back to article Apple execs: 'Consumers want what we don't have'

The latest patent row between Apple and Samsung is showing the unpleasant details of the ongoing market battle between the two consumer electronics giants. In documents submitted to the San Jose District Court, internal memos from the two firms show that Samsung has become fixated on Apple more than any other competitor in the …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fixated on Apple

    Makes sense. No other company is/was a serious threat in the mobile phone area. Sorry BB and HTC (and Nokia).

    Lenovo may be the next threat, but for now it is all Samsung and Apple.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fixated on Apple

      But Apple's threat was/is limited, as they only play in the high end of the market. Samsung and the rest of the Android companies have the whole midrange/low end market to themselves. Granted, that's not as profitable, but the amount of market share Apple could ever take was limited.

      You'd think Samsung would be more worried about the ultra low cost Chinese companies, which could take away Samsung's low end and midrange market. Without those, it is just an Android version of Apple selling only to the high end, and they lose the benefit of being the market share leader (in terms of volume pricing, better deals with carriers, etc.)

      1. ThomH

        Re: Fixated on Apple

        These are historic documents, but not by a lot — though Samsung has started name-checking companies beyond Apple in its effective but slightly disingenuous* adverts. So I think someone there is aware that if they continue to focus all guns in one direction then a competitor is likely to leapfrog the both of them.

        * in which the market leader tells people they're sheep if they buy from a competitor.

      2. SuccessCase

        Re: Fixated on Apple

        @DougS "But Apple's threat was/is limited, as they only play in the high end of the market."

        How is that a limited threat, it's the only segment of the market making money!! After Apple and Samsung, all other Android vendors combined (excepting manufacturers internal to the Chinese market) make less than zero profit. e.g. lose money on Android. That's a terrible state of affairs. That's why Samsung see the threat as so great. Apple occupy the high end and are proving not just difficult to dislodge but continue to improve their position relative to that market.

        This article shows why Apple are still killing it versus Android:

        http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2014/04/04/apple_vs_android_developers_see_a_socioeconomic_divide.html

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Fixated on Apple

          Presumably Samsung makes real money on the low/mid range segments as well. If they don't, why don't they shut down such efforts immediately?

        2. sabroni Silver badge
          Happy

          Re: it's the only segment of the market making money!!

          Really? Thank fuck for all those altruistic companies that make cheaper handsets because they love us!

      3. The Real SteveP

        Re: Fixated on Apple

        @DougS "But Apple's threat was/is limited, as they only play in the high end of the market."

        Some Apple patrons may like to kid themselves that their i-Devices only exist in the 'high end' market, but reality says otherwise. Most of those chavs on benefits street in the UK seem to have the latest i-Phones as well as other supposedly high end products.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Fixated on Apple

          You need only look at the prices to see that Apple only sells to the high end of the market. Do you think there is some secret discount store selling iPhones to chavs for half price?

          If they're on benefits and can still afford a $600+ phone you should take it up with your government, or the local police, depending on how legally they were acquired.

  2. Mitoo Bobsworth
    Mushroom

    The problem with Thermonuclear war..

    ..is that it usually destroys what is being fought over.

    1. Graham Marsden
      Joke

      @Mitoo Bobsworth - Re: The problem with Thermonuclear war..

      Yeah, but at least you don't have lawyers getting rich off it...

      1. Ted Treen
        Unhappy

        @Graham Marsden

        "Yeah, but at least you don't have lawyers getting rich off it..."

        Not yet 'cos it hasn't happened. In the event of such an occurrence, I bet some Legal Eagle Vulture already has plans to capitalise on the situation...

    2. SumDood

      Re: The problem with Thermonuclear war..

      And is dreamed up and fanatically pursued by ego-centric power-crazed warmongers.

  3. Fan of Mr. Obvious

    Vow was famous, if you actually read it

    "I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong... I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product. I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this." --Steve Jobs.

    1. SumDood

      Re: Vow was famous, if you actually read it

      I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this." --Steve Jobs.

      He never was very good at English.

      Guess he just thunk different.

  4. BristolBachelor Gold badge

    I see Samsung's slides as being important on their high-end ranges (Galaxy S and Note) where Apple was their major compoetitor. Presumably they were watching the others too, but thought that they weren't a problem.

    On the other hand, Apple's slides seem to be suggesting that they are refusing to deliver what their potential customers want to own, or their potential sales channels want to offer.

    I don't see the slides as equal at all. Samsung is at worse a bit paranoid (but with some reason). Apple seems to be realising that they are close to the thin end of the extinct wedge unless they change. The question is: are Apple willing to change to compete with what people want (to own or supply), or do they just want to bog down the competition so they don't have to?

  5. JaitcH
    Meh

    Apple ...

    it loves the free publicity.

    If they aren't making what their public wants, they should get their monster PR machine in to gear to persuade the public they want the wrong thing.

    If Apple managed to persuade their iSheep to buy a bad Antennagate handset, surely they can change peoples minds over size, etc.

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