Sharp cuts production of 9.7" iPad screens, demand may be shifting to Apple's iPad mini - Page 3

Originally Posted by 1983 
If things really don't pick up for Apple this year, I'm afraid that in a few more there won't be an Apple.

Complete nonsense.

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Originally Posted by Mac_128 


How is it racing to the bottom if they aren't trying to UNDERCUT the competition?

As for reducing total profits, I don't see it. There will be canibalization, which Tim Cook says he's not afraid of, which I take to mean volume increases will offset. But moreover, everybody thinks this is about hardware. It's not. Apple is not competing against Google, Amazon and Microsoft over hardware. It's about content -- iTunes, iBooks and the App Store. Lets say they lose profit on overall hardware but gain a larger share of customers than they otherwise would have had, and those customers buy a larger share of books, music, games and apps than they otherwise would have sold. I trust Apple to make the correct calculations to ensure they keep their overall profit margins in check.

I guess we're saying the same thing - we just disagree on where the balance point lies.  I'm betting that they're at it right now, whereas you think they could safely go a little lower. I guess time will tell one way or the other  :)

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Originally Posted by 1983 

If things really don't pick up for Apple this year, I'm afraid that in a few more there won't be an Apple. Google and Samsung more than any others have really screwed it over, in that their products are nearly as good (in some cases better) just as 'cool', more affordable and far more widely used nowadays. Apple is starting to feel like a dinosaur by comparison, and I really don't want to be saying that, or that it was just Steve's baby and RIP Apple! I've been a fan of the company since 1983 when I first started to learn Basic on an Apple II - hence my user name. 30 years trumpeting the cause! Ha ha.

For someone who has been fighting the good fight for 30 years you ought to know if they didn't go down in the 90's, they will not be going down anytime soon.

Since the release of the iPad mini I view my iPad 3 as a seldom used professional device. If I was interested in doing more computing type tasks I might bring out the full sized iPad, but for everyday consumption such as email, news browsing and audio/video I use my mini. On my recent month long journey I locked the iPad 3 in the safe along with my other seldom used valuables and relied exclusively on the mini for more than a month. I still haven't opened the safe since my return. I can see the mini out selling the full size iPad for casual use although for education the larger size may be better. In either case trying to predict sales numbers by upstream component suppliers is not all that reliable especially based on Apple's secrecy.

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Originally Posted by xgman 

How ironic that the mini size is such a big hit.

I  actually don't understand how the iPad 4 sells less than the Mini... The screen is so amazingly better on the 4...

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Originally Posted by 1983 

30 years trumpeting the cause! Ha ha.

And you only just found out about AppleInsider! How exciting that must be for you!

Thank you for your concern.

"While sources say"  "Sources Said"  "Sources were unclear about the change"

Lol anyone could pull a story out of there arse with those kinds of "Sources".

These articles just need to say "our best guess is" because that is all there doing. Guessing. With no facts.

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Originally Posted by bluefish86 

I guess we're saying the same thing - we just disagree on where the balance point lies.  I'm betting that they're at it right now, whereas you think they could safely go a little lower. I guess time will tell one way or the other  :)

Yes, both perspectives are similar and both of you have concern about cannibalization (and rightly so).

Yes, the total profit is less for lower cost items than higher cost items (even though the profit margin % may be better for the iPad Mini vs the iPad).  Therefore, if cannibalization occurs (a customer buys an iPad Mini instead of an iPad), then Apple's revenue/profit is reduced.

However, look on the bright side, it's better to cannibalize a small portion of yourself instead of leaving opportunity for competitors to eat you whole.

The only way Apple can dramatically stop the "bleeding" is to continue to innovate.  Innovation and creating (discriminating) demand will increase the # of sales especially for the lost cost items while also fetching higher prices for higher cost items.  That's the balance Apple is probably trying to achieve in the current/future environment.  Would've been great for Apple to continue to sell high cost/high margin iPhones and iPads, but competition isn't allowing that to continue.

IMO, Apple has done a great job to stifle competition and increase their brand image/mindshare in what is a very competitive industry.  Now let's see if they can lock it all in with an improved ecosystem (including iCloud/iOS/iTunes/Siri).

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Originally Posted by AppleInsider 

Sharp is said (BY WHO?) to have "nearly halted" production of 9.7-inch panels for Apple's full-size iPad ??a change made as sales are predicted to shift to the 7.9-inch iPad mini.

Two sources (WHO?) signaled to Reuters that production of 9.7-inch LCD displays has "fallen to a minimal level" at its Kameyama plant in Japan. Friday's report (FROM WHO?) indicated that a slowdown began at the end of 2012.

"The sources (WHO?) didn't say how much of the slowdown was due to seasonal changes in demand or consumers opting for the smaller iPad mini," the report said, "and were unable to characterize Apple's overall tablet sales."

While the sources (WHO?) reportedly characterized the changes as inventory management by Apple, some market watchers (WHO?) believe the new iPad mini may have had a significant effect on sales of the full-size iPad. Data from NPD DisplaySearch published in December indicated the iPad mini is already on pace to outsell the iPad.

A breakdown of iPad versus iPad mini sales for the holiday quarter is not likely forthcoming, however, as Apple does not detail sales of individual products. The company is set to report its quarterly earnings next Wednesday, a call that has been declared the company's most important in a decade.

The (UNVERIFIED) report of iPad panel orders (BY WHO?) being slashed at Sharp comes as Apple has already been hit with rumors that the company has drastically cut iPhone 5 component orders in response to weakening demand (UNVERIFIED) . However, many analysts have stood by Apple, dismissing the apparent order reductions as typical supply chain management and not a sign of consumer demand.

A drawdown (UNVERIFIED SPECULATION) in component orders for the iPad could also be a sign that Apple is preparing to launch a new model. One report from earlier this month claimed Apple plans to debut a fifth-generation iPad in March.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, who has a strong track record in predicting Apple's next moves, said this week that he has been told (BY WHO?) Apple's next iPad will be "significantly lighter and slimmer." The so-called "iPad 5" is expected to have a narrow border design, similar to the one found on the iPad mini.

ALL these rumors lately have no real sources or verification at all and it seems every blog and publication just keep adding to it. I wish this negative bashing was against the law. If the original source's name can't be used then it should be illegal to publish the article as no verifications can be made. This is an attempt at stock manipulation pure and simple by creating FUD.

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Originally Posted by Gazoobee 

 

This man/woman has developed a leak? 

It was a "fart app™"

Cheers

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Originally Posted by frxntier 

Unless iOS 7 really ups the anti, I'll be switching to WP 8 I reckon... I'm not surprised demand has fallen for iPhone 5.

Goodbye and good luck! Take daHarder (who liked your post) with you and we'll all be in luck.

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Originally Posted by jragosta 


"Said to have" and "two sources" without names or even a statement that they didn't rely on each other is the clue.
 

I will hazard a guess that one source is named Sam and the other source is named Sung

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Originally Posted by island hermit 

Is the iPad Mini made of wood??!! j/k

 

Seriously, though, has it been established beyond a doubt that price is the main reason for its popularity?

Sorry, but I disagree...

I would prefer the Mini even if they were the same price.  Everyone that has an iPad has commented that they would get the mini when they decide to get  new iPad.  The portability of the mini is just what you need in a tablet.  I also think that the Mini is the smallest tablet you can make and still get full use out of it...

My guess is that Apple will release a Mini with a retnia display, but at a higher cost.....

Originally Posted by sranger 

My guess is that Apple will release a Mini with a retnia display, but at a higher cost.....

They didn't with the iPad proper; why would they there?

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Originally Posted by Gazoobee 

 

The iPad mini is more of a "pro" device.  

 

If they put the phone app on the mini, I too would drop the iPhone like yesterday's news. 

It is interesting that you said that.  I have heard many people say that the Mini is for the beginner type user or for a newby, but I find the opposite to be true.

All of the true "power tablet users" I know have either switch to the mini or plan to (many waiting on retina display).  The people I know who have bought an iPad after the Mini was released tend to be the home user who mainly use it for content consumption and playing games.

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Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

 

They didn't with the iPad proper; why would they there?

IMHO: Keep margins up and still sell just as many????

Originally Posted by sranger 
IMHO: Keep margins up and still sell just as many????

That's what I mean; they obviously kept the same launch-to-launch margins for the iPad, otherwise they would have raised the price when it went retina.

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Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

That's what I mean; they obviously kept the same launch-to-launch margins for the iPad, otherwise they would have raised the price when it went retina.

Apple's usual M.O. is to start out high, then add more features each year, while keeping the same price.  That way, everyone is happy.

As you said, they usually try to do this within a budget that keeps the same profit margin.   However, the iPads are unusual in that each new model reportedly ramped up the cost by about $40 over the previous one... leading to lower profit margins each time.

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Originally Posted by KDarling 

 

Apple's usual M.O. is to start out high, then add more features each year, while keeping the same price.  That way, everyone is happy.

 

As you said, they usually try to do this within a budget that keeps the same profit margin.   However, the iPads are unusual in that each new model reportedly ramped up the cost by about $40 over the previous one... leading to lower profit margins each time.

That's very interesting.

I don't think Apple is going to release the Retina Mini anytime soon, but if they were to release it later this year for the same $329 price, would they drop the price of Mini 1 to $229? That would be an aggressive way to fight Android head on.