BENGALURU: Apple’s iPhone sales are set to dip by around a quarter in India’s holiday season fourth quarter, putting them on course for the first full-year fall in four years, industry research firm Counterpoint said on Saturday.
The Cupertino, California company’s struggle to break through with India’s 1.3 billion consumers swung more sharply into focus this week after Apple blamed a disappointing set of sales forecasts on a handful of big emerging markets.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said after publishing third quarter results that sales were flat in India in the fourth quarter, which includes a month-long festive season culminating this week in Diwali — a bumper period for electronics sales.
Neil Shah, research director at HongKong-based Counterpoint Research, said on Saturday its channel checks pointed to numbers for the quarter in the range of 700,000 to 800,000 units, down from about a million a year ago.
For the whole of 2018, Apple was set to sell about 2 million phones — a drop of about a million from last year, he said, as Indians baulk at high prices for the devices, driven by trade tariffs and a weak rupee.
“Sales are set to drop for the first time in four years,” Shah said. “If you look at Q3 — it was 900k last year and this (year) is almost 450k.
“Iphones have gone costlier and the features and specs aren’t that compelling. The install base of android has grown vastly; the new customer base (for Apple) is not coming.”
Cook on Thursday called the company’s problems in India “speed bumps along a very long journey” and most analysts say that the prestige of Apple’s brand should allow it to claim back lost ground as Indians’ spending power continues to grow.
Shah said that, while more than half the phones sold this year were older iPhone models, high selling prices meant Apple’s Indian revenue should still be flat or slightly higher than a year ago.
India iPhone sales to fall for first time in four years: researchers
India iPhone sales to fall for first time in four years: researchers
- For the whole of 2018, Apple was set to sell about 2 million phones, a drop of about a million from last year
- Apple called the company’s problems in India “speed bumps along a very long journey”
Saudi Arabia merges National Competitiveness Center and Saudi Business Center
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has merged the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center under a unified entity named the Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center to streamline business reforms.
The decision was announced during the Cabinet session held in Jeddah on Feb. 24 and chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Majid Al-Kassabi, minister of commerce and chairman of the boards of both centers, praised the leadership’s continued support for the private sector, saying the merger will enhance Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness and elevate its ranking in relevant international indicators and reports.
He said the decision will enhance the Kingdom’s competitiveness and elevate its ranking in relevant indicators and reports. It will also facilitate procedures for starting and conducting economic businesses and provide all related services and work by adopting the best international methods and practices.
Al-Kassabi said the Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center will continue delivering more than 6,000 government services to the business sector, in integration with relevant government entities, at the highest levels of quality and innovation. Services will be provided through the unified business platform and 20 branches across 15 cities.
He said the merger will unify channels for monitoring challenges facing the private sector and implement targeted reforms to facilitate business, adding that it will enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness and maximize the benefits of partnerships with local and international entities and organizations, especially in knowledge transfer and the exchange of expertise.
He said the center will work with the public and private sectors to place the Kingdom among the world’s most competitive countries and make its business environment a global model for the quality, smoothness and efficiency of government services directed to the business sector.
