tech

Apple takes smartphone sales crown from Samsung

18 Comments
By NICOLAS ASFOURI

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18 Comments
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Congratulations apple. You won a quarter. Annual sales are still severely lagging behind Samsung and Huawei. I think the reason for their strong 4th quarter is because they finally have a phone financing plan in Asia and it's much better than the ones offered by the carriers. Carriers markup the price of apple headsets tremendously.

Also, in the US, almost every company had an iPhone 11 or higher on us deal or huge discounts off the iPhone 11 or higher. T-Mobile for example had a deal that got you $900 off an iphone if you traded an XS or higher. Apple allowed proper sales deals this year and that helped tremendously.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Apple's products are better than either Samsung's or Huawei's by far. All they have to do to become top dog again is to make their products cheaper and they will dominate again.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

@Aly Rustom

I can't agree with you. I don't think you should have been downvoted. But what is better is a subjective thing. Apple isn't better for me in any way. I use both an iphone and samsung device. Aside from Facetime, my iphone is pretty much useless for me. With everyday life, work, and other things, my samsung phone is more useful.

All they have to do to become top dog again is to make their products cheaper

This won't happen. Apple isn't competing with just Samsung or Huawei. They are competing with the entire android network. While google provides the software, Samsung is seen as the topline version of android devices and Huawei is seen as the cost friendly alternative. What's best is what works for a particular person.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I think JJ Jetplane has the best observation. It was the pricing plans. Apple still has the best reputation among smartphones because it produces other quality products like Mac laptops, TV, and etc in addition to high quality phones. All these products exist in a nice ecosystem.

Realistically, I think people want Apple, but they don't want the price tag and see the alternatives and more realistic. I think many consumers given the opportunity would choose and an iphone over other models with the exact same spec.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

JJ

I can't agree with you.

No problem brother. Healthy discussion and disagreement is a good thing. Its just that some people here want to turn it personal.

I don't think you should have been downvoted.

Thank you for your kind words. To be honest, I don't care about being up or down voted. I post my opinions and people can agree or disagree. I have no problem with anyone as long as it is done in a civil manner. My advice to ANY poster here is voice your opinion whether or not you think its popular and don't be rude or condescending to anyone- even if they disagree with you unless of course they are jerks about it. But healthy discussion that is amicable is a wonderful thing.

But what is better is a subjective thing. Apple isn't better for me in any way. I use both an iphone and samsung device. Aside from Facetime, my iphone is pretty much useless for me. With everyday life, work, and other things, my samsung phone is more useful.

Fair enough.

This won't happen. Apple isn't competing with just Samsung or Huawei. They are competing with the entire android network. While google provides the software, Samsung is seen as the topline version of android devices and Huawei is seen as the cost friendly alternative. What's best is what works for a particular person.

I think it depends on what you are looking for. My brothers both don't like apple because of the closed ecosystem. I find it great as I have heard that apple products don't get viruses as easily as androids. I think it comes down to whether you like iOS or Android. People who want to play around with their phones a bit more and tweak them will prefer the latter. Me personally, I'm an Apple groupie. I just wish their products would be more affordable. But we can agree to disagree- I do think that Apple would really become number 1 if their products were evenly priced. Who knows? We are dealing in hypotheticals as Apple will never match Samsung or Huawei prices.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I think JJ Jetplane has the best observation. It was the pricing plans. Apple still has the best reputation among smartphones because it produces other quality products like Mac laptops, TV, and etc in addition to high quality phones. All these products exist in a nice ecosystem.

absolutely.

Realistically, I think people want Apple, but they don't want the price tag and see the alternatives and more realistic. I think many consumers given the opportunity would choose and an iphone over other models with the exact same spec.

agree 100%

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I've had 4 Samsung phones over the years and only a a problem with one. I think there very good phones with great cameras. Any one I know with an iPhone all remark how much better my photos are than iPhone photos. I have a question when is Japan going to get back in the market in a big way. With the Olympics just around the corner it would be a perfect opportunity.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@runner3

how much better my photos are than iPhone photo

As an android lover. I have fallen into the samsung deception. What's truly beautiful is the screens for samsung phones. That's why Apple now has them design their screens. As well as several other phone companies. When placing my samsung photos and my apple photos on other screens such as a windows computer, I can admit that iPhones take much better photos. But the screens for Samsung phones make everything gorgeous.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

As an android lover. I have fallen into the samsung deception. What's truly beautiful is the screens for samsung phones. That's why Apple now has them design their screens. As well as several other phone companies. When placing my samsung photos and my apple photos on other screens such as a windows computer, I can admit that iPhones take much better photos. But the screens for Samsung phones make everything gorgeous.

I have heard this before, but I don't have both phones, so I didn't know if it was true.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There are some good things that Apple does, but if its Competitors catch onto that, and do the spend, then Apple will have a problem.

As an example... Apple Support Communities, will delete any post that puts Apple in a bad light... don't raise any complaints there.

Also their renown Apple Care Plus Service, will only give you a 30 day period before the incident you raised is automatically closed without any resolution. The only reason for purchasing it is if, you actually have a real problem with a defective device - but Apple will do their upmost to prove it is not... for example the iPhone XR's microphone is useless unless you hold the phone horizontal to you mouth, otherwise you're forced to use earphones with a microphone attached...

And at the Apple Stores, the so called Apple Geniuses are just normal folk doing a job just like you and me, if they get uppity towards you, slam dunk them down a notch with Contractual obligation rights and see them running off to their bosses to figure out what that means.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Apple's products are better than either Samsung's or Huawei's by far.

Huawei is putting out some pretty impressive phones these days.

But as someone on the Mac ecosystem, anything not iphone isn't particularly attractive.

But I've definitely liked some of those Huawei phones. They are getting really nice.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

for example the iPhone XR's microphone is useless unless you hold the phone horizontal to you mouth

I'm not sure where you got this idea, but it's quite incorrect from my own observations.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Huawei is putting out some pretty impressive phones these days.

That's true, and for the price its truly amazing, but I'll NEVER touch one of them due to their ties with the Chinese gov. If I really wanted to change my apple products I'd go with samsung.

But as someone on the Mac ecosystem, anything not iphone isn't particularly attractive.

same

But I've definitely liked some of those Huawei phones. They are getting really nice.

They are sleek, but I personally would NEVER consider buying one. I'd personally go for a galaxy note or something IF I had to change..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

IMHO, Apple deserve the top perch, they spend vasts amounts on R&D to bring to market delightful and often innovative products, AND they stand behind their products.

BUT, how long can this arrangement lasts when their research efforts can be copied so easily by their contract manufacturers (and passed onto competitors within one sales cycle).

Samsung is not Apple's true competitor. It's their contract manufacturers. Apple has to weigh up in house manufacturing if it wants to maintain a sizeable innovation gap.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I cannot wait for my first ever android Huawei phone contract to expire in July so I can go back to a real phone...an iPhone.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Living in Japan I prefer Samsung phones as they have most of the Japanese Galapagos features while still being good overall phones with a decent design. In particular I use Edy or iD almost everywhere as they are the easiest ways to pay (and were available way before Apple Pay). Unfortunately a lot of places that used to only take cash are now supporting just PayPay which is a pain in the butt in comparison.

IMHO, Apple deserve the top perch, they spend vasts amounts on R&D to bring to market delightful and often innovative products, AND they stand behind their products.

There are 2 sides to every story:

https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/268375-top-5-features-apple-stole-from-samsung

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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