Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 24)

Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby behappyalways » Sun Sep 20, 2020 4:53 pm

Apple has quietly dropped 22% from its peak, giving up $500 billion in market cap
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/18/apple-h ... t-cap.html
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby behappyalways » Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:20 pm

Storing up trouble

The Epic-Apple courtroom battle commences
A judge in California hears the opening arguments in what promises to be a drawn-out—and consequential—dispute

Oct 3rd 2020

FITTINGLY, THE legal deathmatch is happening online. On September 28th a court in California heard arguments, via video call, in a case that pits Apple against Epic Games, the maker of “Fortnite”, a hit video game.

At issue is whether the tight control Apple exerts over the software that can run on its smartphones amounts to a monopolistic abuse of power. The verdict, when it comes, may determine what other digital marketplaces can and cannot do.

Apple’s software practices have seen challenges before (see table). But Epic’s is the most brazen. In August Epic offered “Fortnite” players 20% off in-game purchases on iPhones if they paid Epic directly, not via Apple’s App Store, which takes a 30% cut on most transactions made in apps.

This violated App Store terms; “Fortnite” was booted from the platform. Expecting this, Epic responded with the lawsuit (and a cheeky PR campaign).

The hearing concerned the narrow question of whether Epic could force Apple to return “Fortnite” to the App Store while the case proceeds. But it offered a preview of both sides’ arguments. Epic contends that Apple’s “walled garden”—in which iPhone software can be downloaded only via the App Store—stifles competition.

In 2018 Epic launched a PC games store, charging a 12% commission. Steam, the dominant store, then dropped its cut from 30% to 20% for top-selling games. Tim Sweeney, Epic’s feisty boss, argues that Apple prevents something similar on iPhones.

Apple retorts that those who dislike its rules have plenty of alternatives. “Fortnite” is available on desktop PCs, games consoles and smartphones that run on Android, a rival operating system made by Google.

In a statement, Apple accused Epic of forcing its hand and “putting customers in the middle of their fight”. It has countersued Epic for breaching its App Store contract.

Mark Patterson of Fordham University sees parallels with Microsoft’s run-in with trustbusters in 2001. The software giant’s bundling of a web browser with its Windows operating system was eventually found to be anticompetitive.

Apple exerts more power over iPhones than Microsoft did over Windows PCs, Mr Patterson says. But its market share in smartphones is smaller than Microsoft’s was in desktops.

The Epic case may hinge on how the court defines the relevant market. In Apple’s eyes the App Store is part of a broader universe of digital platforms in which it can reasonably claim not to be a monopolist. Epic takes a narrower view, arguing that iPhones are a market unto themselves.

Most lawyers think Apple had the better of the initial exchanges. The judge seemed unconvinced by Apple’s attempts to stop Epic from updating the iPhone version of the software behind “Fortnite”, which is licensed to other gamesmakers. But she reserved her strongest words for Epic, which she admonished for inviting trouble.

The case looks likely to go to a jury trial next year. With no clear precedent, big ramifications for the tech industry and the odds that the losing party will appeal, the dispute may end up in the Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Apple is facing other pressures. Epic is being cheered on by fellow members of the “Coalition for App Fairness”, like Spotify, a music-streamer, and Match Group, owner of Tinder and other dating apps.

In June, at Spotify’s urging, the EU opened an antitrust probe into the App Store, and David Cicilline, who chairs a committee in America’s Congress that examines antitrust issues, described Apple’s fees as “highway robbery” and lamented the lack of “real competition” on iPhones.

While it battles Epic in the courts, Apple may tweak its rules to placate some developers. It has done so on occasion in the past, for instance exempting Amazon from the 30% commission on in-app purchases for the e-commerce giant’s Prime Video streaming app.

On September 25th, following criticism from Facebook, Apple announced a temporary waiver on the 30% fee on in-app purchases for companies that had been forced by the covid-19 pandemic to switch to online-only events.

Such concessions may be as far as Apple will go, at least willingly. When Steve Jobs launched the App Store in 2008, he didn’t think it would ever make much money. He was wrong.

Although the company does not break out the platform’s financial results, it probably makes up the bulk of its services business, which accounts for nearly 20% of revenues—and rising (see chart), as iPhone sales slow. Seeing what a promising profit engine it has turned into, Apple’s late boss would doubtless have fought tooth and nail to hang on to it.

Source: The Economist
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby behappyalways » Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:26 pm

Samsung & NTUC FairPrice take obvious dig at iPhone 12 prices & lack of accessories
https://mothership.sg/2020/10/samsung-f ... iphone-12/
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby winston » Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:08 pm

not vested

Apple: The iPhone maker reported nearly $65 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 1% from the same period last year and $1 billion ahead of what analysts had expected.

But iPhone sales disappointed due to a delay in the release of the iPhone 12, which is expected to drive a wave of new purchases.

Source: CNN
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby winston » Sat Oct 31, 2020 12:09 pm

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Apple (AAPL)

Apple notched record fourth fiscal quarter revenue of $64.7 billion, up 1% from a year ago and 2.2% higher than analysts’ expectations.

Earnings of $0.73 per share fell from $0.76 per share year-over-year but beat analysts’ expectations by four cents per share.

The company’s $26.4 billion in iPhone revenue dropped 26% from the year prior, while Mac sales increased 29.2% to $9 billion and beat analysts’ expectations by 13.5%. Services revenue of $14.5 billion jumped 16.3% from a year prior.

CEO Tim Cook said sales from the company’s newly released 5G-enabled iPhones have been “tremendously positive,” though Apple declined to provide fiscal first-quarter guidance, which includes its iPhone 12 sales projections. The lack of guidance helped fuel a sell-off Friday, with Apple shares down over 5%.

Wall Street is looking for Apple earnings to soar to $1.37 per share in the coming quarter, while revenue is expected to rise to $101.3 billion, driven in part by new iPhone 12 sales.

Source: Investor Place
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 20)

Postby behappyalways » Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:51 pm

Chinese netizens mock Apple’s new AirPods Max headphones for ‘insane’ price tag
https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/articl ... sane-price
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 22)

Postby behappyalways » Tue Dec 22, 2020 8:58 am

If I am not wrong, the profit margins on working for Apple is low. So what is the root cause of companies 'fleecing' their workers???

神也是你,鬼也是你...

Apple's supply chain woes are adding up in Asia
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/21/tech ... index.html
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 22)

Postby behappyalways » Tue Dec 22, 2020 9:16 am

Exclusive: Apple targets car production by 2024 and eyes 'next level' battery technology - sources
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN28V2PY
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 22)

Postby behappyalways » Thu Jan 28, 2021 8:17 am

Apple reports blowout quarter, booking more than $100 billion in revenue for the first time
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/27/apple-a ... -2021.html
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Re: Apple (AAPL) 05 (Aug 18 - Dec 22)

Postby winston » Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:36 pm

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Apple Smashes Q1 Earnings Forecast on Surging China Sales; Revenues Hit Record $111 Billion

Apple saw a 57% surge in China sales over the December quarter, helping drive a record top line and much stronger-than-expected first quarter earnings.

by MARTIN BACCARDAX

Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Report posted stronger-than-expected first quarter earnings Wednesday, and its first print of revenues over $100 million, thanks in part to surging China sales and demand for its new iPhone 12.

Apple said profits for the three months ending in December, the tech giant's fiscal first quarter, were pegged at $1.68 per share, up 34.4% from the same period last year and well ahead of the Street consensus forecast of $1.41.

Group revenues, Apple said, rose 21% from last year to a record $111.44 billion, again topping analysts' estimates of a $103.3 billion tally.

Greater China revenues surged 57% to $21.3 billion, Apple said, helping iPhone revenues rise 17% to an all-time high of $65.5 billion, thanks in part to the launch of its new iPhone 12 suite of smartphones late last year amid COVID-related disruptions to its global brick-and-mortar network of stores.

Services revenue rose 24.2% to $15.8 billion, Apple said, with more than 620 million subscribers across all of its platforms.

Mac sales, Apple said, rose 21.2% to $8.68 billion, while sales from its wearables, home and accessories division jumped 30% to $13 billion, "driven by holiday demand for the latest Apple watch," Cook said.

iPad sales were up an astonishing 41% to $8.44 billion.

“These results helped us generate record operating cash flow of $38.8 billion. We also returned over $30 billion to shareholders during the quarter as we maintain our target of reaching a net cash neutral position over time.

Cook said the gains helped lift its total installed base of devices past 1.65 billion, with more than 1 billion iPhones active and outstanding and records in each of its project categories.

Source: The Street

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/app ... 11+Billion
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