SANDISK Corp. launched a flash drive targeting iPhone users on April 28, days after Apple Inc. reported revenue decline in the first quarter, the technology giant’s first in 13 years.
Peter Mah, regional director for Asia Pacific, said SanDisk was encouraged to develop the flash drive called iXpand, based on the flash-storage provider’s consumer survey in the US, wherein many iPhone users want to free up more space on their phones.
“People are using their mobile phones to capture tons of photos and videos, and more than 70 percent of users transfer files off of their iPhones to another storage location,” Mah said at a media briefing in Makati City. “Our line of mobile storage offerings can immediately help them free up space.”
Mah’s statements came after Apple said its sales in the Americas and Asia, except for Japan, posted declines.
In its report for the first quarter, Apple said its “Americas net sales decreased during the second quarter and first six months of 2016 compared to the same periods in 2015, due primarily to lower net sales of iPhone and the effect of weakness in foreign currencies relative to the US dollar.” These were also the reasons cited by Apple for its Greater China and rest of Asia-Pacific net sales.
In its Form 10-Q submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal quarter ended March 26, Apple said net sales decreased 13 percent, or $7.5 billion, during the second quarter of 2016 compared to the same quarter in 2015, primarily driven by lower iPhone sales.
“iPhone net sales and unit sales decreased during the second quarter and first six months of 2016 compared to the same periods in 2015,” Apple said. It blamed the unit sales decline “primarily to the acceleration of iPhone upgrades in the first half of 2015 and challenging macroeconomic conditions around the world.”
“Average selling prices for iPhone were lower year-over-year during the second quarter and first six months of 2016 due to a change in the mix of iPhones and the effect of weakness in foreign currencies relative” to the greenback.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes