Apple's had a tough time recently, and apparently it's not getting any better. Today, we found out that UK retailers are more likely to recommend the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 over the Apple iPhone 5. Things aren't any better on the other side of the world, where researchers are finding that the iPhone 5 isn't seen as cool anymore in leading Asian markets.
Researchers at Informa Telecoms and Media in the United Kingdom performed a "mystery shopper" survey over the Christmas shopping season. Eight of the leading UK retail stores were asked for recommendations on a new high-end device.
While Apple and Samsung were the top two promoted brands, "the mystery shop showed that the most recommended Samsung handsets were the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2, despite having been on the market longer than the latest handsets from Apple... most surprising was the way that, despite an in-store advertising campaign and recent product launch, Apple was recommended in only two stores," said Julian Jest of Informa Telecoms and Media.
At the same time, Reuters reported yesterday that, "driven by a combination of iPhone fatigue, a desire to be different and a plethora of competing devices, users are turning to other brands, notably those from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, eating into Apple's market share."
In trendy cities like Hong Kong and Singapore, Apple's mobile devices are falling in popularity, while Android devices are taking over. In Singapore, Android now has a 43 percent share, up 23 percent in a year and in Hong Kong, Apple products are down 15 percent to a 30 percent share this year, reports Reuters.
This is bad news for Apple, because Hong Kong and Singapore are usually ahead of the curve when it comes to tech trends. Add in the fact that London's trendiest retail stores are defecting to Samsung from Apple, and the recent stock price drops for Apple, and you've got a cloudy future on the horizon for the erstwhile king of trendy tech.
Which smartphone brand do you prefer? Apple, or Samsung?