Re: iPhone revenue fell for a second consecutive quarter (perhaps due to Apple's failed R&D efforts)

Andrew <andrew@spam.net> wrote:

badgolferman wrote on Fri, 2 Aug 2024 18:50:28 -0000 (UTC) :
 

Maybe it is and maybe it has to do with the people being employed to
develop these things.  Are they the best and brightest developers
available, considering Apple has the money to pay them?  Or are they
DEI candidates selected to make Apple look good to shareholders and
those who demand such things?

 
All I can say is I am always reasonable in all my factual assessments.
As you know, zealots never know ANYTHING about what Apple actually does.
 
At least you read about Apple outside of Apple's (brilliant) Marketing ads.
 
To your concerns, all I can tell you is what is in the news about Apple's
strategic decisions, which I'm sure you can handle - but the zealots can't.
 
This, from midyear 2024 says, for example the iPhone accounts for "55%
($115.7 billion) of Apple's $210.3 billion in net sales", so it behooves us
to concentrate on what Apple has improved on technology for that iPhone.
 <https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/05/07/apple-spent-183-billion-rd-in-12-years-674-billion/>
 
Notice the fact that Apple spends far more on propping up stock than on R&D
(where the article uses the word "breathtaking" where the article says no
other company comes close to what Apple spends, not in R&D, but on P:E.
 
What's a possible assessment takeaway from those two facts?
 
Maybe:
a. Apple cares more than anyone about artificially propping up stock...
b. And, yet, Apple cares far less than most in terms of actual R&D.
 
What do YOU make of those two breathtakingly different facts about Apple?
 

It says Apple is on track to spend $31 billion this year on R&D,
underscoring its record of increases every year since 2013. That’s
certainly no number to sneeze at, but unfortunately there hasn’t been much
innovation to show for it over the last 5-6 years. I know some will say the
mobile phone has reached its peak in features, but they’ve been saying that
for a long time. A truly innovative company would create things customers
didn’t know they wanted, not new colors or emojis.

On the other hand they’ve spent $674 billion on stock buybacks to prop up
their value. One could argue this has had a much greater effect on the
livelihood and future prospects of millions of people within their
portfolios. Personally I’m happy with that even though I only own their
stock indirectly in ETFs and such. Certainly Apple has been a great
contributor to my retirement outlook, even though the stock market has
taken a dump the past few days.