Apple in 2015: Hits and misses

By MakeUsesOf

Apple had a very busy 2015. We got new iPhones with a twist, an iMac that looks at the future, a refreshed MacBook, an iPad that wants to refresh the category, new software products and a lot more. And as with Apple, the numbers made for interesting reading. Here is a look at what worked for Apple in 2015, what didn’t, and how that could impact decisions heading into 2016.

The numbers: more than a wad of cash

It is hard to not look at these numbers in awe fiscal 2015 was the most successful for Apple, as revenue grew 28% to close at $234 billion.

In the first quarter, Apple recorded the highest quarterly sales for iPhones (74.5 million) and Macs (5.5 million), and also shifted a lot of iPads (21.4 million). In the same quarter, the company’s App Store also enjoyed record sales till then.

In the second quarter, Apple reported selling 61.1 million iPhones, 12.6 million iPads and 4.5 million Macs. The App Store sales too beat the previous quarter. If you thought things would slow down, you would have been wrong. In the third quarter, Apple reported selling 47.5 million iPhones, 10.9 million iPads and 4.7 million Macs, and App Store sales recorded their highest-ever numbers.

For any Silicon Valley brand to record three straight strong quarters is something straight out of a fairy-tale, but Apple recorded three record breaking quarters if you are keeping score at a time when critics were claiming user fatigue with the iPads and iPhones.

The fourth quarter proved to be no different, with record quarterly iPhone and Mac sales. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus reignited interest in the iPhone range. Apple reported selling 48 million iPhones, 9.8 million iPads, and 5.7 million Macs.

iPhones and iOS: moving forward

It really doesn’t matter whether it is the year of the completely new iPhones, or the “s” cycle refresh iPhones remains the company’s most important product. This being the “s” year, we didn’t see any major design changes compared to last year’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. But, an even better camera and the 3D Touch feature made their presence felt. The latter pretty much redefines the way we use apps, without having to actually open each piece of content.

The new operating system that drives iPhones (as well as the iPads and iPod Touch line-up), called iOS 9, arrived in the summer. Unlike iOS 7 and iOS 8, iOS 9 focused more on under-the-hood improvements rather than just new features. The tweaks included a low-power mode, Spotlight search improvements, revamped Notes and Mail apps and an even more useful Siri voice assistant.

What this means is that we are in for a completely refreshed iPhone line-up in 2016, with a new design and perhaps an even smaller 4-inch screen size option. A new iOS is also expected, though we suspect it’ll focus on improving multi-tasking capabilities as well as the long-awaited multi-user support.

iPad Pro: bigger and better

By bumping up the screen size of the iPad to 12.9 inches, Apple is pushing the iPad Pro as a proper productivity device, something that previous iPads promised but didn’t really deliver on. The 2,732x2,048 resolution is the highest ever in a tablet. It packs in so much power, it puts a lot of laptops and PCs to shame expensive Windows hybrids will have to really up their game in terms of both processing power as well as graphics capabilities, if they want to compete. With the Smart Keyboard and Pencil accessories, this device can pretty well become the laptop replacement for work, and also a machine for editing videos and photos on.

In 2016, we will see the logical progression for this big tablet. The 3D Touch feature, currently available in the latest iPhones, will be available for the Pro too. And it’ll make a lot of sense, to keep their top-of-the-line iPad on the same trajectory as the phones, since they run pretty much the same software and apps.

Macs: steady, with occasional big hitting

Apple refreshed the MacBook laptop and the iMac desktop line-ups, and it included incremental upgrades as well as some completely new stuff. The first was the 5K Retina iMac which replaced the 27-inch iMac and a new 4K Retina variant brought that improved display technology to Apple’s smaller 21.5-inch Mac. The second product saw the resurrection of a very recognizable name MacBook. This has a 12-inch Retina screen, a single USB Type-C port, a new keyboard, runs a Core M processor and introduced the Force Touch trackpad which is essentially a pressure-sensitive trackpad that allows you to execute tasks with different amounts of finger pressure.

The Mac launches are pretty much tied to Intel’s processor launch roadmap. As things stand, some of Intel’s next generation high-end processors are due for launch in early 2016, and Apple will surely be eyeing them for the next iMac and MacBook refresh. With that sorted, Apple could either use the current designs with the new chips, or there could be some serious culling the old non-Retina MacBook Air models could be discontinued, the MacBook could take their place as the entry model and the Retina 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops could continue to do the balancing act between portability and outright performance.

Apple Watch: the mystery element

It is hard to ascertain whether the Watch has been a success or not. Apple isn’t sharing any numbers, which leads to the suspicion that not all is well in the world of the Apple Watch. But don’t expect the boffins in Cupertino to give up so soon. There will be a Watch 2, which could mean the current Watch may get a significant price cut. That potential affordability aspect could see more consumers looking towards the wearable with the intent of buying one.

Apple Music: getting the notes, just right

It is easy to miss Apple Music, but for Apple, this is serious stuff. After the July launch, Apple reported that Music already had 6.5 million subscribers in October. If Music continues to grow at this rate, Spotify’s 20 million-odd subscriber base will be overhauled before the end of 2016. Music basically integrates a streaming service, curated playlists, online radio and a user’s locally stored music in one app. The roll-out for Android has also given Apple access to a massive user demographic.