Apple device sales increased significantly in India and other emerging telecom markets during the fourth quarter, said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
However, Apple smartphone market share decreased to 13.4 percent in third quarter 2013 from 15.6 percent in Q3 2012, Strategy Analytics said.
There’s still a significant backlog of Apple iPhone 5S orders, though supplies are rising every week, said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.
Cook is upbeat about iPad sales in the first quarter. But he did not share specific inputs on supply of retina display for iPad mini during analyst call on Monday. Market research agency IHS earlier said there will be supply constrains and Apple will miss targets.
There’s no word on India specific revenue numbers. Apple sale in the fourth quarter in China rose 6 percent. This was mainly benefited from an earlier Chinese iPhone launch.
Regional performance
America did not support this quarter. Holiday season is coming and Apple has new products – iPhone Air and iPad mini with retina display – to offer.
Excluding retail, Americas sales rose only 1 percent after rising 12 percent in Q3.
Japan remained strong with sales growing 41 percent against 27 percent in Q3.
Apple sales in Europe were flat against -8 percent in Q2.
Apple performance in Greater China was impressive with a growth of 6 percent against 14 percent dip earlier.
India specific numbers are not available. “We were particularly pleased with growth in a number of developing markets with unit sales up sharply year-over-year in Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and India,” Cook said.
Apple says rest of Asia-Pacific sales were down 6 percent vs. a dip of 18 percent earlier.
International sales made up 60 percent of revenue.
Apple tops education market
Cook says education market sales topped $1 billion for the first time, and estimates Apple has a 94 percent tablet share in the vertical.
According to Strategy Analytics, Apple shipped 33.8 million iPhones in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Apple challenges ahead
Apple has more worries to come.
Apple’s Q4 iPhone ASP was $577, down from $582 in Q3, $613 in Q2, and $641 in Q1 due to mix shift towards prior-gen models and emerging markets promotions.
iPad ASP, pressured in recent quarters by mini sales was $439, up from $437 in Q3 and down from $449 in Q2 and $467 in Q1. Mac ASP was $1,229, down from $1,303 in Q3, $1,378 in Q2, and $1,359 in Q1.
Apple R&D spend increased 29 percent to $1.17 billion. Opex is expected to total $4.4 billion-$4.5 billion in Q1, up from $3.85 billion a year earlier.
The company posted quarterly revenue of $37.5 billion and quarterly net profit of $7.5 billion, or $8.26 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $36 billion and net profit of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.
The company sold 33.8 million iPhones compared to 26.9 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 14.1 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 14 million in the year-ago quarter. The company sold 4.6 million Macs, compared to 4.9 million in the year-ago quarter.
Baburajan K
[email protected]
