Apple’s small gadgets, including Bluetooth headset and smart watch, surpassed the Mac computer business for the first in history, Apple's fourth quarter financial results showed.
Apple's traditional three major hardware businesses include personal computers, smartphones and tablets. Among them, personal computers are Apple's world-renowned "starting business". However, the status of the tablet and computer business in the Apple business empire is slowly declining.
Apple revealed in its latest financial report on Tuesday that the revenue of the "wearable devices, home and accessories" segment exceeded the revenue of Apple's personal computer (ie, the MAC business) for the first time.
Apple's business segment includes many consumer electronics products whose single-product revenue is temporarily unable to compete with smartphones and tablets, including AirPods Bluetooth headsets, Apple Watches, and some peripheral accessories sold in Apple stores.
Apple has also imitated Amazon's launch of HomePod, a smart speaker equipped with a voice assistant, which is likely to belong to the aforementioned hardware section.
In the fourth quarter of last year, the total revenue of this business segment reached $10 billion, which has exceeded the $7.2 billion of personal computer business.
This milestone event marks a new space for Apple's business and highlights how Apple's future is built on "wearable computers" that span consumers' entire bodies, not just personal computers on desks .
Apple CEO Tim Cook said AirPods and Apple Watches are essential holiday gifts, driving unprecedented success in this product category.
Although Apple did not separately release revenue for Apple Watches or Bluetooth headsets, Cook added that Apple Watch sales hit a record for the quarter. He also said that the size of "wearable devices" (including this Apple Watch, Bluetooth headset and Beats brand headphones) is enough to become a "Fortune Global 150", which means that it will generate about $ 20 billion in annual revenue.
In addition, Apple also asked investors to note that the company's service business has an annual growth rate of 19%, but the wearable device business has a higher growth rate. Wearables, homes and accessories grew 37% year-on-year, and another 50% year-on-year increase last year impressed Wall Street.
For comparison, Apple's personal computer business revenue fell 3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter.
Apple's small gadgets currently accounts for only 10% of Apple's total revenue, far behind the smartphone business, which contributes 60% of revenue. In addition, Apple's wearables require an Apple phone to work properly, which highlights the company's dependence on flagship products.
For example, the Apple Watch cannot sync data with an Android phone. Although AirPods can be used as a pair of ordinary wireless headphones, they are indeed designed to match your Apple phone.
Meanwhile, Cook said on Tuesday that the Apple Watch is bringing new customers into the Apple ecosystem, a role that has been played by Apple phones for years.
