Early NPD figures point to 3.2 million in Q3 Mac sales
updated 04:10 pm EDT, Mon May 17, 2010
iPods down, iPad having 'minimal' effect on Macs
April Mac numbers -- recorded by the NPD Group -- suggest that Apple will sell between 3.1 and 3.2 million Macs by the end of its third quarter, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. The estimated range is based on a 39 percent increase in domestic sales during April, and could still vary dramatically based on May and June sales, as well as international markets. If Apple manages Munster's target, the quarter will represent a growth of 19 to 23 percent year-over-year.
High sales are likely to have been a result of Apple refreshing the MacBook Pro, which now uses better graphics chipsets and the line's first Core i5 and i7 processors. The first month of the iPad is so far producing "minimal" Mac cannibalization, Munster notes, adding that Apple has "successfully limited" the device into being little more than a content consumption device. This is thought to be having some impact on the iPod, which was down 17 percent in the US in April, potentially pointing to quarterly sales of 9 to 10 million units.
For Apple and its investors, iPod cannibalization is argued to be a good thing. The average selling price (ASP) of the iPad is four times higher than that of the iPod. On top of this each tablet is thought to have a high profit margin, meaning that the iPad may be more lucrative in some respects.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2008
Apple isn't stupid enough to short itself...
when it comes to revenue and profits. That's what Windows PC buyers say they can't stand about Apple. They say that Apple doesn't build one computer that does everything. Apple always leaves something out to make you buy another device. I think they do this purposely in order not to cannibalize their own line-up. Especially back when Apple's user base was very low, they just couldn't take the risk of doing such a thing. As an Apple investor, I definitely see that as a good thing.