. It doesn't matter if it's a $599 flagship like the Galaxy S5... or a $59 el-cheapo phone sold in a developing nation. They all get the same credit. There is no distinction between various levels of phones.
Many industries have specific classifications of products. The automobile industry is a prime example.
Nobody compares sales of luxury sedans to sales of econobox hatchbacks... do they? Of course not. There are many different segments of the automobile industry.
But in the smartphone industry... everything is lumped together under one segment. It just seems weird.
I'd love to see these charts broken down between "under $400" and "over $400"
Apple doesn't sell a phone below $400. You could say Apple has 0% of the "under $400" market.
And yet... Apple is compared to companies who only sell phones under $400
That doesn't make a lot of sense.
Right now it's broken down by platform... which seems like a good idea on the surface. Some companies are the platform... in the case of Apple and Blackberry. And Windows Phone is primarily Nokia at this point.
But then there's "Android"
The problem is... any phone running a version of Android is counted the same. It doesn't matter if it's a $599 flagship like the Galaxy S5... or a $59 el-cheapo phone sold in a developing nation. They all get the same credit. There is no distinction between various levels of phones.
Many industries have specific classifications of products. The automobile industry is a prime example.
Nobody compares sales of luxury sedans to sales of econobox hatchbacks... do they? Of course not. There are many different segments of the automobile industry.
But in the smartphone industry... everything is lumped together under one segment. It just seems weird.
I'd love to see these charts broken down between "under $400" and "over $400"
Apple doesn't sell a phone below $400. You could say Apple has 0% of the "under $400" market.
And yet... Apple is compared to companies who only sell phones under $400
That doesn't make a lot of sense.
11 months ago
Once again, marketing and advertising rules it all.
iOS looks more and more like 90s Windows.
iOS looks more and more like 90s Windows.
11 months ago
I'm no rocket scientist but Android is number one (by double digits) in every market except for Japan and Apple has lost 7.8% while Android gained 8.3% in United States. This looks pretty bad if you ask me.
Not trying to be a troll but "if" the iPhone 6 is $100 more how is it possible for Apple to catch Android anywhere without losing it's largest market Japan (:eek:)? Are there any brain surgeons that can answer this?
Not trying to be a troll but "if" the iPhone 6 is $100 more how is it possible for Apple to catch Android anywhere without losing it's largest market Japan (:eek:)? Are there any brain surgeons that can answer this?
11 months ago
iPhone 5C is 599 euro, 4S is 499 euro (not available from apple.es) - Moto G is 179 euro on amazon so please, dont tell me that we are talking about equal smarthphones.
The Motorola G is perfectly comparable to those devices and the fact that it costs around 1/3 of their price just shows that nowadays you don't need to go high end to have a good smartphone experience.
11 months ago
Is two Android phones selling for $60 really twice as important as one $600 iPhone?
Depends on whether you care more about the maker or the user.
If a phone gave vital smartphone communications to someone who otherwise would not be able to afford any, then I'd say yes, it's just as important as an higher priced phone, if not more so.
It's like asking, are two $600 iPhones really twice as important as one $6,000 Vertu? After all, the latter has a titanium frame, sapphire screen, and 24 hour concierge service.
And by those numbers... Android is a rousing success. 80% market share... or 8 out of 10 smartphones sold today run Android.
Correct, Android phones sell at about five times the rate of iOS phones. (E.g. 800m vs 160m.)
But no one mentions that 5 out of those 8 are garbage phones...
Sounds like a made up number, but okay, even if only 300m out of 800m are phones YOU consider to be comparable to the iPhone, that's still almost twice as many Android sold as iOS.
Side comment: Sales numbers are not something that traditional Apple fans worry about. In fact, they used to take pride in being in the fewer number. This worry over numbers is something that newer iPhone fans seem to have drug in over the years.
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