Asymco yesterday published a pair of charts providing an interesting perspective on mobile phone company performance for the first quarter of 2011, comparing units sold against profitability.
In the first view, the eight largest mobile phone brands are depicted according to share of units sold during the quarter, with Apple (shown in dark orange) checking in at about 7% share among those top vendors. Apple is joined by Research in Motion and HTC in a category of "smartphone-only" vendors that were responsible for 16% of the overall units shipped during the quarter by the top vendors.
But in looking at the profitability of those top eight vendors, a very different view emerges with Apple accounting for about 57% of total profits and Research in Motion and HTC pitching in to give the smartphone-only vendors over 75% of the total profits among the top vendors. In addition, three of the five "diversified" vendors (LG, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson) drop out of the picture entirely in the new view as they were each unable to turn a profit on their mobile phone businesses during the quarter.
Asymco's Horace Dediu argues that the trend of smartphone vendors dominating industry profits will force the "diversified" vendors to refocus on smartphones, further driving the shift away from so-called "dumb phones" and leaving that market to lower-tier vendors.
I've suggested before that I don't see non-smart devices being interesting to vendors in the near term. Each additional dumb phone added to a portfolio will decrease a company's operating margin. The market dynamics are such that I think non-smart phones will disappear entirely from branded portfolios in 3 to 5 years.
Apple's profit share of around 57% for the quarter is up from 50% in Asymco's study for the fourth quarter of 2010 and continues a trend that has seen the company grab an increasingly large portion of industry profits over the past several years.
Thursday October 31, 2024 9:42 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well.
...
Wednesday October 30, 2024 8:01 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, alongside a new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M4 chip.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new M4 Pro and M4 Max machines come with a minimum of 24GB of Unified Memory as standard, up from 18GB in the previous models. Both models feature three...
Thursday October 31, 2024 7:06 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
The first Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the M4 Pro chip surfaced today. Impressively, the results that are available so far show that the highest-end M4 Pro chip is faster than the highest-end M2 Ultra chip in terms of peak multi-core CPU performance.
Here is a comparison of the results:
Mac mini with M4 Pro (14-core CPU): 22,094 multi-core score (average of 11 results)
Mac Studio...
Wednesday October 30, 2024 8:04 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today in its new MacBook Pro press release announced that the MacBook Air lineup now starts with 16GB of RAM, up from 8GB previously.
This change applies to the 13-inch model with the M2 chip, the 13-inch model with the M3 chip, and the 15-inch model with the M3 chip.
In the U.S., the MacBook Air lineup continues to start at $999, so there is no price increase associated with the...
Apple today announced fully redesigned Mac mini models featuring the M4 and M4 Pro chips, a considerably smaller casing, two front-facing USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and more.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The product refresh marks the first time the Mac mini has been redesigned in over a decade. The enclosure now measures just five by five inches...
Friday November 1, 2024 4:04 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
The iPhone SE 4 that's set to come out early next year is expected to debut Apple's first in-house 5G modem, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain.
In a research note this week with Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities, Pu said Apple is expected to roll out its custom-made 5G modem starting with the next-generation...
Thursday October 31, 2024 4:00 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the new MacBook Pro lineup features faster M4 chip options, Thunderbolt 5 support for higher-end configurations, a nano-texture display option, and more, most of the previous MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon chips still offer the latest overall design, and fast performance, which might lead you to avoid upgrading this year.
If you are planning to skip the new MacBook Pro, here are ...
Your question is off topic, but since you asked, I'll answer. And since you're one of the more extreme fanatics out there, it is appropriate.
I have been a computer geek since 1979 - from the time of my 1st TRS-80 Model 1 (4k), through the Pets, Vic-20's, C64s, Atari 800s, Amigas, ST's, PC's, and after several false starts (I had a Mac SE, Mac Classic and later a Color Classic back in the day) my first modern Mac in 2006 (a mini). Today, I am on a Mac 90% of my day, be it my Mini (my second one, the 1st with Nvidia graphics), my iMac (G5 20" isight), a Hackintoish or my Macbook 13". I still use a PC that I built for work related stuff, but I am a 90% Mac user. I hold a bachelors degree in "computer science" which quite honestly is about worthless since few are programming COBOL using punchcards today.
I enjoy the Mac. But the reason I enjoy it is OS X. I don't find anything "magical" about the hardware. It's generally a generation behind any current PC hardware out there and priced 30% more. You can buy the same hardware for a PC that is cheaper - my Hackintoish closely matches a new Mac Pro yet cost $900 less than the cheapest MacPro.
Over the years I've graduated to the iPhone (I've had all 4 models), an iPod Touch (I bought my wife one and after she realized how simple it was to use, I was able to add her to my AT&T plan and get her a 3GS), and an iPad. I've also added my son to my iPhone plan (who graduated from Penn State LAST YEAR and really needs his own plan :) ) .. My parents have my 1st Mini still going strong today!
I spend a lot of time trying to convert PC users over to Macs (Not easy because of the Price) and HAVE converted my oldest son (an Union Craftworker), my niece, and my Daughter (who graduated this year from Kennesaw University THIS YEAR). My younger son (who I mentioned earlier) has a Macbook, but uses a PC as his primary machine since he is a gamer.
I think my passion and experience towards technology makes me worthly of engaging in serious conversation and debate regarding computing, technology, and the digital lifestyle.
Yet I never can seem to carry on an intelligent conversation on ANY Mac forum - Why???? Because they are infested with people like you LTD, fanatics who instead of addressing any comment critical of Apple goes off an a mindless, flaming, fanboy rant. Examples:
* Hey, you must be a troll or on Ballmer's payroll!
* Go play with your Clunky PC with it's Crappy Windows
* Compared to your crappy PC, Macs are just Delicious
* I can't help it you're poor and can't afford a Mac.
This along with using the word "elegant" in ever sentence and quoting "Steve" (I skate to where the puck is going to be), and my very favorite from MDN (Nutcase Central) "What's everyone going to buy "Steve" for his birthday this year"????
No LTD, Mac's aren't "magical, elegant, delicious, sexy, nor do they have "the sex". All Windows computers are NOT "crappy, clunky, or junky". And because you use a Mac, it doesn't make you any better, smarter, or "cooler" than the "Windows Sufferers". If you want to be taken seriously outside the fanboy community, learn why you think a Mac is a better platform (not, Oh God, it's just so delicious and elegant)...
Now, I apologize for the long, off topic post - but I hope I answered your question.
Outstanding post. If more Mac forum posters were like this, they wouldn't have the reputation that they do now.
Why do you feel it necessary in your signature to announce to everyone that you're "not blindly fanatical about anything"?
Is it to convince us our convince yourself? Moreover, why would we need convincing?
Your question is off topic, but since you asked, I'll answer. And since you're one of the more extreme fanatics out there, it is appropriate.
I have been a computer geek since 1979 - from the time of my 1st TRS-80 Model 1 (4k), through the Pets, Vic-20's, C64s, Atari 800s, Amigas, ST's, PC's, and after several false starts (I had a Mac SE, Mac Classic and later a Color Classic back in the day) my first modern Mac in 2006 (a mini). Today, I am on a Mac 90% of my day, be it my Mini (my second one, the 1st with Nvidia graphics), my iMac (G5 20" isight), a Hackintoish or my Macbook 13". I still use a PC that I built for work related stuff, but I am a 90% Mac user. I hold a bachelors degree in "computer science" which quite honestly is about worthless since few are programming COBOL using punchcards today.
I enjoy the Mac. But the reason I enjoy it is OS X. I don't find anything "magical" about the hardware. It's generally a generation behind any current PC hardware out there and priced 30% more. You can buy the same hardware for a PC that is cheaper - my Hackintoish closely matches a new Mac Pro yet cost $900 less than the cheapest MacPro.
Over the years I've graduated to the iPhone (I've had all 4 models), an iPod Touch (I bought my wife one and after she realized how simple it was to use, I was able to add her to my AT&T plan and get her a 3GS), and an iPad. I've also added my son to my iPhone plan (who graduated from Penn State LAST YEAR and really needs his own plan :) ) .. My parents have my 1st Mini still going strong today!
I spend a lot of time trying to convert PC users over to Macs (Not easy because of the Price) and HAVE converted my oldest son (an Union Craftworker), my niece, and my Daughter (who graduated this year from Kennesaw University THIS YEAR). My younger son (who I mentioned earlier) has a Macbook, but uses a PC as his primary machine since he is a gamer.
I think my passion and experience towards technology makes me worthly of engaging in serious conversation and debate regarding computing, technology, and the digital lifestyle.
Yet I never can seem to carry on an intelligent conversation on ANY Mac forum - Why???? Because they are infested with people like you LTD, fanatics who instead of addressing any comment critical of Apple goes off an a mindless, flaming, fanboy rant. Examples:
* Hey, you must be a troll or on Ballmer's payroll! * Go play with your Clunky PC with it's Crappy Windows * Compared to your crappy PC, Macs are just Delicious * I can't help it you're poor and can't afford a Mac.
This along with using the word "elegant" in ever sentence and quoting "Steve" (I skate to where the puck is going to be), and my very favorite from MDN (Nutcase Central) "What's everyone going to buy "Steve" for his birthday this year"????
No LTD, Mac's aren't "magical, elegant, delicious, sexy, nor do they have "the sex". All Windows computers are NOT "crappy, clunky, or junky". And because you use a Mac, it doesn't make you any better, smarter, or "cooler" than the "Windows Sufferers". If you want to be taken seriously outside the fanboy community, learn why you think a Mac is a better platform (not, Oh God, it's just so delicious and elegant)...
Now, I apologize for the long, off topic post - but I hope I answered your question.
to me that tells me that Apple is really ripping off its users by using cheaper parts and selling lower powered phones for huge profit.
Now apple only having 1 basic phone design really helps in savings as they only have 1 line to really deal with but still they sure as hell are not passing on the savings to us. Instead they just try to rip us off more.
No, Apple is ripping off it's CARRIER partners by demanding outrageous fees and terms, while simultaneously creating a product with unprecedented demand forcing the carriers to bow to them and their control and vision. Consumers win. Apple wins. Carriers, kicking and screaming, win too.
Apple uses long cycles of its single phone to make huge profit. By the end of its life it is safe to say they are making a killings off every phone. To bad Apple does not pass on those savings.
No corporation ever "passes on savings" unless it gives that company a competitive advantage. Companies don't exist as a service to you. They exist for one reason and one reason only: make money for shareholders.
In other news Apple cut cdma iphone production by 57 percent due to poor sell through. In other words Android is kicking Apples but on Verizon.
Without base numbers, there is no way to draw that conclusion. Simple supply error on Apple's part. Only becomes a problem if it is so bad that it becomes an inventory issue, as well. Probably won't, but again, you don't have the statistics to actually analyze everything.
