Apple Insider
Our industry expert rounds-up the biggest Apple corporate stories circulating this month
Apple needs Imagination
Apple and UK graphics chip designer Imagination Technologies has extended their multi-year licensing deal for use of the latter’s technologies within future iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices. Imagination has long supplied elements of the design of Apple’s graphics processors in these products, though the relationship was only officially revealed in early 2014. Under terms of the deal, Apple gains access to Imagination’s graphics and video intellectual property for use in its devices. It's understood that Apple accounts for 30% of Imagination’s revenues.
A Mac planet
If you include iPad sales, Apple is now the world’s biggest PC manufacturer with 19.5% of the market, claims Canalys, who also revealed the company now holds the largest share of the tablet market. Lenovo, Samsung, HP and Dell follow Apple in the top five, if tablets are counted as computers. In February Sony announced plans to quit the PC market, citing decline. While tablet sales continue to climb (up 65.2% year-onyear, according to Canalys), PC sales declined 6.9%, according to analysts.
Record iPhone and iPad sales
Apple’s Q1 2014 generated a record $57.6 billion in revenue ($13.1 billion profit) on strength of record iPhone and iPad sales. Apple sold 51 million iPhones and 26 million iPads during the quarter. Mac sales reached 4.8 million from 4.1 million in the year-ago quarter. In response to the record quarter, Apple’s stock price sank, due to analysts expectation of higher iPhone sales in the quarter based on the company's recent deal with China Mobile.
“We’re happy with our record iPhone and iPad sales, the strong performance of our Mac products and the continued growth of iTunes, Software and Services,” Tim Cook said. “We love having the most satisfied, loyal and engaged customers, and are continuing to invest heavily in our future to make their experiences with our products and services even better.”