It was a challenging year for phone makers as chip shortages and factory closures wreaked havoc on the supply chain. Even Apple was affected, albeit smaller than many of its rivals, allowing it to shine in a big way.
Looking back at Apple’s 2022 brings us the same feeling as 2021 before it – the more things change, the more they stay the same. Apple is one of the more predictable companies in the tech world, which makes us take Cupertino’s technological brilliance for granted sometimes.
All things considered, Apple had a good year. All of its products were good, some were even great. But there were still underperformers, and since “winners and underperformers” don’t have the same ring, let’s look at Apple’s winners and losers for 2022.
Winners: iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone is Apple’s bestseller, and the 14 Pros sold the most out of the four iPhone 14 models. This means that Apple made a lot of money on its Pro lineup. There are good reasons for that. iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max feature the first Dynamic Island notch, the first truly high-megapixel camera on an iPhone, autofocus ultra-wide cameras and the latest A16 Bionic chipset.
But beyond specifications on a sheet, the new professionals deliver class-leading build quality, screens and exceptional photo and video quality. Combine all this with Apple’s high margins, none higher than in the iPhone Pro, and these two are great winners for Apple.
Loser: Apple MR headset
For years we’ve heard about Apple’s Mixed Reality headset, but the end of this year turns into next year, and then the year after that, and so on. Currently, the Apple MR is scheduled for the second half of 2023 due to apparent problems with the software. And the preliminary estimate could easily run into 2024. You can’t delay a project forever without thinking that you’ll have to start from scratch, and at that point cancellation may also be an option.
Current forecasts predict less than 500,000 shipments if the Apple MR launches in 2023, which is less than the previous market consensus of 800,000-1,200,000 units per year. Kuo – not a good start.
Winner: iPad
The iPad is the king of the tablet tray. It has 60% of the entire global market in 2022, and it is pure in terms of shipments that the difference when it comes to revenue from tablet sales is even greater. When it comes to tablets, the iPad is the default choice.
It’s not just about recognition, the iPad is just better than any other tablet on the market. It can run rings around Android slates for multitasking and performance, and it’s better to use and longer lasting than any Windows hybrid device out there. The myriad of excellent accessories only cements 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 since it only includes iPhone users. It is the market leader and it is a well-established choice in the world of smartwatches. That makes the Apple Watch Ultra the gold standard for many people.
The Ultra is tougher than the regular Apple Watch, thanks to a titanium case and sapphire crystal. It’s also equipped to handle diving thanks to a built-in depth gauge. You can also climb with it and have an always-on altimeter. 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 completely scrapped the underperforming mini. However, it didn’t go as planned, and the Plus isn’t trending as much as Apple expected. People don’t seem interested in a non-Pro large iPhone. It’s harder to say whether it performs even worse than the mini, but it’s certainly not an improvement.
Winner: MacBook Air M2
Apple finally updated the MacBook Air with a thin-bezel design, a new, bigger and better screen, and the new, highly efficient M2 processor. It’s a thing of beauty and it immediately jumped to the top of every laptop buyer’s guide in the world. And because Apple kept the previous MacBook Air with an M1 chip, it will also continue to make money from it.
Loser: Apple stores
But despite a year dominated by success, Apple itself lost a lot due to the many factors of the world we live in. The company faces a shortage of millions of iPhones going into the Christmas shopping season. Whether it’s Macs, iPhones, iPads or AirPods, Apple is having real trouble keeping up with demand and as a result will end up selling a lot less than it could have in normal times.
