Apple's Lion drives 26% rise in Mac sales during July
The release of new MacBook Airs and the Mac OS X Lion operating system last month helped spur double-digit growth for Apple, which is now estimated to sell a record 4.5 million systems during the ongoing September quarter.
Preliminary figures for the PC sales released by market research firm NPD on Monday indicate that sales of Macs in the United States rose 26% year-over-year in July, which puts the Mac maker on a pace to meet consensus estimates of 4.5 million total sales for the three-month period ending September.
Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray, attributed the rise to new Mac products but warned that it will be more challenging for Apple to maintain such growth throughout the quarter, as the company saw 29% and 20% respective growth rates during August and September of 2010, compared to July's 14%.
"We believe Mac sales benefited from the 7/20 launch of OS X Lion along with refreshed MacBook Airs and Mac minis," he said. "But these tailwinds will fade throughout the September quarter and year-over-year compares get slightly tougher in the last two months of the quarter."
Performing his own extrapolation and analysis of the NPD data, Munster estimates that Apple is pacing to sell 4.4 million to 4.6 million Macs during the September quarter -- both of which would represent a quarterly best.
Meanwhile, Munster noted that sales of iPods during the month of July fell just 15%, which was better than the 24% he had been modeling. He said the figures suggest Apple's quarterly iPod sales will fall to just 7.2 to 7.7 million for the quarter.
Preliminary figures for the PC sales released by market research firm NPD on Monday indicate that sales of Macs in the United States rose 26% year-over-year in July, which puts the Mac maker on a pace to meet consensus estimates of 4.5 million total sales for the three-month period ending September.
Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray, attributed the rise to new Mac products but warned that it will be more challenging for Apple to maintain such growth throughout the quarter, as the company saw 29% and 20% respective growth rates during August and September of 2010, compared to July's 14%.
"We believe Mac sales benefited from the 7/20 launch of OS X Lion along with refreshed MacBook Airs and Mac minis," he said. "But these tailwinds will fade throughout the September quarter and year-over-year compares get slightly tougher in the last two months of the quarter."
Performing his own extrapolation and analysis of the NPD data, Munster estimates that Apple is pacing to sell 4.4 million to 4.6 million Macs during the September quarter -- both of which would represent a quarterly best.
Meanwhile, Munster noted that sales of iPods during the month of July fell just 15%, which was better than the 24% he had been modeling. He said the figures suggest Apple's quarterly iPod sales will fall to just 7.2 to 7.7 million for the quarter.
Comments
How come Apple can be profitable with PC's? Just goes to show that the race to the bottom caused by determination to drop prices is not the key to longterm success.
Actually, it's because everyone was trying to snap up Snow Leopard machines before they were forced to use the horrible Lion. Disastrous Address Book and iCal, anyone? Thank God for BusyCal, but there are no viable Address Book alternatives.
lul.
I can honestly say that the new UI for iCal and address book aren't as much as a problem as people seem to making it out to believe. I actually like the iCal UI, it's nice to see something different. I never really use Address Book on OS X, so I can't comment on that.
However, I’m using it anyway: I got a new Air. And I must admit, quirks and all, Lion still SO much better than Snow Leopard (or Windows).
I have no problem with any of the “scary changes”—they don’t take long to adjust to, and you can’t have improvement without change. Just fix the bugs and you’ve got something great!
(I haven’t tried 10.7.1--I don’t like to jump on OS updates early--so I’m sure Lion is somewhat better now.)
Actually, it's because everyone was trying to snap up Snow Leopard machines before they were forced to use the horrible Lion. Disastrous Address Book and iCal, anyone? Thank God for BusyCal, but there are no viable Address Book alternatives.
cum on...there is nothing particularly wrong with lion. The whole hate against it is just because apple is popular now so trolls can finally get thumbs up for hating on apple products. If you don't like the new features, don't use them. Improved performance on newer macs and security beyond that of windows makes a 30 dollar OS more than an upgrade...
Now Lion Server is the exact opposite. It broke almost everything that was working well in the Snow Leopard server. It has to be the worse server OS release I have ever seen...... I hope it will get better, but right now it is almost useless...
HP shareholders must be weeping into their losses.
How come Apple can be profitable with PC's? Just goes to show that the race to the bottom caused by determination to drop prices is not the key to longterm success.
I'd argue in answer to your first question, indeed have been with some on AI, that Apple was never even part of there 'PC' model. The PC era is in its sunset year but Macs are just getting started.
Just like Windows when it adds more and more functionality, certain functions will take longer and more cpu and ram will be required.
A couple of more major updates and the MAC OS will be bloated like Windows which everyone loves here
Anyway, he is so wrong here. Lion and MBA were released on July 20. The 26 percent increase probably happened in the last 10 days of the month. They probably sold 60 percent of the macs for July that last 10 days. Apple sells 5 million macs this Q.
Lion is the best computer OS I have ever used. It is fast, Stable and has a great user interface.... I can see how it is driving MAC sales....
Now Lion Server is the exact opposite. It broke almost everything that was working well in the Snow Leopard server. It has to be the worse server OS release I have ever seen...... I hope it will get better, but right now it is almost useless...
I've yet to play with Lion Server and you and many don't seem too impressed. I'm staying with SL Server for now. From what I have read it seems that Lion Server is aimed at the consumer market and perhaps points to a domestic home hub server at some point.
Actually, it's because everyone was trying to snap up Snow Leopard machines before they were forced to use the horrible Lion. Disastrous Address Book and iCal, anyone? Thank God for BusyCal, but there are no viable Address Book alternatives.
YMMV.
I found snow to be the best OS at the time, but so far lion blows it outta the water. I would say it is 90% of the way to perfection. And that on a slow 3 year old MacBook.
Just like Windows when it adds more and more functionality, certain functions will take longer and more cpu and ram will be required.
A couple of more major updates and the MAC OS will be bloated like Windows which everyone loves here
Yeah, been hearing that since 2002. It will happen right after the virus threats come true...
Not impressed with Lion...My Mac is slower than before and I don't believe I am using any of the new features. I have not upgraded the 3 other machines in the house yet.
Just like Windows when it adds more and more functionality, certain functions will take longer and more cpu and ram will be required.
A couple of more major updates and the MAC OS will be bloated like Windows which everyone loves here
Strange I saw thew opposite. I upgraded a range of Macs from the newest MBP to an old MacBook. The old MacBook seemed far more responsive with Lion for me. As to not using its new features ... that seems an odd thing if indeed truly possible (even if you try to avoid them). Why upgrade?
I'd attribute it to the new MacBook Air more than Lion per se. The 2010 model sold well during its first quarter, but slowed down a bit after the 2011 MacBook Pros came out. Now the MacBook Air is competitive again, and more compelling for many than the Pro.
Lion actually kept me from buying a new computer, and unless it changes a lot, I won't be buying a new one this fall. I don't like Lion - my productivity would go way down, as would my enjoyment of using a Mac.
Lion actually kept me from buying a new computer, and unless it changes a lot, I won't be buying a new one this fall. I don't like Lion - my productivity would go way down, as would my enjoyment of using a Mac.
Pray tell why?