Apple became the no.1 US mobile phone vendor in Q4 2012 with 34% share (up from 25.6%). Samsung followed with 32.3% (up from 26.9%). LG fell to 9% (from 13.7%). Motorola took 7% while HTC dropped to 6%.
Smartphone-only Market (NPD): Apple led with 39% share, Samsung had 30%, Motorola 7%, LG 6%, HTC 6%.
Trends:
- Smartphones dominate: 8 out of 10 mobile phones sold in the US are now smartphones (up from 50% in 2011).
- Apple leads overall mobile + smartphone share, but Samsung’s growth suggests it may soon overtake Apple (expected by April 2013).
- Since 2008, Samsung has been a strong competitor, especially through feature phone + smartphone sales.
Key Insight: Apple’s strength lies in exclusive smartphone focus; Samsung remains the only serious challenger with broad portfolio.
Report 2: Reader’s Response (Feb, 2013)
The reliability of Samsung’s reported sales is questioned.
- Past Debacle: In 2010–11, Lenovo challenged Samsung’s claim of shipping 1.5M tablets; actual sales were only 20,000. Samsung refused to supply official quarterly numbers thereafter.
- Apple vs Samsung lawsuit: Court filings revealed Samsung’s real phone sales were only 1/3–1/2 of analyst estimates.
- Tablet Usage: Of 1.5M shipped, only 38,000 were sold; Samsung tablets had a 1.5% usage rate compared to iPad’s 90%.
- Smartphones: Samsung’s Q sales estimated at 32M, but analysts’ guesses varied widely (32M–50M) due to lack of direct reporting.
- Key Issue: Without self-reporting of actual sales to end users, market share estimates (esp. Samsung) are unreliable.
Key Insight: Apple’s numbers are considered transparent and verifiable, whereas Samsung’s reported dominance is seen with suspicion.
Report 3: Contradictory Survey (Feb, 2013)
Main Findings: OnDevice Research survey (320,000 users, 6 countries) on customer satisfaction.
- US Results: Motorola Atrix HD ranked highest, Droid Razr second, HTC Rezound 4G third, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 fourth, while Apple’s iPhone 5 ranked only fifth.
- Global Variations: In UK, iPhone ranked 2nd (after HTC One X). For overall satisfaction worldwide, Apple topped, followed by Google. Nokia ranked 3rd–5th, Sony Ericsson 6th.
- Contradictions: Google appeared in rankings despite not being a direct smartphone maker; Samsung, despite global leadership, ranked bottom in satisfaction.
- Interpretation: Apple, while globally strong, shows lagging satisfaction in the US; Android devices gaining in consumer approval. Survey highlights inconsistencies and limitations in measurement.
Key Insight: Satisfaction rankings differ sharply from market share rankings, creating confusion in interpreting “leadership” in smartphones.
If you analyze the three reports above, which of the following statements would be the best inference?
Show Hint
- Newspapers publish completely wrong data.
- All three reports have been bought by the companies.
- Newspapers may report selectively.
- Apple is leading but its dominance in Korean market is definitely under threat.
- Customer’s response, in report 2, is neutral and objective.
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Report 1 stresses market share Apple leads in US sales).
Report 2 questions data reliability Especially Samsung’s reported sales).
Report 3 ranks customer satisfaction, where Apple is only 5th in the US.
Step 2: Note the inconsistency source.
The reports emphasize different metrics (sales vs. credibility vs. satisfaction), so conclusions vary without any one being fully “wrong.”
Step 3: Eliminate distractors.
(A) “Completely wrong data” — too strong; each uses a different lens.
(B) “All bought” — unsupported accusation.
(D) Mentions the Korean market — not discussed.
(E) Report 2 is a reader’s critique, not neutral survey data.
Therefore: the reasonable inference is that media select what to highlight, producing differing narratives. \[ \boxed{\text{Newspapers may report selectively.}} \]
Assume report1 and report3 are both correct, which of the following can be a reason for seemingly divergent ranks of different companies and their products?
Show Hint
- iPhone4, another product from Apple, could have been the best seller in the U.S.
- HTC-One was the most preferred device in Japan.
- OnDevice included Google in the list because it is an important player in Android market.
- Customer satisfaction never leads to higher customer loyalty.
- None of the above.
The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
- Report1 focused on sales figures — showing Apple as the top seller in the U.S.
- Report3 focused on customer satisfaction rankings — Apple ranked only 5th in the U.S.
Step 2: Recognize why ranks diverge.
Sales volume (how many units are sol(D) and satisfaction level (how happy customers are after purchas(E) are two different metrics. A company can sell the most units but still not lead in satisfaction surveys.
Step 3: Evaluate options.
(A) Talking about iPhone4 as best seller does not explain satisfaction ranking.
(B) HTC-One in Japan is irrelevant to U.S. rankings.
(C) Inclusion of Google in Android list is unrelated.
(D) The statement “customer satisfaction never leads to loyalty” is an absolute claim and not logically linked to the divergence.
Therefore: none of the given options explains the divergence between sales rank and satisfaction rank. Hence, the answer is: \[ \boxed{\text{None of the above.}} \]
If report1 and report3 are both correct, which of the following can be a reason for seemingly divergent ranks reported for different companies and their products?
Show Hint
- OnDevice has been paid by Motorola to publish.
- Customers in France, in report3, have voted Samsung as the favorite company.
- Customers in Japan, in report3, have voted Samsung as the favorite company.
- Sales and satisfaction may not be perfectly related with each other.
- None of the above.
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Report1 ranks firms by sales/market share; Report3 ranks devices by customer satisfaction. These are distinct measures.
Step 2: Explain the divergence.
A brand can sell the most units yet score lower in satisfaction surveys, and vice-versa. Therefore, differing ranks across the two reports can arise naturally because sales and satisfaction are not perfectly correlated.
Step 3: Eliminate distractors.
(A) Accusation without evidence.
(B), (C) Country-specific votes don’t explain U.S. vs global divergence broadly.
(E) Not applicable because (D) already provides a sound reason.
\[ \boxed{\text{Sales and satisfaction are different constructs, so ranks can diverge.}} \]
Which of the following is more likely to be a correct conclusion about the respondent/reader in report2?
Show Hint
- The reader is an Apple user.
- If the reader is an Apple user, his usage rate is higher.
- The reader is a frequent user of HTC One.
- The reader does not like Android platform.
- The reader wants more objective data to be released by the companies.
The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Report2 is based on the opinions and perspectives of readers/respondents rather than hard sales or satisfaction metrics. It reflects the attitude or concerns of the reader.
Step 2: Examine each option.
(A) The reader is an Apple user. — No such conclusion about brand usage is directly stated.
(B) If the reader is an Apple user, his usage rate is higher. — This is conditional speculation, not a conclusion.
(C) The reader is a frequent user of HTC One. — No evidence supports this.
(D) The reader does not like Android platform. — Too specific, not inferred.
(E) The reader wants more objective data to be released by the companies. ✔ — This is the most reasonable conclusion, since Report2 reflects skepticism and a demand for unbiased, factual information.
Step 3: Logical conclusion.
Among the options, only (E) is a fair conclusion that aligns with the spirit of Report2, which emphasizes the need for objectivity and transparency.
\[ \boxed{\text{The reader prefers objective and unbiased data from companies.}} \]
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
No one argues that the rich should be rich because they were born to wealthy parents. Critics of inequality may complain that those who would abolish inheritance taxes, say, are implicitly endorsing hereditary privilege. But no one defends hereditary privilege outright or disputes the principle that careers should be open to talents.
Most of our debates about access to jobs, education, and public o ce proceed from the premise of equal opportunity. Our disagreements are less about the principle itself than about what it requires. For example, critics of a rmative action in hiring and college admissions argue that such policies are inconsistent with equality of opportunity, because they judge applicants on factors other than merit. Defenders of a rmative action reply that such policies are necessary to make equality of opportunity a reality for members of groups that have suffered discrimination or disadvantage.
At the level of principle at least, and political rhetoric, meritocracy has won the day. In democracies throughout the world, politicians of the center-left and center-right claim that their policies are the ones that will enable all citizens, whatever their race or ethnicity, gender or class, to compete on equal terms and to rise as far as their efforts and talents will take them. When people complain about meritocracy, the complaint is usually not about the ideal but about our failure to live up to it: The wealthy and powerful have rigged the system to perpetuate their privilege; the professional classes have gured out how to pass their advantages on to their children, converting the meritocracy into a hereditary aristocracy; colleges that claim to select students on merit give an edge to the sons and daughters of the wealthy and the well-connected. According to this complaint, meritocracy is a myth, a distant promise yet to be redeemed.- XAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
Look how you turned on
the ceiling fan—it’s too high,
see how it shakes and trembles.
You walk into this room
with your hot ideas
and the ceiling fan has to work harder
to cool down the room
for us. You walk into this room
with your crazy eyes
and the ceiling fan
wants to y loose. It dreams
of becoming a spider lily.- XAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
Recently, a team of social scientists launched an experiment to test that hypothesis. They recruited 1,500 entrepreneurs in West Africa—a mix of women and men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s—who were running small startups in manufacturing, service, and commerce. They randomly assigned the founders to one of three groups. One was a control group: they went about their business as usual. The other two were training groups: they spent a week learning new concepts, analyzing them in case studies of other entrepreneurs, and applying them to their own startups through role-play and re section exercises. What differed was whether the training focused on cognitive skills or character skills. In cognitive skills training, the founders took an accredited business course created by the International Finance Corporation. They studied nance, accounting, HR, marketing, and pricing, and practiced using what they learned to solve challenges and seize opportunities. In character skills training, the founders attended a class designed by psychologists to teach personal initiative. They studied proactivity, discipline, and determination, and practiced putting those qualities into action. Character skills training had a dramatic impact. After founders had spent merely ve days working on these skills, their rms’ pro ts grew by an average of 30 percent over the next two years. That was nearly triple the bene t of training in cognitive skills. Finance and marketing knowledge might have equipped founders to capitalize on opportunities, but studying proactivity and discipline enabled them to generate opportunities. They learned to anticipate market changes rather than react to them. They developed more creative ideas and introduced more new products. When they encountered nancial obstacles, instead of giving up, they were more resilient and resourceful in seeking loans. Along with demonstrating that character skills can propel us to achieve greater things, this evidence reveals that it’s never too late to build them … Character doesn’t set like plaster—it retains its plasticity. Character is often confused with personality, but they’re not the same. Personality is your predisposition—your basic instincts for how to think, feel, and act. Character is your capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts. Knowing your principles doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to practice them, particularly under stress or pressure. It’s easy to be proactive and determined when things are going well. The true test of character is whether you manage to stand by those values when the deck is stacked against you. If personality is how you respond on a typical day, character is how you show up on a hard day. Personality is not your destiny—it’s your tendency. Character skills enable you to transcend that tendency to be true to your principles. It’s not about the traits you have—it’s what you decide to do with them. Wherever you are today, there’s no reason why you can’t grow your character skills starting now.
- XAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
This uidity and situational dependence is uniquely human. In other species, in-group/outgroup distinctions re ect degrees of biological relatedness, or what evolutionary biologists call “kin selection.” Rodents distinguish between a sibling, a cousin, and a stranger by smell—xed, genetically determined pheromonal signatures—and adapt their cooperation accordingly. Those murderous groups of chimps are largely made up of brothers or cousins who grew up together and predominantly harm outsiders. Humans are plenty capable of kin-selective violence themselves, yet human group mentality is often utterly independent of such instinctual familial bonds. Most modern human societies rely instead on cultural kin selection, a process allowing people to feel closely related to what are, in a biological sense, total strangers. Often, this requires a highly active process of inculcation, with its attendant rituals and vocabularies. Consider military drills producing “bands of brothers,” unrelated college freshmen becoming sorority “sisters,” or the bygone value of welcoming immigrants into “the American family.” This malleable, rather than genetically xed, path of identity formation also drives people to adopt arbitrary markers that enable them to spot their cultural kin in an ocean of strangers—hence the importance various communities attach to ags, dress, or facial hair. The hipster beard, the turban, and the “Make America Great Again” hat all fulfill this role by sending strong signals of tribal belonging. Moreover, these cultural communities are arbitrary when compared to the relatively axed logic of biological kin selection. Few things show this arbitrariness better than the experience of immigrant families, where the randomness of a visa lottery can radically reshu e a child’s education, career opportunities, and cultural predilections. Had my grandparents and father missed the train out of Moscow that they instead barely made, maybe I’d be a chain smoking Russian academic rather than a Birkenstock-wearing American one, moved to tears by the heroism during the Battle of Stalingrad rather than that at Pearl Harbor. Scaled up from the level of individual family histories, our big-picture group identities—the national identities and cultural principles that structure our lives— are just as arbitrary and subject to the vagaries of history.
- XAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
- Work, for many on the career track, is greedy. The individual who puts in overtime, weekend time, or evening time will earn a lot more—so much more that, even on an hourly basis, the person is earning more.…The greediness of work means that couples with children or other care responsibilities would gain by doing a bit of specialization. This specialization doesn’t mean catapulting back to the world of Leave It to Beaver. Women will still pursue demanding careers. But one member of the couple will be on call at home, ready to leave the o ce or workplace at a moment’s notice. That person will have a position with considerable exibility and will ordinarily not be expected to answer an e-mail or a call at ten p.m. That parent will not have to cancel an appearance at soccer practice for an M \& A. The other parent, however, will be on call at work and do just the opposite. The potential impact on promotion, advancement, and earnings is obvious. The work of professionals and managers has always been greedy. Lawyers have always burned the midnight oil. Academics have always been judged for their cerebral output and are expected not to turn their brains off in the evenings. Most doctors and veterinarians were once on call 24/7. The value of greedy jobs has greatly increased with rising income inequality, which has soared since the early 1980s. Earnings at the very upper end of the income distribution have ballooned. The worker who jumps the highest gets an ever-bigger reward. The jobs with the greatest demands for long hours and the least exibility have paid disproportionately more, while earnings in other employments have stagnated. Thus, positions that have been more di cult for women to enter in the rst place, such as those in nance, are precisely the ones that have seen the greatest increases in income in the last several decades. The private equity associate who sees the deal through from beginning to end, who did the di cult modeling, and who went to every meeting and late-night dinner, will have maximum chance for a big bonus and the sought-after promotion. Rising inequality in earnings may be one important reason why the gender pay gap among college graduates has remained at in the last several decades, despite improvements in women’s credentials and positions. It may be the reason why the gender earnings gap for college graduates became larger than that between men and women in the entire population in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Women have been swimming upstream, holding their own but going against a strong current of endemic income inequality. Greedy work also means that couple equity has been, and will continue to be, jettisoned for increased family income. And when couple equity is thrown out the window, gender equality generally goes with it, except among same-sex unions. Gender norms that we have inherited get reinforced in a host of ways to allot more of the childcare responsibility to mothers, and more of the family care to grown daughters. 68. Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred from the passage?
- XAT - 2025
- Verbal and Logical Ability
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in XAT exam
Match the following renowned Indian personalities with their respective awards.
Names Award 1. Shri Ratan Naval Tata A. Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2. Manmohan Singh B. Grammy Awards 3. Zakir Hussain C. Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 4. Shyam Benegal D. World Statesman Award - XAT - 2025
- Famous personalities and their contributions
Match the following authors with their respective works.
Authors Books 1. Andy Weir A. Dune 2. Cixin Liu B. The Time Machine 3. Stephen Hawking C. The Brief History of Time 4. HG Wells D. The Martian 5. Frank Herbert E. The Three Body Problem - XAT - 2025
- Books and Authors
Match the following airlines with the countries where they are headquartered.
Airlines Countries 1. AirAsia A. Singapore 2. AZAL B. South Korea 3. Jeju Air C. Azerbaijan 4. Indigo D. India 5. Tigerair E. Malaysia - XAT - 2025
- Business and Economy
The diagram below represents a road network connecting five towns, namely Meeren, Lannisport, Winterfell, Oldtown, and Gulltown. The maximum speed limits along any stretch of road are as shown in the diagram. The straight road that connects Meeren to Gulltown passes through Oldtown. Another straight road, running west to east, connecting Meeren to Winterfell, passes through Lannisport. Further, two straight roads, one from Lannisport to Oldtown and another from Winterfell to Gulltown, are perpendicular to the road joining Meeren to Winterfell, and run from south to north.
Consider a car always travelling at the maximum permissible speed, and always taking the shortest route. It takes 1 hour to reach Oldtown from Meeren, 2 hours to reach Gulltown from Oldtown, and 45 minutes to reach Winterfell from Gulltown. (For this problem, always consider the shortest route in terms of distance.)
- XAT - 2025
- Logical and Analytical Reasoning Skills
The plots below depict and compare the average monthly incomes (in Rs. ’000) of males and females in ten cities of India in the years 2005 and 2015. The ten cities, marked A-J in the records, are of different population sizes. For a fair comparison, to adjust for inflation, incomes for both the periods are scaled to 2025 prices. Each red dot represents the average monthly income of females in a particular city in a particular year, while each blue dot represents the average monthly income of males in a particular city in a particular year. The gender gap for a city, for a particular year, is defined as the absolute value of the average monthly income of males, minus the average monthly income of females, in that year.
- XAT - 2025
- Data Interpretation