Ahead of Apple’s Q3 earnings call where analysts expect the company to beat its own top-end guidance, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners today shared its latest numbers on iPhone and iPad sales for the quarter.
While analysts are expecting Apple to announce sales of iPhones as high as 40 million units for the quarter representing a 15% increase from last year, CIRP gives us some insight into how iPhone and iPad models sold relative to flagship models last year. It’s also an interesting look at how Apple’s two model iPhone approach is working while continuing to sell previous generations. The iPhone 5s, according to CIRP’s research, accounted for 62% of iPhone sales vs 52% for the iPhone 5 at the same time last year. The data shows Apple is selling more of its most expensive, high-end flagship models as a percentage of its over all sales for compared to last year:
“Once again, Apple’s premium iPhone 5S sold well in the quarter,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “It appears that in the US, Apple sells the 5S model at the expense of the iPhone 5C, which continues to sell much slower than the similarly- priced iPhone 4S in the same quarter last year. The entry-level ‘free’ or subsidized price point maintains its 16-18% of iPhone sales.”
As for iPad sales, the report notes the iPad Air captured a much higher percentage of Apple’s tablet sales relative to its flagship models last year. “The comparable flagship tablet last year, the iPad with Retina, accounted for less than a third of sales, while the iPad Air has over half. The small format iPads held their own at more than a third of sales, adding the higher-priced iPad Mini with Retina to the product mix. The $399 full size iPad with Retina seems to be stuck in the middle, at only 10% of sales.”
The report covers data for Apple’s fiscal Q3 that includes the three month period ended June 30. Apple’s conference call to announce its Q3 financial results is scheduled for tomorrow at 2PM PT/5PM ET.
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Regular people probably didn’t feel the need to pay extra for an iPad 4 when they could just get the iPad 2 and do the same with it, obviously most people who read this site know differences and would buy the retina iPad, but someone who isn’t a techie wouldn’t feel as inclined or wouldn’t understand the differences as easily, but an iPad 4 and an iPad air seem like totally different products because of size, design and the “Air” branding.
What this tells me is that Apple should probably change the design of their updated products, most companies do that. I believe Apple doesn’t do it because people update their phones every two years so Apple updates the iPhone design every two years too, but still, it would be nice to see a new design every year, the same goes for iPads and Macs.
I bought a Macbook Pro in 2010, this year I bought a Macbook Air, I love it, but if I were to buy another Pro, it would look about the same as the one I already have, I mean I love its design but it’s somewhat of a let down to buy something that you already have, even if it’s way better under the hood.