Following Apple’s record-setting holiday quarter, its stock still dropped eight percent in after-hours trading because the 51 million iPhones sold missed Wall Street consensus by a few million units. American businessman Donald Trump took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with Apple losing its vision and momentum, going on a rant over Apple’s “dumb refusal” to give iPhones bigger screens.
Samsung’s sizes are “much better”, Trump said and stressed he sold his Apple stock because iPhones are still four inches. I’m sure Tim Cook immediately called for an emergency meeting with his lieutenants, fearing the wrath of Mr. Trump…
Here’s the tweet.
Apple’s iPhone sales fell way short-they must go to a larger screen, as alternative, fast (as I said long ago)! Samsung’s size much better.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2014
And another one.
I predicted Apple’s stock fall based on their dumb refusal to give the option of a larger iPhone screen like Samsung. I sold my Apple stock — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2014
I’m not sure I’m fond of this particular tweet that criticizes Apple over the lack of vision.
Steve Jobs is spinning in his grave – Apple has lost both vision and momentum – must move fast to get magic back!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2014
The ‘Steve Jobs spinning in his grave’ was in really bad taste – Mr. Trump, you’re fired!
This isn’t the first time Trump urged Apple’s leadership to create an iPhablet. In April 2013, he similarly said Apple must “immediately increase” the iPhone’s screen size.
“It should be slightly larger than the Samsung screen and they better get it right fast because they will lose a lot of business,” he said back then. “I like the larger screen”.
Chart via The Wall Street Journal.
He’s right on Apple losing business over the lack of larger-screened iPhone.
In 2012, Apple controlled one-fifth of the world’s smartphone share with the iPhone, or 20 percent. In 2013, it had “only” 15 percent.
Samsung’s favorite research firm Strategy Analytics estimated that 86 million Galaxy smartphones were sold during the holiday quarter, good for a 29.6 percent share versus Apple’s 17.6 percent.
Unlike Apple, Samsung does not divulge tablet and smartphone sales over competitive reasons. Also, the South Korean conglomerate is a client of Strategy Analytics.
According to IDC data, a billion smartphones were sold in 2013.
The Wall Street Journal thinks Apple will “scrap the plastic exterior used in the iPhone 5c” in favor of a pair of larger-screened iPhones this year, one outfitted with a 4.5-inch screen and the other featuring a five-inch display.
According to our non-scientific poll, 4.7-inches should be the gold standard for iPhones going forward. Would you agree with Trump’s ‘lack of vision’ claim and his rant over the need for jumbo-sized iPhones?