Apple sells 5.5M Macs in Q3 2014, destroys previous record without major product changes
In its quarterly fiscal report for the fourth quarter of 2014 released on Monday, Apple sold more than 5.5 million Macs without colorably adding to the lineup aside from yearly product refreshes and the introduction of price cuts on key devices.
The Cupertino, Calif., company reported Mac sales of 5,520,000 units for the September quarter, a major increase over its previous record-setting quarter in 2011, which saw 4.9 million Macs moved.
The huge numbers are likely a result of price cuts to key products, including $100 to $350 in savings on the popular MacBook Pro lineup in August. Prices were also slashed for the MacBook Air, which in April was priced at $899 for the first time ever.
That marks a new all-time low price point for Apple's notebooks, coinciding with a $200 price cut to the low-end iMac that brought the all-in-one's base model to $1,099.
Consumers in emerging markets have responded particularly aggressively, with Apple CFO Luca Maestri telling analysts that Mac sales grew some 46 percent in the quarter. Sales have increased so significantly that Apple's overall PC marketshare has exploded, with CEO Tim Cook adding that Mac marketshare is at its highest point since 1995.
That is borne out by data from market research firm IDC, which moved Apple into the top 5 global PC makers in its most recent report. The gain is especially impressive given that even the $899 MacBook Air is nearly $600 more expensive than the average Wintel PC.a
The Cupertino, Calif., company reported Mac sales of 5,520,000 units for the September quarter, a major increase over its previous record-setting quarter in 2011, which saw 4.9 million Macs moved.
The huge numbers are likely a result of price cuts to key products, including $100 to $350 in savings on the popular MacBook Pro lineup in August. Prices were also slashed for the MacBook Air, which in April was priced at $899 for the first time ever.
That marks a new all-time low price point for Apple's notebooks, coinciding with a $200 price cut to the low-end iMac that brought the all-in-one's base model to $1,099.
Consumers in emerging markets have responded particularly aggressively, with Apple CFO Luca Maestri telling analysts that Mac sales grew some 46 percent in the quarter. Sales have increased so significantly that Apple's overall PC marketshare has exploded, with CEO Tim Cook adding that Mac marketshare is at its highest point since 1995.
That is borne out by data from market research firm IDC, which moved Apple into the top 5 global PC makers in its most recent report. The gain is especially impressive given that even the $899 MacBook Air is nearly $600 more expensive than the average Wintel PC.a
Comments
They make me wary, setting an artificial 'pace' that Apple 'must' meet.
They make me wary, setting an artificial 'pace' that Apple 'must' meet.
Yep, this is just setting the table for another short-fest manipulation scheme.
Record Macbook sales from people replacing their old MacBooks with failing AMD GPUS.
/sarcasm
These higher sales numbers are not surprising. It seems Apple has managed to lower prices by cutting out middle price tier products.
For example, I waited quite a while considering whether or not to get a Mac for the family to see what ? might have planned for the Mac mini this year. Despite all the griping over the gimped specs, the $499 entry price is very appealing.
(There's also an annoying gap between the gimped $99 Airport Express and Airport Extreme. I don't want to spend $199 on the Extreme, but that's my problem, not Apple's. I could buy a different brand.)
I simply need a living room Mac to act as a media and file server; I don't have the space or need for an additional living room monitor, otherwise I'd go for the entry-level iMac that "everyone" hates.
The price drops on Macs and OS X improvements were major product changes.
Just not in the way anyone really expected.
Doing vertical development *right* = a superior product. And you can happily charge for it.
So that's it, it's over? The only personal computers for sale are made by Apple?
Why do you act so stupid?
So that's it, it's over? The only personal computers for sale are made by Apple?
While that claim is obviously exaggerated, the real question is exactly how is the PC market going to ever come out of its current structure? Everything is a race to the bottom, and none of the established vendors have been able to deliver a product to market that entices consumers to pay a premium. When it comes to profit, the PC wars may very well be over.
Why do you act so stupid?
Yet again you spam the forum with insults and bring nothing of value to the table.
Don't you ever tire of being such a worthless jerk?
Competing businesses are not at 'war' with each other. I've never liked that word thrown around lightly. I'm sure if you had experienced the realities of war first hand you'd agree with me.