“Apple is the most desirable mobile-phone brand among inhabitants of emerging markets, according to a report from marketing firm Upstream and researcher Ovum,” Mark Milian reports for Bloomberg. “In the study conducted this year, Apple edged out Samsung Electronics, which was the leader in a separate survey by Upstream last year.”
“Samsung saw a slight decline in its share of developing-market consumers who favor its phones from 32 percent to 29 percent, according to Upstream,” Milian reports. “Apple’s share jumped dramatically from 21 percent to where Samsung was last year.”
“While that may help elevate the brand, it hasn’t necessarily translated into a spate of sales for the 5c. Most countries don’t sell phones at a discount with carrier contracts like in the U.S., and at $549, the iPhone 5c is still too expensive for most of the developing world,” Milian reports. “Those who can afford it often just pay a little bit more for the premium 5s — available in gold, which Chinese status-seekers love.”
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MacDailyNews Take: Apple iPhone is the most-desired smartphone in emerging markets. Of course it is.
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