Apple announces MASSIVE profits

[liller]

Extraordinary levels of profits announced this morning, the biggest ever for any public company.

The amount of cash they are sitting on is reported to be enough to wipe out the UK's deficit - incredible when you actually contemplate what they could do with this surplus cash. Could they not do something for the greater good with this money?

Will there ever be another contender to this (smartphone) market? It seems like for any company to take on this level of consumer demand it would be an impossible task, with so many handset makers continually trying and failing it's a wonder more companies haven't given up.

[liller]

I guess there will become a point when it will be considered to be a monopoly.

[liller]

Diderot said:

They already are, they pay tax. What more do you want from them?

I'm not suggesting that they aren't paying tax, I'm merely contemplating whether or not they could do something with that amount of cash. Me? I don't want anything from them, just opening a discussion.

[liller]

TKF said:

Android phones sell massively more units than Apple.

As they are all made by different manufacturers it wouldn't be considered a monopoly would it?

[liller]

mattmurdock said:

Big difference between profits and market share though. They are clearly not a monopoly, as during Q3 2014 they only had 11.7% of the global market share for smartphones (in comparison Samsung had over twice as much, 23.7%).

The reason they are making so much money is the profit they make per unit is nearly 40%. So they are happily selling to their niche of people who are willing to pay more for an Apple phone than they are for an equivalent Samsung phone.

Interesting to see these numbers and it certainly puts things into perspective. Do Samsung make a similar level of margin on their handsets?

[liller]

Sony announced 1000 job cuts in it's smartphone business today, it's a tough market.

[liller]

RumbleOfThunder said:

Lot's of patronising condescension in here with the "apple fanboy" "isheep" spiel. God forbid people actually like the design, feel and software of their iphones without being some kind of shill.

This will always crop up!

[liller]

You have all your music in iTunes, your data in icloud, iPhone in your hand, Apple TV in your lounge, imac in your office and come April an apple watch on your wrist.. And not forgetting that Apple pay could take off as the next big payment scheme - Will other brands ever be able to break that eco system? It would be incredibly tough! As most apple users are heavily invested in the brand

[liller]

The apple watch is shipping in April, will this be a rip roaring success as well? I'm not sure about the wearable hype, so far all the other manufacturers have come up with devices that just don't or won't appeal to the masses - either they are too ugly, too big or just lack a decent USP that actually makes people want them on their wrists.