So Apple isn’t a competitor for Microsoft or Google now but we should use Nokia as the guide?
We’ve already shown that Nokia sells far more phones than Apple and I was personally attacked, not once but repeatedly.
The only reason Apple has the manufacturing costs on their bottom line is because they refuse to license anyone else to do it. Microsoft licenses their software and it works on an open standard that anyone can build.
Apple chose their business model.
If you are going to compare profit margins, then attempt to do apple-to-apple comparisons. Hardware division against hardware division, software against software.
We’ve already shown that Nokia sells far more phones than Apple and I was personally attacked, not once but repeatedly.
All the marketshare in the world doesn't help if you don't make much money doing it. BTW, that share is dropping FAST, has been ever since the iPhone appeared. The company's in a panic now, with calls for the CEO to step down.
Talking overall volume is also disengenuous. Low-cost devices always sell more volume than high-end. Honda sells a lot more Civics than Mercedes sells E-Class cars. That's what suprised me the first time I saw the cell phone profit figure. I thought Apple would have a good chunk of smart phone profit locked up, but didn't think that would be across ALL cell phones. Turns out there's not much profit in commodity phones, just like there isn't in commodity computers.
Apple mainly operates in the following markets: music retail, high-end consumer computers, mid- high-end x86 workstations, mid- high-end media players, high-end smart phones, high-end tablets, and software. If you want to compare, try to compare appropriately.