Apple Primed To Miss Expectations?

This morning financial analysts are battling fiercely over the iPhone quarterly sales signal a troubling sign for Apple. For every analyst that is quick to jump aboard the distress train there is one ready to defend Apple as the premiere brand in smartphones and no sign of anything changing anytime soon.

What was interesting in all the CNBC videos I watched is the lack of Android mention in the smartphone category. I’d like to be clear here; Android is the market share leader and nobody with an ounce of sense sees anything changing anytime soon. What is up for debate is whether or not the news that Big Red is planning on joining in with AT&T to really push WP8 handsets this holiday season. Nokia seems to be garnering all the limelight almost as if they are the singular Windows Phone brand.

For all of the huffing and puffing about iPhone activations not growing as much it should be noted that what analysts and prospective buyers of Apple stock is the meeting or exceeding of iPad sales. It would surprise me to see the new iPad sales exceed analyst expectations. The iPad 2 is so good getting it at a lower cost now that the new iPad is available is more than justification for a smile. I look for iPad sales to meet expectations but most of that will be older versions and not the new iPad driving growth.

As of 11:21AM Apple’s stock is trading at %561.75, down over $70 from its high on 4/9.

Strong Europe and China sales are seemingly the only hope Apple has to reach sales expectations. Speaking of China, did you see the story about smugglers bringing in iPhones from Hong Kong back into China by professionally cutting beer bottles and placing up to 3 iPhones in each bottle before resealing them. Check the link here. Good stuff.

Source: CNBC