This week on AI: Apple's no-good terrible quarter, a death in Cupertino, 'Apple Watch 2' rumors & m

AppleInsider

In many ways the last week of April was a negative one for Apple, with disappointing financial results, a death on campus, and word of more labor abuses at a key supplier. Rumors did emerge, however, about plans for the "iPhone 7" and a second-generation Apple Watch.

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Everything you need to know:

• Apple's Q2 revenue fell year-over-year on a major drop in iPhone sales > >
• A man was found dead at Apple's Cupertino headquarters > >
• The "Apple Watch 2" may have a built-in cellular link and faster processor > >
• AppleInsider reviewed the 2016 12-inch MacBook > >
• The "iPhone 7" might have a touch-sensitive home button > >
• Apple supplier Pegatron is still using low wages and extreme amounts of overtime labor > >
• The hack used on Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone won't be made public > >

For in-depth discussion of this week's hottest stories, listen to the AppleInsider podcast. Subscribe here, or stream the embed below:

A roundup of all of our hottest stories this week:

iPhone sales fall to 51.2M, Apple earns $50.6B in revenue in disappointing March quarter

Dead body found at Apple's Infinite Loop headquarters [ux3]

'Apple Watch 2' expected to feature cellular connectivity, faster 'S2' chip

Review: Apple's 2016 12" MacBook is a welcome improvement, but won't change any minds

Rumor: 'iPhone 7' may feature touch-sensitive home button, full water- and dust-proofing

Apple supplier Pegatron still using low pay, excessive overtime, watchdog group says

FBI says San Bernardino iPhone hack won't be submitted to review group for possible disclosure

Rumored 'iPhone 7 Plus' schematic shows dual-lens camera & Smart Connector, lacks headphone jack

ANZ is first Australian bank to support Apple Pay

Apple CareKit platform goes live with four health apps

Dead Apple employee identified as 25-year-old software engineer, report says [u]

Apple to partner with Coach on new leather Apple Watch bands, coming as soon as June

Exclusive: Apple's top secret 'Athena' chip fab gets new 'delicate equipment'

haar

 And now for a  truly facetious comment ...

well the  cliché  "Apple is DOOMED" was correct for one person at Apple.  / facetious 

kermit4krazy

haar said:

 And now for a  truly facetious comment ...

well the  cliché  "Apple is DOOMED" was correct for one person at Apple.  / facetious 

Truth be told, I do think a few heads, probably middle management, will roll over Q2's results. It was just too precipitous a drop to completely play off as a statistical anomaly. Behind the scenes some people are getting reamed. 

pmz

kermit4krazy said:

haar said:

 And now for a  truly facetious comment ...

well the  cliché  "Apple is DOOMED" was correct for one person at Apple.  / facetious 

Truth be told, I do think a few heads, probably middle management, will roll over Q2's results. It was just too precipitous a drop to completely play off as a statistical anomaly. Behind the scenes some people are getting reamed. 

Yeah thats how it works in big companies all the time. Expected results always get people in middle management reamed by doofy upper managers.

cali

Not sure why Apple is doomed because of this past quarter. iPhone SE sales started beginning this quarter so it should be another record quarter for Apple. Apple can only go up.

now if this quarter is bad then I'd worry a little.

512ke

The SE with its lower profit margins might help marginally. The iPhone 7 with its replica form factor and lack of a headphone jack might hurt instead of help. Mac sales falling. iPad sales continuing to fall. What is going to turn Apple around? A car in five years? Another version of the watch? What is going to make people upgrade to the new iPhone? Worrisome is a good word. C'mon Apple. You can do it if anybody can. Think different. But more importantly, do different.

michael_c

AppleInsider said:

In many ways the last week of April was a negative one for Apple, with disappointing financial results, a death on campus, and word of more labor abuses at a key supplier. Rumors did emerge, however, about plans for the "iPhone 7" and a second-generation Apple Watch.

Everything you need to know:

• Apple's Q2 revenue fell year-over-year on a major drop in iPhone sales > >

It may have been a disappointing quarter, but was it a signal interest in iPhones has waned?  I see the sales for the last two quarters maintaining steady growth after an unusual year with the iPhone 6 sales.  Even if you ignore the impact on this years sales (6s family) by those who purchased earlier than their normal cycle, growth continued in line with what we've seen since 2012.  Last years historic sales was extraordinary, and should be treated as a statistical outlier data point.

The disappointment came with unrealistic expectations, not with iPhone sales performance..