蘋果在它的多數(shù)市場領(lǐng)域可能都傲視同儕，但即使這家最大、最猛和最強的公司，也有讓其感到不安的對手，這些對手有相當?shù)臋C會取而代之。無疑，韓國三星電子可能對其威脅最大，有望從蘋果手中奪走全球最大消費電子廠商的桂冠。 我沒有和蘋果說過這些，但其最近的舉動清楚表明它可能比較擔憂哪家對手。(蘋果是全球按市值排名最大的電子公司，幾乎不回采訪電話，而且肯定不屑于評論諸如“你們最害怕哪家公司”之類的問題。) 例如，據(jù)彭博通訊社報道，蘋果上周向美國國際貿(mào)易委員會(ITC)提交起訴書，要求嚴禁三星智能手機和平板電腦進入美國。這兩家公司一直針鋒相對，在多家法院控告對方侵犯自己的專利。 蘋果請求ITC調(diào)查三星電子及其子公司在美國的行為。蘋果的目的就是加大對三星的壓力，最好能削弱三星打入其獲利比較豐厚的市場的能力。三星反戈一擊，請求ITC禁止蘋果iPhone和iPad進入美國市場，聲稱這兩種產(chǎn)品都侵犯了三星的專利。

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想像一下，如果其中一家公司贏得官司，其對手會是什么下場。蘋果iPad和iPhone統(tǒng)治著市場，遙遙領(lǐng)先于其它競爭產(chǎn)品。而三星正在穩(wěn)步壯大，盡管相應(yīng)地擠壓了摩托羅拉、諾基亞和Research in Motion(RIM)等對手的份額。最終，包括平板電腦和智能手機的三星Galaxy系列產(chǎn)品，將沖擊蘋果的市場份額，即使只是延緩市場接受蘋果產(chǎn)品的速度。 這種情形可能已經(jīng)正在發(fā)生。據(jù)市場調(diào)研公司ComScore，最近幾個月，采用谷歌安卓操作系統(tǒng)的手機在美國取得領(lǐng)先地位，領(lǐng)先距其最近的對手蘋果iOS超過10個百分點。在截止到5月31日的三個月，安卓占所有美國智能手機平臺的38.1%，高于截止于2月28日三個月的33%。蘋果排名第二，份額從25.2%上升到26.6%。RIM的份額從28.9%降至24.7%，而微軟的份額也從7.7%降到了5.8%。 本文下一頁：喬布斯的眼中釘目前只有他 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 參考英文原文：Which Company Does Apple Fear the Most? By Bolaji Ojo

相關(guān)閱讀：
• 三星緊咬蘋果侵權(quán)不放，要求ITC在美國封殺其產(chǎn)品
• 決戰(zhàn)iPhone 5!傳Google將于今秋發(fā)布Nexus Prime
• 智能手機平臺之戰(zhàn)，Android逐漸超前iOSMJ3esmc

{pagination} 喬布斯的眼中釘目前只有他 在美國市場，三星的移動用戶實際上多于蘋果。在ComScore研究的時間段內(nèi)，蘋果實際上落在了LG和摩托羅拉的后面。在截止于5月31日的三個月，三星以24.8%的份額處于領(lǐng)先地位，其后的LG份額是21.1%，摩托羅拉份額是15.1%，蘋果份額是8.7%。 由于三星同樣財力雄厚，而且能夠內(nèi)部采購元件，所以它決定進入平板電腦市場無疑讓蘋果感到渾身不自在。蘋果必須從外部采購全部元件，而三星則能夠直接通過旗下的事業(yè)部購買電子元件。這可能使三星更能保證元件供應(yīng)，而元件供應(yīng)問題一直是蘋果的隱憂。 供應(yīng)鏈為什么會感到擔憂？這兩大巨頭相斗，將擠壓那些資源不足的小廠商，而且肯定會破壞采購環(huán)境。元件價格將會上漲，也可能導(dǎo)致供應(yīng)短缺。 我認為蘋果高管不會太在意Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM)。蘋果首席執(zhí)行官喬布斯已經(jīng)把這家黑莓手機生產(chǎn)商排除在視線之外，幾個季度前他在與分析師一起召開的一個電話會議上指出，RIM不可能再追上來。他說得對。RIM不僅在智能手機領(lǐng)域急劇下滑，而且其Playbook平板電腦也沒有真正轟動市場。 摩托羅拉同樣沒有對蘋果的市場份額產(chǎn)生過什么沖擊，盡管其處境要好于兩年以前。同時，諾基亞正在進行重大重組，可能會因此大傷元氣。這讓三星成為蘋果最應(yīng)擔心的公司。而且這家韓國公司也知道這點。據(jù)彭博報道，三星在回擊蘋果最近提起的訴訟時表示，這起案件“一刻也不會影響三星繼續(xù)出售競爭產(chǎn)品的能力”。 蘋果一早就知道這點，但該他們?nèi)詫⒎e極推行產(chǎn)品創(chuàng)新策略和采取法律行動。因為只要能拖慢三星前進的速度，就是值得慶賀的。 編譯：Luffy Liu 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 參考英文原文：Which Company Does Apple Fear the Most? By Bolaji Ojo

相關(guān)閱讀：
• 三星緊咬蘋果侵權(quán)不放，要求ITC在美國封殺其產(chǎn)品
• 決戰(zhàn)iPhone 5!傳Google將于今秋發(fā)布Nexus Prime
• 智能手機平臺之戰(zhàn)，Android逐漸超前iOSMJ3esmc

{pagination} Which Company Does Apple Fear the Most? Bolaji Ojo Apple Inc. may be the top dog in most of its market segments, but even the biggest, fiercest, and most competitive company has a secret list of companies it knows has a fair chance of displacing it. Without a doubt, Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is probably the most likely contender for Apple's crown as the world's biggest consumer electronics company. I didn't speak with Apple about this (the world's biggest electronics company by market value hardly returns phone calls, and certainly won't comment on a question like "Which company do you fear the most?"), but recent actions demonstrate, unequivocally, which of its closest rivals it might be more concerned about. On Monday, for instance, Apple filed a complaint asking the US International Trade Commission to "block imports of Samsung Electronics Co. smartphone and tablet computers," according to a News report. The move was in continuation of tit-for-tat actions by the two companies, which have filed patent infringement lawsuits against each other in various courts. Apple wants the ITC to "conduct an investigation" into the activities of Samsung Electronics and its subsidiaries in the United States. The goal is to increase pressure on Samsung and potentially cripple its ability to make inroads into some of Apple's more lucrative markets. In turn, Samsung has requested the ITC halt the importation of Apple's iPhone and iPads, both of which the Korean company claim violate certain of its patents. Imagine the consequences for the opposing company if either party were to prevail. Apple's iPad and iPhone dominate the market and are racing ahead of rival devices, while Samsung is making steady gains -- albeit at the expense of competitors such as Motorola Mobility, Nokia, and Research in Motion. Eventually, Samsung's Galaxy series products, including its tablet PCs and smartphones, will make a dent on Apple's market share, even if only by slowing down the rival products' adoption rate. This may already be happening. In recent months, Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android operating system smartphones have leaped ahead of competing devices in the United States and have surpassed the closest rival, Apple iOS, by more than 10 percentage points, according to researcher ComScore. In the three months ended May 31, Android accounted for 38.1 percent of all US smartphone platforms, up from 33 percent in the three months ended February 28. Apple followed with 26.6 percent, up from 25.2 percent. RIM's share fell during the same period to 24.7 percent from 28.9 percent, while Microsoft's also declined to 5.8 percent from 7.7 percent. (Click here for details of the ComScore report.) Samsung actually has more mobile subscribers in the US than Apple. In fact, Apple trailed LG and Motorola in the period covered by ComScore. Samsung had a market-leading 24.8 percent during the three months ended May 31 and was followed by LG with 21.1 percent, Motorola with 15.1 percent, and Apple with 8.7 percent. Samsung's decision to enter the tablet PC market is no doubt a source of concern at Apple, considering the Korean company's equally deep pocket and position as a component supplier to its equipment businesses. While Apple must source all components externally, Samsung is able to secure electronics parts directly through some of its business units, and may be in a better position to guarantee supply, which is a source of constant worry at its American counterpart. Why should any of this concern the supply chain? The struggle of these two elephants will squeeze smaller players that may not have sufficient resources, and the rivalry is certain to poison the procurement environment. Component pricing will go up, and shortages may also result. I don't think Apple executives spend much time worrying about Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; Toronto: RIM) and Motorola Mobility Inc. (NYSE: MMI). Apple CEO Steve Jobs had in the past dismissed the Blackberry maker, noting during a conference call with analysts several quarters ago that RIM was unlikely to catch up again. He is right. Not only has RIM slipped badly in the smartphone sector, but its Playbook tablet hasn't exactly wowed the market. Motorola, too, hasn't made any impact on Apple's market share, although it is a better rival today than it was only two years ago. Meanwhile, Nokia is in the throes of a major reorganization, from which it may or may not emerge as strong as it used to be. That leaves Samsung as the company Apple should be most worried about. And the Korean company knows this. Responding to the latest regulatory and courtroom offensive from its US rival, the company said the case "will not affect by one minute Samsung's ability to continue selling competing products," according to Even Apple must know this, but the company will press on with its product innovation strategy and courtroom maneuvers; merely slowing down Samsung might be worth a toast.