Apple Reports Q1 Loss

Amsterdam Vallon writes "Apple recently reported an $8 million loss, its second straight loss, compared with a $38 million profit a year ago. It seems that upbeat laptop sales weren't enough to get this company out of the Wall Street basement. Hopefully, with increasing Mac OS X and wireless-related sales, we'll see a nice increase come next quarter and after that, perhaps a jaunt toward profitability!" The back was apparently tipped into the red with one-time restructuring losses, else there would have been a modest profit; Apple expects stagnant revenues for the near future.

Comments

Future Savings

[kruetz]

Fair enough, they've spent a lot of money to get where they are. But from here on in, they should be able to save a fair bit. While having BSD as the core of MacOSX won't give them billion-dollar profits, it surely helps reduce OS-related software development costs.

And with these savings, they can spend time developing better, easier-to-use-for-the-whole-family apps. For example, their Powerpoint killer (whose name I have momentarily forgotten - argh!) and their iLife range (I think that was the name - I'm not a Mac user (can you tell?)).

Hopefully they can improve even further on the quality of their programs, because that's what the "Apple Experience" is all about.

Hell, I'd buy one except that in Australia, it costs me at least $2,500 to get the Mac-equivalent of my $1,200 home-built rig. Not to mention all of the PC games and stuff. But I digress.

Also, if Apple can work on the X-Windows side of things, perhaps they'll be used by big IT spenders to replace aging *NIX systems - another boon of the BSD lineage. Go MacOSX and go Apple!

Re:Question

[thatguywhoiam]

I'll field this one.

Why aren't more people buying Macs (especially the slashdot crowd)?

Well, they are. Buying more Macs, that is. However, what you are essentially looking at is a split in the Slashdot crowd. Apple has created a rift in the *nix community - not a bad thing, IMHO, as rifts are encouraged in this kind of social dynamic.

This is a bit simplistic (and I'm sure some will let me know just how simplistic...) but here's how I see it:

Slashdot Reader #0 has been using UNIX for a while. Apple releases OS X. Reader #0 likes:

- *nix-like distro with BSD personality
- groovy interface
- the Support Fairy (i.e. having some)
- Mainstream apps (Photoshop, Office, a few big-name games, etc.)
- Apple's Open Source initiatives
- hi-quality integrated hardware that works seamlessly with OS

Slashdot Reader #1 has been using *nix or Windows for awhile. Apple releases OS X. Reader #1 hates:

- proprietary software (OSS be damned; if its 0wn3d by anyone, its bad. This is an arguable position)
- pseudo-proprietary hardware that is behind the bleeding edge of what you can build
- goofy interface
- premium pricing
- lack of games (because that's what they really want a 3.0Ghz PC for. Oh, you have a legitimate use? good for you. You are rare.)
- Apple, in general (possibly for past transgressions against them, possibly 'just 'cause)

(Of course, then there's me, Slashdot Reader #2: always used Macs, still use Macs, have a technical bent despite being a graphic designer, yet hangs out on Slashdot...)

Re:Marketshare is down

[mgaiman]

I don't know. It really seems like IDC has a bone to pick with apple. Read this cnet article and see. I'm not trusting IDC numbers when they seem that biased in interviews.

Also, that same IDC guy is predicting tablets to replace ultraportables in general, which will not happen.

Re:Marketshare is down

[Mononoke]

Their worldwide marketshare is now 1.93%.

According to whom?

Also according to IDC: "Apple Computer, the fifth-largest manufacturer in the United States, saw its U.S. market share rise from 2.9 percent to 3 percent in the fourth quarter."

Lies, damn lies, and statistics, I suppose.