Why Apple Can't Replicate iPhone Success

Why Apple Can't Replicate iPhone Success
According to foreign media reports, more than half of Apple's revenue depends on iPhone sales, which has brought Apple more than $300 billion in revenue. Although consumers and investors are eager for Apple to develop another product that is as successful and popular as the iPhone, analysts predict that there will be no such expectations in the near future. Apple has just released its third-quarter financial report, with revenue of $37.4 billion, of which 53% came from iPhone sales. What makes Apple happy is that iPhone sales increased by 9%, with sales reaching $19.7 billion. But what makes it uneasy is that Apple has no other products that can be compared with the iPhone. In the third quarter, iPad sales were $5.9 billion, accounting for only 16% of Apple's total revenue for the quarter. iMac sales were $5.5 billion, accounting for 15% of total revenue. iPod's revenue of $442 million accounted for only 1% of total revenue. Revenue from other products and services accounted for 15% together. Brian Colello, an analyst at Morningstar, an internationally recognized ratings agency, said: "We doubt whether Apple has other products that can add $90 billion in sales. For better or worse, the iPhone will remain the company's core business for quite some time to come. This communication device is more important than any other product category, whether it is the iPod or the iWatch. The iPhone is a typical personal consumer product, not a home product like a PC or a tablet. More people now own an iPhone than any other similar product." So far, the sales of the iPhone are unmatched by anyone, not even Apple's own products. In fiscal 2013, Apple relied on the iPhone to generate more than $90 billion in revenue. This product has injected new life into the smartphone market. Colello said: "We think Apple's iPhone revenue in fiscal 2014 may reach $100 billion." Since the iPhone was launched, it has brought Apple $340 billion in revenue. But Neil Mawston, an analyst at Strategy Analytics, an American market research company, said: "For Apple, the era of truly revolutionary innovation is over." By 2014, it became increasingly difficult to keep business secrets. Marston said that photos and videos of products may be leaked by manufacturers, and counterfeits or imitations may appear online in advance, which is more serious than when Apple released the first iPhone in 2007. In addition, other companies are also vigorously supporting their research and development departments to prevent the situation where one company dominates the entire industry. "Apple today is so closely monitored and copied by the computer and media industries that it is difficult for it to come up with a magical product like the iPhone," Marston said. Instead, Apple is likely to focus on improving its existing products. "Apple has not seen the silver bullet in the near future," said Scott Davis, chief development officer of marketing consulting firm Prophet. He said that for Apple's current CEO Tim Cook, there is more pressure to do the feat that Steve Jobs helped to accomplish when the iPod replaced the Walkman and the iPhone replaced all other smartphones. Aram Sinnreich, a professor of media studies at Rutgers University, said that Apple's magic comes from reinvention, not products that have already been invented. For example, Palm's OS Treo smartphone already has a touch screen and a keyboard. "The way Apple designed, packaged, marketed and promoted smartphones helped make the iPhone a mainstream product, and it's easy to see Apple doing the same with wearables, car networks, cloud services and other products and services," Hinrich said. Louis Ramirez, senior editor of Dealnews, a U.S. discount platform, said it was no small achievement to bring a product to the world as an icon of its industry. "Apple may have another super product that will drive everyone crazy," he said. Palm, Nokia and BlackBerry once dominated the smartphone market, and today, Garmin, Nike and Fitbit are ruling the wearable device field. Ramirez said: "Apple will soon release the iWatch, which will combine the best features of all wearable devices on the market today. This product will not only appeal to fitness enthusiasts, but also to everyone." But can the same company be struck by lightning twice? Marston said that just once is enough. He said: "Apple iPhone may eventually become a product like Porsche 911 sports car, that is, after its success, it will lead to greater success of other products of the company." Technology consultant Jeff Kagan also agreed with this view, saying: "We can ask Rowling the same question about the Harry Potter series: Can she write a book as popular as Harry Potter? Maybe, but it is unlikely."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.

<<:  Snowden's private system Tails has serious vulnerabilities

>>:  NDRC: Qualcomm has been confirmed to be a monopoly and is ready to impose a fine

Recommend

How to develop a suitable user growth strategy?

Before doing user growth , it is very important t...

Google I/O 2016: Artificial Intelligence Becomes Product DNA

Following the developer conferences of Microsoft ...

Microsoft realizes it was a big mistake buying Nokia

Industry insiders said on Thursday that the large-...

Which is better, Android or iOS? Five must-see battles for consumers

Android or iOS (Windows Phone can be almost ignor...

How to plan an event well? 4 key actions!

When it comes to event planning , perhaps in many...

WeChat official data revealed: What kind of articles are more popular

With 468 million monthly active users, WeChat has...