Tag Archives: aapl

Apple raked in 65% of all smartphone profits in Q1

Smartphone manufacturing is a money-losing proposition unless you’re Apple (AAPL) or Samsung. Those top two vendors in the handset market soaked up all of the available profits in the business yet again in the first quarter, according to Canaccord Genuity. In fact, Apple (AAPL) and Samsung accounted for 106% of smartphone profits in Q1 because they made more money than the total market since other major vendors lost money, Canaccord analyst Michael Walkley said in a report Thursday. Apple and Samsung combined for $15.71 billion in operating income from smartphones in Q1, while the total market among the leading vendors produced $14.86 billion in operating income. Nokia (NOK), BlackBerry (BBRY), Motorola, Sony (SNE), LG and HTC all lost money in their smartphone businesses last quarter. Microsoft (MSFT) completed its purchase of Nokia’s handset business on April 25. And Lenovo is in the process of buying Motorola from Google (GOOG).  

Sony latest to open stall in Best Buy ‘food court’

Best Buy (BBY) has come to look like a food court for consumer electronics-makers. Instead of just presenting shoppers with rows of products divided by category, Best Buy is increasingly letting manufacturers run their own spaces in its stores to hawk their wares. Sony (SNE) on Thursday became the latest consumer electronics-maker to open vendor showcases within Best Buy stores. It joins Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Samsung n using the “store within a store” approach at Best Buy. Sony will open home-theater retail spaces in about 350 Best Buy locations nationwide starting in mid-May, the company said. The “Sony Experience at Best Buy” shop-in-shops will offer interactive demonstration areas and have dedicated Sony experts to assist customers. Sony will show off such products as its 4K ultra high-definition televisions, home media players, sound bars, 4K camcorders and PlayStation 4 video-game consoles. Sony wants to demonstrate how its…

Big-screen smartphones are crimping tablet sales

Tablet computer sales slowed to a crawl in the first quarter in part because of the growing popularity of big-screen smartphones, research firm IDC said Thursday. Worldwide shipments of tablets and 2-in-1 tablet-notebook devices totaled 50.4 million units in the first quarter, down 35.7% from the high-volume holiday quarter and up just 3.9% from the same quarter last year. The Q1 stats point to a challenging year ahead for tablet sales, IDC said in a press release. “The rise of large-screen phones and consumers who are holding on to their existing tablets for ever longer periods of time were both contributing factors to a weaker-than-anticipated quarter for tablets and 2-in-1s,” IDC analyst Tom Mainelli said. “In addition, commercial growth has not been robust enough to offset the slowing of consumer shipments.” Apple (AAPL) maintained its lead in the sector, but saw its market share slashed by competitors selling tablets…