Apple Now Largest Computer Maker, Sold More iPads Alone Than HP Sold PCs

[webfact]

Apple now largest computer maker, sold more iPads alone than HP sold PCs

By Daniel Eran Dilger

1st generation iPad. File photo, source: wikimedia

Apple has surpassed HP in both computer unit sales and revenues for the first time, taking the top spot sooner than expected on record sales of iPads. Rather than losing sales to low priced tablets, Apple said it would "continue to innovate like crazy" in the tablet arena.

Apple reported record quarterly sales of 15.4 million iPads and 5.2 million Macs, giving the company over 20 million sales of dedicated personal computing devices (distinct from its sales of more than 37 million phones). Gartner reported HP's worldwide sales for the fourth quarter to be 14.7 million, while Lenovo and Dell sold 12.9 and 11.6 million units, respectively.

Apple was expected to report sales closer to 13 million iPads, an estimate figure that was still well ahead of what Canalys had anticipated last fall when it predicted Apple would outpace HP before the second half of this year.

Both Apple's revenues and profits were twice as high as Microsoft reported for the same holiday quarter.

iPad not threatened by cheap tablets; it threatens PCs

When asked about the impact of lower priced, "content subsidized" tablets in the market, specifically Amazon's Kindle Fire, Apple's chief executive Tim cook noted that he was "really happy" with sales of iPad, pointing out that sell-through had exceeded sell-in, leaving the company with strained inventory levels in the global channel that contradict the notion that the Fire had eaten up potential iPad sales.

Full story: http://www.appleinsi...p_sold_pcs.html

-- appleinsider.com 2012-01-25

[drdoom6996]

Now theres news. I will never own a product with a rotten apple on it.

[sparebox2]

Now theres news. I will never own a product with a rotten apple on it.

Check your mouth. The apple is eaten, not rotten.

[nikster]

This was a completely ridiculous quarter - I think in the top 3 quarters by any public company in US corporate history (and all the others on that list were oil companies - Apple did it by selling gadgets).

It should be pointed out that:

- This quarter was 14 weeks (usual: 13)

- Apple thinks it might never have this kind of profit margin again.

Apple empire is still expanding though - there's textbooks, and there's TV coming up... if Apple can really pull off a TV that's technologically significantly better than what's currently out there this could be huge.

[watcharacters]

Now theres news. I will never own a product with a rotten apple on it.

Too bad for you dr. It's really your loss.

[nikster]

Now theres news. I will never own a product with a rotten apple on it.

Too bad for you dr. It's really your loss.

Fear of a Mac planet!