iPhone 14 Pro case
AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission for purchases made through links on our site.
The latest smartphone sales estimates from analyst firm IDC say the December 2022 quarter saw its biggest drop ever, with Apple selling about 12 million fewer iPhones than in the same period in 2021.
UBS recently predicted that Apple will have sold 79 million iPhones in what will be the company’s first quarter 2023 results, and that this is only slightly less than the 80 million that, on average, the rest of the market expects. Now IDC reports that the number is probably 72.3 million, which is even below the “low street” forecast of 74 million.
For the same period last year, iPhone sales were 85 million, so the new figures represent a 14.9% drop. That’s still better than the entire global smartphone market, which overall saw shipments decline by 18.3% to just over 300 million devices in the quarter.
“We never have [before] first shipments in the holiday quarter are lower than the previous quarter,” wrote IDC research director Nabila Popal. “However, weakened demand and high inventory caused retailers to drastically reduce shipments.”
Source: IDC
“Large sales and promotions during the quarter helped deplete existing inventory rather than driving increased shipments,” Popal continued. “Even Apple, so far seemingly immune, suffered a setback in its supply chain with unforeseen shutdowns at its main factories in China.”
IDC believes the figures reflect consumer concern about rising inflation, which could “delay any potential recovery until late 2023”.
It is not clear where IDC sources its data. Apple hasn’t reported iPhone sales volumes in years.
.
[ad_2]
Comments