In the first three months of the year, Apple sold more iPhones than from analysts – apparently a advanced effect before the duties came into force, which Trump had announced early on. The group’s sales increased by around five percent to $ 95.4 billion (84.1 billion euros), winning by almost five percent to $ 24.8 billion.
In the previous quarter, Iphones’ sales had decreased – analysts had criticized that the latest model did not yet have functions with artificial intelligence. These should come in summer.
Cook announced with analysts in a conference call that most of the iPhones sold in the USA in the current quarter. In the trade war with China, US President Trump had occupied all imports from the country with a duty of 145 – but then for the time being, smartphones and computers. However, a high rate of 20 percent still applies to them.
According to Cook, iPads, Mac computers and Apple watches for the US market are produced in Vietnam. It is “very difficult to predict” how Apple will organize its supply chains in the future, said CEO Cook. Apple had already “learned some time ago that it is too risky to have everything in one place”. Therefore, the group has “opened up new sources of supply for certain parts of the supply chain” over time. This could “continue in the future”.
The US mail order company Amazon also suffers from the uncertainty that the result of Trump’s zigzag course in customs policy is. Amazon made more sales and profit in the first quarter, but remained with his profit forecast for the current quarter under the expectation of the analysts. The course of the group on Wall Street therefore dropped.
ILO/GT
