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Apple Q2 Earnings: iPhone Sales Fall Flat (reuters.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the beginning-of-the-end dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Apple Inc reported a surprise fall in iPhone sales for the second quarter on Tuesday, indicating that customers had held back purchases in anticipation of the 10th-anniversary edition launch of the company's most important product. Apple sold 50.76 million iPhones in its fiscal second quarter ended April 1, down from 51.19 million a year earlier. Analysts on average had estimated iPhone sales of 52.27 million, according to financial data and analytics firm FactSet. However, revenue from the smartphones rose 1.2 percent in the quarter. Expectations are building ahead of Apple's 10th-anniversary iPhone range this fall, with investors hoping that the launch would help bolster sales.

107 comments

  1. Headphone jack and charger shenanigans? Nah... by choovanski · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Our customers are just waiting for the tenth anniversary edition. Yep. Nothing to see here.

    1. Re:Headphone jack and charger shenanigans? Nah... by lucm · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      That's it. Fanbois have now jumped the shark and joined the likes of Baghdad Bob.

      Apple Inc reported a surprise fall in iPhone sales for the second quarter on Tuesday, indicating that customers had held back purchases in anticipation of the 10th-anniversary edition launch of the company's most important product.

      Whoever submitted that, and whoever approved it for publishing, shame on you. This used to be a serious website.

      --
      lucm, indeed.
  2. hold off or went elsewhere? by gravewax · · Score: 2

    did customers really hold off or did they go elsewhere? I know quite a few apple phone fans and none of them ever hold off, I also know quite a few disillusioned former fans.

    1. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by dknj · · Score: 3, Insightful

      did customers really hold off or did they go elsewhere?

      D I G I T A L L O C K I N

      You bought all your videos on iTunes store, all of your music is iTunes in the cloud, and all of your photos and videos are also in iCloud. I would say half of those buying iPhones don't think there is a way out and can't fathom losing the thousands of $ they put into apple digital products

    2. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I know quite a few apple phone fans and none of them ever hold off

      This is an anecdote, to be sure, but my parents are holding off until later this year, even though they haven't heard any rumors and even though their iPhone 5s has since been surpassed by the 6, 6s, and 7 generations.

      The reason they're holding off is because their existing iPhones are simply good enough. The iPhone 5s still runs the latest OS, gets the latest patches, and runs apps nearly as well today as it did when it was first introduced in 2013. It's held up remarkably well. The fact that it was also the first 64-bit smartphone has helped to keep it on the good side of any compatibility cutoffs as well, as apps have dropped support for older architectures and devices.

      Really though, none of this is surprising. Though my dad was in a line before dawn to get the iPhone 3G on launch day, he held off two generations before upgrading to the iPhone 4, three generations to get the iPhone 5s, and now holding off four generations for whatever comes out later this year.

      All of which is to say, it has nothing to do with whatever's next, and everything to do with what they already have: something that's good enough.

    3. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      did customers really hold off or did they go elsewhere?

      Elsewhere. Apple now counts for "negative cool". Apple is everything generation Z hates about their cringey millenial parents.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    4. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My 4s is "good enough" (except for the battery life these days). I have an SE on standby.

      When was the last noteworthy new feature that made the latest iPhone a "must have"? I seriously can not forsee anything that would motivate me to upgrade in any other way than by snapping up whatever version my carrier has available for $99 or less.

      I hear that there are people who get some kind of thrill out of having the latest-greatest. I've honestly never met such a person.

    5. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's why anecdotes from Slashdot nerds don't drive Apple policy. Anyway, my parents and my wife are both waiting for the 10th anniversary. Personally I'm getting tired of Android and will consider switching if the phone looks any good.

    6. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You nailed it, never mind the other AC's comment. Many Apple users bought into the, "it's simpler than android, it just works, I don't wan't to have to put in the extra effort to learn Android. It's just money..."

      Now they're realizing how Apple isn't the greatest thing ever that will always be the greatest thing ever. If they took the time to do it, they could download all their music bought on iTunes, rip the music to discs and copy them to storage devices that would remove any DRM, then it's really "their music" to do with what they want to do with, on any platform. It won't need to be Apple. So, they bought into a corporations b.s. line of thinking and promotion, no sympathy from me, an Android user who's never ever needed to spend a dime on the internet's wares. Anything I have (and it's an awful lot) I've accumulated over the years by doing it the hard way. If Android pulled the plug on my headphone jack/USB plugs, I'd just find a device from some other company who wanted my money. Rant over, thanks for reading.

      I post AC because /. banned my account when they made the decision to force /. users to their 'new' format a couple of years ago, and I commented that I was going to check out this reddit site I'd just heard about, until then I was a loyal contributor. Kind of like Apple alienating their loyal customers.

    7. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by gravewax · · Score: 1

      Apart from apps, most people only really buy from the iTunes store which surprise surprise is actually available across platforms. photos and videos tend to be relatively small amount stored in icloud as apple have onerous size restrictions unless you pay them a fortune. So really it is only the apps that is likely to stop most and most of them are available in both android and apple.

    8. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well then they aren't really fans holding off for an anniversary edition are they? which is exactly what the summary is implying, hence this doesn't render the OP's argument invalid.

    9. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You would like for this to be true, because but it isn't. I teach at an upper-middle-class High School which is about 75% iPhone. Before, when I taught at a lower-middle-class High School, students had mostly Androids, often the $100 ones.

      I've talked about cell phone tech with students, and generally they don't even care about what's cool and "fresh." They just want whatever iPhone came out most recently. If they don't have money they get an Android. These are kids from the Silicon Valley whose parents often work in tech.

      You're some old anti-social dude in his 50s with no kids (Just presuming this from your UID # and the way you swear a lot on a technology board), how can you presume to know what is cool with generation Z?

    10. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      I can easily log into the Google Play Store using any web browser on my PC. From there, I can buy apps to install on my Android phone and tablets.

    11. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      Ummm, you're a school teacher. How can you presume to know what is cool with generation Z?

    12. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and your anecdote as an AC (just like this post) is even more worthless. Most apple users aren't even fucking aware of an anniversary edition being in the planning and I highly doubt your parents would know or be waiting for it.

    13. Re: hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I got a 7+ strictly for performance reasons. I hate waiting for things to load, and I get enough of that on my android tablet.

    14. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      heres the deal fuckstick. you don't need a play store on the windows as unlike apple google uses standard formats so your videos, movies, photos etc will sync and work fine without a custom 3rd party installs.

    15. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Karlt1 · · Score: 1

      If you bought any music since 2009, it's DRM free. You can install Google Photos and sync all of your photos and videos to Google without the 5gb restriction you have for iCloud unless you pay for more and very few people actually buy video from Apple instead of just renting it.

      And how many people actually pay for apps except for consumables in games and subscription services that they could cancel and re subscribe through the vendors site?

    16. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by MatthiasF · · Score: 0

      I still find it really funny when Apple fans repeatedly bring up the 64-bit processor ('the first introduced in a smartphone'), yet even the latest and most expensive iPhone still has only 3 GB of RAM.

      Boasting an accomplishment that has not been realized yet seems a bit silly in my opinion. I mean if Apple produced a series of smartphones with 4 GB+ to take advantage of the 64-bit register then I could understand the gloating but that has not happened yet.

    17. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For me it's hold off... For now.

      My 5S still does plenty for my needs. I skipped the 6 series because I don't want a bigger phone. I also won't buy a phone without a conventional headphone jack, so no 7 series for me.

      Even if Apple made a flagship specced model in the smaller size I prefer, I won't upgrade until I know an untethered jailbreak is available for whatever iOS version is current.

      That last bit is ending up less and less likely, so maybe my next phone won't be iOS based.

    18. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      You're reading WAY more into my comment than is actually there. If you think I was boasting when I provided an example of how my parent's phones have been able to remain relevant despite newer models coming out, I'd suggest it says more about you than me. I wasn't making a jab at whatever your mobile platform of choice is.

    19. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      The OP asked if people were leaving or holding off for a newer version. I was presenting a third possibility: that they were holding onto, rather than holding off. As I prefaced my last comment, it's an anecdote, so take it with the requisite grain of salt and move along. I wasn't arguing anything, other than that there may be more possibilities at play than the summary and OP listed.

    20. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      Touch ID is a killer feature for some (5 or 5s?). And a few people really like Apple Pay (6 and up). There was Portrait mode thanks to the dual cameras on the 7 Plus. But yeah, otherwise (and in all seriousness), mostly incremental improvements these last few generations. The 7 in particular was somewhat underwhelming.

    21. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by zedaroca · · Score: 1

      This is a downvote fix... sorry.

    22. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      why would they need a play store on windows? unlike apple you don't need a buggy pile of shit installed to be able to access and manage your Android device

    23. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "only 3 GB of RAM" it's a problem but only for Android users. Even with only 2 GB the SE outperforms Android smartphones with 3 and 4 GB of RAM.

    24. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same as usual. Once the new iThing is released, the fans, zealots and Apple cultists all rush out to get the new versions to show their friends how dedicated they are, and to ensure they're not the poorer member of the fan club. As the rush subsides like goes on as normal until the next feeding frenzy around the end of Q3 when the hype wagon goes into overdrive again.

      Forget comparing quarters with Apple, just look at the annual sales. There's a very good chance they are remarkably solid and show no sign of losing the fan base.

    25. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I still find it really funny when Apple fans repeatedly bring up the 64-bit processor ('the first introduced in a smartphone'), yet even the latest and most expensive iPhone still has only 3 GB of RAM.

      Boasting an accomplishment that has not been realized yet seems a bit silly in my opinion. I mean if Apple produced a series of smartphones with 4 GB+ to take advantage of the 64-bit register then I could understand the gloating but that has not happened yet.

      64-bit is not just about RAM. If it was, Intel wouldn't sell processors that could run 64-bit OSes, but were limited to 2GB of RAM tops.

      Specifically, in ARM, AArch64 is much more efficient than AArch32. ARMv8 in 32 bit more is only about 10% faster than an ARMv7. However, AArch64 code on ARMv8 can run literally 100% faster because the 64-bit more is much more optimized for today's superscalar long pipeline CPU architectures.

      (And most Androids with 64-bit CPUs have less than 4GB of RAM, too).

      In ARM case, 64-bit mode is much faster than 32-bit mode. It turns out things that made ARM great, like conditional instruction execution, also hold it back (it's very hard to do conditional execution in longer pipelined superscalar architectures because by the time you can find out the result, you've done' 90% of the work in fetching operands, decoding, selecting registers, etc). A lot of other legacy cruft has also been removed.

      Basically, 64-bit is for speed. It's why Apple claimed the 5S (first iPhone to introduce the 64-bit processor) was 100% faster than the 5 - because AArch64 and ARMv8 was that much faster due to architectural improvements.

    26. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I'm not going to replace my iPhone with an $800 Android one because I spent $10 in apps."

      Sure. That's why people keep buying iPhones. It's the only possible reason.

    27. Re: hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've got my still good enough 4S battery changed two months ago on nearby downtown small shop. Took just 15 minutes and 29 euros. Now it's just like brand new. I have so much other gear at home, car and office that phone doesn't have to be all inclusive highest ever performing device. It is just a phone in pocket for occasional calls, navigation and messaging. I'm considering SE also next as other models are bit too large to keep in pocket.

    28. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I didn't know that Apple's been DRMless since 2009, that's good, music bought can stay bought instead of 'leased'. Apple's going the 64 route has made many apps people have paid for unusable, I guess they're s.o.l. unless the developer updates their app. That'd piss me off, at least with Android there's always another alternative way to get what I want for 'free'. I am cheap/frugal, and never saw the sense of paying $900 for a device that costs just $200 to make. Companies need to make a profit, but that's just insane, to my senses anyway. (I've seen too many people living with badly cracked Apple screens for over a year because they can't afford to just go get another one. (Disposable tech like a phone shouldn't put you in a financial hole.) I long ago learned the difference between my 'wants' and my 'needs'.

      (I had to bring myself up to speed on "Alphabet") No, I don't trust, and what company can anyone actually trust to do right by buyers nowadays? IMO, it's all a crap shoot, Android's just always seemed to me to be the "best bang for my buck". I'm a little guy who gets to enjoy my ripped music/movies/emulators and old school video games, online backup in case my other hard backup methods ever fail. If all the big companies shut down tomorrow I'd still be able to live my life. My info gets sold with Android, that I'm the product is understood, I'm not getting targeted ads, and I wouldn't buy if I were. If I need something I can figure out how to get it.

      I do what I can to keep as small a footprint as possible. My older $80 MotoG3 has served my needs for over a year now, a $10 Otterbox case has kept it in perfect shape after multiple drops that would have destroyed a more expensive high end phone. If I lose it it's not a big hit to my wallet. Fortunately my little life on spaceship Earth is not going to be greatly affected if this tech goes away, you and I lived our lives long before today's tech, we'd be okay if it all went away, younger generations might be devastated if the internet suddenly ended. Modern tech is nice, but it's not what matters in life, ensuring the people in my life are okay is what's truly important. I hope you have a great day. :)

    29. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      No, I don't trust, and what company can anyone actually trust to do right by buyers nowadays? IMO, it's all a crap shoot, Android's just always seemed to me to be the "best bang for my buck"

      There are different degrees of trust. Having worked with both the iOS and Android security teams and with colleagues tracking vulnerabilities in mobile platforms, I treat my Android phone as something that comes pre-compromised: I don't trust it with any sensitive data and it doesn't get any of my passwords and definitely won't be used for Internet banking. In contrast, I'm perfectly happy to use my iPad for all of these things.

      In terms of lock-in, both Apple and Alphabet have an interest in keeping me on the platform, and if I buy anything from either of their app stores then I'll treat it as a disposable purchase (i.e. when I calculate the value to me, I'll assume it might stop working at any point). My phone has a bunch of open source things installed via F-Droid to avoid this.

      In terms of data harvesting, Apple tries to avoid knowing too much about me because they don't want to deal with legal issues, whereas Alphabet makes 95+% of its revenue from advertising and so wants to harvest as much from me as possible. As a result, I'm happy to use the built-in web browser and mail client on my iPad, but installed Firefox and K9 on my phone (before I stopped using the phone for email).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    30. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      64-bit on iOS makes a big difference with Objective-C, because you can now embed the reference count in the high bits of the class pointer and can also embed a lot more small objects directly in object pointers. AArch64 is designed from scratch as a compiler target, whereas AArch32 has a lot of legacy that was intended for assembly programmers, some of which is hard to use from a compiler and some of which is really hard to implement efficiently on modern pipelines (say 'store multiple' or 'muldiple-wdith floating point registers' to an ARM microarchitect and watch their face sometime - it's entertaining).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    31. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, you're preaching to the converted here. All my android devices have been hacked. Long story short, friends and family were overly "concerned" about my welfare. One is an ex-girlfriend/fiance who came into a large medical settlement, the other is a sibling who works for a 3 letter agency in a job that is never discussed. Some years before MS bought Skype I suggested we could Skype via my tablet, said family member refused because "Skype isn't secure". That person knew years before it was common knowledge, long before Snowden's revelations.

      'Forced BlueTooth hacks' were one method, I'm sure any device with bluetooth can be hacked, including Apple equipment. Once while using the wifi in a house where I rented a room I was composing an email on my tablet to a sister about all that was going on in my life the words, "can't you just wait" appeared in the active body of text, so I was being monitored in real time. I was targeted. I'm sure any internet connected device is just as vulnerable as android, all it takes is some Radio Shack parts, a laptop, some hacking software easily found and bought off the darkweb, and the knowledge. If someone specifically wants into your devices they can get in.

    32. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I still find it really funny when Apple fans repeatedly bring up the 64-bit processor ('the first introduced in a smartphone'), yet even the latest and most expensive iPhone still has only 3 GB of RAM. Boasting an accomplishment that has not been realized yet seems a bit silly in my opinion. I mean if Apple produced a series of smartphones with 4 GB+ to take advantage of the 64-bit register then I could understand the gloating but that has not happened yet.

      Yeah, isn't it funny how the Fandroids always bring up the small memory of iPhones, when real life tests show how crappy memory management on Android phones is. Just look at round 2 of this speed test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX4JucpvbJM

      As for what advantages Apple gets from 64 bits, here's a >3.5 year old article exactly explaining it that even a Fandroid can understand. https://www.mikeash.com/pyblog/friday-qa-2013-09-27-arm64-and-you.html

    33. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "only 3 GB of RAM" it's a problem but only for Android users. Even with only 2 GB the SE outperforms Android smartphones with 3 and 4 GB of RAM.

      How does it outperform? I have a cheaper Android smartphone, and I don't notice any delay while browsing the web, reading email, or running apps.

      What additional performance could I expect with an iPhone?

    34. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy shit, they own my photos and videos? oh wait . . . they don't.

    35. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've got a 7plus but I kept my 5s and put in a prepaid sim to take with me cycling (7plus is way too big for that)

      The 5s.. Does everything the 7plus does. 7plus is just bigger, faster, has a better camera, and has some extra usability features. (I like lift to wake and hey siri a lot more than I thought I would. Also like having a big screen because, lets face it, it's a mobile computer and screen real-estate is always good)

      5s has the 64bit processor and touch ID.. Really the cornerstones of what iOS devices need. (Two factor auth for payment services and the 64bit support that will keep it from being retired when 32bit is EOLd)

      This two phone setup has worked pretty damn good for me too. They both use the same apple ID so everything is available on both. I take a lot of photos on bike rides (Its a good way to get out of the house and in to the country) and the 5s syncs up automatically whenever its back in wifi range. The 5s lets me sync fitness and ride data with my cycling computer (Garmn, Strava) and keep in touch when I'm out and about.

      Can't think of why I'd want to upgrade the 5s anytime soon. I doubt there's much of a market for a small phone with a really really good camera and that's the only thing that would tempt me.

    36. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by MatthiasF · · Score: 1

      A video made by a Pro-Apple Youtube channel. Yes, quite definitive, note heavy sarcasm.

      As far as the 64-bit explanation page you linked, it told me much of what I already knew and supports my position. To quote from your link:

      "The simple fact of moving to 64-bit does little. It makes for slightly faster computations in some cases, somewhat higher memory usage for most programs, and makes certain programming techniques more viable. Overall, it's not hugely significant."

      Did you even read it? Doubt it.

    37. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by MatthiasF · · Score: 1

      Intel sells 64-bit CPUs for limited RAM systems for continuity of code, not because the 64-bit would run the code better.

      As far as the 100% faster bit, you're absolutely full of it. The most seen from the change was 28% in benchmark comparisons and most of that was attributed simply from improvements generation-over-generation in the silicon and not the bit rate change. Here's a comparison between the architectures when used by the Raspberry Pi tick:

      http://www.cnx-software.com/20...

      Provide a citation proving your position, because I cannot find any data supporting your statements.

    38. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by MatthiasF · · Score: 1

      You're spewing psuedo-tech speech for tagged pointers, which have been around in other operating systems and architectures for nearly thirty years. It's not novel and it certainly isn't that big a break through for a smart phone. Typical trumped up Apple developer non-sense.

    39. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1
      Of course it's not new - the Lisp machines were doing it decades ago, and I never implied that it was. I don't like to use the term tagged pointer in this regard, because that's a massively overloaded term and originated with the kind of tagged pointers that exist on the architecture that I work on.

      However, with 64 bits, you have a lot more space to use for values and you have a lot more bits to use for tags. The top 16 bits are unused for address translation, and so can be used to store other information in any valid pointer. 64-bit JavaScript implementations often use this, because those bits are also used for NaN flags in a double, so you can use an invalid NaN pattern to indicate that the low 48 bits are a pointer. Apple's Objective-C implementation uses these bits in the isa pointer of objects to hold the reference count. This shrinks objects and makes reference counting easier. They also adopted a trick that I added to the GNUstep implementation a few years earlier: storing short strings in tagged pointers. It turns out that in desktop applications, strings that are shorter than 7 7-bits of ASCII characters account for 5-20% of all object allocations (path components, keys in dictionaries and so on) and you can conveniently fit these in a 64-bit pointer. When these are used as keys in dictionaries, you also get a cheaper search, as you can use pointer equality rather than invoking an equality method to check for equality.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    40. Re:hold off or went elsewhere? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A video made by a Pro-Android Youtube channel. Yes, quite definitive, note heavy sarcasm.

      FTFY asshole. Too bad you are too dumb to see the reality.

  3. Apple vs Android - apple in for a shock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Though, this isn't news, or even news for nerds for that matter. It's just a bit obvious what's happening because apple didn't innovate enough (and people are realising what walled gardens are).

    Don't get me wrong, the iPhone is better than Windows phone, but Android is a lot more open and configurable. And there is a *lot* more choice on the type of device as well.

    1. Re:Apple vs Android - apple in for a shock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can't see how an iphone is better than a Windows Phone? If you're referring to apps sure, however the operating system and capabilities are far superior.

    2. Re:Apple vs Android - apple in for a shock by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 2

      Have you ever used a Windows Phone?

      I have run iOS, Windows Phone 8, and Android. I presently use some Android devices. Windows Phone as an operating device was really nice, I would rate it above Android. There just aren't any apps for it and never will be. WP8 has a nice snappy interface, even on the low-end Nokia that I used.

    3. Re:Apple vs Android - apple in for a shock by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Can't see how an iphone is better than a Windows Phone? If you're referring to apps sure, however the operating system and capabilities are far superior.

      I have a windows phone and it's a fine piece of hardware, no real complaints I can come up with. Apps on the other hand are seriously lacking and like it or not it's the apps that make the difference.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  4. What is this trash? by Jack9 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Marketing spin is not news. Stop parroting Reuters.

    --

    Often wrong but never in doubt.
    I am Jack9.
    Everyone knows me.
    1. Re:What is this trash? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because you don't agree with it, it's not news?

    2. Re:What is this trash? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Marketing spin is not news.

      What is not news about the richest company in the known universe missing big?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    3. Re:What is this trash? by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Marketing spin is not news.

      What is not news about the richest company in the known universe missing big?

      Missing big? When they 'only' sold 50.76m instead of the 52.27m predicted? Please excuse me while I go find the worlds smallest violin.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    4. Re:What is this trash? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Missing big? When they 'only' sold 50.76m instead of the 52.27m predicted?

      Down 2% instantly, for good reason. If you bet on AAPL yesterday, today you are broke. Suggest you learn about finance :)

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    5. Re: What is this trash? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Aweeeeee so sorry fanboi!

      Do you need to punch someone so you can feewl better?

    6. Re:What is this trash? by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Missing big? When they 'only' sold 50.76m instead of the 52.27m predicted?

      Down 2% instantly, for good reason. If you bet on AAPL yesterday, today you are broke. Suggest you learn about finance :)

      Maybe you should learn about gambling.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    7. Re:What is this trash? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Agree that relying on Apple in any way is gambling.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    8. Re:What is this trash? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Marketing spin is not news.

      What is not news about the richest company in the known universe missing big?

      If you wanted to channel Trump, it's spelled "bigly". If you just want to be wrong, that's perfectly fine.

  5. 10th anniversary? by fred6666 · · Score: 2

    I know quite a lot of Apple fanboys and none of them ever said they were holding off for the 10th anniversary iPhone. Nothing special is expected, it will be better than the 9th, worse than the 11th.

    Apple probably lost many sales to Android manufacturers, however.

    1. Re:10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And yet captures nearly all smartphone profits. The other OEMs are just making phones, not profits.

      Let that sink in for a while.

    2. Re:10th anniversary? by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 2

      As a buyer, that means I am paying a large bounty to the manufacturer if I buy an Apple Phone.

      Not that many of us here are cellphone producers. Most of us are buyers.

      When that has sunk in for a while, well....

    3. Re:10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yep, they significantly overcharge more than any other OEM, nothing suprising there, well within their rights to charge whatever they like even if it is way over the value of the device.

    4. Re: 10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The fanboys may not be holding off, but the less informed may be. I've heard several people debating whether to get a 7, or wait for the 10th anniversary because "omg 10 years clearly its going to have even more magic inside!"

    5. Re: 10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      magic outside, like special courageous dongles to connect a SIM card. After all those cards are too damn bulky.

    6. Re:10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Other OEMs are making advancements in tech while apple sits on their profits in offshore accounts.

      Thats what should be sinking into apple shills.

    7. Re:10th anniversary? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 0, Troll

      Manufacturer profit doesn't necessarily translate to bad value for you. Apple has a much more limited lineup, which gives them better economies of scale than most other manufacturers. Their SoC design is in-house, which also helps with the margins (for almost anyone else except Samsung, the profit on the SoC is counted to a different company, and even for Samsung is to a different business unit and so doesn't count as profit on the handset). They have also been using that cash surplus to buy factories to make flash for their suppliers, in exchange for deep discounts for the first few years, so they are paying less for flash chips than their competitors. Most companies would find it difficult to make something equivalent to the iPhone for the retail price of the iPhone.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    8. Re:10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Other OEMs are making advancements in tech while apple sits on their profits in offshore accounts.

      Thats what should be sinking into apple shills.

      Yeah, when will they realize Apple is behind in the exploding battery tech. And in the half-of-my-video-is-displayed-on-the-back-of-my-phone tech.

    9. Re: 10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      magic outside, like special courageous dongles to connect a SIM card. After all those cards are too damn bulky.

      Nope - true magic outside comes from Swarovski crystals.

    10. Re:10th anniversary? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      apple is behind in all tech. But when they figure it out im sure they will do exploding batteries right. Its not like they are not trying.

  6. They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by sethmeisterg · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Only jagoff financial "analysts" can spin this as bad news. That's a massive number of new devices sold, and that's WITH people holding back for the 10th anniversary iPhone. If they don't raise Jesus from the dead each quarter they're panned. What horseshit.

  7. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by rogoshen1 · · Score: 1

    Are you implying that the stock market is something other than legalized gambling requiring ever expanding growth (and nothing more?)

  8. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    Who is holding back for the 10th Anniversary phone?

    What value is there in waiting?

    I mean, we need to see some real reasons cited as to why these mythical customers are 'waiting.'

  9. Meh. by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 2

    My iPhone 5S works fine, does what I want, serves its purpose. The only thing I want is more realestate, which will maybe drive me to an iPhone 6-something when I feel the price point is right (soon). I like my iPhone, so I will not be getting an Android. But I'm not going to spend a fortune on The Latest and Greatest a long as what I have works. It's a phone, not the center of my world, so I'm fine both sticking with Apple and being a few years behind the bleeding edge.

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    1. Re: Meh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Guy who says "meh" + guy who names himself "frosty piss" / guy who is satisfied with his 5s = DOUCHE BAG. Don't get offended Frosty, it's math. It's never wrong. Just checking - do you drive a 15 year old Subaru without a/c?

    2. Re: Meh. by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 3, Funny

      Guy who says "meh" + guy who names himself "frosty piss" / guy who is satisfied with his 5s = DOUCHE BAG. Don't get offended Frosty, it's math. It's never wrong. Just checking - do you drive a 15 year old Subaru without a/c?

      Worse. I drive a Tarus wagon.

      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    3. Re: Meh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I approve. I completely approve.

    4. Re: Meh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I had a Taurus sedan, loved it, it worked great until the engine seized up, got a better vehicle the same day and never looked back.

    5. Re:Meh. by lazarus · · Score: 1

      Suggestion: Go with 6+ not 7+. I've had both and preferred the 6+. Battery life seemed to last almost forever. Disappointing battery life in the 7+ I think because they've ratcheted up the speed (which seems mostly unnecessary for regular use). Even turning all the junk off doesn't seem to help.

      The 6+ is an awesome phone.

      --
      I am not interested in articles about life extension advancements.
  10. Analysts fail to predict future, again by radarskiy · · Score: 1

    But since they face no consequences, they have no incentive to improve.

    1. Re:Analysts fail to predict future, again by WheezyJoe · · Score: 1

      since they face no consequences

      They face no consequences unless they post copy (write something). True? Untrue? Don't matter. Tomorrow's another day. Business journalism. Pays bills.

      In other news, Apple has $250 Billion sitting around in cash, in spite of spending on a completely insane spaceship headquarters and still not offering a decent tower workstation. Upcoming iPhone 8 rumored to be cool.

      Whatever. Probably fit the entire Pentagon inside the courtyard of that spaceship. But if they would just take an 8-figure round-off error on that cash and give it to me, I would be ok with that.

      --
      Take it easy, Charlie, I've got an Angle...
    2. Re:Analysts fail to predict future, again by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      The people who pay the most attention to the fact that Apple has $250B laying around in cash refer to Apple as 'a gadget maker.'

      They don't care about the Mac. Almost nobody who is an Apple customer cares about the Mac anymore. Their gadget division has dwarfed their computer division.

    3. Re:Analysts fail to predict future, again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the smaller part of their business, but it's still very large.

  11. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I typically buy a new phone every couple years. I have an iPhone 6, and planned to upgrade to a 7 when it came out. It wasn't good enough to justify spending the money so I didn't get one. I am waiting for the next iPhone that comes out, and will pick it up if it has good features.

  12. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

    Trying to get that number to sink deep down in, I really am, but it's just not happening. Citizens of the world buy more than a billion Android phones a year now. By that yardstick, it is hard to get all slack jawed about Apple's numbers.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  13. Welcome to the world, USA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Android beats Apple in most countries -- except those with more money and specially the ones that speak English. The iPhone is a too expensive proposal for the not-so-rich ones.

    Or, put in another way, it's cheaper to get novelties from Android than from Apple. And *everyone* wants the last fad in phones. Only a few (like me) are perfectly happy with a 3~4 years old device.

    That said, the USA is generally more open to new things than other countries. It's amazing to see that Linux has greater penetration in the US than in a lot of poorer countries (even more so given Microsoft is American).

    In fact, IMHO it's quite dismaying to see poor countries using Windows instead of Linux. Don't they see piracy can be more expensive than free-as-in-freedom?

  14. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by knorthern+knight · · Score: 2

    >Trying to get that number to sink deep down in, I really am, but it's just not happening.

    Apple gets just about all the industry's profits... http://www.reuters.com/article...

    > For the second quarter, the company's net income rose to $11.03 billion, or
    > $2.10 per share, compared with $10.52 billion, or $1.90 per share, a year earlier.

    And, oh yeah, Apple now has a quarter of a ***TRILLION*** dollars of cash.

    Try to get that to sink in.

    > Citizens of the world buy more than a billion Android phones a year now.

    "Losing money on every sale, but making up for it in volume" does not get you a quarter of a trillion in the bank. The goal of a business is to make a profit, and Apple is doing that very nicely, thank you. I am not an Apple fanboi, and do not own any Apple products. I have Dell PCs and a Samsung tablet at home, so I'm neutral here.

    --

    I'm not repeating myself
    I'm an X window user; I'm an ex-Windows user
  15. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    That doesn't translate 'waiting for the 10th Anniversary Phone.' That translates 'waiting to see if there is anything good coming.'

  16. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    This is a nerd site. Not a shareholder or financial site.

    If this wasn't a nerd site, we would probably all love Larry Ellisison and Oracle. He is fabulously rich and got that way selling software. Instead nerds consider Ellison to be a blight on the technology industry.

    There isn't the same consensus regarding Apple at this time, but citing 'huge amounts of money made' isn't going to impress Slashdotters. That isn't really the measure of success in nerd culture.

  17. Avoiding dongles? by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

    Maybe it's due to the stupid need for a dongle to listen to music? I have an iPhone 7 and the need to have a dongle is nuts. I don't use Apple's earbuds since my ears aren't compatible. Maybe 2016 was the year of the dongle? Hopefully Apple comes to their senses in 2017?

    --
    Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    1. Re: Avoiding dongles? by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      You know any Bluetooth audio device works with an iphone 7, right?

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    2. Re: Avoiding dongles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you know most people don't want to be reliant on headphone batteries right?

    3. Re: Avoiding dongles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know most people only need the batteries to last long enough to take a selfie?

    4. Re: Avoiding dongles? by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

      I am fully aware, though beyond the need to charge yet another device there is typically at least an $80 price difference between the wired and wireless equivalents.

      --
      Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    5. Re: Avoiding dongles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you know most people don't want to be reliant on headphone batteries right?

      As opposed to people who want to charge a phone, while listening to music on their headphones, while on the go, while trying to find an excuse why Apple sux.

    6. Re: Avoiding dongles? by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Moving the goalposts is fun.

      "I don't want a dongle to listen to music" quickly becomes something else when it's discovered that you don't actually have to have a dongle to listen to music. Amazing!

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    7. Re: Avoiding dongles? by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Okay, but that's moving the goalposts. A dongle is not required to listen to music. Bluetooth may not be an adequate solution for you for several legitimate reasons (audio quality, battery, etc.) but saying that the phone requires a dongle to listen to music is pure FUD, and I think you know that.

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
  18. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Karlt1 · · Score: 1

    Yes because Slashdot users are the market makers....

    https://slashdot.org/story/01/...

  19. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  20. Re: They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    shhhh, without illegal gambling capitalism would be just a glorified Stone age slavery.

  21. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    apple worshippers heads are porous to any tech that isnt about apple. They are pretty ignorant to the rest of the tech world. Those walled garden walls are high.

  22. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Id say apple and Ellison are both a blight on tech.

  23. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Tough+Love · · Score: 0

    Apple gets just about all the industry's profits...

    That tired old lie is getting tired and old. It depends on a credulous listener overlooking the fact that there are thousands of companies involved in the Android ecosystem, from lithography equipment vendors to front line salespeople, all making money on Android. The sum total dwarves Apple's income by a factor of, oh, roughly 5 and growing. Which is the rapidly growing total amount spent on Android phones compared to the shrinking total spent on Apple phones.

    Tired old lies. Tired old liars. The more down Apple goes, the more up will go the lying. Courage, yeah, that's what it takes, it's courage. Not cynicism at all, no, it's courage.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  24. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

    ...He is fabulously rich and got that way selling software. Instead nerds consider Ellison to be a blight on the technology industry. There isn't the blah blah, and blah and blah...

    Spoken well and truly as someone who has never had to wallow in crappy Oracle applications and buttfucking Oracle license fees or be the target of Oracle's legal trolling.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  25. nothing about the headphone jack??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm still on an iPhone 6s+ because I use my headphone jack, a LOT! I like the old style apple earbuds, they are comfortable in my ears (I'm talking the iphone 3/4 style buds) and don't like the newer ones. I buy cheap copies on ebay when I tear them up.

    I've had bluetooth head sets and carry one in my laptop bag, but it's not comfortable and I'm always worried about battery life. Airpods? No thanks, can't get the battery life out of them that I need.

    If they don't bring back the headphone jack, I'm going to have to choose an adapter or an android. I've been an iPhone user since version 3 and have upgraded every model until the 7...

  26. Re: They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    So apple customers are suckers who got taken by very effective marketing. For all viral marketing, my wife just replaced her 6c with a Samsung. And, magically, the Samsung phone just works. She installed the half dozen apps she wants, and the 10 year old did something to make the keyboard a swipe one, and yesterday, in about 4 hours, it became better than the iPhone it replaced. Oh, and the battery lasts longer and I saved $200.

  27. iPhone almost a mature product now by steve90 · · Score: 1

    I have an iPhone 6 and it still runs perfectly, battery life still good, runs latest version of iOS etc. I am not going to replace it unless it breaks or becomes unusable - it was an expensive phone when new. There must be huge numbers of people in a similar position. It is a pretty small group of people that need or want the absolute latest and greatest.

  28. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

    Apple gets just about all the industry's profits...

    That tired old lie is getting tired and old. It depends on a credulous listener overlooking the fact that there are thousands of companies involved in the Android ecosystem, from lithography equipment vendors to front line salespeople, all making money on Android. The sum total dwarves Apple's income by a factor of, oh, roughly 5 and growing. Which is the rapidly growing total amount spent on Android phones compared to the shrinking total spent on Apple phones.

    Tired old lies. Tired old liars. The more down Apple goes, the more up will go the lying. Courage, yeah, that's what it takes, it's courage. Not cynicism at all, no, it's courage.

    There we have it: basically all the modern Apple cultist can manage is courage to downmod. Sucks to be you.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  29. Re:They sold 50 MILLION phones. Let that sink in. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There we have it: basically all the modern Apple cultist can manage is courage to downmod. Sucks to be you.

    Says the down-modded lunatic without an factual argument.