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Apple is getting better at selling iPads and Macs

iPad and Mac sales see a nice surge. iPhone not so much.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer
Apple is getting better at selling iPads and Macs

Apple's Q4 2017 results are out, and while the iPhone is the device that still pulls in the big bucks, it seems that iPads and Macs are where the real growth is at.

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Let's start with the big moneymaker; the iPhone.

Sales of 46.7 million units mean a growth of 14 percent compared to the last quarter, but only a 3 percent growth compared to the year-ago quarter. This is in line with what analysts were expecting, and given that the tech press has been talking about upcoming iPhones for the entire time, especially the iPhone X, any growth in relation to the year-ago quarter is good.

iPhone average selling price (ASP) was also strong at $617, compared to only $605 the previous quarter, and close to the $619 of the year-ago quarter.

Remember, this quarter ended September 30, and contains eight days of iPhone 8 sales and no iPhone X preorders.

iPhone sales

Now onto the iPad.

Overall, a better than expected quarter for iPad sales, with 10.3 million units sold, representing a 10 percent unit decline compared to the previous quarter, but an 11 percent increase compared to the year-ago quarter.

iPad ASP stands at $468, compared to $435 for the previous quarter, and $459 compared to the year-ago quarter.

It seems that Apple is continuing to enjoy additional sales based on the iPad price cut earlier this year, and perhaps buoyed by "back-to-school" sales, but as expected the effect of that price cut seems to now be wearing off.

iPad sales

Apple is selling something in the region of one iPad for every four iPhones it's selling, which is right now is a pretty good, but if you superimpose iPad sales onto iPhone sales, it's clear that not only the iPad is no longer the powerhouse that it once was, but that sales are still heading in a downward trajectory.

iPhone/iPad sales

Things were also strong on the Mac front, with sales of 5.4 million equating to a 25 percent growth compared to the previous quarter, and 10 percent growth compared to the year-ago quarter, and making it Apple's fourth best Mac quarter ever. Mac ASP is also up to $1,331, from $1,303 the previous quarter and $1,175 for the year-ago quarter.

Again, it's likely that this increase is down to "back-to-school" sales.

Mac sales

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