One of the biggest complaints consumers have from Apple, has to do with the bang for their buck. With price points inching towards $1000 and exceeding the same, users want more with every iteration of the device. However, in recent years Apple appears to be running out of things and is increasingly focusing on individual aspects such as the camera.
The company recently released its $699 iPhone 11, $999 iPhone 11 Pro and $1,099 iPhone 11 Pro Max. One of their highlights, you guessed it, was the camera with its wide-angle camera, night mode, and slow-motion selfies etc. However, the market trends do not appear to have been very kind to Apple.
As per Cowen Equity analyst Krish Sankar, Apple’s production of iPhones is likely to fall to 47-Mn iPhones in the 3 month period ending in September. On a year-over-year basis, that a significant 2 percent less iPhones than the exact same period last year. Of course, the figures does not take iPhone 11 into account, which have received a very solid reception since their launch.
We expect to have a lot more clarity around this at Apple’s quarterly earnings call, which is scheduled to take place today. Analysts are not very bullish, despite iPhone 11, and profit expectations are around $13 Bn on a revenue of $63 Bn. This would be a decrease of 10% on the profits year-over-year.
As per Brian White, an analyst at Monness, Crespi, Hardt:
Although the data points around this iPhone 11 cycle have been constructive thus far, we are taking a cautious stance.
Interestingly, all this is happening while Apple is trying to diversify and bring in monies from different sources. From Apple TV Plus streaming charges to the Apple Arcade Game subscription, and to the $10/Month Apple News Plus subscription, the company is juggling quite a number of money-makers. However, they are yet to come into their own, specially since Apple is still trying to build momentum around these services for instance, it is distributing Apple TV Plus subscriptions to folks purchasing new iPhones and iPads.
A pivot is nearly always painful. Apple has spent over one decade making huge money on the back of its hardware, particularly the iPhones. However, in face of challengers in form of cheaper prices Android players and a stagnancy in the market, Apple is making sure that it has other stable sources of income as well. However, it will be interesting to see what all these dynamics translate into as Apple discloses its quarterly financial report.
