Problems for Apple

[frahse]

While Apple phone and Mac sales are doing well, setting records. iPads aren't doing so well with continuing decreasing sales.

There have also been problems with the Apple Pay systems. Two major pharmacy chains are ceasing use of Apple Pay.

Apple Pay Face Challenge as CVS, Rite Aid Reject System
By Tim Higgins and Zeke Faux Oct 26, 2014 5:45 PM ET

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-1...ct-system.html

It remains to be seen how the Apple Watch will be recieved.

[Jessica Lares]

Is it SO HARD just to keep your wallet handy in your glove compartment?! The problem with buying prescriptions at the drugstore is that you can go to different ones, and they'll all charge you differently. Sometimes my mom has to pay $300, sometimes it's $20 depending on the agreement with the insurance, store, and doctor. And the stupid thing is that generics are MORE expensive sometimes.

So saying that, I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER hold a grudge against a pharmacy for those reasons. It is not worth paying out hundreds more just because you're so annoyed by not being able to use your smartphone to pay for purchases.

People need to get over themselves. You're a freaking customer, and not the CEO of these companies.

I don't like WHY CVS and others are holding out (they want to make their own system), but people are complaining over something that didn't matter to them two months ago. Let these companies launch their thing, don't use it, and they're get the message.

</rant>

When developers are making their iOS apps for OS X these days, there's very little that separates the two OSes besides the touchscreen. And at the end, you're going to be paying the same for both, but you still want the integration with your phone.

So I guess moving forward, the iPhone 6/6+ with a MacBook Air and Pro will be the ideal combo.

[DuckieTigger]

As much as the new iPads are advertised everywhere it is surprising they are not doing good. Or do they not do good and that is why they need this aggressive marketing? Do number of sales actually go down or just the marketshare shrinking - or both. Did not see anything about it in the article.

[sabredog]

I think primarily it is a classic case of previous generation iPads working perfectly well for those who own them. If there is no incentive to upgrade due to that reason, most will not upgrade.

I get my new iPad Air2 tomorrow to replace my four year old 32gb iPad2, which is perfectly fine, just a little small capacity wise for me now. My twenty year old daughter is the soon to be proud owner of it.

[tubemonkey]

From the article:

Apple’s strategy is the opposite. It partnered with the major banks and credit card companies -- Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and American Express Co. -- that Apple says account for more than 80 percent of U.S. credit-card purchases, allowing the iPhone maker to piggyback on their checkout systems. Apple will also collect fees from the card issuers, according to three people familiar with the deals who weren’t authorized to discuss them.

So who's going to absorb this extra fee -- credit card companies? merchants? customers?

[David Munch]

Originally Posted by frahse

There have also been problems with the Apple Pay systems. Two major pharmacy chains are ceasing use of Apple Pay

I wouldn't actually call it as much a problem, as a shift in payment systems. Macrumors describe it pretty well:

The reason behind Rite Aid's and CVS's moves to disable unofficial Apple Pay support in their stores is presumably related to their participation in Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), a retailer group developing its own mobile payments system known as CurrentC.

Apple has shown that it is influential enough to move markets, so it makes sense from a business POW to hinder them, if you are on the opposing team.

Only time can tell who will come out victorous, or if consumers are the big loosers.

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

As much as the new iPads are advertised everywhere it is surprising they are not doing good. Or do they not do good and that is why they need this aggressive marketing? Do number of sales actually go down or just the marketshare shrinking - or both. Did not see anything about it in the article.

That, and the fact that the market is simply saturated. My iPad 2 is still going strong as ever, and works as it should. The flood of cheap Android tablets has goofed up the remainder of the market, so by now, it is only replacements that are being bought. Heck, even my mom has an iPad!

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by sabredog

I think primarily it is a classic case of previous generation iPads working perfectly well for those who own them. If there is no incentive to upgrade due to that reason, most will not upgrade.

I get my new iPad Air2 tomorrow to replace my four year old 32gb iPad2, which is perfectly fine, just a little small capacity wise for me now. My twenty year old daughter is the soon to be proud owner of it.

So you are saying that Apple's problem is the existence of only one kind of tablet - the high end / high price version. You couldn't pay even more money for more power (other than storage capacity). The average user is just going to have to live with a device that is too powerful? Even if Apple wanted to, they could not compete in the lesser powerful tablet market and still maintain their profit margins.

For somebody new (not invested into any eco system also needs a phone) how are they going to pick a tablet? It is pretty tough to pick Apple when there is all kinds of tiers (low, mid, high end) in both Win and Android.

[Josieb1]

As much as everyone likes to knock ipads they do actually work very well, and for years and years. There's no need to replace what's still works fine. Hubby's ipad three is soldiering along nicely and he's still on IOS 6, he won't upgrade.

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by sabredog

I think primarily it is a classic case of previous generation iPads working perfectly well for those who own them. If there is no incentive to upgrade due to that reason, most will not upgrade.

I get my new iPad Air2 tomorrow to replace my four year old 32gb iPad2, which is perfectly fine, just a little small capacity wise for me now. My twenty year old daughter is the soon to be proud owner of it.

^^^ This^^^

My first gen ipad mini works fine. I read, surf the internet a little and play a couple of different games. No need to upgrade.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by sabredog

I think primarily it is a classic case of previous generation iPads working perfectly well for those who own them. If there is no incentive to upgrade due to that reason, most will not upgrade.

It isn't just ipads either, for most people the tablet they have does all they need it to do, so the main reason to upgrade would be if you wanted to change form factor (screen size mostly) or ecosystem.

[CommonReader]

No surprise. Why should the retail stores welcome Apple Pay, something that leeches their revenue without adding any value?

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

As much as the new iPads are advertised everywhere it is surprising they are not doing good. Or do they not do good and that is why they need this aggressive marketing? Do number of sales actually go down or just the marketshare shrinking - or both. Did not see anything about it in the article.

It isn't even slightly surprising that they are not doing well.
No removable storage on a device where removable storage is called for.

I use an Asus Vivotab Note 8. I have a 128GB microSD and 4 X 64GB microSD cards. I ccould use some more cards if I find a good sale.

[David Munch]

Originally Posted by CommonReader

No surprise. Why should the retail stores welcome Apple Pay, something that leeches their revenue without adding any value?

To cater to consumers perhaps should be a pretty good reason.

Originally Posted by Phogg

It isn't even slightly surprising that they are not doing well.

Not doing well is not the same category as flattened sales. 70 million sold iPads in 2014 is not "not doing well".

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by David Munch

...Not doing well is not the same category as flattened sales. 70 million sold iPads in 2014 is not "not doing well".

Have to agree. Apple "could" be making a boatload of money, but if it isn't as much as people expected, then somehow Apple is doing bad. I am not a fan of that mentality.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by David Munch

To cater to consumers perhaps should be a pretty good reason.

If it only caters to a select few consumers, then the store has to decide whether or not it's worth it. For some, it will be. For others, probably not...especially if there is any additional expense involved in doing it.

Shari