Apple Dumps on Samsung Prior to Galaxy S IV’s Launch
Samsung figured out that having a quality product isn't always good enough to increase market share, and so it significantly ramped up its advertising budget in 2012, spending $401 million on billboards, TV ads, and the such. Some of them came at the expense of Apple. Samsung hasn't been shy in taking potshots at Apple, making fun of iPhone buyers who wait in long lines on launch day for a handset that's already technically inferior (in some ways) to the latest Android smartphones. Heck, Samsung even used the iOS Maps fiasco to make fun of Apple. With the upcoming launch of the Galaxy S IV, Apple's trying to return the favor, albeit in a more serious manner.
Apple marketing boss Phil Schiller took aim at Android's fragmented ecosystem, pointing out that Google's research shows most users rocking older versions of the little green robot. Not only that, but Samsung's new handset will debut with a year-old operating system, he said.
"With their own data, only 16 percent of Android users are on a year-old version of the operating system," Schiller told Reuters in an interview. "Over 50 percent are still on software that is two years old. A really big difference...that extends to the news we are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S IV is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old. Customers will have to wait to get an update."
Is iOS any better? According to Schiller, research from independent third parties indicate that iOS device owners use them more than Android devices, and over half of iOS users are toting the latest version of Apple's mobile platform.
"At Apple we know that it's not just enough to have products pumped out in large numbers. You have to love an use them. There is a lot of data showing a big disparity there," Schiller added.
Schiller may be grasping at straws. He has a point about Android being fragmented, but that's hardly news at this point, nor has it stopped Android from topping iOS in market share by a large margin. And given the popularity of Samsung's Galaxy S III (and the Galaxy line in general), there's a good chance the Galaxy S IV will be well received, year-old OS or not.
Apple marketing boss Phil Schiller took aim at Android's fragmented ecosystem, pointing out that Google's research shows most users rocking older versions of the little green robot. Not only that, but Samsung's new handset will debut with a year-old operating system, he said.
"With their own data, only 16 percent of Android users are on a year-old version of the operating system," Schiller told Reuters in an interview. "Over 50 percent are still on software that is two years old. A really big difference...that extends to the news we are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S IV is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old. Customers will have to wait to get an update."
Is iOS any better? According to Schiller, research from independent third parties indicate that iOS device owners use them more than Android devices, and over half of iOS users are toting the latest version of Apple's mobile platform.
"At Apple we know that it's not just enough to have products pumped out in large numbers. You have to love an use them. There is a lot of data showing a big disparity there," Schiller added.
Schiller may be grasping at straws. He has a point about Android being fragmented, but that's hardly news at this point, nor has it stopped Android from topping iOS in market share by a large margin. And given the popularity of Samsung's Galaxy S III (and the Galaxy line in general), there's a good chance the Galaxy S IV will be well received, year-old OS or not.
