In its third fiscal quarter of 2022, Apple announced that Mac sales had dropped 10% year-over-year from $8.2 billion to $7.3 billion. For some companies, this number might be cause for concern. However, for Apple, the double-digit sales drop probably suggests there will be huge Mac numbers during the company's final fiscal quarter of 2022 (July through September) and the all-important holiday quarter (October through December).
13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air (2022): Late to the party
For months, the Apple rumor mill suggested the company's top-selling Mac, the MacBook Air, would see a significant refresh sometime in 2022. The big announcement came in June at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Unfortunately for Apple shareholders, the model wasn't officially released until July 15. As a result, many would-be MacBook Air buyers almost certainly decided to wait until the highly-rated new model became available.
The other Mac announced at WWDC, the next-gen 13-inch MacBook Pro, had little influence on the third-quarter fiscal numbers as it was released on June 24; the quarter ended a day later.
Big releases ahead
Assuming there aren't significant supply issues, the new MacBook Air should play a substantial role in Mac sales in the coming months. Additionally, Apple's expected to announce new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro units in the coming weeks, which also should have a positive influence.
Apple set a June quarter revenue record of $83 billion. This was achieved despite lower year-over-year sales for Mac, iPad, and wearables. Of the big five, only iPhone and Services saw year-over-year gains.
Mac sales will have to exceed $9.178 billion during the current September quarter to beat last year's numbers. Apple didn't provide fourth-quarter fiscal year guidance at last week's conference call.
