Apple’s Monster Quarter

Apple’s fiscal year ends in September, and each fiscal quarter is usually 13 weeks in length. Because the 365-day year is not wholly divisible by seven, every six years an additional week is added to the first fiscal quarter. FQ1 2012—which began on September 25, 2011 and ended on December 31, 2011—spanned 14 weeks and included the immediate post-Christmas shopping week. For the quarter, Apple is expected to report record revenue in excess of $40 billion, and many of the independent analysts who track the company expect earnings for the 14-week period in excess of $11 per share. In calendar year 2012, Apple is on track to surpass HP to become the nation’s largest technology company.

The MacBook Air

While much has been written about the iPad, less mention has been made in the press about the popular MacBook Air. Apple’s lightweight laptop has come into its own in the era of portable devices. In FY2012, the Macintosh will become a $25 billion business for Apple. The company’s oldest and most enduring product line is attracting new buyers by the day and providing Apple with market share gain in the US and around the world.

China

The world’s most populous nation is now Apple’s second biggest market. In FY2011, China was the only nation outside the US that generated more than 10% of the company’s revenue total. Between now and next year, many expect Apple to add a second major iPhone carrier on the mainland, further boosting Apple’s product presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In FY2012, Asia-Pacific may supplant Europe as Apple’s second biggest product market.

In FY2013 that begins next September, only one-third of Apple’s revenue might be generated from US sales. The company’s ongoing global expansion into currently underserved markets will support revenue and earnings growth for the next few years.

The iPad

In April, the iPad will enter its third year of release, and there’s already much anticipation for the third edition of the company’s tablet product. In the 21 months that the product has been available, there’s been quick adoption of the iPad in the K-12 market, and developers are moving swiftly to release apps for content creation as well as content consumption. The iPad is in demand as a design tool and productivity device as much as it’s enjoyed for reading electronic books and for viewing TV shows and movies.

The iPad is disrupting the market for Windows-based portables and is complementing the MacBook Air’s rise in PC market share. Although the iPad is not currently classified as a conventional personal computer, it is already changing the way consumers view personal computing products.

The iPhone 4S

A new agreement with Sprint has made the iPhone 4S available to customers on the three largest domestic cell phone networks. The December quarter also marked the first holiday season in which the iPhone was available to Verizon customers. Strong iPhone sales will bolster the results in Apple’s “monster quarter.” The new handset’s global rollout will continue well into 2012.

Our January Issue

We thank you for joining us this month and every month as the editors of ATPM chronicle what we call the “personal computing experience.”

Our January issue includes:

MacMuser: The Best Use for a Kindle

Pondering the steady pace of progress—from beer, to bread, to publishing—leads Mark Tennent to find the ideal use for a Kindle.

MacMuser: It’s Got No Blinking Light

Sometimes, something has to go missing before you realize it was ever there.

The iPad Chronicles: Apple’s Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

In this month’s excerpt from The iPad Chronicles, Robert Paul Leitao writes about Apple’s Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

PEBKAC: On Being Locked In, and Getting What I Want Out

When it comes to e-reading, it’s often not as simple to get out what you want as it is to get it in.

Segments: How Did This Happen?

Dave Trautman recalls his FrankenMac in this sequel to last month’s Getting to Know My First Macintosh.

Desktop Pictures: Easter Island

James Craig shares new images from Easter Island.

Out at Five

Matt Johnson’s series, Out at Five, has looked at the workplace and its boundaries from all angles, revolving around many of the same characters from his former series, Cortland. Matt is taking a hiatus after this month’s strip. He is unsure if Out at Five will return, but will stay in touch with ATPM to share whatever comes next.

The Spinning Beachball

Apple has provided a means to quantify music obscurity.

Review: The Future of Looking Back

David Ozab reviews a book that discusses the difference between real and virtual artifacts and asks insightful questions, such as how to reminisce about our lives when we no longer have physical objects to hold on to.

Review: ZAGG/Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2

The ZAGG/Logitech Keyboard Case is the perfect accessory for those seeking to use their iPad 2 as a full-fledged mobile computing platform.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Paul Leitao. Robert Paul Leitao is a contributing editor at ATPM and is author of the Posts At Eventide and The iPad Chronicles blogs.