Phablet to save Apple?

The Wall Street Journal has rumoured that Apple will release its first phablet into the market sometime this year.Recently, Apple faced an 8% drop in shares, losing to Samsung, who is now the dominant global market leader in mobile devices.Considering how phablets never really took off in western markets, Apple's decision to develop a larger sized smartphone can only be viewed as the brand's initiative to penetrate the Asian market. According to a data analysis, in South Korea alone, nearly half of smartphone users are on a phablet.The fall in shares has generated criticism across the globe. Many tech pundits are questioning whether Apple will be able to sustain its position in the market, or would it just become another brand.CEO of Apple, Tim Cook said that the probable reason for lower than expected sales in the US was because of the telco’s change in policies. “I think the answer is more simple – anyone who wants an iPhone already has one.”Apple is known for its minor tweaks and grand releases, which has since worked in favour of the brand. However, it may be that Apple iPhone has reached the start of its demise. The market will just have to wait and see when the brand launches its phablet.What will be interesting to see is if Apple’s phablet will change the culture of mobile users – as Samsung has in Asia – in the western world.