It’s been a tough year for phone makers as chip shortages and factory closures wreak havoc on the supply chain. Apple has also been affected, albeit less than many of its rivals, which has allowed it to shine big.
Looking back at Apple’s 2022 brings us to the same sentiment as in 2021 before it: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Apple is one of the most predictable companies in the tech world, which sometimes makes us take Cupertino’s tech brilliance for granted.
All in all, Apple had a good year. All of his products were good, some even fantastic. But there were still underachievers, and since “winners and underachievers” don’t have the same ring, let’s take a look at Apple’s winners and losers for 2022.
Winners: iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone is Apple’s best-seller and the 14 Pro has sold the most out of the four iPhone 14 models. This means that Apple has made a lot of money from its Pro range. There are good reasons for this. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max feature the first notch Dynamic Island, the first true megapixel camera on an iPhone, ultrawide cameras with autofocus, and the latest A16 Bionic chipset.
But beyond the specs on a sheet, the new Pros offer class-leading build quality, displays, and exceptional photo and video quality. Couple that with Apple’s high margins, none higher than the iPhone Pro, and these two are huge winners for Apple.
Loser: Apple MR headset
We’ve been hearing about Apple’s Mixed Reality headsets for years now, but the end of this year turns into the next year and then the next year and so on. Currently, Apple MR is expected in the second half of 2023 due to apparent software issues. And that tentative estimate could easily extend to 2024. You can’t delay a project forever without thinking you have to start over and at that point canceling might be a possibility, too.
Current forecasts predict fewer than 500,000 shipments if the Apple MR launches in 2023, which is lower than the previous market consensus of 800,000-1,200,000 units, for Kuo, not a great start.
Winner: iPad
The iPad is the king of the tablet hill. It holds 60% of the entire global market in 2022 and that’s purely in terms of shipments, the disparity when it comes to revenue from tablet sales is even wider. When it comes to tablets, the iPad is the default choice.
It’s not just about recognition, the iPad is simply better than any other tablet on the market. It can run rings around Android lists for multitasking and performance, and it’s better to use and more durable than any hybrid Windows device out there. The plethora of great accessories only solidifies the iPad’s dominance.
Winner: Apple Watch Ultra
The Apple Watch is in a similar situation to the iPad, although its appeal is a bit more limited as it only includes iPhone users. It is the market leader and is an established choice in the world of smartwatches. This makes the Apple Watch Ultra the gold standard for many people.
The Ultra is more durable than the regular Apple Watch, thanks to its titanium case and sapphire crystal. It is also equipped to handle diving thanks to a built-in depth gauge. You can also climb with it and have an altimeter that is always on. It’s a smartwatch that pushes beyond its Android competition and into professional smartwatch territory.
Loser: iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone mini
This year, Apple chose to go big with the iPhone 14 Plus and do away with the underperforming mini altogether. However, that didn’t go as planned and the Plus isn’t trending as Apple expected. People apparently aren’t interested in a large non-Pro iPhone. It’s harder to say if it fares even worse than the mini, but it’s certainly not an improvement.
Winner: MacBook Air M2
Apple has finally updated the MacBook Air with a thin bezel design, a new, bigger and better screen, and the new very efficient M2 processor. That’s a wonderful thing, and it instantly leapt to the top of every laptop buying guide in the world. And, since Apple kept the previous MacBook Air with an M1 chip, it will continue to make money from it as well.
Loser: Apple Stores
But despite a year dominated by success, Apple itself has lost a lot due to the many factors of the world we live in. The company faces a shortage of millions of iPhones entering the holiday shopping season. Whether it’s a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or AirPods, Apple is having serious trouble keeping up with demand, and as a result, will end up selling far less than it could have done in normal times.
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