Roger Fingas
Apple's wearables business — including Apple Watch, AirPods, and Beats products — was up 75 percent year-over-year during the September quarter, helping to make it the size of a Fortune 400 company, CEO Tim Cook said during Thursday's results call.
As usual, the executive didn't break out exact figures during the call. Cook noted that Apple Watch sales were up 50 percent versus the June quarter however, and claimed that the product remains the world's best-selling wearable.
Apple's "other products" segment — including not just wearables, but the Apple TV, iPod touch, and various accessories — saw revenues grow 36 percent year-over-year to $3.231 billion. Versus Q3 2017, revenues were up 18 percent from $2.735 billion.
September saw the launch of the Apple Watch Series 3, the first model to offer LTE cellular for (limited) use without an iPhone. Apple is also selling cheaper GPS-only hardware, and the still less expensive Series 1.
The company didn't release any other major wearables in the September quarter apart from the Beats Studio3 Wireless. The availability of AirPods has been improving though, and indeed Apple is now quoting U.S. delivery times of just a few days.
In August, NPD research suggested that AirPods accounted for 85 percent of the fully-wireless headphone segment, and were partly responsible for growing the headphone market 22 percent.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
21 Comments
It's just insane how Apple is literally womping the industry.
Ugh that red dot though...people must be buying regular Apple Watches. /s
My guess is that Apple will make some announcement on sales when it crosses the 50M cumulative sold level. Should be next year.
I have heard lots of anecdotal stories of people getting their first AW with the Series 3 due to cellular.
And we always say it, but worth repeating - AirPods are the best wireless headphones I have ever owned. Use them every day, for hours a day, switching between iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Business and personal use. If only they would seemlessly join AppleTV like the rest...
Smart phone: dominate.
Wearable device: dominate
Tablet: Dominate
Apps: Dominate
Soon will be music subscribers, let say in 2-3 years?
Apple will either cross 50M by christmas or early in the year.
They probably have 80% of revenues of the industry and 95% of profits.
By next year, the watch industry, especially their lucrative mid market, will start to feel the burn real hard.
I see further consolidation and liquidation of IP.