Apple may not sell a variety of different cell phone models like everyone else, but that hasn’t stopped them from surpassing rivals like Nokia in terms of income -- particularly with $10.47 billion in iPhone sales the last quarter alone.
AppleInsider is reporting that thanks to their first quarter fiscal year 2011 income of $10.47 billion on iPhone handsets and accessories, Apple has surpassed rival Nokia as the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer -- at least in terms of revenue.
Nokia’s income for the most recent quarter was 7.17 billion Euros ($9.7 billion USD) for its Devices and Services division, but AppleInsider notes “this includes more than just its smartphone sales.” In addition to smartphones, Nokia’s Devices and Services division also includes “handheld mobile computers, tablets and other devices falling within its Mobile Solutions group,” as well as sales from the company’s Ovi-branded services which include e-mail, music and apps.
By comparison, Apple’s iTunes Store raked in another $1.4 billion on its own last quarter -- and if Nokia wants to compare all of its mobile products, Apple’s iPod and iPad business would add another $4.61 billion, which well surpasses income from the Finnish handset maker.
Of course, Apple surpassing Nokia in revenue isn’t exactly news -- a year ago, CEO Steve Jobs pointed out that their $15.6 billion winter quarter (a record at the time) already made Apple “the largest mobile device company in the world,” ahead of rivals Nokia, Sony and Samsung.
"I just didn't want to let this moment pass without recognizing it," Jobs commented at the time. "It's pretty amazing."
While Nokia quickly dismissed Jobs’ claim, the reality is that Apple is just getting started. “Nokia has sat on top of a dominant position in mobile phones for years, much as Microsoft has enjoyed high market share in the PC world,” AppleInsider reports. “Apple has outpaced both, not by seeking to just capture market share, but by capturing profit share with a limited number of high end devices that are visible and attractive to customers and easier to support.”
For the foreseeable future, at least, it seems that Apple’s rivals will be struggling to catch up -- if they can manage to do so at all.
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(Image courtesy of NewLaunches.com)
