蘋果依然是移動游戲市場老大
????對于充斥著海量免費(fèi)游戲的移動游戲領(lǐng)域來說,成功的關(guān)鍵在于創(chuàng)造收入。雖然10-65歲的美國人口中使用三星手機(jī)的數(shù)量超過使用iPhone手機(jī)的數(shù)量:26% vs. 25%,但是在移動游戲方面,蘋果比三星更為成功。沃曼表示,如果只看1.29億游戲玩家和5800萬美國移動游戲玩家這兩個數(shù)字,iPhone用戶比例分別為35%和45%。沃曼說:“雖然手機(jī)用戶的絕對數(shù)量較少,但是蘋果游戲玩家用戶數(shù)量是三星的兩倍?!?/p> ????說到蘋果在游戲領(lǐng)域的地位,有必要看看iPhone、iPad和iPod Touch。蘋果在iPod Touch方面沒有對手,許多父母為了讓孩子玩游戲和應(yīng)用軟件,專門為孩子購買iPod Touch,不用承擔(dān)高額的智能手機(jī)費(fèi)用。蘋果在這方面的統(tǒng)治地位來源于它對蘋果應(yīng)用商店的成功控制。沃曼認(rèn)為,三星避免發(fā)布有競爭力的產(chǎn)品,因?yàn)闆]有與蘋果應(yīng)用商店抗衡的產(chǎn)品,新產(chǎn)品也只是低利潤的硬件。 ????“由于蘋果產(chǎn)品的屏幕尺寸相對固定且變化有限,開發(fā)商發(fā)布在iOS系統(tǒng)上運(yùn)行的一兩個版本的游戲就能獲得較大的市場份額,”沃曼說?!盀榱藦腉oogle Play發(fā)布游戲獲得收益,開發(fā)商必須開發(fā)更多的游戲版本,從而適應(yīng)不同的設(shè)備和屏幕尺寸。這對于集中精力開發(fā)新游戲和優(yōu)化游戲設(shè)置與商業(yè)模式的開發(fā)商而言,不是最理想的狀態(tài)?!?/p> ????這正是迅速增長的移動游戲公司Supercell不急于讓iOS系統(tǒng)運(yùn)行的游戲《部落戰(zhàn)爭》(Clash of Clans)和《卡通農(nóng)場》(Hay Day)進(jìn)駐安卓設(shè)備的原因。這兩款游戲每天從850萬iOS游戲玩家獲得的收入超過2,400萬美元。就連Rovio和及其常見游戲《憤怒的小鳥》(Angry Birds)也登錄了iOS系統(tǒng),借助蘋果應(yīng)用商店沖到游戲排名的首位。 ????沃曼表示,開發(fā)商蜂涌選擇和堅(jiān)持與蘋果合作的原因在于,蘋果對付費(fèi)游戲玩家擁有超級覆蓋率。例如,富裕的家庭通常購買蘋果設(shè)備。消費(fèi)者堅(jiān)持購買蘋果產(chǎn)品的原因在于iOS系統(tǒng)可使用的獨(dú)家游戲的數(shù)量。這種生態(tài)系統(tǒng)為蘋果形成了積極的反饋回路。 ????蘋果與中國移動公司(China Mobile)的潛在交易有望給蘋果增加7億中國用戶,蘋果在亞洲市場正在追趕三星。說到移動手機(jī)市場,沃曼認(rèn)為,由于亞馬遜(Amazon)能夠提供無縫支付體驗(yàn)和蘋果所擁有的貨幣水平,這使亞馬遜成為蘋果唯一的競爭對手。即使亞馬遜提供免費(fèi)智能手機(jī)的傳言成為現(xiàn)實(shí),蘋果仍然是優(yōu)勝者。 ????沃曼說:“免費(fèi)的亞馬遜手機(jī)給三星造成的影響更大,因?yàn)樗鼈円揽坑布@得利潤。” “如果蘋果手機(jī)比亞馬遜的免費(fèi)手機(jī)更酷更炫,人們還是會購買蘋果產(chǎn)品,”沃曼指出,從價格因素嚴(yán)格考慮,選擇智能手機(jī)對消費(fèi)者而言是一個非常私人的決定。“蘋果每年從蘋果應(yīng)用商店獲得數(shù)十億美元的傭金收入。此外,蘋果也是內(nèi)容開發(fā)商的移動平臺首選,這個市場的不斷細(xì)分也會增加蘋果的收益?!?/p> ????雖然產(chǎn)品更新將對蘋果起到重要作用,但是蘋果顯然穩(wěn)占移動游戲市場的統(tǒng)治地位。新硬件創(chuàng)新對史蒂夫?喬布斯打造的公司只是錦上添花。(財富中文網(wǎng)) ????譯者:喬樹靜/汪皓 ???? |
????The key to success in the mobile game, which is extremely crowded and overrun with free-to-play games, is generating revenue. Apple has had more success than Samsung in this arena, despite the fact that a slightly higher share of Americans between ages 10 and 65 use a Samsung phone than an iPhone: 26% vs. 25%. Warman said those iPhone users grow to 35% when looking at the market share among 129 million mobile gamers and 45% if only focusing on the 58 million American paying mobile gamers. "Ultimately, Apple reaches twice the number of paying mobile gamers than Samsung, despite having a lower absolute number of device users," said Warman. ????When looking at Apple's power position in the games space, it's important to look iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Apple has no competition with the iPod Touch, which many parents buy for their children specifically to play games and apps without dealing with the high costs of a smartphone. Apple's dominance in this arena stems from the fact that it maintains control of a successful App Store. Warman believes Samsung has refrained from launching a competitive product because without an established App Store equivalent, it only represents a low-margin piece of hardware to it. ????"Because of Apple's relatively closed nature and limited variety in screen dimensions, developers can publish one or two versions of their game on iOS and reach a large share of the market," said Warman. "To benefit from publishing on Google Play, developers must create many more versions of their games to cater for varying devices and screen sizes. This isn't ideal for developers who'd rather focus their effort on localizing their game into new territories and optimizing gameplay and business models." ????That's why a fast-growing mobile game company like Supercell has been in no rush to port its hit iOS games Clash of Clans and Hay Day to Android devices. Those two games are generating over $2.4 million in revenue a day from its 8.5 million iOS gamers. Even Rovio and its now-ubiquitous Angry Birds franchise launched on iOS and catapulted to the top of the games space with the help of the App Store. ????Warman said developers flock to, and stick with, Apple because of its superior reach of paying gamers. Apple devices tend to be owned by more affluent households, for example. Consumers stick with Apple because of the number of exclusive games available on iOS. This ecosystem creates a positive feedback loop for Apple. ????With Apple adding 700 million Chinese subscribers with a possible China Mobile deal, the company is also trying to keep up with Samsung in Asia. When looking at the mobile gaming market, Warman believes Amazon (AMZN) is the only competitor that can even come close to Apple because it can offer a seamless payment experience and the level of monetization that Apple has. But even if rumors of Amazon offering a free smartphone come true, Apple could still be in the winner's circle. ????"A free Amazon phone will hurt Samsung more because they rely on hardware margins for profit," said Warman. "If Apple devices are cooler than the free one at Amazon, people will buy an Apple." Warman noted that choosing a smartphone is too personal a decision for consumers to make strictly on price considerations. "Apple will benefit from the increased fragmentation in the marketplace, remaining the mobile platform of choice for content developers, while earning billions of dollars in App Store commission income each year." ????While a refresh will play an important role for Apple, the company is certainly in the driver's seat in the mobile game. And innovation in new hardware will only help the company that Steve Jobs built. |