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Business

26th Apr 2016

Bad news as Apple report first drop in sales since 2003

Uh oh.

Ellen Tannam

Apple’s historically strong grip over the manufacture of delicious bits of tech looks set to be loosening.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the company’s quarterly profit fell a substantial 22.5% as revenue dipped for the first time since 2003 (the year the first Pirates of the Carribean movie came out, for context).

Apple is struggling to maintain the sales surge that happened when they launched iPhones with larger screens in late 2014, and models since then just haven’t been as successful with customers, who were previously loyal Apple heads.

The company sorely need a blockbuster launch to regain momentum, but this setback doesn’t really mean the company is doing terribly. For example, iPhone sales in India are up 50%, but that’s an anomaly compared to the global sales rate.

“It’s a tough bar to hurdle, but it doesn’t change the future. The future is very bright,” CEO Tim Cook said.

According to the Verge, products like the iPad were popular at first launch, but sales have steadily declined over the last several years, as Android competitors offerings improved.

The much-hyped Apple watch was a big hit, but only with die-hard Apple consumers, and it failed to make a big splash in the mainstream.

We’ll have to see what Cook and co. come up with next. Maybe the launch of the new smaller iPhone SE will boost their fortunes.