Apple Event Scheduled for March 7

[Pliablemoose]

I think this will be the first WiFi iPad I purchase, got the gen 1 and 2 versions with a GSM radio in them, rarely used the radio, and I just got a Samsung Galaxy Note phone/tablet

 

[akugami]

I said it in the "android tablet" thread over in mobile devices, but I'll say it here too.... Apple *will* lose significant sales if they do not move to a larger screen and LTE with their next iPhone update. Those two things are the biggest advantages that Android has and it's growing momentum for them. Just look at all of the latest Android offerings that sell well...Nexus, SG SII, Razr, ect...all large screen phones.

As a current iPhone 4 owner I can say with certaintainty that Apple will lose me to an upgrade to the next Nexus or SG SIII or whatever is out at the time if they don't step up to the plate this fall.

Android has been growing due to the huge number of low cost Android devices. This has allowed them to reach a certain "critical mass" and push higher end Android systems. Even now the majority of Android devices are on the lower end of the price spectrum while Apple's iPhone has been at the very high end of the spectrum.

I do feel that Apple will eventually need a larger screen, perhaps a 4" screen. But only as part of an overall strategy to separate a true lower end iPhone from a higher end iPhone. I don't think Apple can survive indefinitely as a premium priced brand without at least some sort of cheaper model out there and a larger screen size does help with the separation.

As for LTE...I don't think this has helped Android as much as you think it does. It has contributed to lots of dead phones by lunch time though. I mean, as much as some who are strongly in the Android camp tout LTE as an advantage over the iPhone, it's funny to hear some of these same people say they have to turn LTE off to conserve battery. With that said I do feel LTE is poised to become an actual advantage. For one, wider LTE support. Right now it's only some of the bigger markets with LTE. It's very easy to travel outside of LTE range. For another, lower power LTE chipsets so you can use your smartphone for more than 3 hours without it dying on you.

 

[vi edit]

Apple has three phones now that are top sellers...a free 3GS, a $99 gimped iPhone4, and then the 4S models from $199 and up. They've covered all bases in price. And it's working by sales numbers.

Apple has great retention of existing buyers, but it's losing a grip on new activations. I honestly believe that in the US anyway that is because of the high end offering of hardware (screen and/or LTE support) on the Android devices. The SGSII, Nexus, RAZR, Droid X, and HTC devices do sell well and they are all "premium" priced phones in line, if not more than than the iPhone 16 gig 4S.

The SGII moved over 10 million phones in 4 months by itself. The 4S moved a lot because of the huge number of people holding out on 3GS contracts and because of the hype leading up to the keynote. After it was announced there just wasn't a lot of decent options otherwise.

This summer as Samsung continues to refine their devices and Moto and HTC keep chipping away for their piece of the pie Apple is going to have to seriously bring something special out. Even though the sales of the 4S were very good, the overwhelming sentiment was a bit of a letdown. I don't think they can get away with that two years in a row. There are going to be a lot of iPhone 4 owners off of, or coming off of contract and Apple will need something big to keep them in the family.

 

[alfa147x]

It won't be a phone tomorrow...

 

[alent1234]

Apple has three phones now that are top sellers...a free 3GS, a $99 gimped iPhone4, and then the 4S models from $199 and up. They've covered all bases in price. And it's working by sales numbers.

Apple has great retention of existing buyers, but it's losing a grip on new activations. I honestly believe that in the US anyway that is because of the high end offering of hardware (screen and/or LTE support) on the Android devices. The SGSII, Nexus, RAZR, Droid X, and HTC devices do sell well and they are all "premium" priced phones in line, if not more than than the iPhone 16 gig 4S.

The SGII moved over 10 million phones in 4 months by itself. The 4S moved a lot because of the huge number of people holding out on 3GS contracts and because of the hype leading up to the keynote. After it was announced there just wasn't a lot of decent options otherwise.

This summer as Samsung continues to refine their devices and Moto and HTC keep chipping away for their piece of the pie Apple is going to have to seriously bring something special out. Even though the sales of the 4S were very good, the overwhelming sentiment was a bit of a letdown. I don't think they can get away with that two years in a row. There are going to be a lot of iPhone 4 owners off of, or coming off of contract and Apple will need something big to keep them in the family.

WTF are you smoking?

sprint and verizon both activated more iphones than android in the latest quarter

 

[vi edit]

WTF are you smoking? sprint and verizon both activated more iphones than android in the latest quarter

I'm saying that this summer/fall unless Apple has some major overhauls the growing combination of OS refinement of Android, the larger screens, improvement of screen quality, and availability of high speed radios are going to start being very frutiful to the non-fruity brands.

Apple has continued to push the bar high for tablets by making significant hardware changes and keeping Android behind the curve and in reaction mode. But in the phone market I think they are getting close to stumbling a bit unless they have something nifty in store this summer/fall.

 

[runawayprisoner]

It won't be a phone tomorrow...

"One more thing"

"Hey, and how can we forget this marvel of a device we just put together? 5" screen! 1920 x 1080 resolution! Octo-core CPU! 1TB of RAM! 1EB of solid state storage! And guess what? We got rid of the home button! Now if you press that button underneath the display, it'll launch all of the nukes in the world to your current location. It's magical!"

...On a more serious note, I think there is enough sentiment for a change in iPhone design that there should be a new one coming soon. Especially if iOS 6 is going to be demo'ed tomorrow.

 

[MrX8503]

I'm saying that this summer/fall unless Apple has some major overhauls the growing combination of OS refinement of Android, the larger screens, improvement of screen quality, and availability of high speed radios are going to start being very frutiful to the non-fruity brands.

Apple has continued to push the bar high for tablets by making significant hardware changes and keeping Android behind the curve and in reaction mode. But in the phone market I think they are getting close to stumbling a bit unless they have something nifty in store this summer/fall.

If Apple doesn't have an iPhone5 for the fall, Android will outsell Apple....but when the iPhone5 releases, Apple will sell more. Its an endless cycle really, so I don't see anything changing really.

 

[vi edit]

If Apple doesn't have an iPhone5 for the fall, Android will outsell Apple....but when the iPhone5 releases, Apple will sell more. Its an endless cycle really, so I don't see anything changing really.

This is just the US...but notice the trend...
http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=326276&d=1330217134

For the first year it was out, Android really attacked RIM market share and gobbled up that space. Apple grew a bit. But it really didn't expand a lot. Same with Android. It's reaching a point where there are really only two siginificant players and it will be interesting to see who gives up more ground since the options are getting thin.

That's why I'm saying it's a critical point for Apple's next release. The Android vendors are putting out better stuff than they ever have and gain momentum. Apple can not sit back on the smartphone market and give their typical "just enough to make you want to upgrade" tactic year after year. Android hardware and OS experience is rapidly improving as phone manufacturers try to compete not only with Apple, but against each other to put out a better phone.

Next 12 months will be interesting.

 

[TheStu]

This is just the US...but notice the trend...
http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=326276&d=1330217134

For the first year it was out, Android really attacked RIM market share and gobbled up that space. Apple grew a bit. But it really didn't expand a lot. Same with Android. It's reaching a point where there are really only two siginificant players and it will be interesting to see who gives up more ground since the options are getting thin.

That's why I'm saying it's a critical point for Apple's next release. The Android vendors are putting out better stuff than they ever have and gain momentum. Apple can not sit back on the smartphone market and give their typical "just enough to make you want to upgrade" tactic year after year. Android hardware and OS experience is rapidly improving as phone manufacturers try to compete not only with Apple, but against each other to put out a better phone.

Next 12 months will be interesting.

Comparing the size of the smartphone market to the size of the overall market shows that there is nothing but huge growth available for everyone. Ok, well maybe not everyone, but you get what I'm saying. I agree that the devices that the other OEMs are putting out are appealing, and that Apple may need to roll out additional devices/sized a la the iPod market, but we will see.

 

[Atty]

...

 

[alfa147x]

Pre-Orders start Friday, launch a week later.

I hope it's not a month or something like that. I week sound perfect

 

[vi edit]

HD facetime camera would be welcomed along with that nicer screen...would actually rather facetime/skype with that over my MBA.

 

[ponyo]

HD facetime camera would be welcomed along with that nicer screen...would actually rather facetime/skype with that over my MBA.

Agreed. My wife and my daughter both use Facetime everyday to chat with relatives in Korea. HD camera for Facetime would be very welcomed improvement.

 

[Atty]

...

 

[alfa147x]

HD facetime camera would be welcomed along with that nicer screen...would actually rather facetime/skype with that over my MBA.

Yes I agree. I hoping I can buy one for my gf as a graduation present and it fit her need for laptop.

FB
Skype
Reddit
Netflix

 

[alfa147x]

My evidence for that is from the 4S launch. Pre-orders that week, launch a week later (iirc). Plus, it fits with the part evidence and the shipping trails rumor sites have found.

That's true. My 4S that I preordered was shipped from China via fedex.

 

[TheStu]

HD facetime camera would be welcomed along with that nicer screen...would actually rather facetime/skype with that over my MBA.

Skype on the iPad is a whole lot nicer than on the MBA for me as well. With one exception that maybe someone else can point me to the solution for:

How do I add additional people to a call from the iPad? In most other ways it is definitely better, and of course the battery life advantages over the Air are huge. I talked with a friend for over 2 hours the other day, battery life only went down 5%.

 

[badb0y]

Man I miss my iPad already....

 

[bgcpen]

whatever it is - ppl will buy it like crazy

 

[scootermaster]

Ugh. Now it's looking like 4G but no quad core. I'd MUCH rather have the latter and don't care at all about the former.

Boo.

 

[Fingolfin269]

This is just the US...but notice the trend...
http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=326276&d=1330217134

For the first year it was out, Android really attacked RIM market share and gobbled up that space. Apple grew a bit. But it really didn't expand a lot. Same with Android. It's reaching a point where there are really only two siginificant players and it will be interesting to see who gives up more ground since the options are getting thin.

That's why I'm saying it's a critical point for Apple's next release. The Android vendors are putting out better stuff than they ever have and gain momentum. Apple can not sit back on the smartphone market and give their typical "just enough to make you want to upgrade" tactic year after year. Android hardware and OS experience is rapidly improving as phone manufacturers try to compete not only with Apple, but against each other to put out a better phone.

Next 12 months will be interesting.

I agree with everything you're saying here. There are the Apple folks who will always buy Apple but there are also the fringe folks who want to buy the best available. I had an EVO a couple of years ago and have a 4S currently. I'm really enjoying the iOS experience but if Android (or Win) can get to this level of polish and continue to push out the higher specced phones then I definitely see myself jumping ship. Not sure if people like me represent a huge piece of the consumer pie or not though.

But to be totally honest, I've finally found an OS I like and want to stick with it. I hope Apple releases a larger screen/LTE phone in the fall so I don't really have to make a decision.

 

[Dominato3r]

nvm,

 

[bgcpen]

Can't wait to see what it ends up being and who predicted accurately.

 

[dphantom]

hmm.. apple store is being updated.

http://store.apple.com/

the other tabs are still working though. May not mean anything.