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

nytimes.com

71–80 of 551 posts

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

#71

For any exponential function comes time when its growth cannot be sustained. Smartphones are boring and mature, we haven't had killer app in ages - welcome to the PC market of 2007.

I've been a "mobile is the future of everything" skeptic since the iPhone first came out. Lately I'm feeling slightly vindicated. These things are awesome for navigation and rapid interactions with services and of course chatting. But the totally jailed OS and tiny screen and the rest limits mobile to those kinds of interactions.

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

#72
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…

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that people like the 6 more than the 6S. It's nicer to hold in hands and it's quite a bit cheaper for basically the same phone.

Er, really? The 6S is almost identical to the 6; the primary difference is that it's 0.1mm (!) thicker and 14 grams heavier.

Is it possible you mean to compare the iPhones 6S and 6S Plus, which actually differ in size?

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

#74
post #61

Apple is not doomed, but I think they've taken their eyes off the ball a bit. Watch and iPad Pro are me-too products, and the switch to flat interfaces cost them a lot of differentiation IMHO. They've cheapened their brand and they don't seem to know what market they should really disrupt.

The iPad Pro is actually really awesome for artists. Pro + Pencil is a better experience than a Wacom Cintiq display, and it's a whole tablet for about the same price point, not just a display.

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

#75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The PC have not dropped significantly in price. High end gaming PC (that you build yourself) always costed about 1500-2000$. It is just that the majority of tasks could be done in lower and lower segments of the market.

http://i.imgur.com/Lng3MQB.jpg I'd say that computers have come down in price.

I think the point they are making is that the 'high-end' / cutting-edge is the same price as it has been.

You couldn't get $2,300 for a 33MHz machine now, just like you can't sell a Galaxy S1 for a $700.

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

#76
post #13

50.6b net income on 39.4% gross margins. A bit early to be writing Apple's obituary or anything even close. Retail is suffering nationwide and I suspect Apple is caught up in this decline.

Forget "nationwide", China is currently getting ready to drop like a cliff. That they are buying fewer iPhones isn't surprising.

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

#77
post #61

Apple is not doomed, but I think they've taken their eyes off the ball a bit. Watch and iPad Pro are me-too products, and the switch to flat interfaces cost them a lot of differentiation IMHO. They've cheapened their brand and they don't seem to know what market they should really disrupt.

They have way too many products out now particularly the iPad line.

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

#78
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…

Personally, I wonder who though Apple's growth would never end. This happens to every company sooner or later.

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

#79

I'm curious what other people think about the ecosystem as a catalyst, in particular Apple Pay. It seems to be that squeezing between iPhone owners and everyday purchases would be very lucrative.

    It seems to be that squeezing between iPhone owners and everyday 
    purchases would be very lucrative
And something that Banks will very strongly oppose. How many places can you use Apple Pay right now? I love Android Pay, but the only store I can use it at is Walgreens -- no where else I go takes it. Banks still hold a huge amount of power at the point-of-sale market, and they will not give up their margins to Apple.

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

#80
>Apple said it would raise its quarterly dividend 10 percent to 57 cents a share and increase the amount of stock it buys back to $175 billion.

Surely that's the NYT's typo and they mean million with an M, right?

EDIT: Not a typo, see mbrubeck's reply below.

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