Apple faces hurdles in 2016: podcast
SAN FRANCISCO — It's open season on Apple.
At least that appears to be the sentiment among some investors and industry pundits after the venerable company recorded its first decline in year-over-year quarterly sales in more than a decade, low-lighted by a 16% drop in iPhone sales (51.2 million) — It's first decline since the smartphone debuted in 2007 — and an 11% decline in sales in China.
The forthcoming iPhone, expected in September, could allay fears. But it might be a temporary band-aid, further underscoring concerns.
One Apple watcher who isn't overly concerned is Silicon Valley analyst Tim Bajarin, who's seen it all in more than 30 years of covering the company. He dismisses the notion Apple lacks innovation ("ridiculous") or is in dire straits competing with the likes of Google, Facebook, Amazon and others in emerging markets such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reaility ("you need to look at Apple from a long-term perspective").
Bajarin sat down with USA TODAY tech reporters Jon Swartz, Jefferson Graham and Marco della Cava on Friday for a #TalkingTech podcast to discuss the state of Apple three weeks ahead of WWDC, its annual developers conference in San Francisco.
Bajarin, founder of Creative Strategies, weighed in on several topics, including:
Chromebook sales. For the first time, sales of Chromebooks in the U.S. surpassed Macs. While shipments of the low-cost laptops were impressive, revenue from higher-priced Macs dwarf those of Chromebook. The real threat could be to Microsoft, whose devices compete on price and margins with Chromebooks, he said.
Asia. Tim Cook, the first Apple CEO to visit India. is making his way through Asia — he stopped off earlier in the week in China — to mend fences with Chinese government officials and forge strong bonds with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom Cook is scheduled to meet this weekend. Bajarin considers the trip essential to Apple's success, pointing to its recent $1 billion investment in ride-hailing service Didi in China and India's young demographic. Half of India's 1.25 billion residents are 25 and younger.
Apple's secretive ways. The company has been tight-lipped about its rumored car project, as well as possible endeavors in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality. "Apple likes to come in late to a field, and surprise us," Bajarin said. "Secretive is its middle name."
Follow USA TODAY's Jon Swartz @jswartz Marco della Cava @marcodellacava and Jefferson Graham @jeffersongraham on Twitter.