Samsung Electronics will increase its lead over Apple in global smartphone sales this year, with a growth of 35 percent, according to market research said Strategy Analytics told Reuters on Friday. To counter the supremacy of Samsung, Apple could launch a device smaller and cheaper, an "iPhone mini" next year to gain market share pointing to the demand of users 'smartphones' low end, Strategy Analytics said.
"We hope that Samsung extends its lead over Apple slightly this year because of its broader portfolio of products at various levels," said executive director at Strategy Analytics, Neil Mawston, an email interview with Reuters.
The global smartphone shipments rise 27 percent to 875 million this year, which is lower than last year, which stood at 41 percent. This is because growth is slowing in many key markets such as North America, China, the developed economies of Asia, and Western Europe, said Mawston.
Samsung Electronics plans to sell 290 million "smartphones" this year, compared to a projected 215 million in 2012, said research firm. Sales of Apple's smartphones will reach 180 million this year, an increase of 33 percent over the previous year, but slightly behind Samsung, you will experience an increase of 35 percent.
This will give Samsung a market share of 33 percent of the market for "smartphones" in 2013, which last year was estimated at 31 percent, while Apple will take 21 percent, versus 20 percent last year.
Mini Iphone
Apple, the company's most valuable technology world, and Samsung Electronics, Asia's most valuable, have fought fiercely in the mobile device market in the world, although Samsung is also a supplier of Apple.
Samsung may launch the Galaxy S IV in April, a new version of its "smartphone" badge. It could also launch the Galaxy Note Hybrid III and a number of other new smartphones along this year, as reported by the press and analysts recently.
"Samsung plays in most segments, which should enable it to capture a larger volume than Apple (assuming that Apple will not release a 'iPhone Mini' this year)," said Mawston.
The Topeka Capital Markets researcher, Brian J. White, on Wednesday raised the possibility that Apple could release an iPhone smaller and lower-priced Mini-iPhone to further penetrate markets like China and India. White also said in a report that he believed that Apple will launch the next iPhone, the iPhone 5S, in May or June, and thus offer more options with various screen sizes.
This eventually would open the possibility of an iPhone Mini said. But Mawston said the Mini iPhone is not expected to hit the market until later this year.
"We believe that Apple will launch a 'mini iPhone' at some point over the next three years to deal with the hundreds of millions of prepaid users worldwide who can not afford the current iPhone," he said.
"The iPhone 5 is growing rapidly and profitably at this time, so there is little incentive for Apple to release a 'iPhone Mini' this year. We expect the iPhone mini comes in 2014, when Apple will be forced to find new trends for growth, "he said.
Samsung Electronics has quickly surpassed Apple as the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. Its strong sales of smartphones helped lift the company's stock, which hit a record high of 1,584.000 billion won (1,137 million euros) on Thursday. Its revenues have experienced record profits expected for a fifth consecutive quarter in the fourth quarter from October to December. It is expected to announce the results next week.
It is possibly the heist of the year which has just closed in the world of new technologies, surpassing the disappearance of 3,600 iPads at JFK Airport in New York. During the afternoon of New Year, although it has become far-holder information, robbers robbed at gunpoint the Apple Store located in the vicinity of the Opera Square in Paris.
The holdup has been particularly spectacular. Four masked and armed robbers broke into the trade at about nine in the evening, when it had closed for a couple of hours and only workers were inside. They entered through a service door, after threatening a guard, and about forty minutes were devoted to rob the store's warehouse. "They made their choice quietly, as professionals," police sources explained to "Le Parisien". The thieves took further that the police focused their efforts during the day in the Champs Elysees.
One of the store employees was injured slightly, according to "Le Monde". The assault was, for the exterior, clean: none of the windows were affected and, from the street, the store seemed to be completely normal.
The material seized by thieves covers some of the latest products from Apple, but the store managers are still taking stock of what may have been affected. Early estimates on the theft point to something more than a million euros as economic value of the loot, but remains to be seen whether or not ultimately reached that figure. "At first, an estimate pointed to one million euros of prejudice but a number of stolen goods believed to have been displaced," point to "Le Figaro" sources of the store.
This shop is the most invoice Apple establishments in France. Large local robberies are unusual in Europe, although the U.S. Apple Store already sometime target of criminals. In New York, for example, there is talk of bands that go out for gadgets and devices robbery rate Cupertino outstanding has grown in recent years.
The app market is not as profitable as it seems. Of time. Maybe. O is for only a select few. Since a computer can create the goose that lays the golden eggs, but most do not give these chickens to pay for their food. Not everyone is like Apalabrados makers who say they have become millionaires since the worldwide success of its popular game.
The Android app store, with more penetration system in Spain, which has a higher growth, but is the Apple Store who takes the cake in revenues. The pressure inflicted developers is such that many fail in their attempt to take advantage (economic) developments.
Perhaps premature and accelerated by the success of Line, the popular instant messaging service WhatsApp, the 'app' most downloaded catalog Google, has decided also offered free for a limited time at the Apple Store, which has a cost download of $ 0.99.
"Whatsapp has failed in its business model. You pay once and never pay again. Line is a company of games and messaging used to sell other services, such as games. In the end you have a lot more revenue opportunities, "says Jacobo Bergareche this newspaper, Wake App, enterprise application I created musical" N "of Jorge Drexler.
"The world of applications is very little time and people are much more concerned with trying to get a large user base. If you have many users who use a recurring basis can choose to "see what happens to me, '" he says.
Payment for download on iOS is the best ally. Despite not having the most downloaded applications are usually more profitable than Android, where "people not used to pay" because, among several reasons, Google does not pass approval controls. This habit of users and this philosophy has led companies such as Samsung to create their own platform to standardize the 'Apps'. "The hope is that, the user-pay on their devices going out of Google domains."
The user behavior in Apple stores and Google is different. In the past four months Play Google's revenue has increased by 43% while the App Store has risen 21%, according to analyst firm Distimo. However, the Apple store has logged more than 15 million dollars a day in November, while in the case of Google Play stood at 3.5 million.
Dermo Map, application for diagnostics, is priced at 5 euros downloads. And that's just one example of the many faces but with good reception. "Medical applications are great because they go to a specialized audience and people tend to buy them, but there are also educational applications such as Touch Press that cost 12 euros. People buy them because they have a perception of quality and is a wonderful experience, "he adds.
There are many 'app' opportunists such as television programs or popular events that are "disposable" looking to get a high number of downloads to allow the developer themselves known, but the model that is being imposed is the "freemium", by which offers a number of free basic services, while others charge more advanced.
In this way, experts say, is captive to the user. "The 'app' is free, but then inside, buy content. It has to be an attractive application that generates the need to purchase, "says Juan Bosch of 2yPunto, creators of VoiceMod, a service to modulate the voice.
That model, the "freemium" is the more performance is obtained "because you allow users to benefit from the potential of the 'app' and, from there, whoever may be with the extended version", explains SpartanBits but insist: "Everything depends on the client and application."
Born in summer to "see out" but Triviados, one of the most downloaded applications on Android with more than a million high, its creators have not become rich overnight. "We have not seen money" manifest. "Android is not supported in 'lament from Tambourine Studio. Despite record "many ad impressions" the game still gives no income. "Profits given to pay the servers. It is something that allows us to live, "recognize.
Decide where to place the platform "apps" is the debate raised companies. "Only Android is unprofitable. In the world of iOS can generate more, but it depends, because we used a little fetch mode espacarate to other customers who want to further developments, "they say. That is, having a portfolio "to seek funding or letter."
