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Apple Watch to debut in April, iPhone sales have doubled in China, one billionth iOS device sold in November and more
Apple enjoyed an impressive last three months in 2014, reporting record revenues of $74.6bn and a
net profit of $18bn - the largest quarterly profit ever for any company, energy firms included
We already know about Apple's record iPhone sales - 74.5m units - during the quarter, but the company's earnings call with analysts after the results were announced yielded more information about its business in 2014 and its plans for 2015. Here are the key lessons
1.Apple Watch will ship in April
"Development for Apple Watch is right on schedule and we expect to begin shipping in April," said chief executive Tim Cook during the call
First unveiled in September, Apple Watch vaguely meant to be available in "early 2015" then "spring". Now we have a specific month
But isn't April a bit later than "early" would have led people to expect? "We sort of look at the year and think of early as the first four months, mid is the next four months and late is the final four months," said Cook, when pressed by an analyst. "It's sort of within the range and it's basically when we thought"
Cook said that developers are working on bespoke apps, notifications and information summaries that Apple calls "glances" for the Apple Watch. The company will be relying on third-party developers for that "killer app" to make the Apple Watch a success beyond the first version
2. Apple has now shipped more than 1bn iOS devices
"On November 22nd we shipped our one billionth iOS device," said Cook. "One billion devices is an almost unfathomable milestone, and we are all incredibly proud to be part of it"
A big milestone, one Google crossed in September 2013 and now has more than 1bn active Android users - nearly double the 530m it had a year before
3. The iPhone 6 is apparently an Android user magnet
Amid confirming that the iPhone 6 was the most popular iPhone in the final quarter of 2014, but declining break iPhone sales down further, Cook was unsurprisingly happy to blow some heat in Android's direction
"The current iPhone line up experienced the highest Android switcher rate in any of the last three launches in the three previous years"
"Given there are fair amount of Android units out there, there is also an enormous amount of Android customers that could switch."
4. Mac growth is not hiding iPad's issues
Apple sold 5.5m Mac computers in the final quarter of 2014 - up 14% year-on-year, with record revenues for the company of $6.9bn. But Apple chief financial officer Luca Maestri revealed the iPad was not fairing so well with a 17.7% decline in sales to 21.4m units in the last quarter of 2014.
"The upgrade cycle is longer. It's longer than an iPhone, probably between an iPhone and a PC," Cook admitted. "There is probably some level of cannibalisation that's going on with the Mac on one side and the Phone on the other"
It seems tablets are less like smartphones and more like computers - why replace it if it works perfectly fine?
5. Apple Pay is doing well (or contactless payments are unpopular)
"Just three months after launch, Apple Pay makes up more than $2 out of $3 spent on purchases using contactless payment across the three major US card networks," said Cook
A two-thirds market share so soon after launch sounds impressive, although another way to look at this statistic is to wonder just how unpopular contactless payments were in the US when Apple Pay launched. Which, of course, is why this is a big opportunity for the company.
"I think we're in the first inning on it ... we haven't even completed the first inning yet. There's tons of things on our roadmap of adding functionality to it," he said. "We're just in the US right now and so there's tonnes of countries to go to"
6. Apple is big, not little, in China
Revenues in China were up 70% year-on-year in the last quarter of the year, but according to Maestri more iPhone were still sold in the US: "Sales doubled year-on-year in China, our second largest iPhone market"
China is the world's biggest smartphone market, but Apple has a battle with Samsung and the new upstart Xiaomi on its hands
"Our online revenues in China last quarter were more than the sum of the previous five years. And so it's an incredible market," said Cook. Apple opened 10 new stores in China in the final quarter of 2014, with plans for 40 by mid-2016
7. iOS developers are exploring HealthKit
"There has also been incredible interest in HealthKit with over 600 developers now integrating it into their apps," said Cook. "Consumers can now choose to securely share their health and wellness metrics with these apps and this has led to some great, new and innovative experiences in fitness and wellness, food and nutrition and healthcare"
He highlighted Apple's work with hospitals in the US - Duke Medicine, Stanford Children and Penn Medicine - to integrate HealthKit data into their electronic medical records. That's something that will take time (and some complex deals) to roll out elsewhere in the world, though
8. Apple is bullish about its IBM partnership
Apple's deal with IBM to drum up corporate business for its devices and apps appears to be going well. Cook said that Apple has now launched 10 "MobileFirst for iOS" apps for business customers in the banking, retail, insurance, financial services, telecoms and airline industries, as well as government workers
It plans to launch 12 more in the first quarter of this year - including for healthcare, energy and industrial-products firms - with the aim of having 100 of these apps available by the end of 2015
"IBM is engaged with more than 130 additional companies looking to empower their employees with MobileFirst for iOS solutions and the list keeps growing," said Cook. "We couldn't be more pleased with this partnership." It's a far cry from the days when Apple and IBM were bitter rivals in the personal computer market
9. Apple has enough cash to buy 40 aircraft carriers
If world domination through control of information technology doesn't work, Apple could always go the more direct route. Its cash pile - now standing at $178bn - is enough to commission 40 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, giving Apple more force capability than every other navy in the world - combined
Of course, it would have to construct the aircraft carriers outside of the US in order to continue avoiding tax on its foreign-cash piles. And it may want to keep a bit of money aside to pay for plans and helicopters to actually fill the ships
On the other hand, its margins would probably rise significantly in the aftermath. Who's really going to say no to Cook when he's pointing a 100,000 tonne, nuclear powered office block at them
is pointing a 100,000 tonne, nuclear powered office block at them
its margins would probably rise significantly in the aftermath
aside to pay for plans
may want to keep a bit of money aside to pay for plans and helicopters to actually fill the ships
in order to continue avoiding tax on its foreign-cash piles
would have to construct the aircraft carriers outside of the US
giving Apple more force capability than every other navy in the world-combined
standing at $178
its cash pile
its cash pile - now standing at $178bn - is enough to commission 40 Nimtz-class aircraft carriers
could always go the more direct route
world domination through control of information technology doesn't work
has enough cash to buy 40 aircraft carriers
is a far cry from the days when Apple and IBM were bitter rivals in the personal computer market
couldn't be more pleased with this partnership
looking to empower their employees with MobileFirst for iOS solutions
is engaged with more than 130 additional companies
with the aim of having 100 of these apps available by the end of 2015
appears to be going well
to drum up corporate business for its devices
to roll out elsewhere in the world
some complex deals to roll out elsewhere in the world
to integrate HealthKit data into electronic medical records
highlighted Apple's work with hospitals in the US
food and nutrition and healthcare
has led to some great, new and innovative experiences in fitness and wellness
their health and wellness metrics with these apps
can now choose to securely share their health and wellness metrics with these apps
our online revenues in China last quarter were more than the sum of the previous five years
on its hands
has a battle with Samsung and the new upstart Xiaomi on its hands
sales doubled year-on-year in China
were up 70% year-on-year in the last quarter of the year
is tonnes of countries to go to
is tons of things on our roadmap of adding fuctionality to it
haven't even completed the first inning yet
is to wonder just how unpopular contactless payments were in the US
another way to look at this statistic is to wonder just how unpopular contactless payments were in the US
a two-thirds market share so soon after launch sounds impressice
using contactless payment across the three major US card networks
makes up more than $2 out of $3 spent on purchases
contactless payments are unpopular
why replace it if it works perfectly fine?
it seems tablets are less like smartphones and more liek computers
with the Mac on one side and the Phone in the other
is probably some level of cannibalisation that's going on with the Mac on one side and the Phone in the other
the upgrade cyle is longer
revealed the iPad was not fairing so well with a 17.7% decline in sales to 21.4m units
with record revenues for the company of $6.9bn
in the final quarter of 2014 - up 14% year-on-year
is also an enourmous amount of Android customers that could switch
Given there are fair amount of Android units out there
in any of the last three launches in the three previous years
switcher rate
the current iPhone line up experienced the highest Android switcher rate
was unsurprisingly happy to blow some heat in Android's direction
declining break iPhone sales down further
amid confirming that the iPhone 6 was the most popular iPhone in the final quarter of 2014
is apparently an Android user magnet
nealy double the 530m it had a year before
crossed i September 2013
Google crossed in September 2013 and now has more than 1bn active Android users
a big milestone
beyond the first version
will be relying on third-party developers for that killer app to make the Apple Watch a success beyond the first version
calls "glances" for the Apple Watch
are working on bespoke apps, notifications and information summaries
within the range
pressed by an analyst
we sort of look at the year and think of early as the first four months
would have led people to expect ?
a bit later than early
vaguely meant to be available in early 2015 then spring
first unveiled in September
expect to begin shipping in April
is right on schedule
key lessons
were announced yielded more information about its business in 2014
the company's earnings call with analysts after the results
know about Apple's record iPhone sales - 74.5m units - during the quarter
the largest quarterly profit every for any company, energy firms included
a net profit of $18bn
reporting record revenues of $74.6bn
enjoyed an impressive last three months in 2014
one billionth iOS device sold November and more
have doubled in China
Apple's monster financial results