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The changing world map of Apple’s customers in two charts

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Apple’s efforts to secure the China Mobile deal were long, drawn out and likely involved rather more negotiation than the company is used to. But if you ever had any doubts as to the importance of those efforts in China, Japan and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, the above two charts, compiled by Fortune, make the reason very clear.

The bad news for Apple is that revenue from its two biggest segments — Europe and the Americas — have begun to contract, not just as a percentage of total revenue, but in dollar terms as well. The good news is that Japan, Asia Pacific and Greater China have so far more than taken up the slack. In Q1 2014, Apple’s combined Asian sales were $17.4 billion, more than Europe ($13 billion) and closing in on the Americas ($20 billion).

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Comments

  1. Ben Graves (@ben_graves) - 10 years ago

    Are the people who live in Retail the ones who queue up outside the Apple Store all year?

  2. rogifan - 10 years ago

    so basically Apple is growing faster in Asia than in Europe. I’m not so concerned about North America. I don’t think the contraction is a new trend. Upgrade cycles have changed and it may take a few quarters for that to flush out,

  3. Neil Anderson - 10 years ago

    Amazing that China and Japan combined equals higher revenue than all of Europe.

  4. Antonym - 10 years ago

    And there is so much more room for growth in that region. China is essentially still mostly not covered and reached by Apple. And with its growing economy the number of _possible_ customers is still growing, other than in Europe or America, where that number should be quite stagnant.

  5. thepinkcat (@thepinkcat) - 10 years ago

    When smartphones started out here in Italy everyone had an iphone… nowadays, there are 3 samsung phones for every iphone. people love the bigger screens here and the contracts are cheaper with android. But – a lot of people I know who have Samsung phones, would swop them with iPhones if they had the extra money…

  6. Air Burt - 10 years ago

    I can explain the second chart really easily. Apple added a new iPhone carrier this year in both China and Japan. The chart is misleading when you realize that.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      How is that misleading?

      • Air Burt - 10 years ago

        It’s just logical that revenue would go up when you add to your customer base. That graph makes it seem like China and Japan contribute to Apple’s revenue WAY more than they actually do. I know that’s a function of the graph; I’m saying its purpose-built to mislead in that way.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        I don’t think it’s misleading. The right-hand graph shows the shift, the left-hand one the position.

      • Air Burt - 10 years ago

        I guess I’m just trying to see each graph individually. The left one works by itself, but the one on the right needs the left one.

        I appreciate that you respond to these comments. Most of the other Mac blogs I comment on usually only get responses from raging Android fanboys. Thanks for doing what you do!

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        Yep, I agree both are needed. I do read all comments, and aim to reply as much as I can.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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