Network USA Connecting Globe: Apple: iPhone sales continue to decline

iPhone sales are disappointing for the first quarter of 2019. The iPhone XR, XS and XS Max have not had the expected success.

After a fourth quarter in 2018 down, the first of 2019 does not look more pleasing. According to analysts at OTR Global, Apple sold between 37 and 42 million iPhones in the first three months of the year, when the forecast was 40 to 45 million units sold. A decrease of about 10% compared to 2018.

According to OTR Global, the low appeal for the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max is the main cause of this decline in sales. Older models, they are better. Apple will release its figures at the end of the month for the first quarter. But it will be necessary to be satisfied with the turnover of the mark with the apple to judge its performances, the mark having decided not to communicate the figures of the sales of its iPhone in its quarterly reports.

Still, his income is very closely linked to the success of his smartphone. A situation that should change in the near future with the development of services including the AppleTV +. The group also announced the further development of the Apple Pay payment system, the creation of a credit card with the support of Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, the launch of a gaming platform and the addition of magazines at its online news kiosk, which switches to a subscription version.

In the meantime, Apple has set a goal of revenue between 55 and 59 billion dollars for the first quarter of 2019. It remains to be seen if it will be achieved.

If the latest iPhone models have attracted less, the competition benefits. Samsung, which remains the first manufacturer, but also Huawei, whose sales, boosted by its high-end Mate 20, rose to those of Apple in the second and third quarter of 2018. Not to mention the meteoric rise of another Chinese , Xiaomi.

Smartphone sales down 4% in 2018

Last year, however, the smartphone market fell for the first time in ten years, down 4% from 2017. A further decline is expected this year before a rebound expected in 2020, according to research firm Gartner and advice. Smartphone sales are expected to reach 1.80 billion units in 2019, down 0.5% from the previous year.