Apple hints at lower iPhone prices outside US after sales drop
Apple has suggested that it could lower iPhone prices in response to falling sales.
Speaking after publishing the company’s latest financial results, which showed that iPhone revenue was down 15% on last year, chief executive Tim Cook said Apple is starting to adjust its pricing in some countries in response to currency valuation changes around the world.
Mr Cook admitted the “relative strength of the US dollar has made our products more expensive in many parts of the world”, but that it was now trying to protect customers from the impact of currency fluctuation.
“What we have done in January in some locations and (for) some products is essentially absorb part or all of the foreign currency move compared to last year,” he said.
The company did not specify which countries it was focusing on, but suggested it would continue to look at how the iPhone is priced outside the United States after seeing the cost of devices rise in markets where currency has weakened against the dollar in the last year.
The price of the most expensive iPhone in Britain has risen 83% from £789 in 2015 to £1,449 today.
Apple revenue and profits down as iPhone sales hit. Could handset prices fall?
In its financial results, Apple reported total revenue or 84.3 billion dollars (£64.5 billion), down from 88.2 billion dollars (£67.6 billion) this time last year.
However, the Mac computer, iPad and the wearables, home and accessories product categories all reported sales growth, as did the company’s services category – which includes the Apple Music streaming platform as well as the App Store and Apple Pay.
The results came after the firm issued an alert to investors earlier this month, warning of a forthcoming sales slump due to the economic slowdown in China.
