In 2016, Apple tried again to surprise the fans and market analysts. Visitors to Internet forums to actively talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the new MacBook Pro, wondering how the iPhone 7 will be successful and will help to improve sales of the Apple Watch Series 2.
Not all believe that this year was successful from Apple. Life journalists have named the main problems faced by the cupertinos in 2016.
1. Falling sales and profits
At the end of January Apple published the financial report for the first quarter. Analysts immediately warned that the next document in this series is shocking information about the fall of profits of the company. And so it happened. In April Apple announced that earnings fell by 13% — sales fell for the first time in 13 years. The same trend is transported for the third quarter and fourth. But despite the setback, which lasted 10 months, Tim cook continues to talk about how great it feels to Corporation.
And yet, in 2017 Tim cook will be forced to take measures to increase sales, otherwise in a year he’ll have seen the headlines in the style of “Apple Profit falls for the seventh consecutive quarter”. These results, of course, will affect the stock for two years without growth is a crisis. Shallow but noticeable.
2. The decline in the quality
Still no iPhone in history has been so troubled, like “seven”. First showed a deficit: in the first day of pre-orders revealed that Apple is not enough devices in a glossy case. Such models appeared in stores only in late November, two months after the official start of sales.
The troubles did not end. After the start of sales of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in the network appeared the first complaints of the customers on the operation of the devices. We are talking about the A10 processor of Fusion, which tends to publish “mysterious sounds” with heavy use of the smartphone.
Then came to light that some iPhone 7 is the marriage with communication module (the phone just did not catch the signal). Then let know problem with Lightning-headphones that have ceased to function and freezes the app calls. Some iPhone users 7 reported low quality of sound during phone conversations
And it’s probably not a complete list: a few months can come up a marriage. How to deal with a falling quality — is unclear, it is known that Apple is always a long and demanding selects suppliers.
3. Killer updates
Updating the operating system iOS 9.3.2, released in may, disrupted the work of the iPad Pro. According to the owners of the gadget, after installing the update, there was an error 56 and a proposal to restore the device using iTunes.
Apple was compelled to withdraw the update that turns iPad into “bricks.” In the official comments, the company confirmed the presence of errors and recommended users who had not been able to restore the device via iTunes to contact Apple support.
The problem was that the iPad Pro with error 56 could not return to life even after reinstalling the OS. According to the owners of such devices, when referring to the Apple Store, the company immediately changed such gadgets.
In September, Apple released the next version of mobile system iOS 10. Unfortunately, iPhone and iPad users are not warned that in the first hours it is expected the crazy hype, so people immediately rushed to update their gadgets. Due to overloaded servers, the device gave an error and refused to work. Of course, they died not for good: they can be connected to iTunes and restored, but those who at that moment was away from the computer, this option is not suitable.
4. Explosions iPhone
At the end of September, with dubious news from China came shots exploded in the box iPhone 7. The smartphone is seriously injured body, peeled off the glass, and the owner of the gadget miraculously didn’t get damaged. The story looked like a very fake, but in mid-October, the seventh phone exploded in the hands of the person who filmed the video. The unit was split into two parts, and its owner injured face and hands.
The third case happened in November: the iPhone 7 Plus instantly exploded when he hit the ground. Apple has not commented on these incidents, and the earlier explosions of the iPhone 6 in the company’s standard and responded dryly: “You have nothing to worry about, all the devices are safe.”
Considering how the reputation and status of affected inflammable Samsung Galaxy Note 7, logic Apple can understand now better to remain silent and hope for the best. But anxiety is growing — according to one version (at the moment, the most plausible), Note 7 exploded due to excessively close arrangement of elements. The iPhone 7 components are also placed as close as possible — it is possible that the occasional explosions linked with the architecture of the internals of the device.
5. Apple Watch
All year analysts from IDC have indicated that users are less interested in smart watches. The Apple Watch has been a leader in the industry, but the financial reports of the company clearly demonstrate that even this gadget I buy is worse than in 2015. Watch included in the category “Other products”, which together with them came the iPods and other small devices.
In the fourth quarter the share of “others” in total revenues of Apple was a little more than five percent (12 times less than the iPhone). Therefore, the watch is dipped in sales for at least a quarter (this is very important). To rectify the situation impossible — the second generation of the Watch is almost indistinguishable from the first, although all were waiting for significant changes (including design).
But the strangest thing in this situation — the behaviour Tim cook. CEO hard taldychit that the company satisfied with the sales of the Watch, beating all records before Christmas. Of course, the truth will come out only in January, when Apple will release the next report, but now the replica of cook’s look overly optimistic.
6. The recognition of marriage in the iPhone
In November, Apple launched a replacement program batteries spontaneously switched off the iPhone. Some users of the iPhone 6s is said that the gadgets tend to be switched off automatically when the battery power drops, despite the fact that the battery level is quite high at 50-60%. To enable after that, the smartphone is impossible without connection to the power adapter.
In Apple believe that the reason for the strange behavior of the devices is the problem with the battery, so within a running program in free smartphones will replace the battery.
Earlier Apple offered to repair the iPhone 6 Plus with a “disease of the touchscreen”. The company announced the launch of Multi-Touch Repair, stating that the touch screen of the iPhone 6 Plus may stop working after numerous drops on a hard surface. In Cupertino have offered to fix the broken device for $149, but only if the smartphone has no visible damage and cracks.
The fact is that Apple acknowledged the marriage in smartphones, but refused to free repair of the device. Those who have already made the change and kept the receipt, cupertinos return the difference if the repair was more expensive.
7. Output delay AirPods
Along with the iPhone 7 Apple showed AirPods wireless headphones. They exist separately from each other (that is, two earphone without wire), so they are obviously easy to lose. To prevent this from happening in Cupertino thought to do for AirPods smart recharging case (once it opens, the headset connects to the phone). With the help of headphones, you can communicate with Siri and change tracks in the player, but it looks too futuristic accessory.
But that’s not the point, but the fact that Apple ripped off deadline for the production of new items on the shelves. AirPods was supposed to debut in mid-autumn, but delayed indefinitely for reasons unknown. Thus, the gadget skips the hot Christmas period.
In the face of delays these headphones abstracts Apple about the wireless future sound funny: while rejection of a 3.5 mm connector in the iPhone 7 has not led to anything good.
8. Problems new MacBook Pro
In October, the company for the first time in many years, a full updated MacBook Pro lineup. Laptops have become thinner and has got a huge touchpad, but the authors of reviews found several problems: battery life — 3-6 hours instead of 9-10; new flat keyboard uncomfortable for long text input; Touch Bar hangs and stops to respond to touch; buggy graphics subsystem (screen suddenly turns green, blue or red), sometimes the laptop doesn’t have enough power. The sad thing is, non-standard connectors.
2016-th year was not the best for Apple, but it can happen with any company. The challenge for the next year to increase cash reserves, but again explain to the world why products with the bitten Apple on the case are considered the best. In the spring we are waiting for the new iPad, and in the fall — iPhone 8, produced by a decade of iPhone. These gadgets will be crucial for Tim cook as an entrepreneur and follower of Steve jobs.
