According to the market, pretty well!
Market Cap: 231.74B
Market Cap: 30.42B
Market Cap: 169.24B
Posted on 08/11/2010 6:21:49 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
Verizon Wireless might get an iPhone this January? It's about time. Or is it too late? New reports show that Google's Android is eating the iPhone's lunch. And by clinging to AT&T exclusivity and staying clear of Verizon, Apple is effectively serving up that lunch on a shiny silver platter.
For a decade, Apple played Ice Man in a calculated dogfight of product design and marketing. It rarely made a misstep, and its successes were legendary as a result. This year, Apple has not shown itself to be so level-headed.
You could cite Antennagate or the missing white iPhone as evidence Apple is losing its cool, but these are mishaps, destined to follow previous iPhonapocalypses and Applegeddons into the void of the forgotten past. No, the biggest reason is that it miscalculated how much a prolonged exclusivity with AT&T would cost. The deal has been lucrative — God knows AT&T pays well for the privilege — but the downside has been that Apple has let a reasonable iPhone copy become the No. 1 selling smart phone platform in America.
It let this happen, by simultaneously creating a burning desire for an app-driven touch-screen smart phone, and then denying it to two-thirds of the American populace. That might be an old rant, but the detrimental result of this decision — or rather, the detrimental result of sustaining the decision for so long — are only now becoming apparent.
-snip-
...... Android phones accounted for a third of all smart phones purchased in the U.S. , with RIM's BlackBerry at 28 percent and the iPhone at 22 percent. Apple launched iPhone a year earlier than Android, with more immediate critical and consumer success. In fact, the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, wasn't even taken seriously as an iPhone competitor.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I have a Blackberry, husband has the iPhone. When my contract is up, I will not be getting another Blackberry, so it will be between an Android phone and an iPhone 4. We are with AT&T because of my husband’s employee discount or we’d be with Verizon.
Consider the source. MSNBC employees couldn’t make a light bulb light, given the battery, wires, and the light.
Perhaps they should stick with things within their limited mental capability - like....er.....uh.....
If you travel abroad, the Blackberry is the best option on Verizon. The Verizon android phones don’t have world phone capacity at this point.
Too late? I don’t think so. There are hoards of disgruntled iPhone users on AT&T simply because there’s no choice - many of them will leave AT&T when VZW gets an iPhone. Droids are still in the “it’s new - hype” stage... they’re not really all that.
It’d be even better if you were allowed to pop in a prepaid SIM into an AT&T iPhone while in Europe.
We will see I guess. January is not that far off is it?
I thought that Verizon's "system" was incompatible with overseas use.Is that wrong? For some of their phones? all of them?
True enough, but I simply laugh when I see any MSM get involved with things far beyond their intellect.
As for me, I have a company B-berry supported by AT&T. The phone sux, the service sux, and I certainly wouldn’t purchase an Iphone until they go Verizon...if I indeed purchase an Iphone at all.
However, for tech advice, there are numerous web outlets manned (or womanned) by competent techie types who can provide relevant data...listening to MSNBC relegates you to the folks who can do nothing else except stand in front of a camera and read script.
There are a few assumptions here that may be wrong and change the idea.
First, it is still just rumors they will launch the iPhone but if they do they assume that Verizon would launch with the same plague ridden iPhone 4. What if Apple and Verizon are working on a dynamic game changing version (I know, every phone company claims each version is a game changer).
Second, they assume that it will be an eggs in one basket approach to the iPhone like AT&T has done. Instead, Verizon could say they have it all- no matter what a customer asks for, they can say Yes.
Third, don’t underestimate people’s frustration with AT&T’s poor network. It has become a joke, even part of the iPhone 4’s launch (..try Verizon..)
Pricing, I believe Verizon is more attractive on monthly rates and data packages.
Just my opinion.
It doesn’t take an MSNBC to know that Android is going to be #1 within 1 year. I’m going with a WP7 device myself, but both my brother and sister have Droids. It’s just taking over like wildfire.
iPhone is just getting dusty and stale, kinda like an aged film star that people humor by still treating her like she is still a bombshell even though newer models are more dynamic.
Apple is trying to do what Sony tried with betamax vs. vhs.
Uh, and how did that turn out??
Nope, they do have some global phones that work on multiple network types. Also, a lot of Asia and South America uses the same standard as Verizon, it is Europe that mostly uses the incompatible standard.
The way I see it, as soon as teen age girls started getting pink, rhinestone cases for them, a Barbie toy was made with an iPhone, and Dora the Explorer started carrying one, it starts to go out of style for the high-school & adult markets that don't want to be associated with a toy.
In addition, lock in to an iPhone and you are locked into Apple hardware. Want a better camera in your phone? Maybe they'll get around to it if Apple thinnks you are worthy.
Go to a more open system.
Here is my ‘problem’. I don’t use the vast majority of features that phones have. I use it as a phone, web browsing, texting, and camera. When I read reviews, my God, it seems like some people do nothing but play with their cellphones. GET A LIFE! My biggest use is texting, which is why I chose the Blackberry for its very good keyboard. I’m not sure I like touchscreen texting, which is what most phones have these days. The thing I most like about the Androids are the sharp screens. I guess they’re some sort of LED.
The Android I want is out of stock, and I won’t be able to get it until the end of the month. In the meantime, I’m stuck with my POS Samsung Omnia. Worst phone EVER!
You believe 1/3 of the entire smartphone market is just hype?
To give a European perspective, I love my Blackberry on Vodafone over here. Have travelled widely throughout the continent and have had no problems. I still keep an old Razor under AT&T for backup use - it works fien here too but is prohibitively expensive for voice (approx 1 Euro per minute). Still, I’m curious - I’d like to try the Droid but have not seen them offered in the Exchange yet.
I do not believe Apple is in danger as much as AT&T.
Verizon charges $30./month for smartphone data packages - I guess it’s how they manage usage and capacity, but I’m not switching until they offer something more reasonable - say $10./month for limited GB.
I recommend the DroidX.
Wife-unit and I both replaced our previous non-"smart" phones with the X and haven't looked back.
Have found no vice, and have yet to say to myself, "Self, I sure wish I could have Google up and talk to someone at the same time".
We went round and round over it. She said, “we don't NEED all that stuff”. And i kind of agreed but I work away from my computere and for the most part my buisiness comms is email and I wanted than on mobile.
Long story short, we go the evos and we simply love them. I'm not an apple fan even though my industry is bloated with them ( advertising photography)as is my client base. I'm a PC guy and the Iphone and ATT were a no go.
The EVO is simply great, and the android os rocks. They will eat the IPHONEs lunch, IMO
I think you are exactly correct, if AAPL partners with VZ, that is expanding their potential customer base by something like 80 million.
According to the market, pretty well!
Market Cap: 231.74B
Market Cap: 30.42B
Market Cap: 169.24B
Just got an Samsung Galaxy S ... what an incredible piece of technology … can’t wait for Apple to tank …
What helps them here is if someone got an iPhone originally, their contract is likely up around the time a new iPhone comes out and they get the subsidized price then. Even with a lot of new Android phones out, most people aren’t willing to part with the $500 it would cost them without the subsidy.
Yes, those evil American companies. Shame on them for being successful.
Why? You've taken your business elsewhere. We all have that choice. I'm fascinated by the bile people have for Apple.
I am also a photographer (sports photography) and I have the blackberry world that I can tether to my PC. Nothing better than being able to sit in my car after the game, connect the phone and transmit from the site. (I work mostly D3 and D2 College sports—so Wifi and wired press boxes are still a pipe dream.)
Aside from that, I don’t play games or do much web surfing. I see a ton of college kids with iPhones and they mostly text. A lot. You can do that on a $20 phone. But its not as cool.
.... plus no SD slot for expansion ... you're only allowed as much memory as you buy from Apple or THEY decide you need... too controlling...
“I’m fascinated by the bile people have for Apple.”
Agree, and I say this as no fanboy for Apple or any other company, I’m willing to use whatever I think is best. I’m bundled into an AT&T package, and there’s no cheap way for me to unbundle and go with Verizon wireless, or I would probably try the Droid. My wife has an iPhone 3GS, and from my own limited experience using, I think it really is very good. To those here who have used both the iPhone and the Droid and like the Droid better, why is the Droid better?
AT&T has a couple of Android phones, including the Samsung Captivate, which I am considering.
It’s just like the PC/mac war all over. One went with multiple hardware suppliers and seperate software. One demanded on owning the entire chain. One went to 80%+, the other to 5%.
Look to see iphones drop to 10-15% in the next few years if not worse. They can change that, if they licensed the software to other companies to do hardware. Not going to happen though.
It’s just like the PC/mac war all over. One went with multiple hardware suppliers and seperate software. One demanded on owning the entire chain. One went to 80%+, the other to 5%.
Look to see iphones drop to 10-15% in the next few years if not worse. They can change that, if they licensed the software to other companies to do hardware. Not going to happen though.
I have a Droid and I like it, but I don’t need the best phone available to feel good about myself. Most people I know with and I-Phone are more unhappy with AT&T than they are their phone. This might be good for the I-Phone.
Heck, I really like my Palm Pre. It was about a year ahead of its time, but just blew the launch sadly. I doubt HP’s going to really try and use its WebOS on any phones now. They’ll probably only try tablets with it.
>>>You believe 1/3 of the entire smartphone market is just hype?
That, and there’s a part of the cell phone user population that simply has to have the newest phones, whatever they may be, or they feel inadequate.
To add another wildcard to all the speculation, the WinMo7 phones are due out in September.
Oh come on. With Android I can shop for a phone with the features, camera I want. With the iPhone I get the one choice Apple gives me with their current model.
If I am a verizon customer I get several choices for hardware.
That seems pretty simple to understand to me.
I apologize, that is not how I read what you wrote. I inferred that you could upgrade your camera in the phone you currently have.
Although I would guess the choice is quite limited when talking about one model of phone. The Droid doesn’t have a variety of cameras to choose from for instance.
When the exclusivity agreement with ATT expires, you can bet that Apple will diversify the service providers that can sell I-phones, and you need not doubt for a moment that Apple’s market share will surge again when that happens.
That’s OK. It’s funny, I’m typing this on my iPhone. I use it for work, Freeping, keeping track of news, stocks... I really think it is great. Or was great, until this last upgrade fiasco. It is dreadful now.
I was psyched about the new iPhone, but I think I’ll pass.
And in the scheme of things, as I write this.the market is tanking, a phone is just a tool. Not worth getting in a lather. By this time next year I hope we are still able to post freely online.
Regards.
Delusional
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