Android, Windows Phone seen benefitting from ‘disappointing’ iPhone 4S

By on Oct 6, 2011 at 11:45 AM
mobile October 6, 2011

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: calling the future best-selling smartphone in the world “disappointing” is a bit of a reach. DigiTimes’ infamous anonymous industry sources are running with it, however, and they think smartphone vendors that sell Android and Windows Phone-powered handsets will benefit from the opportunity Apple’s new iPhone will afford them. “The newly released iPhone 4S lags behind some mainstream smartphones as far as specifications are concerned,” the site’s sources said, because we all know how concerned the everyman is with specs. Companies like HTC, Samsung and Nokia, the sources continued, now have a chance to “expand their market shares with innovative models.” Read on for more.

DigiTimes says Apple’s new iPhone 4S lacks the larger screen and NFC support found on current and upcoming smartphones from its competitors. The report also points out that companies like HTC and Samsung have already launched devices that support high-speed 4G LTE wireless networks, while Apple’s iPhone 4S only supports HSPA 14.4. While 4G devices have indeed been selling well for Android vendors, they haven’t managed to make much of a dent in Apple’s smartphone sales to date. Apple was the world’s No. 1 smartphone vendor in the second quarter with just two handsets on the market, the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4.

The report’s sources wrapped things up by claiming that Apple’s efforts to attack the low-end market with a free iPhone 3GS and a $99 iPhone 4 will be futile. “Although Apple also launched an entry-level 8GB iPhone 4 and cut the price of its iPhone 3GS, the effectiveness of such tactics will be limited as iPhone fans will still prefer to buy new models and the low-priced iPhones will not be able to compete with Android phones in the entry-level segment,” the sources told DigiTimes.

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  • http://twitter.com/jaytee1o4 jaytee1o4

    hahaha you know how many BOTS are going to buy this phone? and all the sorry saps on Sprint that going to run out and get it? ha Apple fans would buy it if a brick came in the box.

    • Anonymous

      Well, same as you and I buying anything that has Google on it.  No difference mate. 

  • somedude0123

    All I can say is Apple has one hell of a challenge for the iPhone 5 now. They will have to 1 up the new processor which will be challenging enough, 4G connectivity, a redesign, new features (hopefully NFC) etc… Not sure what they were thinking here other than playing catch up.

    • http://www.bignerdblog.com BigNerd

      If anything… Apple is good at managing expectations.

      A case redesign or adding 4G to the next version will make it “revolutionary”. That’s how they did it with the 3GS to the 4, and that’s going to be the way for the 4S to the 5.

      Heck… they can just add 4G and color it red (ala VZW) for the iPhone 5 and stock prices will shoot through the roof.

      • Anonymous

        um sorry but they are horrible at managing expectations. They saw the hype, but their pr team didnt do anything to stop the misinformation. A leak or two would have helped them in the long run instead of the situation they find themselves in right now. 

  • Anonymous

    Uh huh. And yet the iPhone 4 and 3GS continued to be top sellers this year despite having older tech. Are these the same sources behind the redesign and larger screened iPhone 5?

  • Anonymous

    Why is bgr still posting BS from these idiots?

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know about windows phone when was the last time they released a decent phone.

  • Guest

    Wondering if most people who buy an iPhone stick with it…Same as with people who chose Android.  Just seems like it would be a pain to transfer all that stuff from one os to another – and then all the apps you would lose.  Trying to decide on whether to get my first smartphone since I don’t really have a need for one right now given my lifestyle so prefer to save my money.  But I do wonder…I know I recently switched to a Mac and I could see that my next computer would be more likely to be another Mac than go back and relearn a PC.  Just wondering if its the same with you all expert smartfone folk.  Pretty much everyone I know actually has an iPhone – from friends (even those in foreign countries) to family in the US and Canada.  I can only think of one friend in London who has an Android…everyone else from Florida, New Jersey, Toronto, Brisbane, Israel, Georgia, well you get the point – everyone has an iPhone – which would be another reason to get it.  (I was going to say so I can text for free and then realized everyone is making a big deal of Sprint cuz they have unlimited texting and data…and wondering how many of the folks so excited about all that unlimited stuff even use it?

  • Anonymous

    How is the iphone 4S specs less competitive than the iPhone 4 was when released? There were bigger and more powerful Android phones then as there will be with the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4 easily outsold very Android phone by a 3x margin. Even the 3GS outsold every Android phone in the US.

    Android is going after people who like big phones and small tablets. The opposite of Apple.

  • 100

    Specs mean nothing anymore. Eve charging port broke. I’m tired of plastic junk, 4s here I come. Metal, glass, yes please. I love android, hate their cheap plastic crap. It’s like having a Farrari in a geo metro.

  • Anonymous

    Weather you have a iphone, android or windows phone, if you have bought loads of apps you are less likely to move to another operating system that a problem with an iphone as there is only one new phone a year where as with Android & windows phone you can swap your sim card into a new phone every couple of months or so.

  • Anonymous

    Funny when the Droid X2 released I heard a ton of chatter…”This will be my next phone.”

  • Anonymous

    I don’t see how this particular model is “disappointing” because it doesn’t have cutting edge specs. No iPhone ever did. The original came out with a 2G radio and 2MP camera when the flagship devices from other manufacturers were coming out with 3G radios and 5MP cameras. iPhone was never about specs (other than storage)

  • iGuest

    This phone is far from disappointing.
    The design is great, I don’t care if it’s over 1 year old.
    I can’t wait to get it.

  • Anonymous

    Other than the smaller screen than what goes for a high end model, where does the 4S really fall short of the competition? And even that smaller screen isn’t all that shabby considering the resolution is pretty good. I think the real disadvantages that the iPhones in general have are not hardware-spec related (they ARE mostly top-notch), but things like less satisfying browsing experience and video capabilities. But then again, did anyone really expect the iPhone update would support Flash or all sorts of video codecs?

  • http://twitter.com/EwanTouma Ewan Touma

    Watch and see how Apple’s marketing genius is going to milk Siri for every penny she’s worth and make this another “Year of the iPhone.”

  • http://twitter.com/majankajan majankajan

    Wp7 is a joke. Has specs as my thick TV

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