Although Apple is historically known as a hardware and software company, TIm Bajarin writes for Forbes on Thursday, over the last 20 years, “Apple has delivered the Golden Egg of all recurring revenue models and is the envy of all of its competitors.”
Apple’s Services business, which includes the App Store, Apple TV+, Apple Music, iCloud storage, and more — also grew to reach 860 million paid subscriptions on Apple’s platform, which is up from the 825 million the company reported in its previous quarter. This figure is up more than 160 million in the last 12 months alone.
Apple is the envy of their competitors who wish they had their own recurring revenue programs, which is no longer an option for any of the major PC makers today.
One key reason they have such a large subscriber base is the continuity ecosystem that Apple has developed across all hardware devices and software platforms.
If you purchased Apple hardware in the last ten years, you know how important this is to move from a Mac, an iPhone, or an iPad to another.
Apple’s continuity software was essential when I upgraded from an iPhone 13 Pro Max to the new iPhone 14 Pro Max. To transfer the data and apps from the iPhone 13, I placed the new phone next to the old phone and pressed a button that seamlessly moved all of that information from the older phone to the new one.
This operation included a tricky function concerning SIM data transfer. My iPhone 13 had a physical SIM, while the iPhone 14 had a virtual eSIM. I was skeptical that this type of cellular transfer would work. Still, the information from the physical SIM was downloaded to the eSIM flawlessly, and I was up and running on the same network and phone number immediately.
I believe that Apple’s continuity software and technology is one of the main reasons people join the Apple ecosystem.
MacDailyNews Take: As Apple themselves say, “When you use a Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch, you’re able to do incredible things. And when you use them together, you can do so much more. Make and receive phone calls without picking up your iPhone. Use your iPad to extend the workspace of your Mac. Automatically unlock your Mac when you’re wearing your Apple Watch. It’s like they were all made for each other. Because they were.”
Regarding Apple’s Continuity, as we wrote back in June 2014:
It is so very nice to be all-Apple users!
More info about Apple’s Continuity here: https://www.apple.com/macos/continuity/
Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!
I am continuously perplexed why some iPhone owners use apps, services and hardware other than Apple’s. The day I went all-in with Apple is the day that my problems disappeared. I still use some Google and other products for business clients but other than that I try my best to stay in the Apple ecosystem. Watching people struggle when they have one foot in and one foot out is painful, yet comical, to watch.
The only exception might be the Apple TV app. The idea of aggregating all my content in one place sounds appealing but it doesn’t seem to work, in practice.
It works well, but for Netflix.
There are some apps that require third party. As the poster blow mentions, Netflix. I have a number of home appliances that are their own app. But I very much otherwise agree with your point. I’m an iPhone user for some years but all in on the Apple ecosystem since the M1 release. MacBook, iPad, watch, AppleTV, AirPods Pro. I use safari, I use iCloud email+ (hisemyemail is an excellent tool), I use Notes and Numbers, Home and Siri, imessage with other Apple users a BIG plus, Apple Music, iCloud storage/backup.
But this isn’t to say it is all entirely perfect. It isn’t. There are features with others that Apple doesn’t match. So you have to give up a couple of features. But using the Apple ecosystem of products is the easiest to use personal technology of products, period, end of story. And Apple products last long and hold their value.