The first two I'm in total agreement with. Apple should cease providing forward guidance (companies like Facebook and Google don't) and should cease providing sales figures (none of their peers do). This quarter was the best ever for Apple in terms of revenues and earnings and yet the stock dropped 10% because Wall Street didn't like iPhone sales figures and didn't like Q2 guidance. Stop giving Wall Street so much information and stop getting into the weeds on conference calls.
Another one I'm in agreement with - if Apple is going to have these long gaps between product launches then they may need to throw people a bone as far as some of the stuff they're working on. Steve was given the benefit of the doubt and even if he didn't disclose what Apple was working on everyone just assumed Apple was up to something great. Unfortunately Tim & Co. dont get that benefit of the doubt. Wall Street & others assume no news means Apple is out of ideas besides incremental improvements to existing products. So Tim might need to start being a bit more open to give people confidence that there is some cool shit in the pipeline.
And finally Apple really needs to up its game in software and services. Make this stuff best in class with frequent updates and improvements. We're starting to see some of that but a lot more can be done here, IMO.
Overall one of the better "Apple needs to..." articles I've read in a while. Not hyperbolic, not Apple is DOOMED, but a sober piece with some good advice from someone who is long on AAPL.
It isn't true that Apple do nothing between two marketing ideas, they sue competitors.
Suing is part of their marketing budget in the United State where protectionism is an argument for selling.
So that was their best guess at the time of the purchase, based on "estimates & assumptions .... subject to change". I wonder what a more recent set of accounts would show?
Huh? All you showed me is a filing (from the time of purchase) that says "we attributed $5.5B to acquired patents and developed technology" at the time they bought MM.
That could be worth a hill of beans today (or for the matter, even then). Is there anything that points to the fact that it's still worth $5.5B or that Lenovo did not buy it?
Huh? All you showed me is a filing (from the time of purchase) that says "we attributed $5.5B to acquired patents and developed technology" at the time they bought MM.
That could be worth a hill of beans today (or for the matter, even then). Is there anything that points to the fact that it's still worth $5.5B or that Lenovo did not buy it?
Perhaps you're the clueless person here?
Anant, Google themselves announced they were keeping the "vast majority" of the patents already issued as well as those still pending. Just 2000 or so are going to Lenovo with the MM purchase. That's easy to find in a routine search.
As far as value I've no idea how something like that is arrived at. :???:
Obviously (and historically) Google isn't one to offensively assert patents or chase royalties.
Sure Wall Street would freak out initially but they'd get over it. If sales and forward guidance aren't require by the SEC Apple should stop providing it. And it wouldn't be the end of the world if Apple was a bit more open on certain things it's working on. Doesn't have to be 'hey, we're working on a watch' but it could be similar to Cook announcing Mac production in the USA. Cook needs to change the perception that Apple can't innovate its way out of a paper bag without Steve around. And since they've now got long spells with no product announcements they may need to spill a little in order to change the perception. In Walter Isaacson's bio of Steve there's a passage where Steve and Jony are together right after Steve got back from having his liver transplant. Jony complained to Steve that the perception out there was everything came from Steve, everything is Steve's idea and Apple will be screwed once Steve is gone. He complained that it wasn't good for Apple for this perception to be out there. Unfortunately that perception still exists and Cook hasn't done a good job of changing it.
It isn't that Tim Cook hasn't done a good job, it's that the technology hasn't been on his side (e.g., not enough IGZO and LTPS yet), and they're in the middle of transitioning (iOS 7, 64 bit).
Nor are people on his side. When genuine innovation appears, like the new Mac Pro, hardly anybody sees what's so innovative about it.
When real breakthroughs appear, like the shrink treatment given the iPad Air partly because of IGZO, not even Gruber and his pals notice why. Or strategic moves like going for juicy plastic on the 5c and giving it China-specific cell radios, payoff coming late in 2014/early 2015, hardly anybody can imagine for one moment that far ahead.
Tim Cook says wait and see what's happening in 2014, he means it. But watch, hardly anyone will see the innovation.
The world is not smart enough to "get" Tim Cook, or Apple, or Steve Jobs when he was alive.
The first two I'm in total agreement with. Apple should cease providing forward guidance (companies like Facebook and Google don't) and should cease providing sales figures (none of their peers do). This quarter was the best ever for Apple in terms of revenues and earnings and yet the stock dropped 10% because Wall Street didn't like iPhone sales figures and didn't like Q2 guidance. Stop giving Wall Street so much information and stop getting into the weeds on conference calls.
Another one I'm in agreement with - if Apple is going to have these long gaps between product launches then they may need to throw people a bone as far as some of the stuff they're working on. Steve was given the benefit of the doubt and even if he didn't disclose what Apple was working on everyone just assumed Apple was up to something great. Unfortunately Tim & Co. dont get that benefit of the doubt. Wall Street & others assume no news means Apple is out of ideas besides incremental improvements to existing products. So Tim might need to start being a bit more open to give people confidence that there is some cool shit in the pipeline.
And finally Apple really needs to up its game in software and services. Make this stuff best in class with frequent updates and improvements. We're starting to see some of that but a lot more can be done here, IMO.
Overall one of the better "Apple needs to..." articles I've read in a while. Not hyperbolic, not Apple is DOOMED, but a sober piece with some good advice from someone who is long on AAPL.
I don't see this as a sober piece at all. It's from a purely stockholder perspective.
Just because Facebook and Amazon don't provide forward guidance then neither should Apple. Really? Amazon doesn't say how many Kindles are being sold because that is not their business. Kindle is just the mean to sell you other stuff. Apple sells an iPhone to make money on it.
The iTunes stuff they sell is just a bonus. As for Facebook, their whole business it to advertise. Period.
Another good one is that Apple should let people in on their secrets. Again really? They want Apple to get into the vaporware business? Just to prompt up the stock?
Here's another doozy. Why isn't Apple going on a spending spree? Their example, Twitter. Oh really? And then what? Make Twitter an iOS exclusive? Or should they maintain it everywhere?
Finally, why aren't they buying more of their own shares? Personally I wish they could, in one felt swoop take themselves off Nasdaq and give everyone at Wall street the middle finger. They are doing it slowly and good for them. Doing it at Carl Icahn pace would only benefit Carl Icahn. So yeah screw him.
Anant, Google themselves announced they were keeping the "vast majority" of the patents already issued as well as those still pending. Just 2000 or so are going to Lenovo with the MM purchase. That's easy to find in a routine search.
As far as value I've no idea how something like that is arrived at.
Obviously (and historically) Google isn't one to offensively assert patents or chase royalties.
Perhaps they kept it because Lenovo didn’t think it was worth much (relative to what Google was asking). Neither you nor I know that.
Patents are often valued using Real Options valuation techniques. And, as to whether Google is ‘offensive’ on the patent front, I’ll gladly admit that I don’t keep track, but I vaguely recall there was a case or two (in the EU?) that were swatted down when MM (which, at that time was owned by Google already) asserted some patents? Maybe I am wrong, but perhaps you could clarify?
One of the best Apple articles I've read in a long time.
Bottom line is this: If you give Wall Street 99 items that are good news but 1 item that is bad news they will focus on the bad news. PERIOD. Look at the last Qtr. It was an amazing quarter. They blew away Wall Streets EPS estimate. They crushed it on the top and bottom line. They smashed Wall Streets gross margin estimate and Averaging selling price of iPhones and iPads were higher than any of the analysis predicted.
But Apple gave Wall Street an opening. Unit sales and guidance. Without the information the stock would probably be close to $600 right now instead of sub $500. What a fuking joke.
Guidance is worthless at this point. All it does is take away from the ACTUAL RESULTS of the quarter. Apple had an awesome quarter but all Wall St is focused on is next quarter. Lets worry about next quarter when its done, OKAY! Let us focus on the current quarter. They can give some hints about what they expect the next quarter. Say some BS like we are extremely excited about ChinaMobile roll out, ect. But don't be giving Revenue estimates that Wall street will pick apart any way they see fit.
And as we have seen TIME and TIME again Wall Street totally ignores Apple's guidance anyway. Apple hit and exceeded their high range yet Wall St still punished them. Stop this clown show. No more guidance. Stop feeding the TROLLS.
And stop giving unit numbers. No one else does. Not Amazon, Not Google, Not Samsung. You can release a general statement like we just sold our 300,000,000 iPhone. But please stop giving exact numbers EVERY QUARTER. All this does is open the way for nit picking and comparing sales to some stupid white box BS figures.
Keep it simple. Let the financials speak for themself. Apple made more profit in ONE QUARTER than Google made in the ENTIRE YEAR 2013. Let that speak for itself. We dont need to hear about channel inventory, supply constraints, currency flux, ect. BS. Bs. Its just fuel to feed the Wall St manipulators.
I too am coming around to the view that Apple needs to provide less info – and no guidance at all – to Wall Street. For instance, they’re the only company that bothers to provide data on actual quantities shipped and channel inventory data (so that we can estimate actual sales). Samsung, Amazon, Google etc provide no such info.
The list of companies that don’t provide any guidance at all includes GE, McDonalds, Google, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca Cola…. The list goes on.
Wall Street can stew in its own pile. (There may be some short term announcement effects, but screw that).
More generally, Cook and Oppenheimer have to manage WS and the way WS forms expectations (including the data they’re fed) far better than they’re currently doing. It’s frustrating to watch.
Perhaps they kept it because Lenovo didn’t think it was worth much (relative to what Google was asking). Neither you nor I know that.
Patents are often valued using Real Options valuation techniques. And, as to whether Google is ‘offensive’ on the patent front, I’ll gladly admit that I don’t keep track, but I vaguely recall there was a case or two (in the EU?) that were swatted down when MM (which, at that time was owned by Google already) asserted some patents? Maybe I am wrong, but perhaps you could clarify?
AFAIK there's been no new patent cases filed by MM since Google purchased them. Anything you remember was initiated when Motorola proper was still the owner. Even Google themselves have only filed a single patent infringement action in their entire 16 year history, and that happened last year with British Telecom. That was prompted by several lawsuits filed against Google from "trolls" being armed with BT patents.
I don't see this as a sober piece at all. It's from a purely stockholder perspective.
Just because Facebook and Amazon don't provide forward guidance then neither should Apple. Really? Amazon doesn't say how many Kindles are being sold because that is not their business. Kindle is just the mean to sell you other stuff. Apple sells an iPhone to make money on it.
The iTunes stuff they sell is just a bonus. As for Facebook, their whole business it to advertise. Period.
Another good one is that Apple should let people in on their secrets. Again really? They want Apple to get into the vaporware business? Just to prompt up the stock?
Here's another doozy. Why isn't Apple going on a spending spree? Their example, Twitter. Oh really? And then what? Make Twitter an iOS exclusive? Or should they maintain it everywhere?
Finally, why aren't they buying more of their own shares? Personally I wish they could, in one felt swoop take themselves off Nasdaq and give everyone at Wall street the middle finger. They are doing it slowly and good for them. Doing it at Carl Icahn pace would only benefit Carl Icahn. So yeah screw him.
How did Apple providing unit sales and forward guidance help them this quarter? It was a phenomenal quarter - highest revenue and profits in Apple's history. Most likely the biggest profits of any corporation this quarter. And yet the stock was down 10%. Why? Because Wall Street didn't like iPhone sales number and thought forward guidance was weak. If it's not required don't provide it. Give iOS or iTunes account figures during keynotes but stop providing quarterly sales figures. It's not doing them any favors. As far as letting people in on the secret sauce, I'm not suggesting they give people tours of Jony Ive's design lab. But if Apple's new product cycle is to go for 6-9 months with no new product releases then I think they have to do something to tide people over, something to get people excited about what's coming. Right now the meme on Apple is they're out of ideas and all they know how to do is iterate on existing products. Cook & Co. need to change that meme. Quit allowing perception to become reality.
AFAIK there's been no new patent cases filed by MM since Google purchased them. Anything you remember was initiated when Motorola proper was still the owner. Even Google themselves have only filed a single patent infringement action in their entire 16 year history, and that happened last year with British Telecom. That was prompted by several lawsuits filed against Google from "trolls" being armed with BT patents.
As I said, I have not been following it. I am sure you’re right.
But as many have noted elsewhere, Google’s historically been at the receiving end of a number of lawsuits over their apparent disdain for IP in a wide range of arenas (including the case of Android, albeit by proxy). Perhaps they took over MM and realized that most of the patents were not worth litigating, since they’re standards-essential and such. Given that the hardware piece of it was a rapidly declining business anyway, and managing hardware is a very different ball-game than writing software, they decided to jettison MM to Lenovo.
We’ll know more when they report end of year results, e.g., if they took a writedown for MM.
What an ignominious end to the company that invented the mobile phone.
Best
I LOVE the word "ignominious". Excellent job sir.
I'm going to reserve judgement on the wearables until I start seeing some killer applications. I think it's going to take some truly awesome (and accurate) sensors beyond what i'm seeing in 80 % today.
As I said, I have not been following it. I am sure you’re right.
But as many have noted elsewhere, Google’s historically been at the receiving end of a number of lawsuits over their apparent disdain for IP in a wide range of arenas (including the case of Android, albeit by proxy). Perhaps they took over MM and realized that most of the patents were not worth litigating, since they’re standards-essential and such. Given that the hardware piece of it was a rapidly declining business anyway, and managing hardware is a very different ball-game than writing software, they decided to jettison MM to Lenovo.
We’ll know more when they report end of year results, e.g., if they took a writedown for MM.
Apple has been on the receiving end of a number of lawsuits over IP. In fact over the past five years they're neck and neck with Google. Does that mean they both have a disdain for others intellectual property?
I'm going to reserve judgement on the wearables until I start seeing some killer applications. I think it's going to take some truly awesome (and accurate) sensors beyond what i'm seeing in 80 % today.
Thanks H.
I agree. The current crop of "wearables" is uninspiring, to say the least.
How did Apple providing unit sales and forward guidance help them this quarter? It was a phenomenal quarter - highest revenue and profits in Apple's history. Most likely the biggest profits of any corporation this quarter. And yet the stock was down 10%. Why? Because Wall Street didn't like iPhone sales number and thought forward guidance was weak. If it's not required don't provide it. Give iOS or iTunes account figures during keynotes but stop providing quarterly sales figures. It's not doing them any favors. As far as letting people in on the secret sauce, I'm not suggesting they give people tours of Jony Ive's design lab. But if Apple's new product cycle is to go for 6-9 months with no new product releases then I think they have to do something to tide people over, something to get people excited about what's coming. Right now the meme on Apple is they're out of ideas and all they know how to do is iterate on existing products. Cook & Co. need to change that meme. Quit allowing perception to become reality.
Your last sentences there. Maybe rather than saying this over and over (not just you), we should try to come up with something that we think would work for the tech press/haters/WS cynics that Tim Cook can say. I'm pretty sure he's thought long and hard about this, along with the PR people and Phil Schiller, etc., on what to do about it.
What we've seen is their answer, I'm sure of it."We've got some great things in the pipeline for 2014" and so on. "If that's not good enough for the skeptical, cynical blockheads out there, then so be it. We aren't going begging for excitement and anticipation and giving away our roadmap."
When the innovation does appear, like the Mac Pro or the A7, nobody sees the work they did, another problem. But I guarantee that he thinks the innovations will speak for themselves when they appear.
So what do you think he could say that would work? Let's work on it and post it on Apple 2.0 .
Huh? All you showed me is a filing (from the time of purchase) that says "we attributed $5.5B to acquired patents and developed technology" at the time they bought MM.
That could be worth a hill of beans today (or for the matter, even then). Is there anything that points to the fact that it's still worth $5.5B or that Lenovo did not buy it?
Perhaps you're the clueless person here?
Don't pretend like you're dumb. Every patents monetary value is an estimation only. All that matters is what someone is willing to pay for them. And when that was filed, that something was $5.5 billion.
Your last sentences there. Maybe rather than saying this over and over (not just you), we should try to come up with something that we think would work for the tech press/haters/WS cynics that Tim Cook can say. I'm pretty sure he's thought long and hard about this, along with the PR people and Phil Schiller, etc., on what to do about it.
What we've seen is their answer, I'm sure of it."We've got some great things in the pipeline for 2014" and so on. "If that's not good enough for the skeptical, cynical blockheads out there, then so be it. We aren't going begging for excitement and anticipation and giving away our roadmap."
When the innovation does appear, like the Mac Pro or the A7, nobody sees the work they did, another problem. But I guarantee that he thinks the innovations will speak for themselves when they appear.
So what do you think he could say that would work? Let's work on it and post it on Apple 2.0 .
I said it on another thread. Cook needs to reiterate what Ive and Federighi have said before: new and different are easy, but better is hard. Or what Ive said in the 5S video: Apple isn't about technology for technologies sake; it's interested in doing things that truly enhance the user experience. Just keep hammering this point home over and over again. And throw the dogs a bone once. Apple gave us an early look at the Mac Pro. How about doing something similar with Apple TV? Or maybe some of their software programs? But really I think Apple should move away from announcing almost all new products in September and October. Spread out product announcements so there aren't these long lulls where others can fill the vacuum with FUD and D&G.
Don't pretend like you're dumb. Every patents monetary value is an estimation only. All that matters is what someone is willing to pay for them. And when that was filed, that something was $5.5 billion.
Perhaps you're the one playing dumb. (Or perhaps you're not playing, for all I know).
My point was about what they're worth now, not what Google thought (or more precisely, said they thought) it was worth then.
Let's continue the conversation when you've figured out that difference.
Comments
It isn't true that Apple do nothing between two marketing ideas, they sue competitors.
Suing is part of their marketing budget in the United State where protectionism is an argument for selling.
So that was their best guess at the time of the purchase, based on "estimates & assumptions .... subject to change". I wonder what a more recent set of accounts would show?
Of course. It's listed in Google's SEC filing. Note 8. $5.5 billion to be more precise.
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1288776/000119312512312575/d357361d10q.htm
Huh? All you showed me is a filing (from the time of purchase) that says "we attributed $5.5B to acquired patents and developed technology" at the time they bought MM.
That could be worth a hill of beans today (or for the matter, even then). Is there anything that points to the fact that it's still worth $5.5B or that Lenovo did not buy it?
Perhaps you're the clueless person here?
Anant, Google themselves announced they were keeping the "vast majority" of the patents already issued as well as those still pending. Just 2000 or so are going to Lenovo with the MM purchase. That's easy to find in a routine search.
As far as value I've no idea how something like that is arrived at. :???:
Obviously (and historically) Google isn't one to offensively assert patents or chase royalties.
It isn't that Tim Cook hasn't done a good job, it's that the technology hasn't been on his side (e.g., not enough IGZO and LTPS yet), and they're in the middle of transitioning (iOS 7, 64 bit).
Nor are people on his side. When genuine innovation appears, like the new Mac Pro, hardly anybody sees what's so innovative about it.
When real breakthroughs appear, like the shrink treatment given the iPad Air partly because of IGZO, not even Gruber and his pals notice why. Or strategic moves like going for juicy plastic on the 5c and giving it China-specific cell radios, payoff coming late in 2014/early 2015, hardly anybody can imagine for one moment that far ahead.
Tim Cook says wait and see what's happening in 2014, he means it. But watch, hardly anyone will see the innovation.
The world is not smart enough to "get" Tim Cook, or Apple, or Steve Jobs when he was alive.
To turn the focus back on to Apple, I read a great article in The Street this morning, on things Apple should do in the future.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/external/tsmfe/SIG=13ne5q9ce/*http://www.thestreet.com/story/12287155/1/6-things-apple-needs-to-learn-from-facebook-amazon-google-tesla-disney.html?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO
The first two I'm in total agreement with. Apple should cease providing forward guidance (companies like Facebook and Google don't) and should cease providing sales figures (none of their peers do). This quarter was the best ever for Apple in terms of revenues and earnings and yet the stock dropped 10% because Wall Street didn't like iPhone sales figures and didn't like Q2 guidance. Stop giving Wall Street so much information and stop getting into the weeds on conference calls.
Another one I'm in agreement with - if Apple is going to have these long gaps between product launches then they may need to throw people a bone as far as some of the stuff they're working on. Steve was given the benefit of the doubt and even if he didn't disclose what Apple was working on everyone just assumed Apple was up to something great. Unfortunately Tim & Co. dont get that benefit of the doubt. Wall Street & others assume no news means Apple is out of ideas besides incremental improvements to existing products. So Tim might need to start being a bit more open to give people confidence that there is some cool shit in the pipeline.
And finally Apple really needs to up its game in software and services. Make this stuff best in class with frequent updates and improvements. We're starting to see some of that but a lot more can be done here, IMO.
Overall one of the better "Apple needs to..." articles I've read in a while. Not hyperbolic, not Apple is DOOMED, but a sober piece with some good advice from someone who is long on AAPL.
I don't see this as a sober piece at all. It's from a purely stockholder perspective.
Just because Facebook and Amazon don't provide forward guidance then neither should Apple. Really? Amazon doesn't say how many Kindles are being sold because that is not their business. Kindle is just the mean to sell you other stuff. Apple sells an iPhone to make money on it.
The iTunes stuff they sell is just a bonus. As for Facebook, their whole business it to advertise. Period.
Another good one is that Apple should let people in on their secrets. Again really? They want Apple to get into the vaporware business? Just to prompt up the stock?
Here's another doozy. Why isn't Apple going on a spending spree? Their example, Twitter. Oh really? And then what? Make Twitter an iOS exclusive? Or should they maintain it everywhere?
Finally, why aren't they buying more of their own shares? Personally I wish they could, in one felt swoop take themselves off Nasdaq and give everyone at Wall street the middle finger. They are doing it slowly and good for them. Doing it at Carl Icahn pace would only benefit Carl Icahn. So yeah screw him.
If the spell is finally broken, look out below.:wow:
Anant, Google themselves announced they were keeping the "vast majority" of the patents already issued as well as those still pending. Just 2000 or so are going to Lenovo with the MM purchase. That's easy to find in a routine search.
As far as value I've no idea how something like that is arrived at.
Obviously (and historically) Google isn't one to offensively assert patents or chase royalties.
Perhaps they kept it because Lenovo didn’t think it was worth much (relative to what Google was asking). Neither you nor I know that.
Patents are often valued using Real Options valuation techniques. And, as to whether Google is ‘offensive’ on the patent front, I’ll gladly admit that I don’t keep track, but I vaguely recall there was a case or two (in the EU?) that were swatted down when MM (which, at that time was owned by Google already) asserted some patents? Maybe I am wrong, but perhaps you could clarify?
To turn the focus back on to Apple, I read a great article in The Street this morning, on things Apple should do in the future.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/external/tsmfe/SIG=13ne5q9ce/*http://www.thestreet.com/story/12287155/1/6-things-apple-needs-to-learn-from-facebook-amazon-google-tesla-disney.html?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO
One of the best Apple articles I've read in a long time.
Bottom line is this: If you give Wall Street 99 items that are good news but 1 item that is bad news they will focus on the bad news. PERIOD. Look at the last Qtr. It was an amazing quarter. They blew away Wall Streets EPS estimate. They crushed it on the top and bottom line. They smashed Wall Streets gross margin estimate and Averaging selling price of iPhones and iPads were higher than any of the analysis predicted.
But Apple gave Wall Street an opening. Unit sales and guidance. Without the information the stock would probably be close to $600 right now instead of sub $500. What a fuking joke.
Guidance is worthless at this point. All it does is take away from the ACTUAL RESULTS of the quarter. Apple had an awesome quarter but all Wall St is focused on is next quarter. Lets worry about next quarter when its done, OKAY! Let us focus on the current quarter. They can give some hints about what they expect the next quarter. Say some BS like we are extremely excited about ChinaMobile roll out, ect. But don't be giving Revenue estimates that Wall street will pick apart any way they see fit.
And as we have seen TIME and TIME again Wall Street totally ignores Apple's guidance anyway. Apple hit and exceeded their high range yet Wall St still punished them. Stop this clown show. No more guidance. Stop feeding the TROLLS.
And stop giving unit numbers. No one else does. Not Amazon, Not Google, Not Samsung. You can release a general statement like we just sold our 300,000,000 iPhone. But please stop giving exact numbers EVERY QUARTER. All this does is open the way for nit picking and comparing sales to some stupid white box BS figures.
Keep it simple. Let the financials speak for themself. Apple made more profit in ONE QUARTER than Google made in the ENTIRE YEAR 2013. Let that speak for itself. We dont need to hear about channel inventory, supply constraints, currency flux, ect. BS. Bs. Its just fuel to feed the Wall St manipulators.
I too am coming around to the view that Apple needs to provide less info – and no guidance at all – to Wall Street. For instance, they’re the only company that bothers to provide data on actual quantities shipped and channel inventory data (so that we can estimate actual sales). Samsung, Amazon, Google etc provide no such info.
The list of companies that don’t provide any guidance at all includes GE, McDonalds, Google, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca Cola…. The list goes on.
Wall Street can stew in its own pile. (There may be some short term announcement effects, but screw that).
More generally, Cook and Oppenheimer have to manage WS and the way WS forms expectations (including the data they’re fed) far better than they’re currently doing. It’s frustrating to watch.
AFAIK there's been no new patent cases filed by MM since Google purchased them. Anything you remember was initiated when Motorola proper was still the owner. Even Google themselves have only filed a single patent infringement action in their entire 16 year history, and that happened last year with British Telecom. That was prompted by several lawsuits filed against Google from "trolls" being armed with BT patents.
AFAIK there's been no new patent cases filed by MM since Google purchased them. Anything you remember was initiated when Motorola proper was still the owner. Even Google themselves have only filed a single patent infringement action in their entire 16 year history, and that happened last year with British Telecom. That was prompted by several lawsuits filed against Google from "trolls" being armed with BT patents.
As I said, I have not been following it. I am sure you’re right.
But as many have noted elsewhere, Google’s historically been at the receiving end of a number of lawsuits over their apparent disdain for IP in a wide range of arenas (including the case of Android, albeit by proxy). Perhaps they took over MM and realized that most of the patents were not worth litigating, since they’re standards-essential and such. Given that the hardware piece of it was a rapidly declining business anyway, and managing hardware is a very different ball-game than writing software, they decided to jettison MM to Lenovo.
We’ll know more when they report end of year results, e.g., if they took a writedown for MM.
What an ignominious end to the company that invented the mobile phone.
Best
I LOVE the word "ignominious". Excellent job sir.
I'm going to reserve judgement on the wearables until I start seeing some killer applications. I think it's going to take some truly awesome (and accurate) sensors beyond what i'm seeing in 80 % today.
Apple has been on the receiving end of a number of lawsuits over IP. In fact over the past five years they're neck and neck with Google. Does that mean they both have a disdain for others intellectual property?
I LOVE the word "ignominious". Excellent job sir.
I'm going to reserve judgement on the wearables until I start seeing some killer applications. I think it's going to take some truly awesome (and accurate) sensors beyond what i'm seeing in 80 % today.
Thanks H.
I agree. The current crop of "wearables" is uninspiring, to say the least.
It'll be interesting to see Apple's offerings!
Best.
Your last sentences there. Maybe rather than saying this over and over (not just you), we should try to come up with something that we think would work for the tech press/haters/WS cynics that Tim Cook can say. I'm pretty sure he's thought long and hard about this, along with the PR people and Phil Schiller, etc., on what to do about it.
What we've seen is their answer, I'm sure of it."We've got some great things in the pipeline for 2014" and so on. "If that's not good enough for the skeptical, cynical blockheads out there, then so be it. We aren't going begging for excitement and anticipation and giving away our roadmap."
When the innovation does appear, like the Mac Pro or the A7, nobody sees the work they did, another problem. But I guarantee that he thinks the innovations will speak for themselves when they appear.
So what do you think he could say that would work? Let's work on it and post it on Apple 2.0 .
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Oh thanks for that! Made my day!
Huh? All you showed me is a filing (from the time of purchase) that says "we attributed $5.5B to acquired patents and developed technology" at the time they bought MM.
That could be worth a hill of beans today (or for the matter, even then). Is there anything that points to the fact that it's still worth $5.5B or that Lenovo did not buy it?
Perhaps you're the clueless person here?
Don't pretend like you're dumb. Every patents monetary value is an estimation only. All that matters is what someone is willing to pay for them. And when that was filed, that something was $5.5 billion.
Perhaps you're the one playing dumb. (Or perhaps you're not playing, for all I know).
My point was about what they're worth now, not what Google thought (or more precisely, said they thought) it was worth then.
Let's continue the conversation when you've figured out that difference.