| Cult of Mac

Android tanks as iPhone shipments rise, especially in China

By

iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone is selling well around the world. Android-makers can't say that about their products.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhone shipments increased modestly in the first three months of 2023, according to a market research firm. That’s in stark contrast to Android-makers, most of which experienced double-digit drops.

The trend carried through in China, making Apple the largest smartphone seller in this critical market.

iPhone sales dropped in every part of the world

By

iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
The iPhone XR hasn’t been enough to spur demand for Apple’s handsets.
Photo: Apple

The fact that iPhone sales were down in the first three months of the year is no secret, but new information shows that the decline wasn’t isolated to one or two areas. No, Apple admitted that iOS handset sales dropped in every region of the world.

iPhone shipments dropped a ‘staggering’ 30% last quarter

By

iPhone XR Spectrum ad
Those iPhones aren’t floating upward.
Photo: Apple

Although Apple no longer reports the number of iPhone units it sells, the company did admit there was a steep decline in handset revenue in the first three months of this year. Analysts are out with their exact estimates, and the number of iPhones shipped last quarter could have dipped as much as 30 percent.

Apple’s earning report by the numbers

By

Apple financial results on an iPad Pro
A dive into Apple’s most recent financial results shows what’s really happening with the company.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Taking a close look at Apple’s financial results during the first three months of this year in hard numbers shows how the company is changing. Services are getting more important to its bottom line, and so are iPads. While iPhone is still a big part of Apple’s business, it’s not as significant as it used to be.

Check out these charts that demonstrate with a glance how the changes play out.

iPhone sales finally show signs of life in China

By

China iPhone sales
Apple CEO Tim Cook meets with Apple Store employees in China.
Photo: Apple

The latest round of iPhone price cuts on China have accomplished their goal, according to an analyst with Wedbush. Demand for Apple handsets has increased in that country.

That’s very good news for the company, as CEO TIm Cook said early this year that slow sales in China were the entire reason Apple saw a revenue decease at the end of 2018.

Did Apple reverse its revenue slide? We’ll know April 30.

By

apple park
The end of 2018 went badly for Apple. We’ll know soon how it’s doing in 2019.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

We’ll soon know if Apple made progress drumming up more demand for the latest iPhones in Asia. Weak demand in China caused a surprising year-over-year drop in Apple’s total revenue during the last quarter of 2018.

CEO Tim Cook and co. have just scheduled an earning call with investors for April 30. We’ll find out then if the company managed to improve its situation during the first three months of 2019.

iPhone discounts ease Apple’s pain in China only briefly

By

China iPhone sales
Apple CEO Tim Cook meets with Apple Store employees in China.
Photo: Apple

Temporary price cuts in China offered only a temporary boost in iPhone sales, according to industry analysts watching how Apple would follow up dismal year-end figures in the depressed Chinese smartphone market.

To start 2019, Apple revealed unexpected revenue shortfalls, blaming it mostly on a sharp drop in demand for iPhones in China.