Apple: We are on pace to beat last year's iPhone first-weekend 10M record

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Mopetar

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2011
8,460
7,682
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After shipping more than Samsung with purely $600+ phones last holiday season, iPhones consistently outsell themselves YoY, locking up almost all the profits in phones, tablets and consumer PCs = Apple is underperforming, because.

Unrealistic investors should get a brutal kick to the genitals like they deserve.

If they were projected to do even better, they can still be under-performing.

Stock prices doesn't operate relative to how well a company is doing to everyone else, the operate based on expectations, regardless of how reasonable or unrealistic those expectations might be.

If you think the market is behaving irrationally with respect to Apple, you should clearly be able to make all kinds of money by investing your own money. If other investors are being unrealistic, you should be able to profit at their expense.
 

stlc8tr

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2011
1,106
4
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If they were projected to do even better, they can still be under-performing.

Stock prices doesn't operate relative to how well a company is doing to everyone else, the operate based on expectations, regardless of how reasonable or unrealistic those expectations might be.

If you think the market is behaving irrationally with respect to Apple, you should clearly be able to make all kinds of money by investing your own money. If other investors are being unrealistic, you should be able to profit at their expense.

"The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent."

Attributed to Keynes.
 

Mopetar

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2011
8,460
7,682
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"The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent."

Attributed to Keynes.

A better explanation is that the market is mostly behaving rationally and that the people who complain about Apple being either massively under or over valued are probably wrong.
 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
6,820
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Well, it's official: Apple sold 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models in the first three days. That's 30 percent more than the last time around.

China no doubt played a part, but still... so much for those predicting that Apple would sell the same or less. I picture a certain Samsung fan screaming like Luke Skywalker learning the truth from Darth Vader: "no, that's not true! That's impossible!"
 

StrangerGuy

Diamond Member
May 9, 2004
8,443
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Well, it's official: Apple sold 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models in the first three days. That's 30 percent more than the last time around.

China no doubt played a part, but still... so much for those predicting that Apple would sell the same or less. I picture a certain Samsung fan screaming like Luke Skywalker learning the truth from Darth Vader: "no, that's not true! That's impossible!"

Myth busted: large screened iPhones for being a one trick pony and China can't afford iPhones.

It would be a miracle if anybody outships Apple this Q4 holiday quarter.
 

Artdeco

Platinum Member
Mar 14, 2015
2,682
1
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With the new Apple TV, Watch and iPhones, it's going to be a busy holiday season for Apple.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,054
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Well, it's official: Apple sold 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models in the first three days. That's 30 percent more than the last time around.

China no doubt played a part, but still... so much for those predicting that Apple would sell the same or less. I picture a certain Samsung fan screaming like Luke Skywalker learning the truth from Darth Vader: "no, that's not true! That's impossible!"
One of the problems from last year at launch was the lack of inventory. Production couldn't keep up with demand, because I suspect Apple underestimated demand to a certain extent. They didn't make the same mistake this time around.

The awesome side effect of this is that some of the flippers are taking a bath on their "investments". Or at least they aren't making significant money on these iPhones. Kijiji-ers are accepting near cost price for those flips, and the same goes for eBayers. In fact, some have gone for slightly below cost. Those who are advertising stupid high prices get no bites at all.

The only downside is that the flippers can return these phones to Apple at no cost to them. Too bad there isn't an easy way to somehow screen out flippers, so that they'd have to pay a 5% restocking charge or something.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,058
880
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Was there any big-whoop news features with people camping out on lines since may? I have hardly heard a blip about the release, but then again I don't really follow. I just find it hard to believe they keep selling millions more with every new release. According to sales rates every iphone fan has probably 5 iphones! :)
 

holden j caufield

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 1999
6,324
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Was there any big-whoop news features with people camping out on lines since may? I have hardly heard a blip about the release, but then again I don't really follow. I just find it hard to believe they keep selling millions more with every new release. According to sales rates every iphone fan has probably 5 iphones! :)

I walked by an apple store this weekend, didn't seem more crowded than normal. I don't go by them often but I walk by it at this big open mall near my work. When the 6 was introduced it seemed way more crowded.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
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I walked by an apple store this weekend, didn't seem more crowded than normal. I don't go by them often but I walk by it at this big open mall near my work. When the 6 was introduced it seemed way more crowded.
They had much, much more inventory for online sales and reservations this time around.

I remember when the 5s came out, the online system basically crashed because they couldn't keep up with the traffic. No such problem this this time, and even hours later people could still buy most models they wanted.
 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
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Was there any big-whoop news features with people camping out on lines since may? I have hardly heard a blip about the release, but then again I don't really follow. I just find it hard to believe they keep selling millions more with every new release. According to sales rates every iphone fan has probably 5 iphones! :)

Not since May, but there were certainly some publicity stunts (IIRC, someone camped out before the September 9th event). One of the problems with recent launches has been that some of the biggest Apple store lines (say, 5th Avenue in NYC) have significant contingents of bootleggers and tiny companies desperate for press. Most of the actual fans these days are content to pre-order and know that their phones will show up the same morning.

It's not too hard to see why Apple would sell larger numbers. Yes, the iPhone 6 scratched the itch for a lot of people who wanted a big-screen iPhone, but it still made the most sense for those who were trading up from a two-year-old device or older. There are still legions of people who couldn't justify upgrading until now, or were purposefully waiting until the "S" update to jump in. Combine that with the greater number of people switching from Android (yes, this happens) and first-timers, and the uptick isn't all that shocking.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
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I am in the minority, but I refused to buy an iPhone 6 and 6+ simply because it had only 1 GB RAM. Similarly, I refused to buy the iPad Air for that reason.

In contrast, I got up for 3 am to pre-order the iPhone 6s (for my wife) this year and the iPad Air 2 last year.

BTW, it seems the iPad Air 2 is going to be the next iPad 2 in terms of longevity... which reminds me... I also refused to buy the original iPad because it was so crippled in terms of specs.

Oh and I'm holding off on the current MacBook Retina to see if this computer gets an upgrade in terms of ports (two USB C?) or if the Pros get a slimming down in weight. I'd love to see the MacBook Retina become the new base model, the Pros get the Air treatment, and the Airs get cancelled completely.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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Just spoke to tmobile to check on my backorder status (ordered on 9/15) - 6 to 8 more weeks! Isn't that kinda absurd? 2 months when pre-ordered 10 days before launch.. oye.
 

Red Storm

Lifer
Oct 2, 2005
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Just spoke to tmobile to check on my backorder status (ordered on 9/15) - 6 to 8 more weeks! Isn't that kinda absurd? 2 months when pre-ordered 10 days before launch.. oye.

6S or 6S+? We pre-ordered my wife's 6S on 9/16 or 9/17 and it delivered this past weekend.

Just curious, compared to what? Were android tablets even out?

Doesn't always matter what else is out. When the iPhone 1 first came out it was an interesting product, but it was not a very good smartphone. I remember a friend was one of those first to jump on it and he was showing off the browser to me. 10-20 seconds just to load a webpage was not very impressive. The big (for its time) screen was neat, but the lacking performance meant I was never interested in actually owning one.
 
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Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
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Just curious, compared to what? Were android tablets even out?
Just an assessment based on hardware history, and more specifically, iPhone history.

The 3GS already had 256 MB RAM and single core. The iPad shipped with 256 MB RAM and a single core, but with a much higher resolution (1024x768 in the iPad, as compared to 480x320 in the iPhone 3GS). I was pretty sure that the next iPhone would get more RAM.

Well, the iPhone 4 got 512 MB just a couple of months later. It didn't get dual-core, but I didn't care because it got a Retina screen. And then the iPad 2 came out the following year with 512 MB RAM and dual-core. That's the one I bought, and still actually use in the kitchen.

BTW, I'm giving our hand-me-down iPhone 5 to my mother-in-law. She's been using my old iPhone 4, but I'm going to get that back to use as an iPod for the car.

Doesn't always matter what else is out. When the iPhone 1 first came out it was an interesting product, but it was not a very good smartphone. I remember a friend was one of those first to jump on it and he was showing off the browser to me. 10-20 seconds just to load a webpage was not very impressive. The big (for its time) screen was neat, but the lacking performance meant I was never interested in actually owning one.
Indeed. Also, it was limited to 2G. It wasn't available in Canada anyway so for me it was a moot point. However, a couple of friends drove down to Buffalo to buy the 2G for jailbreaking. They asked me if I wanted to get one and I said definitely not. I'd wait a year for 3G.
 
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Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
6,820
136
Doesn't always matter what else is out. When the iPhone 1 first came out it was an interesting product, but it was not a very good smartphone. I remember a friend was one of those first to jump on it and he was showing off the browser to me. 10-20 seconds just to load a webpage was not very impressive. The big (for its time) screen was neat, but the lacking performance meant I was never interested in actually owning one.

I'm not sure I would say it wasn't a good phone. I remember using Windows Mobile and Symbian phones at the time, and while they technically had more features, the experience was frequently terrible. Ever been forced to use a WAP browser, or a directional pad in an interface designed for a stylus (which itself is a problem)? How about an OS that prompts for a connection every single time you visit the internet, and is so unstable that it becomes an unusable mess every 2-3 days (this would be Symbian)? As flawed as the original iPhone was, it nailed the concept of an easy-to-understand touchscreen smartphone.

The issue is that it was classic first-generation Apple gear: really good core idea, but the hardware and initial software is barely adequate for supporting that vision. You bought that early iPhone because you could see what Apple was doing, and liked that fundamental improvement that you were willing to put up with the early limitations. Reminds me of the Apple Watch -- it's thick, heavily dependent on your phone and has very quirky software, but it still felt more mature than other smartwatch platforms when it first shipped (and arguably, even now).
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,054
1,693
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I'm not sure I would say it wasn't a good phone. I remember using Windows Mobile and Symbian phones at the time, and while they technically had more features, the experience was frequently terrible. Ever been forced to use a WAP browser, or a directional pad in an interface designed for a stylus (which itself is a problem)? How about an OS that prompts for a connection every single time you visit the internet, and is so unstable that it becomes an unusable mess every 2-3 days (this would be Symbian)? As flawed as the original iPhone was, it nailed the concept of an easy-to-understand touchscreen smartphone.

The issue is that it was classic first-generation Apple gear: really good core idea, but the hardware and initial software is barely adequate for supporting that vision. You bought that early iPhone because you could see what Apple was doing, and liked that fundamental improvement that you were willing to put up with the early limitations. Reminds me of the Apple Watch -- it's thick, heavily dependent on your phone and has very quirky software, but it still felt more mature than other smartwatch platforms when it first shipped (and arguably, even now).
Nah. For the iPhone, I saw potential. In fact, I had already decided I'd buy it as soon as it got 3G.

For the Apple Watch, not so much. I still see no reason for its existence, aside from a fitness gadget.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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6S or 6S+? We pre-ordered my wife's 6S on 9/16 or 9/17 and it delivered this past weekend.

6s+, rose gold pre-order placed 9/15 and was told "2 to 4 weeks after launch," called in today = "8 more weeks" .. Which makes me wonder why I bothered pre-ordering at all