Apple Reports Q4 2014 Year-End Results: $8.5 Billion Profit on $42.1 Billion in Revenue [Call Concluded]

[dannyyankou]

So wait... They're not doomed?

 

[Trapezoid]

So wait... They're not doomed?

Next qtr for sure

 

[Gasu E.]

"Best product pipeline in 25 years" my ass! iPhone 6, 6+, iPad Air 2, iMac with Retina Display, and OS X Yosemite were great updates. With that said, it is a shame though that the iPhone 6 and 6+ bend easily. Both models at the local stores are slightly bent by the volume buttons. Mac Mini update was meh but better than continuing to ignore it. No updates to their external monitors or regular iMacs. Nothing really going on with the MacBooks. iPod updates are nonexistent and not looking likely to happen in the foreseeable future. iPad mini 3 is literally just a iPad mini 2 with Touch ID and colored gold for an extra $100. Phil even looked uncomfortable mentioning it for 30ish seconds in the keynote. Watch doesn't count yet since it was only an announcement but even then the battery life and reliance on an iPhone are disappointing. On the software front, iOS 8 Health and iOS 8.0.1. They could repeat that same line and technically it would be true even though all know it's just misleading.
This wasn't intended as a rant or whining, but just a counterargument to Eddy's claim

"Product pipeline" means product legitimately in development, not necessarily GA be some arbitrary date. Here's what we know for sure:

1. Apple Watch -- entirely new product category
2. Apple Pay-- potential world-impacting game changer
3. Health-- seeding an entirely new set of apps potentially changing the lifestyle of millions of people
4. iMac-- mega upgrade, even without help from Intel
5. iPhone 6/6+ phabulous entries in an established, tough competitive category which are going to do wonders for market share
6. Yosemite
7. iPad Air 2-- solid evolutionary upgrade

That's what we can see. We know there are new new laptops in the pipeline (gated by Intel), although those are likely to be evolutionary. I think that list above is huge and supports Phil's statement in itself, but then there are likely items in the pipeline (Apple TV?) that wont see light of day until 2015.

The problem in you list is that you focus on the items that got little or no enhancement. It's nonsensical to use those as a benchmark for judging the pipeline. Not every Apple product plays in a market space that has a lot of upside, and is worthy of aggressive product upgrades. This particularly applies to Apple's entry level products (iPod, Mac Mini, iPad Mini), where a better business strategy is to bring the price down rather than providing aggressive feature upgrades. I do expect the iPad Mini to get a refresh next year, but it would make less sense to put it on the same development schedule as the flagship products.

 

[gregrose]

Apple: We make more money than you could ever imagine, BUT DAMNIT We will be the cheapest company ever when it comes to our hardware and make the buggiest software ever!

 

[cdmoore74]

They are not enough to get me to replace my iPad Air after just one year, but why did you feel the need to leave several things off your list in order to make your point?

You just proved my point in your sentence. The changes Apple made are not enough for you to replace your iPad Air.

 

[Tech198]

i think we know what the "other" ones are..

Go Apple !!

 

[DakotaGuy]

Apple is doing very well, but they are relying VERY heavily on the iPhone to prop up everything else. If consumer interest ever changed in the phone market and there was a shift things could go downhill quickly. They really have put all their eggs in one basket. Just an observation.

 

[iBug2]

Am I reading this right? Their guidance for first quarter of 2015 is $63.5-66.5?

That's insane.

 

[macgabe]

Great reporting Macrumors! Better than some of the leading financial sites. I couldn't get the conference call audio, so it was very nice to follow your live feed.

 

[TallManNY]

I think we're seeing SO MANY iPhone 6 orders because there is a LOT of people who did not find a compelling enough reason to upgrade from the 4/4S to the 5/5S. If the next generation of iPhones don't offer anything additionally amazing, they may have a lot of people on this wave of iPhone 6's for the next few years.

Though I'm never a fan of the "they JUST released this product, but the next one better be amazing" narrative.

I sort of see your point. I certainly know people still happily using the 4s as a smartphone. But are you predicting that Apple is going to sell LESS of the 6s next year than of the 6? Or are you suggesting the 7 in two years will be the unit that sells less than the 6? I'm expecting to get two years from my 6 provided I don't drop or lose it. But There are still tons of markets where Apple can take market share, so I think sales are going to continue to increase by number of units for years. And that is without significant improvements beyond cpu speed.

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Apple is doing very well, but they are relying VERY heavily on the iPhone to prop up everything else. If consumer interest ever changed in the phone market and there was a shift things could go downhill quickly. They really have put all their eggs in one basket. Just an observation.

Not quite right. The other units don't need to be propped up. Google uses add revenue to prop up unprofitable units. I'm sure all of apples units are profitable by themselves. Even shrinking units like iPod are probably very profitable considering they haven't spent r&d on it in years.

Apple stock is valued for its profits and most come from the iPhone. But it isn't like they lose money on their Mac sales.

 

[TallManNY]

You just proved my point in your sentence. The changes Apple made are not enough for you to replace your iPad Air.

Why is not spurring a one year replacement cycle a fair criticism of Apple and the iPad Air 2? Why do you think ipad is going to be a product replaced yearly? Do android tablet users replace their tablets yearly? Kindle users?