Consider the photo above of Apple's iPhone 5C.Apple launched its revolutionary iPhone in 2007,the first smartphone that used a multi-touch user interface.iPhone unit sales then skyrocketed for several years.Recently,smartphone sales have slowed and profits have declined somewhat as fierce competition from Samsung,Motorola,Nokia (Microsoft),BlackBerry,and several others battle for new customers or those who are considering switching their mobile/smartphones after their contracts expire.The smartphone market is expected to grow at a slower compound annual rate of 13 percent in the next few years.To maintain market shares and attract new customers,smartphone marketers are dropping their average smartphone prices or offering new,lower-cost phones like Apple did with its iPhone 5C (compared to its iPhone 5S).Globally,Apple's iPhone had a 15 percent share of the smartphone market in 2013-second to Samsung,whose share was 41 percent.Which stage of the product life cycle are smartphones like the iPhone 5C in?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The smartphone market is still experiencing growth, as evidenced by the expected slower compound annual growth rate of 13 percent in the next few years. The introduction stage occurred when the first iPhone was launched in 2007, and the commercialization stage is when the product is widely accepted and sales increase. The accelerated development stage is when the product is being improved and enhanced rapidly. The decline stage is when sales and profits decrease as the product becomes obsolete or is replaced by newer technology. Therefore, the best choice is C, growth stage, as the smartphone market is still growing, and new lower-cost phones like the iPhone 5C are being introduced to maintain market share and attract new customers.

Consider the Photo Above of Apple's IPhone 5C