It's the iPhone7, not tablets (which get worse) or Macbooks (which get better), that makes Apple accounts fly. The Cupertino-based group closed a record quarter by bringing sales of the iconic mobile phone back to growth. Group profits were down slightly 2,6% to $17,89 billion but earnings per share of $3,36 beat the $3,21 forecast.
In the first three months of the fiscal year, revenues were $78,4 billion, up from $75,9 billion in the same period a year earlier. The boost, as mentioned, came from iPhone sales which reached 78,3 million units, compared to 74,8 million in the same period last year. It is the all-time record for Apple.
The average selling price of iPhones was $695, up from $691 a year ago, a record driven by the 7 Plus model, where purchases soared 55% to 24,55 million units, bringing a total of 78,3 million products. Smartphone revenue climbed 5% to $54,38 billion and the Services division, which includes the App Store, Apple Pay and iCloud, also increased 18% to $7,17 billion.
As we said, the accounts have improved thanks to the iPhone and Apple's business services. Apps that used to be given up for death drive up profits; Mac computers also improved, with 5,4 million units against 5,3 million in 2016. On the other hand, there is no sign of recovery for tablets: the decline of the iPad continues: 13,1 million, against 16,1 million, down 19%.
