New Year’s Eve 2013

Some parts of the world have entered 2014, while the Pacific Timers are still in 2013. I heard it is called “New Year’s Eve”.

New Year's Eve 2013

Well, We will be joining the rest of the world celebrating 2014 in a few hours. Hawaii will also join later.

The End of 2013 is Nigh

In one day, 2013 will end and 2014 begins. A lot happened in 2013 and it is definitely not a lost year in Tech. We are looking forward to the next batch of 365 days.

“Still the fire burns”

Fireplace 2013

Sixteen-by-Nine

There seems to be consensus that Apple would drop iPhone 4 and 4S comes September 10, 2013.

Back in May 2013 a person who might or might not be a high ranking Apple employee hinted that Apple would go all 16-by-nine screen ratio for all iPhone and iPod touch this Fall 2013. It is a response to some rumors that Apple would release a larger screen iPhone with 4-by-3 screen ratio in Fall 2013.

Twitter 37prime 16-by-9 iPhone

Apple will be phasing out 30-pin Dock Connector this Fall 2013. John Gruber believes that Apple would stop selling iPad 2 after new iPad is introduced and I concur.

If I’m right, this would leave the iPad 2 as the last device with a 30-pin port. I expect them to abandon that device in October, when new iPads are announced.

Another point is that Apple would have another event this October and maybe one more before the end of the year.

Apple will be having four busy month starting September 2013. There’s the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro. By the way, there’s one more new product that Apple might introduce this year.

Apple Reports Third Quarter Results

Apple reports financial results for its fiscal 2013 third quarter ended June 29, 2013.

CUPERTINO, California—July 23, 2013—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2013 third quarter ended June 29, 2013. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $35.3 billion and quarterly net profit of $6.9 billion, or $7.47 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $35 billion and net profit of $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.9 percent compared to 42.8 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 57 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

The Company sold 31.2 million iPhones, a record for the June quarter, compared to 26 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold 14.6 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 17 million in the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 3.8 million Macs, compared to 4 million in the year-ago quarter.

That means Apple has sold 68.6 million iPhones in the first half of 2013, including the 37.4 million iPhones sold in the first three months of the year.

iPad sales is down compared to the year-ago quarter. That is expected since Apple broke its previously set iPad release cycle. For the first three years, Apple release new iPad in the month of March and April. Both iPad mini and Fourth Generation iPad were released in Fall 2012, six month after the release of Third Generation iPad.

In addition to that, Apple did not even bother to mention iPod sales figure in the press release.

Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2013 fourth quarter:

  • revenue between $34 billion and $37 billion
  • gross margin between 36 percent and 37 percent
  • operating expenses between $3.9 billion and $3.95 billion
  • other income/(expense) of $200 million
  • tax rate of 26.5%

Apple might be expecting around $6 billion to $7 billion of net profit for the next quarter.

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