Your thoughts on Apple Corp

[jbcohen]

I have heard a lot of bad news about apple corp lately: 1) Sales of the new IPhone are down by a considerable amount; 2) Apple is no longer considered to be "cool" among teenage customers; 3) Tablets, a market that was at one time an apple market has become increasingly non-apple. While I do understand that these news reports represent short term problems for apple corp and are in no way indicative of what the future may hold, I would still like to see what apple fans think of the recent news and what the future may hold for apple corp. For myself it would not be a good idea for the computer industry as a whole for one of its leaders (apple) to have sever financial problems. Like apple or not the company tends to be an industry leader and points the direction for the overall market.

[SeaKing]

Apple is sort of like a BMW. Has cost and prestige written all over it.
As long as people have spare money to throw at their prestige, it will do well though the recent bulk of sales is fleeting.
The problem for Apple is that the "new" has rubbed off. I mean the new of the iPhone form, and the iPad form.

I will put it in a more personal way. Women and men are always impressed with the latest model car. It's been that way for ever. Computers, tablets not so much. The phones are just a bauble for some people. They will move on to the next new shiny thing.

[David Munch]

1. Based on rumors. 2. True, but people above 25 still loves the iSimplicity. 3. No wonder, now that the market is being flooded in cheap Android models. Apple still earns the majority of $$$, so they aren't very scared. Tablets are just becomming a normal thing to own.

[Penforhire]

I am more concerned about something not on your list, the amount of executive level turn-over in the past year or so. The rest of it is noise. For example, Apple is still cool to those who buy its products. Seems to be enough buyers. But the future is directed by a different set of executives right now.

Their latest set of 'retina' MacBooks proves they're still in the hot-hardware groove. To me, only Sony has high-end PC hardware as desirable and they charge MORE for it than Apple.

Where is their next killer product? Not sure. But I'd bet they could do the same thing for smart TV's they did for portable music players, dominate the market. Samsung has had some very sweet smart TV's for a few years now but we're still dealing with multiple apps to access very divided content providers (and Samsung's firmware update process has been icky). Someone like Apple just might have the clout to get more content under one service (iTunes) and provide user-friendly hardware (smart TV) at the same time.

[1611mac]

Would it be the worst thing in the world if Apple lost some of their luster? Maybe they'd become a bit more humble and a bit easier to work with..... (btw.. I am a big Apple fan and I love their products.... just saying....)

[JSWolf]

Apple is the company that makes iPads and iPhones.

Apple Corp. is the company founded by the Beatles.

[MeSue]

Apple might be overbearing, controlling and greedy, but they don't scare me nearly as much as Google, who seem to want to own my very identity.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Apple is the company that makes iPads and iPhones.

Apple Corp. is the company founded by the Beatles.

Nope. That's Apple Corps Limited.

— Nit-pickers 'ᴙ' Us

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Nope. That's Apple Corps Limited.

— Nit-pickers 'ᴙ' Us

But it's still not Apple Corp. It's Apple Inc.

[Jessica Lares]

Honestly, Apple is going to gain more in the Mac user base this year than they have in their entire history. So I don't see them going downward from here.

Teenagers have more choice now (when I was in high school, you either had Windows Mobile, Palm, or the just introduced iPhone 2G), and obviously because they now have phones that do everything, a standalone iPod isn't needed. I think if we didn't have a huge smartphone market, the iPod would still be a huge thing like it was in 2004.

And as for tablets... The thing is that you can easily keep your iPad for a couple of years and be fine with it as long as you don't drop it or something malfunctions - I never replace my Apple tech until it breaks. Everyone praises the price of the Kindle Fire, but then I can pick out at least 50 people in the forums I go on (including here) that upgraded the day the HD was announced.

The people who are spending less money on their tablets are suffering more because of things like not getting the latest version of Android, not having enough RAM, and apps and games not working correctly. Those that own Kindle Fires are constantly having to side load stuff, are trying to get rid of the carousel, and make things like the basic Google Maps work for them. And the Fires are now littered with ads everywhere, and the web browser is just a way for Amazon to get insight on your usage.

Why pay $200 every year for a new tablet when you can buy one for $350 and have it for a few years with updates at least three times in a year?

And a bunch of people complain, because it's not the iPad experience. But it's not really Apple's fault that people are too cheap to spend money on quality pieces of hardware, and instead want to throw it away on coins in games and fast food. They can't do anything about it though.

[mr_nihilism]

^
A current iPad starts at, what, $500. A fairly decent Android tablet can be had for $200-250. So even if I hand it down to my wife within a year and get a new shiny one, it's still cheaper or roughly the same as one single Ipad tablet.


I'm saying this as someone that doesn't require anything that is Apple exclusive. The high price point might be more justifiable if the iPad had something I couldn't get elsewhere. My Arc for example does everything I want it to and does it well. Books, movies, magazines, newspapers, Angry Birds, web browsing.

[JSWolf]

My iPad 1 is still lasting longer then the Kindle Fires. Still doing what I want with it. I don't need to upgrade it yet.

[Penforhire]

Mr Nihilism, my current-generation iPad was bought in December for about $400 plus tax. Target ran a $75 gift card promotion plus 5% off $500 price using their Red card.

You cannot seriously compare the current iPad to any Android tablet sold for $250 today. That is akin to saying a Honda Civic is comparable to a BMW 3-series or whatever similar car model spread you prefer.

It is much fairer to compare a Nexus 10 tablet that sells for $400 (and comes with more memory). Some cost savings, very desirable tablet, but not as much savings as you suggest when we're talking similar hardware.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by David Munch

so they aren't very scared.

The "let's go thermonuclear" lawsuits disagree.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

You cannot seriously compare the current iPad to any Android tablet sold for $250 today.

True, but you can compare it to a $399 nexus 10 that is arguably better spec'ed than the latest ipad. And the Nook HD+, spec wise, is not that far behind, and a great product at $269.