Apple set for an astounding Q3 2011 performance, says analyst
Apple’s July to September sales report could be a record high for the company.
According to analyst Gene Munster, data from the North American market research company NPD is projecting up to 4.6 million Mac sales ending this September. Wall Street estimates also predict similar sales of about 4.5 million Macs for the same quarter. If true, the third quarter results for Apple this year could be their most successful one yet as its previous sales record was 4.1 million units back in Q4 2010, according to AppleInsider.
The high sales figures can be attributed to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro refresh, released earlier this year in July and February, respectively. In fact, about 10 to 20 percent of total Mac sales this quarter are expected to be MacBook Airs. Munster also acknowledged the release of OS X Lion, which in itself brought a 26 percent boost in Mac sales during the month of July.
In September, however, Munster sees the sales boost from the three releases dying down, which could make it more difficult for Apple to maintain its year-over-year growth. Still, the Cupertino company should experience strong holiday numbers if the impending iPhone 5 launch moves smoothly.