Android has always been known as the cheaper of the two mainstream mobile operating systems due to its open-source nature and lack of extreme markup. However, this past year, the price of an iPhone has grown from $600 in Q1 to $687 in Q4, while the average price of an Android phone has dropped from $350 to $254.
The growth in the price difference is most likely due to the addition of the iPhone 6 Plus, which starts at a price of $750 and goes to $950, however the iPhone 6 is not much cheaper, with a starting price of $650 and high-end price of $850. The drop in Android pricing is most likely due to Android One and Motorola, both of which have been releasing devices with prices in the $100-200 range.
China is also a big player in the realm of smartphones, and serves as an archetype for the world at large as far as mobile devices go. Apple products are seen as a status symbol and are used by the rich, leaving devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and LG G3 with no demographic to cater to. Xiaomi is leading the charge in China on the low end, with a mean cost for an Android smartphone from the company costing $220 and a mode of $100.
This pattern of Apple catering to the wealthier nations and Android filling in the gaps for the emerging markets is what caused Apple to have record sales last year, while Android faltered a bit. While market share is an exciting figure, and Android has dominated it for quite some time, profit share is an enormous factor in a successful business, especially in the tech world, which may cast an ominous gloom over Android’s stellar emerging market growth.
Do you have something to say about Apple’s rising prices and Android’s falling prices? Got a comment in your head about the changing world of mobile tech sales? Leave a comment below and we’ll start a discussion.
Source: Forbes
Come comment on this article: Difference in Average Android and iPhone Prices Increasing
from Android News, Rumours, and Updates http://ift.tt/1zz9l37
No comments:
Post a Comment