gregg thurman

"What the percentages do not account for, and Localytics points out, is the growth in the iPhone user base over time. While the iPhone 6 saw the highest percentage of users in the first active week of use in 2014, there was a groundswell of users upgrading to the first larger form-factor iPhones produced —and a smaller amount of total users than there are now."

Impact of percentage comparisons based on installed base at different points in time.

iPhone 6/6 Plus first week share = 2.3% of installed base (387 million units), ergo - 8.901 million iPhone6/6 Plus units
iPhone 8/8 Plus, iPhone X first week share = 1.63% of installed base (762 million units), ergo - 12.420 million iPhone 8/8 Plus/ iPhone X units

king editor the grate said:

How can the watch's sensors measure blood pressure? Surely some constricting cuff has to be involved?

There are no physical cuffs involved.  Apple is using an algorithm that measures the time from heart beat until the blood pulse is sensed, by watch sensors, to determine pressure.  This has been done previously by others.  However, their efforts were hampered by the accuracy of their algorithm and lack of sufficient data points to increase accuracy, not to mention bulkiness of the device.  Think AI and ML possibilities when you think of the Apple Watches' future.

Apple will be using AI/ML of the individual pulse. etc. to improve accuracy.  FDA approval for this as a medical device will probably take several years.  In the interim it can be used as a tool to alert the user to see a medical professional.  This feature is one of several Apple is working on that caused Aetna Insurance to give an Apple Watch to each of its 50,000 employees, with future plans to give an Apple Watch to each of its health insureds.

Aetna's employee Apple Watch program has resulted in a significant improvement in employee health (just as it did for Apple employees).  I can see the day when insurers and Medicare provide heavily discounted Apple Watches to their insureds.  Watch out when that happens.

dysamoria said:

Wait. What? Why? Regulation exists for very real and important reasons. Why would they just let certain companies slip by with less or zero regulatory process??

Its a PILOT program, that's why. Besides, getting FDA approval is a process that moves at glacier speeds, even after a product has been approved in the Euro zone, Canada and Japan (not exactly dubious third world countries)/ More people die awaiting FDA approval than are helped in the 5 - 10 years after release. Also, the glacially slow FDA process is a huge contributor to product (aka drugs) retail prices. Personally I think all drugs that have completed stage 1 testing should be immediately released to the public. FDA approved drugs to be packaged in GREEN containers, while non-approved drugs are packaged in RED containers with clear statements, in large bold typeface, that the drug has not been approved by the FDA and may be hazardous to the users health. Let the sufferer decide how much risk they are willing to take.

thehecta said:

How many iPhone 7/iPhone 7+ units were preordered in 2016? How does 50 million compare to prior years?

Phone 6, 6S and 7 sold about 50 million units in their respective December quarters. However, each had 13 weeks to achieve that number. Because iPhone X doesn’t ship until November 3 it will have but 8 weeks to do the same amount. If there truly is a bottle neck it won’t be sensors, it will be Foxconn. For the last 3 iPhone launches Foxconn produced, on average, about 820,000 iPhones, of all models, per day. Kuo is suggesting that Foxconn is capable of producing 890,000 iPhone Xs ONLY per day, PLUS iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus AND iPhone 7/7 Plus. Not without a MASSIVE expansion of its production facilities they won’t, and we’ve heard nothing about Foxconn doing that. This is another excellent example of Kuo’ claims not standing up to scrutiny.

Soli said:

suddenly newton said:

2) Campus Holdings, LLC is an interesting name. Did Apple create an entirely new LLC for the campus?

Apple must do one of two things (tax wise) with the cost of Apple Park. #1. Keep the asset within Apple, Inc, in which case Apple can only depreciate the cost (less land value) over a 40 year period, or #2. Create a new entity, i.e.., Campus Holdings, LLC (which Apple, Inc wholly owns), in which case Apple leases the asset (that rent including the value of the land) the asset for 40 years. The cost of constructing Apple Park will show as an asset (loan to Campus Holdings) and an expense (monthly lease payment) and a receivable (Campus Holdings payments against the loan). #2 is by far the the best option.