Technology

After Setting iPhone Record, What Does Apple Do Next?

Published

9 years ago

January 28, 2015

In this Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015 photo, shoppers walk by the Apple Store along the the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. Apple Inc. reports quarterly financial results on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

In this Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015 photo, shoppers walk by the Apple Store along the the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif. Apple Inc. reported quarterly financial results on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

BRANDON BAILEY, AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple CEO Tim Cook says consumer demand for new iPhones has been “staggering” and “hard to comprehend.” That helped the company report record-smashing earnings for its latest quarter and sent the stock climbing more than 7 percent on Wednesday.

But after selling a record 74.5 million iPhones in three months that ended in December, what can Apple do next?

While several analysts have raised their estimates for Apple, some still worry the company depends too much on the iPhone, which contributes two-thirds of its sizable revenue — leaving Apple vulnerable if another gadget comes along to replace the iPhone in popularity. Cook and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri, however, say they’re optimistic about other products in Apple’s portfolio. Here’s some of what they talked about on Tuesday.

APPLE WATCH

Apple plans to start selling its highly anticipated smartwatch in April, Cook told analysts on a conference call after the company’s earnings report Tuesday. He added that developers are working on new apps called “Glances” — apparently in reference to the way people will view those apps on their wrists.

Cook boasted he’s already wearing and enjoying an early model. “I’m using it every day and love it and can’t live without it,” he said.

Still, some analysts say it’s difficult to predict demand for the Apple Watch. “We continue to believe interest from consumers is tepid,” said Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster in a recent note to investors.

APPLE PAY

Apple introduced its digital payments service last fall, but Cook vowed Tuesday that “2015 will be the year of Apple Pay.” He said 750 banks have signed up for the program, which now accounts for two out of every three dollars spent through so-called “contactless” payment systems, as opposed to credit cards that are swiped at the point of sale.

While Apple is believed to collect fees from banks when shoppers use Apple Pay, it doesn’t specifically disclose revenue from the service. BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis says he doesn’t expect the program will make a “material” contribution to Apple’s revenue in the near future.

OTHER DEVICES

Apple said sales of Macintosh computers were up 9 percent in the last quarter. The company increased its share of the personal computer market at a time when overall PC sales were declining. Apple no longer reports separate numbers for its iPod music players.

But iPad sales fell 22 percent. Even so, Maestri said surveys show consumers love iPads for web-browsing and shopping, and he said new apps produced in partnership with IBM will increase business uses for the devices. The iPad has “a very bright future,” Cook added, although he cautioned he doesn’t expect sales trends to change in the next couple of quarters.

NEW MARKETS

Apple says iPhone sales doubled in China, Brazil and Singapore in the last quarter, despite aggressive competition from South Korea’s Samsung and the Chinese companies Huawei and Xiaomi. Cook also boasted the company saw record rates of first-time iPhone buyers and former owners of Android phones who are switching to Apple devices, although he didn’t provide specifics.

Overall, Apple reported $74.6 billion in sales and $18 billion in profit for the December quarter, which represents a year-over-year increase of 30 percent and 38 percent respectively. Based on those numbers, analyst Bill Kreher of the Edward Jones investment firm said he’ll be raising his forecasts for the company’s performance this year.

Even so, he added, as Apple keeps setting records, “it’s certainly going to be more difficult for them to continue to beat expectations.”

Apple’s stock surged above $118 on Wednesday, then dropped slightly, after closing the previous day at $109.14.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Propel Vallejo Mobile App and Photo Contest

Don't Miss

U.S. FCC Warns Against Blocking Personal Wi-Fi Access

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Community

Attorney General Rob Bonta, Oakland Lawmakers, Introduce Legislation to Protect Youth Online

At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online. The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) at a press conference introducing legislation to protect young people online.

By Magaly Muñoz

The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Skinner authored SB 976, which addresses online addiction affecting teenage users, while Wicks’s bill, AB 1949, takes on big tech by proposing data privacy and children rights protections.

“Social media companies unfortunately show us time and time again that they are all too willing to ignore the detriment to our children, the pain to our children, the mental health and physical challenges they face, in order to pursue profits,” Bonta said.

SB 976 would allow parents to control the nature and frequency of the content their under-18-year-old children see on social media. Notifications from social media platforms would also be paused from midnight to 6 am and controls would allow parents to set time limits on their children’s usage based on their discretion.

Skinner stated that the longer that kids are on their phones during the day, the higher the risk for depression, anxiety and other related issues.

The bill would also push to get rid of addictive media that is harmful for young women and girls, specifically image filters that mimic cosmetic plastic surgery.

Bonta and 33 other attorney generals had previously filed a lawsuit against Meta, owner of the popular social media applications Instagram and Facebook. The filing claims that the company purposefully uses algorithmized content that harms younger audiences.

“Social media companies have the ability to protect our kids, they could act, but they do not,” Skinner said.

The Child Data Privacy Act would strengthen existing protections for data privacy under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The lawmakers argue that the law does not have effective protection for those under 18 years old.

Wicks stated that the bill would forbid businesses from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone underage unless they receive informed consent, or it becomes necessary for the purpose of the business.

Wicks added that the acts would make it so that a search on the internet like “How do I lose weight?” would not result in dieting pill advertisements targeting youth, which, some experts report, could be harmful to their mental and physical health.

“In a digital age where the vulnerabilities of young users are continually exploited, we cannot afford to let our laws lag behind, our children deserve complete assurance that their online experience will be safeguarded from invasive practices,” Wicks said.

Supporters of the two acts say they have gained bipartisan support issue, but the authors and Bonta expect them to be met with pushback from the affected companies.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible

Published

4 months ago

December 18, 2023

Oakland Post

Performance & Handling
Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures excellent traction and stability, making it a joy to handle in various driving conditions. The Electric Power Assisted Steering and JaguarDrive Control with Selectable Driving Modes add to the car’s agility, providing a driving experience that is as intuitive as it is thrilling. Additionally, the Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking enhance the car’s responsiveness, making every turn a testament to its engineering prowess. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.

Like us on and share https://www.facebook.com/autonetwork
#AutoNetwork
#AutoNetworkReports
Subscribe to our channel now for more videos.
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/liveautos
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/autonetwork
Coupons Offers and Deals https://www.couponsoffersanddeals.com/

The post Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Elevate Your Ride…

Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes […]
The post Elevate Your Ride… first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 months ago

December 18, 2023

Oakland Post

Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes the F-TYPE AWD convertible stand out on the road. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.