Has apple reached its peak?

[mayconvert]

Nah, I think Apple is ok. I would say iPad sales are going to continue to fall. Everyone and their dog has a tablet now.
And there is no compelling reason to want the new one each year.
A Lot of people bought the 6S and Plus because they wanted a bigger screen. They didn't really care the phone was kind of ugly.
( I know, blasphemy right? ) :tongue:
I personally think the iPhone design, looks, and feel of the 5S were superior to the 6 series.

Some just decided to wait for the 7 since the design will be different, and maybe better.
Most people also went to carrier financing and are waiting the full 24 - 30 months before upgrading.
Now that some carriers don't subsidize, people learned the true price of the phone and it's not $199 anymore.

I think Apple will be fine. The world economy sucks right now. Things are tough all over.
The Only reason I went to the S series was because I had the 6 and wanted the + size instead.

 

[Nicholas Kathrein]

I don't think Apple has peaked. We are pretty late in the product cycle for the 6s and 6s Plus. With the iPhone 7 presumably on the horizon it's normal for production to slow down on the current model. This has happened every year, with every model.

IPhone 7 should be September. That isn't on the horizon.

 

[mattmatt299]

Unfortunately, Apple is a one trick pony. Its dependent on the iPhone for profits. And, iPhone sales trend (even accounting for seasonality) has stopped rising. They are rapidly running out of new markets to tap.

iPad sales are dropping like a rock. Apple Watch sales aren't significant enough to break out into their own category.

Only the Mac line is showing steady year over year growth. But Macs are no longer a significant revenue contributor for Apple.

With Apple's P/E ratio its certainly a very good value stock, but its no longer a growth company.

 

[iSRS]

As I've stated on numerous occasions, the mods and ambassadors here at iMore are "active participants" in the forums and we do not have a problem engaging in a conversation. It's been like that since I've been a part of iMore.

Agreed!

 

[Franco Borgo]

My goals as an Apple product's user, is that Apple can continu to create those products for as long as it can.

if Apple sell Only 50 millions phone per quarter at that price and this profits margin, I know that Apple can "Survive" and the future is safe. I am happy as a user, and as an Investor.

if I look at the profit of the top 5 phone/tablet manufacturer and the top five computer maker, I feel they are not in the same business. It is crazy. The future is safe for now for Apple compare to All others manufacturers.

Maybe you mean has the market reach it's peak.

In computer and portable device, I feel that it has reach a small technological plateau, and so people don't need to upgrade as often as before. Alors US dollars strength has it's impact in many country.

But Apple still do great in the computer shrinking market.
Ok, Apple sold less computer than before, but compare to other, it's market share has grown.

The plateau does not hit the lower margin profit segment and this will result in Apple losing %, because it is not Apple target, but what a company need to survive is Profitable Market, and That is where Apple is.

 

[kazemosman]

When I started this thread I said apple may have peaked. I meant basically the company is not growing anymore. They're dependent on one device that is pretty much saturated. I don't however mean that the company is going down it's the most valuable company in the world with way too much cash for that to happen. It's just that I can't help feel that since Steve Jobs passed away the company has been lacking in innovative new products which in the long run. Even their newest product the iPad Pro is so lacking when compared to the surface pro 4. So just my opinion but I really think apple will not be the most valuable company within the next year or so and I do think it has peaked from a growing and innovating perspective

Posted via the iMore App for Android

 

[kazemosman]

Btw its great hearing so many responses.

Posted via the iMore App for Android

 

[erikbock]

I really don't think that Windows phone will take any significant share from Apple in the phone vertical. I agree that it is likely to come from the multitude Android devices thinning that heard.

 

[Dark_Huntress]

Not just Apple, all smartphones have reached a peak. There's nothing new yet to respark interest. If you leave out quality, most smartphones are clones of each other. Same features just different designs. Whoopie.

 

[wezra]

I understand where you are coming from.... has Apple reached its peak in terms of disruptive product development? Their were smartphones before the iPhone, yet, the iPhone was the disruptor in the category. The iPad was truly an innovative product... as was the iPod before it. The Apple Watch... well, not so much. Based on conversations I've had with colleagues and friends, their was a huge disappointment factor when it came to the pricing of the Apple Watch... for most people, its simply too expensive. I don't know a lot of people who will lay down $1,200 - $1,400 for a stainless steel smartwatch that will be outdated within a year or so. Its just way too much money. How many times are you supposed to lay out that kind of money to keep up with the latest version.

In terms of the iPhone, I believe their are a number of factors coming into play. The US economy for one. No matter how you acquire the iPhone, either on a payment plan, T-Mobile's JUMP...or however, the fact is that with software updates the phone should be good for a couple of years minimum. Yes, their will be new features on the iPhone 7, but for most individuals, they could care less. And with the mid-stream "s" versions, it is frustrating as a consumer knowing that within 6 - 8 months your $800 iPhone will be outdated again. All I know is that I see way more people walking around with iPhone 5's than the iPhone 6. Then their is the global economy which is going into the toilet more every day. And since Apple's major revenue stream is coming from outside the US, this has to be disconcerting. Tim Cook stated that fact today on the earnings call... they are very worried without question.

So for me, the bottom line is not that Apple has peaked as a company... but how do they keep developing disruptive technology and software that the average consumer can use in their everyday life. Is just changing the design of the iPhone enough or do they have to completely re-develop iOS and OSX? I think its the later... no one really cares about the hardware at this point... a slab is a slab. Its the software and applications that really bring that slab to life that makes the difference. I would like to see Apple develop some really life changing applications that not only work, but can enhance our lives beyond what we now have. A lofty goal to be sure... but if anyone can do it so can Apple. I remember my first home computer... the Apple 2C. What a machine and life changer that was. But it wasn't so much the machine as it was the software that allowed me to keep my financial and personal records in one place and far more accurately than had been possible before. Just my opinion!

 

[jayzero76]

the iPhone 6s isn't that big upgrade. i know 3D touch but for some people not worse the upgrade. than apple released the watch so people like me spent money on the watch and kept there iPhone 6. some people went crazy sign a new contract when the iPhone 6 came out so one more year waiting. on top of all the is that the iPhone in canada or europe way to expensive is

 

[scottdx]

It is all about your bloated expectations.

Take any segment of their business and it would stand alone as a fortune 500 company.

Take any segment and apply ANY innovation whatsoever and you again could see enormous growth.

The watch was the best selling wearable in the world, and it has been out what? Less than 10 months? If any other company had this kind of success with such a new product we would all be screaming to the mountaintops how incredible that growth was.

I just do not see your point at all. Sure Iphone is saturated, however the customer retention rate is through the roof, that alone will drive incredible amounts of revenue for years and years to come, also, providing a baseline to millions and millions of customers to expand on new ideas and devices (see apple watch as an example).

So spell doom to them all you want. All your doing is misinterpreting expectations.

 

[duke821]

Don't we do this almost every year with Apple?
#AppleIsDoomed

 

[Ipheuria]

People who say they ask has Apple peaked? or say Apple is doomed to me seemed to be ignorant of reality. If you're going to look at the sales of iPhone and equate that to Apple then it makes no sense. While the iPhone might be the main bread winner for Apple right now. It hasn't always existed number one and number two there are other devices coming after it. There are only a certain number of people in the world and at some point the majority of phone buying population will own the phone they want. So sales will plateau and slow as new customers and upgrades are not so plentiful. Why everyone is so surprised by this I don't understand. Before the iPhone, Macs were the bread winner for Apple and it might not have been the powerhouse it is today but it certainly wasn't cicling the drain. The iPhone took over and the computers have slowed but still continue to sell. Just like in the future when the world moves on to the next thing after smartphones. I'm sure Apple will be in the space and that will take over while iPhone sales hum along. Have they peaked, no, are they doomed, not even close. The iPhone 7 hasn't even been announced yet and though the sales might not be gangbusters I bet it will outsell many of it's competiton. There's the Apple Watch, iPad Pro and Apple Pencil as new entrants into the space as well.
As for the stocks well I've never followed. Wall Street are a bunch of jokers who say what it takes to service their clients. Now is the best time to buy the stock. At $93 it's a great buy compared to $100-130 of past levels. Perhaps it will even fall further so just watch it and if it drops lower then buy shares and hold on. When a stock's price falls because of irrational fears it's always a way to make a profit. The first time I bought shares they were at $35 a share before the split. It wasn't until more than a decade later that I had made more than 10x my investment. This is why buy and hold is always a great motto to go by investing in the market.
What I worry about is the people who are trying to change the winning formula. The people who have no ideas of what is going on inside the executive offices. But they call for changing the executives for the sake of diversity. If an exec steps down or passes away and the best person to fill the roll is someone of a more diverse background I'm all for it. But saying hey lets get rid of this person, this person and then get new more diverse faces just to please the world. I also laugh when I hear that because when things don't change the naysayers cry they are doomed what do you think will happen when changes are made in the high ranks? They have women execs so it's not as if they are adverse to it. I think society is so instant gratification right now when people get an idea they want to see the change "right away".

 

[Sherry_B]

Don't we do this almost every year with Apple?
#AppleIsDoomed

Having just moved from Android... the exact same thing happens with them, too.

 

[chaoticbuddhist]

As much as they have since 2007. It's ridiculous to keep saying this.

 

[HAWK]

Having just moved from Android... the exact same thing happens with them, too.

Android is harder to debate that argument because they have so many phones using their os. Samsung obviously being the front runner

 

[Sherry_B]

Android is harder to debate that argument because they have so many phones using their os. Samsung obviously being the front runner

While I do agree with you, there's two points here. It's not just the physical way the phone looks. It's also what new innovation is being done with the OS. I tend to combine both when thinking about the topic. Not everyone will look at it the same way that I do, which is ok.

 

[HAWK]

While I do agree with you, there's two points here. It's not just the psychical way the phone looks. It's also what new innovation is being done with the OS. I tend to combine both when thinking about the topic. Not everyone will look at it the same way that I do, which is ok.

Yeah true. But like android having so many phones each phone uses android differently. All iphones use ios the same way.....

 

[Sherry_B]

Yeah true. But like android having so many phones each phone uses android differently.

Not really. The only major differences are what UI a name brand overlays on the OS. Samsung with TouchWhiz and HTC with Sense just to name a few (and both slow the phone down tremendously from my personal experience). A phone carrier will disable certain features in the settings that they don't want their customers having access to. Other than that it's all the same OS (depending on the version).