[corporalagumbo]

Yes, discipline is a great word for it. Against a sea of nay-sayers and critics they keep their composure and stay focused on the long-term. The result is that their competitors blow their opportunities by rushing, and squander any stature. Apple remains in total control of the industry.

[rednukleus]

> Apple remains in total control of the industry.

This is a nice phone, but I'm sorry - if you think Apple "remains in total control of the industry" with sub 20% marketshare and shrinking you are delusional.

Whatever you may think of the theorerical advantages that Apple has, its not working for them outside of the US.

[lostlogin]

Do you measure BMW, Rolex and Gucci, by market share? Or profit share? There are more meaningful measures than market share and picking a measure the company isn't particularly interested or aiming for in is a strange choice.

[rednukleus]

I wouldn't describe any of those companies as "in total control of their industry" I would call them nice high end niche products.

[seanmcdirmid]

If Apple has 20% market share but 50+% profit share, then what does that mean?

BMW is definitely in control of the luxury car industry, which is quite huge worldwide in terms of revenue and more importantly, profit. It depends on how narrowly you define "industry."

[arethuza]

"BMW is definitely in control of the luxury car industry"

I think VW Group and Mercedes-Benz might argue with that.

Of course, it depends how you define "luxury" but with Bugatti, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche and Audi brands, VW Group seem to be doing pretty well.

[w1ntermute]

> If Apple has 20% market share but 50+% profit share, then what does that mean?

Except it doesn't: http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/07/26/samsung-dethrones-app...

You Apple fanboys are constantly moving the goalposts. First it was who sells more devices, then it was who had more revenue. Now you've lost the "who has more profits" argument as well. What's it going to be next? Who uses more aluminum in their devices?

[dragontamer]

I never understood why people are so proud of a company having significantly higher margins than their competitors. Unless I owned _stock_ in a company (and then refused to buy their products), I'd rather buy my stuff with as razor-thin of a margin as possible.

But thanks for the link, I'll be using these statistics in future debates against the iCult.

[albedoa]

In case you don't know, Strategy Analytics are the ones who define "units sold" as "units shipped". I'd imagine they are capable of taking similar shortcuts with profit share estimates.

[josteink]

> If Apple has 20% market share but 50+% profit share, then what does that mean?

It may keep the shareholders happy, but ultimately it means nothing to anyone else. I don't see why people keep brining up this retarded meme.

[sbuk]

They bring it up on response to the inevitable Android market share meme.

[rednukleus]

Sure, if you define it narrowly enough, then you can call almost every large company "in total control" of the niche in which they operate.

[gfodor]

Watch all the Android phones suddenly appear in late 2014 with fingerprint scanners. Just watch.

[BitMastro]

You mean like they already did in 2011? http://bgr.com/2011/02/09/motorola-atrix-4g-review/

[gfodor]

You pointed a link to one android phone. I'm suggesting that in 2014 there will be many android phones with front-panel fingerprint scanners.

[BitMastro]

There was another one last August http://www.talkandroid.com/170717-pantech-officially-announc...

And a new one from HTC probably in Q4 http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobil...

I doubt that the scanner will be on the front, because it will take valuable screen space (there are no hardware buttons on android)

I also doubt the apart from a bunch of phones there will be many using this technology. It didn't catch with the motorola phone because the sensor was prone to errors.

Apple bought a fingerprint scanner company last year http://www.macworld.com/article/1167917/apple_acquires_finge... and had a good chance to create a good quality sensor, I don't think others will have the same technology available.

[rednukleus]

I think you are confusing "being influential" with "being in total control of the industry"

[Touche]

I certainly hope not, it severely restricts what you can do in terms of form factor.

[mogrim]

Not if you stick the reader on the back (or side) of the phone.