iPhone sales

59 'iPhone sales' stories November 2011 - August 2015

KGI predicts zero or negative growth for next iPhone, citing weak Chinese economy and limited appeal of Force Touch

Ben Lovejoy Aug 11 2015 - 4:57 am PT

KGI – which has an excellent track record – has predicted a strong possibility of either zero or negative growth of iPhone sales in Q4 2015. The investment note cited by Taiwanese site Apple Daily (via GforGames) forecasts that Apple will sell between 65M and 75M iPhones, compared to 74.5M in the same quarter last year.

We predict iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S could be the first S-series models to see flat or lower shipments versus their predecessors.

KGI bases its pessimistic prediction on two factors. First, the weak state of the Chinese economy. Second, the very same argument I made in my opinion piece yesterday: that the headline feature of the iPhone 6S, Force Touch, doesn’t seem likely to wow customers …
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Apple Stores drop AT&T iPhone subsidies this month as Verizon changes coming

Mark Gurman Jun 1 2015 - 10:14 am PT

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Apple today has informed employees of significant changes to how iPhones are sold via AT&T and Verizon Wireless, according to sources. As we reported last month, Apple has indicated that iPhones sold via AT&T at both physical Apple Retail Stores and on the Apple Online Store will move exclusively to Next financing plans this month, in June. This means that a customer who wants to buy a new iPhone on AT&T will no longer be able to do so on a subsidy…

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Apple Stores boost trade-in values for older iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S this month

Mark Gurman Jun 1 2015 - 9:50 am PT

8 Comments

For the month of June, Apple is giving a small boost to its trade-in price values for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5S, according to Apple Store sources. Using the Reuse and Recycle program, a customer can bring in an older iPhone model and receive gift card credit toward the purchase of a newer iPhone. Likely in order to spur some new iPhone sales this month, Apple is offering the following improvements to its trade-in pricing:

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UBS matches KGI’s upbeat forecast for Q2 iPhone sales of 51M, well above consensus

Ben Lovejoy May 14 2015 - 5:51 am PT

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UBS has matched the upbeat iPhone forecast made last month by KGI for Q2 (Apple’s fiscal Q3), both analysts estimating sales of 51M – well above the consensus expectation of 45M.

KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo predicts 51.4M, saying that while he believes iPhone sales have peaked, demand will remain higher than the normal seasonal pattern. UBS forecast 51.1M, noting that Apple’s “continued surge” in China is a key factor, where the premium market remains strong despite reports of the country approaching saturation point in smartphones.

Both analysts have strong track-records, Ming-Chi Kuo being our go-to guy for supply-chain rumors, and UBS producing a graph to show the accuracy of its past predictions (below) …
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iPhone slightly increases lead as most popular smartphone in US – comScore

Ben Lovejoy May 8 2015 - 4:01 am PT

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Apple has further increased its lead as the top smartphone manufacturer in the US, the iPhone increasing its market share by one point from 41.6% in Dec 2014 to 42.6% in March 2015, according to comScore. There was no change in the rankings, with Samsung in second place at 28.3% – a fall of 1.4% – followed by LG, Motorola and HTC.

Android remained the most popular platform, with 52.4% of the market against iOS at 42.6%. Windows, Blackberry and Symbian were all also-rans, totalling just 5% between them.

comScore also reported the top 15 smartphone apps …
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China finally overtakes U.S. in iPhone sales, Chinese revenue up 71%

Ben Lovejoy Apr 28 2015 - 4:05 am PT

4 Comments

Hangzhou Opens Second Apple Store

Pundits have been predicting for several successive quarters that iPhone sales in China would outstrip those in the U.S., and Q2 2015 was when it finally happened, reports Reuters.

Apple […] sold more iPhones in China than the United States for the first time […] increasing its revenue in the country 71 percent to $16.8 billion, although that was helped by gift-buying for Chinese New Year.

Tim Cook said that the iPhone was responsible for the bulk of Apple’s revenue in China, though he did also note that Mac sales were “unbelievable,” up 31% year-on-year. As with other markets, the iPhone is usually the first Apple product people buy, but that brings them into the ecosystem and boosts sales of other products …
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Apple now selling more iPhones in China than in US, say analysts

Ben Lovejoy Jan 26 2015 - 4:48 am PT

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Tim Cook said in October that it was “just a matter of time” before China overtook the USA as its biggest market, and it seems that time may be arriving sooner than expected – at least as far as the iPhone is concerned. The Financial Times reports that analysts expect tomorrow’s Q1 earnings call to confirm that Apple sold more iPhones in China than in the US.

Analysts at UBS estimate that China accounted for 36 per cent of iPhone shipments in the most recent quarter, compared with 24 per cent for the US. During the same period last year, 29 per cent of units were sold in the US and 22 per cent were in China, UBS said.

The view was supported by Creative Strategies, which forecast that Apple has sold around 2M more iPhones in China than in the US in the final calendar quarter of 2014 (Apple’s financial Q1) …
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Apple sold half a million iPhones in India in Q4 2014 vs 1M in whole of 2013

Ben Lovejoy Jan 12 2015 - 5:42 am PT

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An Apple reseller in India (photo: indiaprwire.com)

Data from Counterpoint Research, and corroborated by two “leading trade partners,” suggests that Apple sold half a million iPhones in India during the final quarter of 2014, reports the Economic Times. This compares to around a million phones during the whole of 2013.

Apple has also halved the credit period offered to resellers, from the standard 14 days offered by most manufacturers to 7 days, and sliced between 0.5% and 1% offered the 9-11% margins offered on iPhones (rates varying by sales performance). The company is promising to invest the savings in consumer financing offers and marketing, to assist resellers in increasing sales.

Apple operates through a mix of Apple Premium Resellers and Apple Shop sections within other retailers in the country. It was reported in December that its plans to expand its reseller network into smaller towns and cities, adding 500 new dealers.

Split between iPhone 6 and Plus models settled down to 3-to-1 after initial 6-to-1 lead

Ben Lovejoy Nov 21 2014 - 6:22 am PT

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While constrained supplies of the iPhone 6 Plus initially meant the 4.7-inch model was outselling its larger 5.5-inch brother by a ratio of 6-to-1, three different sources are now all reporting that the current ratio has settled down to 3-to-1.

Above Avalon notes that Mixpanel, Fiksu and Baidu/Umeng data all tells the same story – even in China, where the larger model was expected to be more popular.

Of course, as the piece notes, stock availability may still be influencing purchase decisions to some degree, but the difference in supply times for the two models is now just measured in a few days.

Among 9to5Mac readers, the gap between the two is much closer, at a little under a 2-to-1 ratio, suggesting that the larger device has greater appeal among techies. It’s also not surprising that on an early adopter platform the two iPhone 6 models outnumber all other models combined.

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Mixpanel and Fiksu data can be seen below.

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Apple reportedly in ‘preliminary contact’ with distributors to bring iPhone to Iran

Zac Hall Oct 29 2014 - 11:42 am PT

20 Comments

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is in early talks with “Iranian distributors” to bring the iPhone to Iran:

Apple Inc. is in preliminary contact with Iranian distributors about a possible entry into the country should Western sanctions ease sufficiently, people familiar with the matter said.

The report notes that financial and banking sanctions as well as political tension has thus far prevented companies like Apple from conducting business in Iran, but points to a policy change in May that lifted the ban on sales of “consumer communications technologies” in the country. The report goes on the claim that “senior Apple executives” have already met with “potential Iranian distributors” at Apple’s regional headquarters in London.
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AAPL will announce record quarter, predict analysts, with earnings up 11.9%

Ben Lovejoy Oct 20 2014 - 5:59 am PT

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Analysts are predicting that Apple (AAPL) will announce record sales and earnings in today’s fiscal Q4 (calendar Q3) earnings call, reports Fortune.

I’ve got the collected fiscal Q4 estimates of 33 Apple analysts — 21 professionals and 12 amateurs. They are all to a man (and one woman) predicting record Q4 sales and earnings (up 7.1% and 11.9%, respectively).

The analysts also expect earnings per share to be up 12% year-on-year, to $1.32 …
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Sketchy supply-chain report says production gearing-up for 80M iPhone 6 sales this year

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2014 - 6:25 am PT

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DigiTimes is citing supply-chain sources as stating that Apple is gearing-up its iPhone 6 production plans for an anticipated 80 million sales by year-end. If achieved, it would represent 33 percent year-on-year growth.

Makers in the iPhone supply chain are preparing parts and components for production of up to 80 million units of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus before year-end 2014, according to sources at Taiwan-based iPhone supply chain.

As ever with DigiTimes, the number should be taken with a large dose of salt: while manufacturers will be aware of their own order-books from Apple, and thus have some degree of insight into the company’s expectations for early sales, it’s a stretch to extrapolate from that to sales targets up to the end of the year.

We won’t have too long to wait for a good indication of how well the new models are selling. They go on sale on Friday 19th, and Apple is expected to issue its usual announcement of opening weekend sales on Monday 22nd September. Last year, Apple announced a record 9M iPhone sales in the first three days.

This year’s opening weekend numbers may take a hit, however, with the New York Times reporting that regulatory problems may mean the new models won’t go on sale in China – a massive market – on 19th September.

Via Business Insider

Analysts respond to AAPL earnings, rating the stock a strong buy

Ben Lovejoy Apr 24 2014 - 4:12 am PT

12 Comments

Photo: USA Today

Early overnight reports collated by Fortune unsurprisingly show analysts pleased by the higher-than-expected iPhone numbers, with five out of five rating the stock a buy, their price targets ranging from $75 to $252 above yesterday’s closing value. Apple reported iPhone sales of 43.7B against expectations of 38B, and revenue of $45.6B against the consensus estimate of $43.5B.

Katy Huberty, Morgen Stanley: Price target $630
Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray: Price target $640
Brian Marshall, ISI: Price target $600
Brian White, Cantor Fitzgerald: Price target $777
Peter Misek, Jefferies: Price target $625 …

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iPhone sales could be threatened as subsidized costs become more visible, say analysts

Ben Lovejoy Apr 22 2014 - 5:24 am PT

49 Comments

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How much did your iPhone cost? If you said $199, $299 or even $399 you’re somewhere near $350 off. As some consciously forget, the carriers often shield the owner from the real total cost of the iPhone. That may not last.

iPhone sales could be hurt as carriers switch from so-called subsidized contracts, where customers pay only a fraction of the cost a new iPhone up-front, to deals where the true cost of the phone is more visible, argues a piece in the WSJ.

Many U.S. iPhone customers are not aware that the full cost of an iPhone ranges from $549 for a 16GB 5c to $849 for a 64GB 5s. The reason is that carriers have traditionally asked for only $0 to $200 up-front, hiding the balance of the cost in the monthly tariff. With carriers now switching to separate instalment costs for the phone, and the cost of upgrading every year or two more visible to consumers, analysts believe some will choose to upgrade less often …

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Wall Street predicts just two percent year-on-year growth in iPhone sales

Ben Lovejoy Apr 17 2014 - 5:06 am PT

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Fortune has its usual roundup of what the analysts are expecting Apple to report in iPhone sales next week, and the forecasts make worrying reading. The overall average is for quarterly sales of 38.2 million, which would represent year-on-year growth of just two percent.

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Adding to the concern, ten of the 32 analysts included in Fortune‘s poll predict a fall in sales when compared to the same quarter last year.

With the new iPhones having generated record sales in their opening weekend, and Apple having reported all-time quarterly high iPhone sales in Q1, the question is why the pessimism regarding Q2 … ?
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Apple will announce 4M more iPhone sales than supply chain data suggests, says Morgan Stanley

Ben Lovejoy Mar 19 2014 - 5:46 am PT

4 Comments

Photo: digitaltrends.com

Predictions of disappointing Q2 iPhone sales could be unduly pessimistic, says Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty. She expects Apple to announce that it shipped 42M iPhones in the first quarter of the year (Apple’s fiscal Q2), rather than the 38M suggested by supply chain analysis, reports Business Insider. This would represent year-on-year growth of more than 4.5M handsets.

Huberty says that the supply chain may work in overdrive during the holiday quarter to generate extra product, and then ease back in the March quarter, thus giving an unreliable read out on sales.

Huberty bases her estimate on a method which sounds eccentric but has an excellent track-record …
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Analysts estimate Apple sold 55.3M iPhones last quarter, up 16 percent

Ben Lovejoy Jan 20 2014 - 3:59 am PT

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With Apple due to report its earnings a week from today, Fortune has run its usual roundup on the numbers analysts are predicting.

The consensus among the 44 analysts we’ve heard from so far — 27 professionals and 17 amateurs — is unit sales of 55.3 million iPhones, up 16% from the same quarter last year.

It’s a near-certainty the numbers will be high …
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Apple dominated Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend sales, says analytics company

Ben Lovejoy Dec 5 2013 - 3:45 am PT

1 Comment

Analytics company Localytics said that of all the gadgets purchased across the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, the iPad Air enjoyed by far the largest boost in sales.

Comparing activations with those for the previous weekend, 51 percent more iPad Airs were sold, with Apple also taking second and third places with the original iPad Mini and iPhone 5c. In all, Apple products took six of the top nine places.

According to Localytics’ data, a whopping 51% more new iPad Air devices were seen than the previous week. This is due to a combination of factors, including Apple’s promotion of giving gift cards with purchases of the iPad Air and iPad Mini (but not iPad Mini 2nd gen) devices. This, combined with a smaller base of iPad Air devices and the novelty of the iPad Air (released on November 1st) resulted in the iPad Air dominating on Black Friday weekend. Apple’s older iPad Mini model finished second, and the iPhone 5c took third. As previously reported by Localytics, the iPhone 5c is gaining on its more sophisticated cousin, the 5s, during the past couple months.

Localytics analysed figures for over a million devices to reach its conclusions.

Apple has also overtaken Dell as the desktop PC brand most shoppers intend to buy according to data from Park Associates (via CNET). Apple already topped the list for laptops, tablets and routers.

Delaware’s tax-free Apple Store sells more iPhones than any other store

Sarah Guarino Nov 13 2013 - 6:21 pm PT

9 Comments

Ever been curious to find out which Apple Store sells the most iPhones? Look no further than the Apple Store in Newark, Delaware in the Christiana Mall. This might come as a surprise, but the fact of the matter is that the state of Delaware has no sales tax. The Christiana Mall is conveniently located halfway between Newark, Delaware and Wilmington, Delaware and attracts customers along the borders of New Jersey to the north, and Maryland on the west, as well as New York and Pennsylvania.

The Specialists at the Christiana Mall are eager to report how well they perform. One Specialist told ABC news, “We sell more iPhones than anyone.” Another employee compares the Christiana Mall store against the Fifth Avenue Store stating, “The only store that does more volume is the glass box on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and that is open 24 hours a day. But no one sells more phones than we do.” A third employee told ABC News that because of the lack of sales tax, customers buy dozens, or even hundreds of phones at a time and resell them in foreign countries at a significant profit.

The store is guarded with at least two state troopers at all times for crowd control, which is something Apple pays for, not Delaware taxpayers.

Apple has refused to comment on these claims.

Why iPhone longevity means iOS carrier activation share doesn’t resemble sales

Ben Lovejoy Oct 18 2013 - 7:20 am PT

21 Comments

There was a lot of confusion yesterday when Verizon’s results were discussed, with more than one commentator confusing activations and sales. For the record, what Verizon announced was that 51 percent of its activations were iPhone, not 51 percent of its phone sales.

If you doubt the importance of this distinction, I have one word for you: T-Mobile. As of 11th April, the carrier had two million iPhone activations. Its iPhone sales as of the same date? Zero: T-Mobile didn’t start selling iPhones until the following day.

The difference between the two numbers is particularly dramatic with high-end handsets like the iPhone …
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Twice as many people buying iPhone 5s as iPhone 5c (latest claim)

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 6:16 am PT

11 Comments

With no word from Apple on the breakdown of its record-breaking iPhone sales between 5s and 5c (and no word expected during the company’s earnings call either), everyone is posting their estimates.

First to the punch was Localytics, who used iPhone connections to mobile and web apps to come up with an estimate of three to one in favor of the 5s. KGI’s Mingchi Kuo disagreed, using supply chain analysis to put the figures closer to 50/50, and suggesting that, if anything, sales of the 5c might be slightly higher. Now we have Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (via AllThingsD) using consumer surveys to suggest that the 5s is outselling the 5c two-to-one …
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Are iPhone 5c sales low or supplies high?

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 8:04 am PT

36 Comments

Image: abcnews.com

KGI’s Mingchi Kuo, an analyst with a solid track-record, and the man who came closest (almost) to calling opening weekend sales of the iPhone, now believes Apple shipped ‘just’ 11.4M iPhone 5c handsets in September, rather than the 17M he had earlier forecast, reports Business Insider.

Kuo is now estimating Apple shipped 11.4 million 5Cs in the September quarter, a 33% drop from his original estimate. He also says he expects 5C sales to be just 10.4 million units for the December quarter, a 10% sequential drop.

This makes some sense of the rampant discounting seen on the 5C (which actually started at Walmart before launch), but doesn’t necessarily mean that iPhone sales as a whole are down …
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Production analysis disputes claims of 5s outselling 5c; forecasts combined sales of 50-55M in Q4

Ben Lovejoy Sep 26 2013 - 5:33 am PT

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KGI’s Mingchi Kuo, an analyst with an excellent track record, has disputed an earlier suggestion by web analytics company Localytics that the iPhone 5s is outselling the 5c three-to-one, suggesting that actual sales are closer to 50/50 – with 5c sales actually likely to be somewhat higher.

KGI estimates that the 9M initial sales comprised 3.5-4.5M iPhone 5s, and 4.5-5.5M iPhone 5c.

The confidential briefing document points out that analytics data is based on activation (or, more specifically, use of the phone to browse the web and run certain apps), which is not the same as sales. KGI’s estimates are based on production numbers …
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iPhone as standalone business would be bigger than Microsoft, Coca-Cola, McDonalds & more

Ben Lovejoy Sep 26 2013 - 4:20 am PT

2 Comments

Businessweek has a fun chart showing that Apple’s iPhone business alone would make it the 9th largest stock in the Dow Jones top 30 companies, ahead of such giants as Microsoft, Coca-Cola and McDonalds.

It’s not a terribly surprising fact – the iPhone represents the bulk of Apple’s business, with its $88.4B sales greater than all of Apple’s other products and services combined ($81B), but it is quite a graphic illustration of the strength of that one product line. Apple, of course, just announced that it sold 9M iPhones in the first three days of the 5s and 5c.

Perhaps more surprising is the company that just scrapes ahead of that nominal iPhone business: IBM. While giving every impression of an out-of-date business model, the company is still making billions from large-scale IT infrastructure products, services and software. Including, I kid you not, mainframes.