Apple was surprised by AI-driven demand for Macs
Apple said it will be supply-constrained on Mac mini, Studio, and Neo in the next quarter, too.
Apple’s iPhone sales and Services revenue were the stars of the show in the tech giant’s most recent quarter, but the Mac quietly outperformed — helped by growing demand for AI workloads.
Wall Street investors had expected to see Mac revenue in the low $8 billion range, but Apple reported $8.4 billion in the second quarter ended March 28 — a notable beat for a non-core segment of the tech giant’s business. In addition, investors ahead of earnings believed that Mac sales would be essentially flat year-over-year . Instead, Mac sales were up 6% on an annual basis, the company told investors. The company’s total revenue was $111.2 billion, a 17% increase from the same period last year.
Apple chalked up some of the Mac growth to recent product launches, including the well-received MacBook Neo. However, those fun, colorful computers were only on sale for a few weeks after the March 4 preorders began. Realistically, most units shipped mid- to late March, and some demand may have been pushed into April as certain models sold out.
Apple CEO Tim Cook told analysts on the company’s Q2 earnings call on Thursday that customer demand for the Neo was “off the charts” and higher than Apple had expected. He also noted that Apple set a record in the quarter for customers new to the Mac, partly due to the Neo.
Cook attributed the Mac sales growth to the use of the platform for running local AI models, like OpenClaw — something that took Apple somewhat by surprise as Mac mini and Mac Studio devices sold out in recent weeks.
“Both of these are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools, and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we had predicted, and so we saw higher than expected demand,” Cook said of these Mac sales. He also noted that the Mac mini was the top-selling desktop in China — a market that’s been in an OpenClaw frenzy as of late.
Still, Mac revenue was flat on a quarter-over-quarter basis, suggesting this new demand has yet to scale. Cook said it may take Apple “several months” to reach supply-demand balance on the Mac mini and Studio models.
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“We’re not at the point where we’re saying this [constraint] is going to end anytime soon. And it’s not because of a problem, per se, other than we just under-called the demand,” Cook explained.
Enterprise demand for the Mac was also at play. Apple pointed to a couple of larger companies, including Perplexity, that had turned to Mac as their preferred platform for building enterprise-grade AI assistants.
He also said Apple was “supply constrained on the MacBook Neo,” and has even seen school systems, like Kansas City Public Schools, dropping Chromebooks for the Neo.
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Key takeaways
- The growing demand for Macs driven by AI could stimulate innovation in the Brazilian tech sector.
- Apple needs to balance its production capacity with demand, especially in a dynamic market like Brazil.
- The success of the Mac could lead to an increase in educational and training initiatives in AI in Brazil.
Editorial analysis
The recent surpassing of Mac sales expectations by Apple, driven by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, highlights a growing trend in the tech sector that could have significant implications for the Brazilian market. The popularity of models like the Mac mini and Mac Studio, especially among developers and professionals using AI tools, suggests that Brazil, which has seen an increase in AI technology adoption, could benefit from a more robust ecosystem of hardware and software. This could stimulate local innovation and the creation of AI-focused startups, as well as enhance the competitiveness of Brazilian companies on the global stage.
Moreover, Apple's response to the demand for its products indicates that the company is quickly adapting to changing consumer needs. The fact that Mac demand exceeded expectations suggests that Apple may be in a favorable position to capitalize on the growth of the AI market. For Brazil, this could mean an opportunity for local companies to align with global trends, seeking partnerships or developing solutions that integrate AI into their operations.
On the other hand, Apple also faces challenges, such as the mentioned supply constraints. This could affect product availability in Brazil, where demand for cutting-edge technology continues to grow. Product shortages may lead to increased prices and, consequently, a slowdown in sales, which is a concern for consumers and the market at large. What is observed is that Apple needs to balance its production capacity with the growing demand, especially in a dynamic market like Brazil.
Finally, the success of the Mac in a context of increasing demand for AI could lead to a greater emphasis on research and development by tech companies in Brazil. With rising interest in AI, it is likely that we will see a push for educational and training initiatives to prepare professionals who can meet this demand. The outlook is promising, but it requires strategic planning to ensure that Brazil does not fall behind in the global race for AI innovation.
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