This article is referring strictly to the situation in Europe. If you happen to be from the US, you might as well not read this because some things said here may not be to your liking. Also, same thing goes if you are expecting to hear any good news about Apple.
Apple has met its demise at the hands of the court war which they themselves initiated. We’re talking about the court from Germany in which Apple was accusing Samsung that their Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks too similar to the iPad 2. It may or may not look similar, but the main reason for which Apple made this accusation was because the said Galaxy Tab is so much better than the iPad 2 ( which, may I remind you, is Apple’s crowning achievement as far as tablets go ). Being a multi-million dollars company, Apple decided to use as much money as they could to stop the incoming threat. Frankly, I understand their despair. When you build yourself a shrine and start boasting that you are the big bad wolf and suddenly someone comes with something which makes you look like the helpless little lamb, your whole perception upon reality gets shattered and you become a shadow of the thing you once were. Such has happened to Apple. But we have deviated a bit from the subject.
Back to the matter at hand. The first trial was one and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was indeed slowed down and was not allowed in Germany until a few modifications were done to it. So the newer version came out a little while after Apple gained that silly victory over the said battle. The Galaxy Tab 10.1N was born. Apple panicked again and started wailing like a banshee and opened another trial, with the same accusations – too similar to the iPad 2. Now no matter the product, similarities will occur since all tablets look the same : a big screen bound in plastic, give or take a few buttons on the sides. No differences.
This new trial is still undergoing and will end around 9 February. Still, the chances of Apple winning this one are slimmer than the slimmest smartphone out there. Also, more than one country got involved in this said war, over 10 countries actually and more than 30 legal cases.
Through this war, Samsung has also proven time and time again its multitasking ability : being able to beat Apple and also focus on releasing awesome products.
While we’re on the same subject, that of Apple in Europe, let’s talk about their stocks. Apparently Apple has fallen considerably in Europe and has increased quite a bit in the US, which is just fine by me. Let the scumbag US keep to their beloved Apple, while we will have considerably more advanced tech from all of the other producers.
I previously called the US “scumbags” because I believe they deserve that title deeply. They are the ones that said to China in the past : Don’t censore the internet, yet they themselves released SOPA – an act for internet censorship. And that is just one of many reasons. That is why I deem them as they are.
Even considering the release of the iPhone 4S – Apple’s newest flagship/anchorhead, their market shares have still fallen considerably since the previous years, while it has greatly increased in the US, UK and Australia.
Analysts from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech noted that Apple’s market share in France has slipped over the last quarter (from 29% to 20%) and the same thing has happened in Germany (27% to 22%), Italy and Spain too.
For comparison reasons, Apple’s market share in the US grew from 25% to 36% over the period of a year. The UK market share expanded at a similar pace – it went from 21% top 31% comparing Q3 2011 over Q3 2010.
The iPhone’s arch rivals, the Android phones, are enjoying a leading position across European countries with market shares ranging between 46% and 61%. In Germany, Android has one of the highest shares (61%) with the Galaxy SII pointed out as the best-selling handset. Perhaps this too may be a reason for Apple’s deep hatred of Android. Who knows ?
So in conclusion, Apple may have won a battle once or twice in their long career, but they are far from winning the war.
