iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs • Hacker News Board

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#341

Post by ericabiz » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:31 AM UTC

_spoonman wrote: post #336

ericabiz wrote: post #4

I run a repair shop. We've repaired over 3,000 Apple devices for customers. We are always chatting with our customers, so we get a ton of feedback from them about what they're doing with their phones. We hear a few things consistently: 1) Providers have switched from "free upgrades every 2 years" to a plan cost and a monthly phone cost, so people now really know how much their phone costs--and many would rather save…

You don't by chance do business via mail or have a website do you? :)

Sure :) http://www.1uprepairs.com - we are based out of Austin, TX. Email is in my profile if you need to reach me, or you can call our store during business hours.

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#342

Post by coldtea » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:31 AM UTC

rrggrr wrote: post #119

nugget wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More likely mobile is headed quietly down the path of the PC - fewer generational improvements means people keep devices longer and there isn't as much of a reason to buy new hardware so sales flatline. Great business still but Wall Street hates that narrative. They want the next hot growth market -- VR perhaps when its killer app moment arrives.

I'll say this: Amazon Echo cut Apple's growth balls right off. That's a $2b revenue business Siri can kiss goodbye.

>I'll say this: Amazon Echo cut Apple's growth balls right off. That's a $2b revenue business Siri can kiss goodbye.

$2b is spare change for Apple -- I don't see Echo going places anyway, it will end more or less like the Kindle is now.

In fact, Amazon's whole profit was around $100 million last year -- and it's the first year it ever had any profit IIRC. I don't see those $100 million profit per year threatening the $18 BILLION profit per QUARTER anytime soon.

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#343

Post by coldtea » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:34 AM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #248

Nicholas_C wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now? Next month? Next year? People have been saying that (and betting on that) for quite a while.

The government has decided to keep inflating the bubbles with capital injections that wind up temporarily keeping stocks afloat and ultimately wind up feeding insane real estate bubbles. This has gone on more or less for the last few years, starting with stimulus in 2008. Retail is already taking a huge hit on the ground (not just iPhone sales have dropped off), and once those bubbles pop...well, the government will…

>The government has decided to keep inflating the bubbles with capital injections that wind up temporarily keeping stocks afloat and ultimately wind up feeding insane real estate bubbles

So, just like the US in 2008?

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#344

Post by eldavido » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:36 AM UTC

mattmanser wrote: post #165

IkmoIkmo wrote: post #153

Well, they had a good run. I wonder what's next. I don't think anyone was surprised though, around 2014 we saw the writing on the wall. I mean take the Nexus 5, I have plenty of friends who have one and it's basically like they bought a microwave. It just works, it's fine, and they're expressing 0, and I really mean 0 interest in upgrading their microwave. They'll keep it for as long as the battery lasts and they don…

Nexus 5 was phenomenally good though for the price point/no-crapware bundle. Coupled with Android finally being good enough to at least rival iOS, it was the start of a new era. Certainly in the UK, since buying my Nexus 5, android has gone from like 6% to 40% of mobiles hitting the websites I manage (the EU market has always been heavily iOS skewed compared to America). My battery crapped out rather quickly, but a r…

I have a Nexus 5 and I emphatically agree.

Call quality, screen resolution, responsiveness of the UI, material design, size, lack of crapware...Google really got it right. I've had this phone for 2 years and I have zero interest in upgrading to iOS. Sure, the display is nicer, the battery life is marginally better, but really, I just don't care.

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#345

Post by ericabiz » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:36 AM UTC

tjl wrote: post #316

ericabiz wrote: post #4

I run a repair shop. We've repaired over 3,000 Apple devices for customers. We are always chatting with our customers, so we get a ton of feedback from them about what they're doing with their phones. We hear a few things consistently: 1) Providers have switched from "free upgrades every 2 years" to a plan cost and a monthly phone cost, so people now really know how much their phone costs--and many would rather save…

My parents only replaced their iPhone 5 when the battery wasn't holding a charge as well as they'd liked. So, they replaced it with a 5S (this was before the SE, but it was free with a contract anyway). They use it for calls and directions, but not much else so the 5S is more than adequate.

If they still have that 5, it's pretty cheap and quick to do a battery replacement (we charge $49 -- many shops charge similarly.) Should bring it back to life just like new. if nothing else, I think it would be worth doing just to have it as a backup phone.

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#346

Post by gmacdon89 » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:36 AM UTC

forgetsusername wrote: post #260

zanny wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even at that, it isn't just about making a profit, it is about making more profit (or often just revenue) each quarter. Your business could be operating at a 40% profit margin that but be called a failure and run against on the stock market when that doesn't become a 41% margin next quarter.

Pure exaggeration. This is not complicated. You buy with the expectations of future profits X. If the stocks fails to meet those expectations, you reallocate your capital by selling to someone else who is happy with There is nothing nefarious about it. Nobody is a failure. The system isn't broken. This is the free market.

+1

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#347

Post by coldtea » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:37 AM UTC

bsirkia wrote: post #47

Incredible that this is the first time in 13 years that Apple hasn't posted quarterly growth. I'm sure there will be lots of "Apple has lost its ability to innovate" articles based on this, but growing for the last ~52 straight quarters is insane. And I don't think one quarter without growth is enough evidence to conclude "Apple may be reaching the saturation point among potential customers in some countries" or "oth…

>Incredible that this is the first time in 13 years that Apple hasn't posted quarterly growth. I'm sure there will be lots of "Apple has lost its ability to innovate" articles based on this, but growing for the last ~52 straight quarters is insane.

Not to mention that all the other companies (Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Facebook) have much worse ups and downs (and are also 1/3 or less the revenue and much much less the profits of Apple, Amazon comically less) but you never see "X is doomed" for them...

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#348

Post by tammer » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:38 AM UTC

ericabiz wrote: post #4

I run a repair shop. We've repaired over 3,000 Apple devices for customers. We are always chatting with our customers, so we get a ton of feedback from them about what they're doing with their phones. We hear a few things consistently: 1) Providers have switched from "free upgrades every 2 years" to a plan cost and a monthly phone cost, so people now really know how much their phone costs--and many would rather save…

Apple needs an app revolution that drives people to seek faster CPU's. Seems like the only way to obsolete such effective & robust devices.

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#349

Post by ericabiz » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:38 AM UTC

marshray wrote: post #325

sumedh wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> don't realize what's happening Wait, why cant the OS tell the user that something is wrong with the battery.

What would the user do about it? The battery is officially non-replaceable.

Nah, Apple will replace it for you - $79, last I heard. If you open up the phone, the battery says "Replacement by Authorized Service Provider Only" (or something similar--I'm quoting from memory here.)

Re: iPhone Sales Drop, and Apple’s 13-Year Surge Ebbs

#350

Post by digi_owl » Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 2:41 AM UTC

galistoca wrote: post #322

digi_owl wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What surprises me is that they didn't try to use it to make the keyboard more "physical". If the OSK can distinguish a finger resting from a finger pressing, then you get closer to that of a physical keyboard. Especially if the resting part can be tied in with the vibration engine to give a slight nudge to indicate edges of keys, or some such.

That sounds like emulating for the sake of emulating. I'm sure even you would hate it if you actually saw it in production. Typing on keyboard is shitty as it is. By making it force touch, it will be much slower to finish a sentence. When people use physical keyboards their fingers are by default resting on the keys. When most users type on mobile, they're not. It's easier to NOT rest fingers on the keys than resting…

And that is where the vibrate comes in.

the keyboard is of a known layout, and by marking by feel when you move from one key to the next you know where you are.

This allows the keyboard to be operated without looking, much like how most people use a ordinary keyboard today once they are past the hunt-and-peck stage.

A big reason for touch screens being a problem in many situations is that you have to actually look at it to operate it. Physical buttons, switches and knobs can be operated by touch alone.

Frankly way too much of modern computing relies on sight and sight alone.

Also, allowing someone to rest on the keyboard is why long typing sessions are not such a strain on the hands. Without it, the writs has to carry the weight of the fingers continually.