Apple quarterly profit slips 19% to $9 bn on lower iPhone sales

Apple quarterly profit slips 19% to $9 bn on lower iPhone sales

PanARMENIAN.Net - Apple's quarterly profit slumped on a widely expected drop in iPhone sales, but gains in services offered some optimism on the company's efforts to curb dependence on its smartphone, AFP reports.

The company said Tuesday, October 25 that profit fell 19% to $9 billion in the fiscal quarter ending September 24. Revenue fell nine percent to $46.9 billion from $51.5 billion a year earlier.

The results were largely in line with market forecasts and showed sales of the iPhone -- Apple's biggest revenue and profit driver -- down five percent from a year ago to 45.5 million units.

The quarterly update only provided limited information on the reception of the newest iPhone models, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which were released in early September, and was likely to benefit from the woes of rival Samsung, suffering from a massive recall of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 phone.

Analysts were expecting declines in iPhone sales with many smartphone markets saturated, a situation that has led Apple to focus on new products like the Apple Watch and services like mobile payments, Apple TV and streaming music.

Chief executive Tim Cook welcomed what he called "our strong September quarter results," saying they "cap a very successful fiscal 2016 for Apple."

"We're thrilled with the customer response to iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2, as well as the incredible momentum of our Services business, where revenue grew 24 percent to set another all-time record," he said in a statement, according to AFP.

The world's largest company by market value closed out its fiscal year ending September 24 with a net profit of $45.7 billion on revenues of $215.6 billion, both figures lower than the prior year.

Apple shares fell 2.7 percent in after-hours trade following the release.

"Previously, Apple was able to rely on strong sales of phones, tablets and computers to drive up revenue and profit across all geographies. This is no longer the case," said Neil Saunders of the research firm Conlumino.

Still, Saunders noted that "Apple is being judged by its own incredibly high standards," and that "even with the dips in growth it remains a phenomenally successful business that is far from running out of steam."

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