2012 was an important year in the tech industry, with some of the biggest names in the industry releasing some outstanding smartphones and tablets. The previous year saw a decline in the PC market due to several Android based tablets being released.
The tech industry has been growing at steady pace and 2013 is another important year in this particular sector. Investing in the tech industry might not guarantee high returns, however; volatility in the stocks is one of the reasons why the industry is so exciting for investors.
Also, the buzz/hype around the industry is irresistible, which is why some investors like to gamble on the biggest names in the industry. Computers and laptops are still being shipped around the world in millions of units, however; the current year will be vital for smartphones and tablets due to the growth of these devices, while the PC market declines.
Apple has been the center of the industry, ever since Steve Jobs’ revolutionary press event in 2007. Today, many analysts believe that Apple lacks that innovation when it launched the first generation iPhone. While the audience might not be expecting a total game changer from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), many still believe that Apple, in recent years, has lacked even the slightest of innovation. The opinions grew stronger after the release of the iPhone 5, with analysts claiming that the new iPhone is “boring” and lacks excitement, although, the iPhone 5 has enough to maintain Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s dominance in the sector.
The newest iPhone did extremely well after the initial release; however, sales have been weaker in recent months, especially in the holiday season. Recent rumors have suggested that Apple is planning to release a cheap iPhone 5, which will feature plastic in most parts of the design, but many Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) users still believe that the company will avoid the option of making a cheaper version of iPhone, targeted towards individuals with lower budgets. Reports still suggest that 2013 will feature another iPhone from Apple and that Apple needs to release the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 6 or the “iPhone Mini” as soon as sales start fade away in order to maintain its position in the ever growing smartphones market.
In the tablets department, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) still has a relatively solid market share with its latest iPad 4 and iPad mini. While the larger iPads sales have dropped, the iPad mini offsets this as target customers now have 2 different devices to choose from. The iPad mini might have impacted the larger iPad sales, however; there is evidence that cheaper Android tablets is a reason why the 9.7 inch iPad is losing significant market share quickly.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s latest earnings report showed a record revenue of over $54 billion with over 47 billion iPhones sold in Q1 of 2013. However, with the successive growth of cheap and premium Android devices, this could be the year when users, finally, get fed up of Apple.
