Should Apple allow other phone companies to make greater profits?

[thermal]

First: Apple’s rank in mobile phone profitability and revenues | asymco

A recent study shows that Apple makes roughly 75% of all cell phone profits. According to the study's findings: Apple reached 75% of profit share, nearly 40% of revenue share and 9% of units share.

Apple and Samsung combined for about 91% of profits with RIM third at 3.7%, HTC fourth at 3.0% and Nokia last at 1.8% of a $15 billion total for the quarter.

It might be nice for Apple to allow other companies to increase their profits as well, especially companies like Nokia and RIM that have been struggling lately...

 

[EarlyMon]

Wow.

Ok, I think this is the deal:

Consumers decide exactly what they prefer to buy.

If you make a device that's a technical dinosaur compared to others - oh, I don't know, say RIM vs. Apple or Android, then in today's climate, RIM products might not sell.

Declining sales will lead to declining profits.

Unless you want to replace capitalism with some form of global communism and put Apple in charge of that global government, nothing about the idea of Apple "letting" other companies do anything makes any sense to me.

And with the Nokia board welcoming that Microsoft quisling to their bosom, and not having the sense or foresight to see that they'd given him power to gut the company, they deserve everything that the free market is handing them right now.

 

[thermal]

Wow.

Ok, I think this is the deal:

Consumers decide exactly what they prefer to buy.

If you make a device that's a technical dinosaur compared to others - oh, I don't know, say RIM vs. Apple or Android, then in today's climate, RIM products might not sell.

Declining sales will lead to declining profits.

Unless you want to replace capitalism with some form of global communism and put Apple in charge of that global government, nothing about the idea of Apple "letting" other companies do anything makes any sense to me.

And with the Nokia board welcoming that Microsoft quisling to their bosom, and not having the sense or foresight to see that they'd given him power to gut the company, they deserve everything that the free market is handing them right now.

Consumers are like sheep; they can be swayed by a little clever marketing and smoke & mirrors. Android/Samsung/Apple have the resources to alter people's perceptions of products, making theirs look better and others (Nokia/RIM etc) worse. This is unfair and leaves simple, honest companies trying to make an honest profit at a disadvantage.

And since Apple is at the head of this conspiracy (as evidenced by obscene profits and endless lawsuits), they should allow other companies to regain some strength.

 

[Bob Maxey]

It might be nice for Apple to allow other companies to increase their profits as well, especially companies like Nokia and RIM that have been struggling lately...

Nope, no way. We had a meeting back in August, around 4:55 AM in the secret bunker. We decided that we cannot allow anyone to make profits. Sorry, but Apple knows and the others blows. Well, that was our slogan and it did sound better while we passed the gin.

So to answer your question, no. We can't allow it. Just be thankful for the scraps we toss you.

 

[EarlyMon]

Consumers are like sheep; they can be swayed by a little clever marketing and smoke & mirrors. Android/Samsung/Apple have the resources to alter people's perceptions of products, making theirs look better and others (Nokia/RIM etc) worse. This is unfair and leaves simple, honest companies trying to make an honest profit at a disadvantage.

And since Apple is at the head of this conspiracy (as evidenced by obscene profits and endless lawsuits), they should allow other companies to regain some strength.

Consumers are stupid, they need protection from a higher power, and profits are unfair.

Apple should reward its shareholders by apologizing, stopping, and saying, hey world, your workers, suppliers and shareholders deserve money for not being as good at us at what we do.

And RIM and Nokia should be rewarded for putting out an inferior operating system that can't compete with Android. Android has taken the market from RIM and Nokia, but Apple made more profit, so Apple should pay.

Got it. Heard it all before.

I recommend Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

I am John Galt.

 

[thermal]

Nope, no way. We had a meeting back in August, around 4:55 AM in the secret bunker. We decided that we cannot allow anyone to make profits. Sorry, but Apple knows and the others blows. Well, that was our slogan and it did sound better while we passed the gin.

So to answer your question, no. We can't allow it. Just be thankful for the scraps we toss you.

Don't you feel this is really uncompetitive practice? It feels like Android/Apple are colluding to keep most other handset makers down; an unholy duopoly of the new world order.

They say only a handful of people actually run the earth; it sounds like Apple and Google are keymasters pulling all the strings. It's unfair.

 

[agentc13]

Consumers are like sheep; they can be swayed by a little clever marketing and smoke & mirrors. Android/Samsung/Apple have the resources to alter people's perceptions of products, making theirs look better and others (Nokia/RIM etc) worse. This is unfair and leaves simple, honest companies trying to make an honest profit at a disadvantage.

And since Apple is at the head of this conspiracy (as evidenced by obscene profits and endless lawsuits), they should allow other companies to regain some strength.

That's just not how a free market economy works. Other companies have a chance to make more profits by making a better product and/or having marketing to make people thing they have a better product (most likely the 2nd part). Is it fair to tell a successful company that they have to give up what they rightfully earned?

There is no conspiracy here, it is just how things work. When a company has a large market share and brand recognition it becomes easier for them to keep that in comparison to a start-up.

Please tell us how this could change in a way that you find acceptable.

 

[EarlyMon]

Don't you feel this is really uncompetitive practice? It feels like Android/Apple are colluding to keep most other handset makers down; an unholy duopoly of the new world order.

They say only a handful of people actually run the earth; it sounds like Apple and Google are keymasters pulling all the strings. It's unfair.

There is proof of high competition between between Apple and Android.

There is proof that no such collusion exists.

8 guys run a 100 meter race. 2 are fit. 6 are morbidly fat - these are left by a country mile.

The solution is not to fatten up the two that worked out, yet that is exactly what you are advocating, and whether you meant to say it or not, that is what you have said. The two fit guys made the 6 pigs live on chocolate cake and lay about for years. It's the fit guys' fault that the others are pigs.

Best luck with your ideas, hope it all works out for you.

 

[thermal]

And RIM and Nokia should be rewarded for putting out an inferior operating system that can't compete with Android. Android has taken the market from RIM and Nokia, but Apple made more profit, so Apple should pay.

RIM and Nokia should be given the same chance to succeed as Android and Apple. It wasn't fair for Android and Apple to put out superior products without allowing other companies the chance to respond; it was A&A (Android & Apple) taking over the world and not allowing anyone else except maybe Samsung to the party.

Why do A&A want to screw over Microsoft, Nokia, RIM etc?

 

[Bob Maxey]

Consumers are like sheep; they can be swayed by a little clever marketing and smoke & mirrors. Android/Samsung/Apple have the resources to alter people's perceptions of products, making theirs look better and others (Nokia/RIM etc) worse. This is unfair and leaves honest companies trying to make an honest profit at a disadvantage.

Then perhaps the Android people should take a note from Apple's playbook and try to sway us. Apple is no better or worse than Android and vicey-versey. If Android wants to lead the way, then perhaps they need to advertise more or better. Apple is not in charge.

If Android were to find a clever marketing strategy, then they might sell more product, thereby becoming Apple. Not sure if you know much about marketing, but one of the things you stress is how much better your widget is than my widget. You convince the public that your product is better. Nothing new there.

The alternative is you stress how much better the other fella's product is and perhaps you fail. Or the public wonders why your advertising is so negative and you eclipse Apple. Negative ads can work well if properly done.

The public votes with their dollars and you might win. Then again, in the case of Apple, perhaps not. Ya ain't a gonna take Apple down and Apple often releases game changers that further widen the gap between devices.

Apple has one iPhone but there are hundreds of Android phones. Apple sells vast numbers and individual Android manufacturers can only hope to reach the level of Apple. I am constantly bombarded with Android ads and I seldom see an Apple ad.

Remember this: when you talk about Android, you are not talking about Google or one device. You have many manufacturers all wishing their competitors would go away and every one of them proclaim the greatness of their phone.

Apple is a great company. They sell amazing products and those products are not as costly as other devices. Apple is respected, well loved and insanely popular. They are insanely great and the shareholders are insanely pleased. I am not saying their phones are better than my humble little Triumph and I will likely never purchase an iPhone.

I know a well-run corporation with great products when I see it, and unless you know something I do not know, Apple does not decide who can make a profit. Well, the sheeple might blindly follow but we once called that brand loyalty. This is what drives Apple to some extent and it is a good thing. that said, perhaps Apple DOES control who can make a profit after all. Smiley!

 

[EarlyMon]

RIM and Nokia should be given the same chance to succeed as Android and Apple. It wasn't fair for Android and Apple to put out superior products without allowing other companies the chance to respond; it was A&A (Android & Apple) taking over the world and not allowing anyone else except maybe Samsung to the party.

Why do A&A want to screw over Microsoft, Nokia, RIM etc?

This is so far beyond reasonable it's not funny.

There's not enough asbestos in the world to save you from the inevitable flaming on a Friday night - I'm locking this thread for your protection.