Although there have been reports to the contrary, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Tuesday that Apple Watch sales did NOT plunge just months after launch. Instead, he says June was the best sales month for the device so far!
The tidbit came out in response to a question posed near the tail end of Apple’s quarterly conference call for the third quarter of 2015. Cook, who was expectedly cagey and dodged multiple queries regarding Apple Watch shipment numbers, refuted recent reports speculating that sales rates have declined since launch.
Cook noted that Apple Watch sales in June were higher than April or May. Earlier this month, research firm Slice Intelligence claimed their numbers showed online sales of the Watch via Apple’s website declined to fewer than 20,000 units per day. Some media outlets, MacTrast NOT included, used the number to conclude the Watch was doomed. Slice, for their part, noted that they had clearly specified the numbers were for online sales only.
Apple didn’t break out any specific sales number for the Apple Watch in the fiscal third quarter, instead placing the Watch under the catchall “Other Products” category that includes other devices, such as iPods, the Apple TV, Beats headphones, and accessories. Revenues for that segment saw impressive growth for the quarter.
While declining to supply specific sales numbers, Cook said Apple Watch sales exceeded Apple’s own expectations, and handily offset dropping numbers for the iPod lineup. CFO Luca Maestri told The New York Times that the first nine weeks of Watch sales exceeded those of the iPhone and iPad when they were first launched.
Apple Watch sales should continue to perform well, as CEO Cook noted Apple plans to expand the Watch’s retail availability ahead of the all-important holiday shopping season.
