Counterpoint factors out smartphone gross sales, speak round Apple’s headset plans, and neat tech stuff up for public sale.
Counterpoint Tracks Smartphone Gross sales in Europe, Center East, and Africa
Two-fisted tales of telephony. Smartphonery?
Two reviews on smartphone shipments from Counterpoint Analysis. They cowl final quarter and final 12 months, so they don’t seem to be nice.
The first report covers Europe, which had a smartphone market crushed up by “a dire financial local weather and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty…” For the fourth-quarter, the continent noticed shipments of 45 million items — a decline of 24% year-on-year. Counterpoint says that marked the worst fourth-quarter for smartphones in Europe since 2011, and contributed to the worst 12 months for smartphones in Europe since 2012. In accordance with the agency:
- Samsung stayed on high within the December-quarter regardless of a 25% drop in shipments versus the identical quarter a 12 months earlier
- Apple took second place again from Xiaomi regardless of its weakest smartphone launch in Europe since iPhone 5 in 2012
- Although it obtained shoved into third, Xiaomi’s year-on-year decline was mentioned to be the least drastic of any of the highest cellphone makers in response to Counterpoint
Counterpoint Affiliate Director Jan Stryjak was quoted within the launch, saying:
…there was no let up for European customers in This fall as the price of residing remained at report ranges. Sure, the normal Christmas enhance meant quarterly shipments elevated in comparison with Q3, however shopper demand remained muted. Apple’s ordinary robust finish to the 12 months was weaker than anticipated, permitting Samsung to take care of its management of the European market.
One assumes that iPhone weak point was tied to manufacturing issues at Foxconn’s iPhone Metropolis plant in Zhengzhou, China. And assume one must, since Counterpoint doesn’t touch upon the explanation.
As for what’s forward, the first-half of 2023 nonetheless appears to be like dicey for smartphones in Europe, with hope for higher days within the second-half. Quoting Stryjak once more:
…the difficult macro local weather and ongoing geopolitical tensions will proceed into 2023 and probably worsen initially because the cost-of-living disaster deepens by way of Winter. Some nations are prone to fall into recession, so with weakened shopper demand and excessive stock ranges for some OEMs, the primary half of 2023 will probably be robust. Nevertheless, inflation has stabilised and wholesale vitality costs have dropped, resulting in hopes of rate of interest and vitality invoice cuts later within the 12 months. This could enhance shopper confidence and spur demand, resulting in a greater second half of the 12 months.
On now to the Center East and Africa, the place iPhone… sort of doesn’t exist a lot. Counterpoint’s second report says gross sales dropped for Apple as they did for the area, although iPhone’s marketshare grew. That mentioned, the prize goes to Samsung. Quoting Counterpoint:
Market chief Samsung noticed YoY quantity and market share development in 2022, a terrific efficiency given the market realities. This was because of the success of the Galaxy A sequence in capturing the marketplace for aspirational upgraders, significantly these which may be getting their first 5G units. The corporate additionally benefitted from a considerably improved provide chain place, giving distributors readability and certainty in a time of turbulence.
Wouldn’t which were neat.
One should scan all the way in which right down to sixth-place to seek out Apple, although it’s not all dangerous information. Quoting Counterpoint once more:
Apple’s shipments dropped YoY, however the model noticed its market share enhance as a result of broadened distribution within the area and the success of the iPhone 13 sequence. The iPhone 14 sequence launch has not been as profitable because the iPhone 13 sequence. Nevertheless, gross sales have concentrated in the direction of the higher-end iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max fashions, thus replicating Apple’s worth positive factors seen in different extra developed markets.
When you’re a sure sort of nerd, what’s taking place with smartphones throughout the Center East and Africa is attention-grabbing. 5G is basically simply beginning to develop throughout the areas. “Whereas globally 5G smartphone costs are coming down because of the availability of extra reasonably priced fashions,” Counterpoint says the expansion of 5G units within the space “will really enhance the typical promoting value (ASP) within the area, as clients improve to extra refined units.” That ought to develop the worth of the area’s smartphone market, in response to the agency. With an emphasis on extra reasonably priced although, it’s robust to see that doing rather a lot for Apple close to time period.
Nikkei Asia: First and Second MR Headsets from Apple in Improvement
There’s information round Apple’s AR/VR/MR headset. Properly… speak round it, anyway. A chunk from Nikkei Asia has phrase of the primary model of the gadget — anticipated someday this 12 months, and a second model mentioned to be in growth already.
A chunk from AppleInsider highlights the Nikkei report, which is usually about making the issues. In accordance with that, growth and manufacturing of the primary gadget has shifted from Pegatron to Luxshare. The sources are secret, however there are mentioned to be numerous them. Nikkei heard the phrase from 5 people “conversant in the matter.”
When you’re on the lookout for a purpose to be nervous, Pegatron is alleged to be out as a result of it “grew to become skeptical about Apple’s headset plans…” When you’re trying to calm these nerves, did I point out that second headset mentioned to already be in growth. That one will probably be made by Foxconn, in response to the piece, and that’s the one which’s anticipated to actually promote. AppleInsider has Nikkei saying:
Apple’s first technology of AR units will probably be extraordinarily costly, and actually solely can entice these passionate tech geeks or premium clients… However Apple hopes to push the worth down within the second technology of units, which is in parallel growth, to a extra reasonably priced value, like a high-end Mac pc, and hopes to draw an even bigger person base.
That is the place Foxconn is available in. In accordance with AppleInsider, that agency “will concentrate on automating mass manufacturing and enhancing manufacturing charges to assist decrease prices.”
The AppleInsider piece as soon as once more references an anticipated sky-high value for the primary unit. They’ve obtained that coming in between $3,000 and $5,000. That mentioned, a second piece on the headset from 9to5Mac brings that value down significantly. They’ve obtained it crusing in between $2,000 and $3,000. That also sounds sky-high, except you’re anticipating $5,000, wherein case — it appears like a discount.
I’ll take seven.
Apple Companies Hit With World Glitches on Thursday
It was a troublesome afternoon for Apple companies on Thursday. A lot of them. And seemingly in every single place. Whereas numerous companies on Apple’s System Standing Web page mentioned issues like “Customers might have skilled an issue with,” and “This service might have been gradual or unavailable,” AppleInsider went with a bit much less sugar for its headline, “Practically each Apple on-line service is down in ongoing world outage.”
When you occurred to go to Apple’s standing web page on the peak of the difficulty, the phrase “lit up like a Christmas tree” may need some to thoughts. Just below thirty Apple companies are mentioned to have been affected, together with massive ones just like the App Retailer, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and- in all probability crucial one — Podcasts. Then there have been the businessy/productiveness companies similar to Apple Enterprise Necessities, Apple Enterprise Supervisor, Apple Faculty Supervisor, iWork Collaboration, iWork for iCloud, and loads of others.
I couldn’t get my classical piano Apple Music radio station to play so — yeah. Harrowing day. Properly… Harrowing hour-or-so. Issues blinked out about 3:55PM EST/12:55 PST. Every thing on the standing web page was inexperienced once more proper round 5:00PM EST/2:00 PST.
Apple TV+ Declares the Return of ‘The Drawback with Jon Stewart’
“The Drawback with Jon Stewart” has no less than six-more issues to sort out. On the identical day as Stewart’s YouTube dwell stream, Apple TV+ issued a press launch saying a continuation of the present’s second season.
I’m unsure they perceive how TV seasons work. Then once more, it’s not TV, it’s… no matter Apple TV+ is.
Subjects to be addressed in season-two embody crimes and weapons, protection coverage, inflation, jail reform and rehabilitation, and the backsliding of democracy. Moreover, the discharge teases the present touring overseas “for Stewart to talk with overseas coverage leaders.”
After all, they gained’t be overseas there, however… you get the concept.
The present begins up once more one-week from as we speak — Friday, March 3. Remaining episodes will stream one-a-week every Friday for the next five-weeks.
MIB Unique iPhone and ‘Undiscovered’ Apple-1 Up for Public sale
And eventually as we speak, mint-in-box unique iPhones will be the Apple-1 public sale merchandise of 2023: Uncommon, aside from all those folks discover to promote. Now — information of an public sale with each. On the heels of final week’s $63,000 iPhone sale, a chunk from MacRumors says RR Public sale has a “First Era, Sealed Apple iPhone” up for bids. I’m unsure they know what they’ve obtained although — or how a lot they’re going for lately. The public sale home places the anticipated sale value for the untouched communicator at $20,000.
Heck, at that value — purchase three.
Now, I do know I get kind of snide concerning the “ultra-rare” Apple-1 computer systems that go up from public sale each 20-minutes or so, however the one RR has up for public sale actually is attention-grabbing. That’s as a result of, till this 12 months, no person knew it was on the market. In accordance with MacRumors:
The Apple-1 on the market is “undiscovered,” because it was not on the recognized record of remaining Apple-1 units till 2023. It was first used as an indication system on the Information Area pc retailer in Columbus, Indiana in 1977. After that, it was given to the present proprietor.
Signed by Woz and restored by Apple worker #12 Daniel Kottke, the auctioneer expects the machine to fetch someplace within the neighborhood of $500,000.
The entire public sale, dubbed “Steve Jobs and the Laptop Revolution,” is stuffed with attention-grabbing stuff. There are paperwork and enterprise playing cards, scads of computer systems, and two artifacts which can be decidedly early-Eighties — an Apple Laptop 25-Foot-Lengthy Brand Kite and an Apple Laptop Latch Hook Rug, each from 1983. The rug options Apple’s iconic six-color emblem on a kind of beige background. Initially “bought by way of Apple’s 1983 Present Catalog,” dig the unique gross sales pitch:
Have hours of enjoyment creating your personal latch-hook rug. Every thing is included in your equipment to provide a 100% polyester and acrylic rug that may additionally double as a wall-hanging. Think about the compliments when mates uncover that you simply did all of the work!
Initially priced at $75, the public sale home expects it to promote for greater than $800. You’ll have to mislead your mates although about whether or not “you probably did all of the work!”
The public sale closes on March 16. Extra data is out there at RRAuction.com.
As we speak on The Mac Observer’s Every day Observations Podcast
TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and I speak over Morgan Stanley’s record of “idiosyncratic tailwinds” for Apple shares. Plus — we hit the RR Public sale, speaking about issues we faux we’re gonna purchase. That’s all as we speak on the Every day Observations Podcast from The Mac Observer.
