I totally agree with the premise of this article; Going into 2016, any potential competitors to Apple are weak. In fact the weakest they have ever been. Especially as iPhone competitors.
In this described situation, I can see Apple absorbing more of the current Android market share... at least that portion where there is profit to be made. As far as the commodity, low-end portion—nobody's a winner in that segment. Maybe Apple's 4" iPhone may even skim some of the cream off that segment but Apple can leave that up to Chinese brands to satisfy.
The only problem Apple has is being too successful with the iPhone—I remember how the pundits hooted and Ballmer giggled when Apple moved into the smart phone market. Since then Apple has become the biggest success at smart watches, tablets, and mobile laptops too, however the smart phone business eclipses all those successes so well that Wall Street forgets any other company out there would welcome those other Apple product numbers; quantities and profits. Even Apple's services business is huge. Apple is currently a five-trick pony, but the iPhone trick makes the others pale by comparison.
Now that Apple has proved its chops in the fashion business (through the Apple Watch), they may come out with some other things to build on that strength...I can't imagine what that might be, but autos would fit into the category.
I think that it is unwise to count MS out of the equation, as a 'PC' OS they are at 95 percent and that's a huge influence on billions of people every day. MS needs only one successful mobile product to be 'back' as long as this is true. When people forget MS, Apple has definitely won the battle of the OSes. I also think that it isn't wise to count android out, or even Linux, like China its rise is predicted many times and this could - when the circumstances are right - like China, become true, one day.
Like most folks I come here daily to read the news and (lately) to comment on it. It's not my fault AppleInsider takes weekends off and allows DED to publish this rot on Saturdays and Sundays. If they published actual articles about actual products and market trends etc., I'd comment on those instead.
I, on the other hand, "like most folks" come here to read pieces like those of DED.
My "most folks" estimate is at least as good as yours.
For me the lows are the 100(?) billion dollar stock buyback (aka money burn) that is a real insult to its customers and to all people without much financial clout, it also is rather painful to think wat could have been achieved instead: saving Africa from the rhino and elephant poachers, fund the start of the space economy (which is the future of the economy as a whole), to name a few; and Apples distractions into 'political' matters.
The trend you mention: ever increasing prices, demanded by the shareholders, is also very worrisome; at some point - let's say 'Peak Apple' - customers will choose an alternative.
LMAO! How ridiculous!!! When did it become my responsibility to save Africa from the poachers??? If it's a worthy cause, perhaps the government can take a portion of the tax revenue they collect from ALL citizens and use it to stop the poaching... But the suggestion that Apple Shareholders should foot the bill is idiotic!
I'm a shareholder and so far, I'm happy with the way Apple has chosen to spend my money - especially the share repurchaese program.
I think I made my argument quite clear; showing no responsibility is I think very typical of a shareholder. But there is a 'direct' connection between Apple and rino/elephant ivory poaching: by paying (better) wages to tens of millions of Chinese they create a huge new demand for ivory.
Like most folks I come here daily to read the news and (lately) to comment on it. It's not my fault AppleInsider takes weekends off and allows DED to publish this rot on Saturdays and Sundays. If they published actual articles about actual products and market trends etc., I'd comment on those instead.
I, on the other hand, "like most folks" come here to read pieces like those of DED.
My "most folks" estimate is at least as good as yours.
I also like to read DEDs stories, it's always nice reading that your right. I can't help wondering what the stories would be like if Apple was the one tanking.
The best thing Tim Cook & Co. could have done was to pull all sales of iPhones from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and anywhere else iPhones were sold and managed to bring that all under one roof (Apple Stores) and also to offer their own upgrade program, now the iPhone won't be in any more competition with likes of Samsung phones and others so that alone should increase sales of iPhones thru out the US perhaps 5 fold if not more. Regarding the article, Fantastic...best article I've read in a long while and it gets rather tiring reading all at they read and the tripe about Apple this, Apple that, Apple won't this or Apple won't that or Apple can't do this, that or the other....Good God how do their editors allow such to be published ?? It gets so old that sure some will eventually believe some of hate filled articles floating around the WWW but I hope more people believe what they read and Sell Sell Sell as Cramer would Demand them to do knowing that the stock is about to Crash & Burn and leaves more shares for smart people to Buy Buy Buy...I'm a Apple Shareholder and will continue to be a Apple Shareholder, The way I see Apple is that folk's should Buy it for Looks, Buy it for life !!
I think in the future, Apple will taking care of financing the phones (directly or in arrangements with third party financial institutions). If they can make the phones a service, instead of a something you buy, they would set long term.
The best thing Tim Cook & Co. could have done was to pull all sales of iPhones from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and anywhere else iPhones were sold and managed to bring that all under one roof (Apple Stores) and also to offer their own upgrade program, now the iPhone won't be in any more competition with likes of Samsung phones and others so that alone should increase sales of iPhones thru out the US perhaps 5 fold if not more. Regarding the article, Fantastic...best article I've read in a long while and it gets rather tiring reading all at they read and the tripe about Apple this, Apple that, Apple won't this or Apple won't that or Apple can't do this, that or the other....Good God how do their editors allow such to be published ?? It gets so old that sure some will eventually believe some of hate filled articles floating around the WWW but I hope more people believe what they read and Sell Sell Sell as Cramer would Demand them to do knowing that the stock is about to Crash & Burn and leaves more shares for smart people to Buy Buy Buy...I'm a Apple Shareholder and will continue to be a Apple Shareholder, The way I see Apple is that folk's should Buy it for Looks, Buy it for life !!
I think in the future, Apple will taking care of financing the phones (directly or in arrangements with third party financial institutions). If they can make the phones a service, instead of a something you buy, they would set long term.
Apple has already started down the road of offering financing for phones... but do you think Apple would ever become an MVNO? Maybe like Google Fi?
I doubt Apple wants to build their own cell towers around the world. I think they already said they don't want to be in that game.
But I could see a time where you make one "Apple payment" which includes the phone and service. They could even offer packages to include Apple Music, iCloud storage, etc.
DeD has better writing skills than any tech writer I have read online. What, you think he’s a clickbait author because he writes positively about Apple instead of regurgitating the negative pablum we have come to expect from AI trolls? Do you think trolls repeating their mantra of MARKET SHARE, MAKRET SHARE, MARKET SHARE means Apple is a failure? Then there’s the malcontent caterwauling away about Apple’s QA, alleged loss of innovation, and “Steve would never have allowed this” bawling. You prefer that to a positive perspective? You call this clickbait? You’d rather wallow in the negativity?
I prefer John Gruber's writing. Gruber clearly writes from the perspective of an Apple fan but still manages to maintain some objectivity. Gruber builds such a compelling (and concise!) case, when he writes, that he never needs to make spurious statements like '[Apple] sold the only profitable tablets and smartwatch'.
That is the problem with articles written by DED. He seems to lack the ability to be concise, which IMHO detracts from the message. Why use 10 words when 1000 will do. Also the almost inevitable diatribe against Google/Android.
You're not disputing the facts presented within, but DED's style.
That is the problem with articles written by DED. He seems to lack the ability to be concise, which IMHO detracts from the message. Why use 10 words when 1000 will do. Also the almost inevitable diatribe against Google/Android.
You're not disputing the facts presented within, but DED's style.
You are right I'm not disputing the facts. It is his style, use of hyperbole, self referential links to back up a point andrabid ramblings that distracts from the facts. it is almost like he is afraid to let the facts talk without trying to hide it.
I hate these kinds of articles. DED I presume? AppleInsider doesn't do itself any favours by printing this kind of one-sided garbage. A "year in review" type of article should contain the minuses as well as the plusses.
A few that come to mind:
- the very, very late debut of the very, very expensive Apple Watch - Apple TV being so delayed that it actually has last year's internals (for twice the price) - the most talked about feature of the new Apple TV (skinny cable package) pulled at last second. - finally updating the iPad mini after three full years of languor. - the new $200 trackpad! - the new iPad that's more expensive than a laptop but half as capable. - Advertisements in the OS
I know others won't necessarily agree with me on all of these but the point is that there are many points of view and also pros and cons.
These long, poorly written articles full of bitterness, that praise Apple to the heavens, while jousting against imaginary critics are tiresome, unfair, and uninteresting once you realize how biased they are. Please stop. Someone knock that chip off Daniel's shoulder so he can write properly.
For me the lows are the 100(?) billion dollar stock buyback (aka money burn) that is a real insult to its customers and to all people without much financial clout, it also is rather painful to think wat could have been achieved instead: saving Africa from the rhino and elephant poachers, fund the start of the space economy (which is the future of the economy as a whole), to name a few; and Apples distractions into 'political' matters.
The trend you mention: ever increasing prices, demanded by the shareholders, is also very worrisome; at some point - let's say 'Peak Apple' - customers will choose an alternative.
Buyback is a problem, I agree though why on earth would Apple spend shareholders in on Charity (essentially); pretty sure they wouldn't like that. But ever increasing price is absolutely BS. Most of the increasing price outside the US is due to tanking currencies VS Us dollar, Apple usually adjust prices only a few times a year, so in some cases your getting lower price than in the US (like last year IIphone prices before price adjustments in Canada)
Apple has always been expensive Just look at the inflation adjusted prices of early 2000s products like the Ipod and tell me with a straight face that these were less expensive than any latter versions.. Historically , it's been a hell of a lot more expensive than now. So, it's a false narrative.
I, on the other hand, "like most folks" come here to read pieces like those of DED.
My "most folks" estimate is at least as good as yours.
I also like to read DEDs stories, it's always nice reading that your right. I can't help wondering what the stories would be like if Apple was the one tanking.
We have plenty of Peak Apple™ stories out there already, so what are you waiting for?
LMAO! How ridiculous!!! When did it become my responsibility to save Africa from the poachers??? If it's a worthy cause, perhaps the government can take a portion of the tax revenue they collect from ALL citizens and use it to stop the poaching... But the suggestion that Apple Shareholders should foot the bill is idiotic!
I'm a shareholder and so far, I'm happy with the way Apple has chosen to spend my money - especially the share repurchaese program.
I think I made my argument quite clear; showing no responsibility is I think very typical of a shareholder. But there is a 'direct' connection between Apple and rino/elephant ivory poaching: by paying (better) wages to tens of millions of Chinese they create a huge new demand for ivory.
Yeah, I know, like paying more taxes to the US government will just fund more of the military and Obamacare and ....
He writes as if he had an Aspergers-like fixation on Apple.
which makes sense for a writer on an apple enthusiast website. what doesn't make sense is your identical zeal for being an iHater...you aren't even getting paid for it.
You can only assume he isn't getting paid for his "zeal."
I think in the future, Apple will taking care of financing the phones (directly or in arrangements with third party financial institutions). If they can make the phones a service, instead of a something you buy, they would set long term.
Apple has already started down the road of offering financing for phones... but do you think Apple would ever become an MVNO? Maybe like Google Fi?
I doubt Apple wants to build their own cell towers around the world. I think they already said they don't want to be in that game.
But I could see a time where you make one "Apple payment" which includes the phone and service. They could even offer packages to include Apple Music, iCloud storage, etc.
That's what I meant. Their whole ecosystem/hardware even Video on demand, as a service. People who need to think about it, every X year, they get new Apple hardware, new services, whatever. That's locking in people even deeper, but hey, if you trust a company; it would probably be less costly than buying. And that would probably make Wall Street very very happy.
"A lot of ink has already been spilled about the deep hole Apple keeps digging for itself as its past successes make for a Law of Large Numbers"
Someone needs to ask where this "Law of Large Numbers" is written, and why Apple has never had to pay any fines for consistently breaking that law every year. ;-))
Is this an article that is supposed to make us feel good because the stock is taking a beating?
The stock market and Apple Inc. are two different beasts.
Anyone who believes that the price of AAPL has a direct correlation to Apple's revenues and profits should know that I have a really nice bridge in New York to sell to them "cheap".
Apple's business (revenues and profits) have been consistently growing at a record-setting pace. Looking at the volatile graph for AAPL over the same years you would think that Apple (the company) is failing... It's obviously NOT!
It's foolish to play the stock market gambling game (especially short-term) considering that stock prices are so easily influenced by unscrupulous media and "analysts" who have their own agenda for manipulating the stocks.
I have read on some neutral website that the figure, 94% of smartphone profits, are just made up numbers by Apple fansites. I think even BBC reported this which I had read about a month ago. As soon as I read the first line stating 94% of smartphone profit, I couldn't continue anymore. I think this website caters to only those people who just love Apple and hate everything else. For others there are lots of unbiased techsites which gives better reviews and news.
I have read on some neutral website that the figure, 94% of smartphone profits, are just made up numbers by Apple fansites. I think even BBC reported this which I had read about a month ago. As soon as I read the first line stating 94% of smartphone profit, I couldn't continue anymore. I think this website caters to only those people who just love Apple and hate everything else. For others there are lots of unbiased techsites which gives better reviews and news.
I agree that it's a bold claim.
So where are the reports refuting it?
If it's simply a made-up number... it should be easy to disprove. Are there other smartphone manufacturers making billions in profit that we don't know about?
I see the "Prof" got what he/she wanted - a good old fashioned banning. lol
Anyone using a self agrandising title in their screen name is some one who wants to "rule" from a position of authority from the get go. Most time, the title is invented or inflammatory, depending on the goal. That's my experience from 28 years on the Internet.
I don't think one second there was EVER a prof at the end of the line; very week trolling... Other "teacher trolls" (a special type) like Gator are coherent if mostly desingenous. This, I can tolerate up to a point. The "prof's" ridiculous condescension though grated in 10 different ways.
Comments
I also think that it isn't wise to count android out, or even Linux, like China its rise is predicted many times and this could - when the circumstances are right - like China, become true, one day.
My "most folks" estimate is at least as good as yours.
But there is a 'direct' connection between Apple and rino/elephant ivory poaching: by paying (better) wages to tens of millions of Chinese they create a huge new demand for ivory.
I can't help wondering what the stories would be like if Apple was the one tanking.
If they can make the phones a service, instead of a something you buy, they would set long term.
I doubt Apple wants to build their own cell towers around the world. I think they already said they don't want to be in that game.
But I could see a time where you make one "Apple payment" which includes the phone and service. They could even offer packages to include Apple Music, iCloud storage, etc.
But ever increasing price is absolutely BS.
Most of the increasing price outside the US is due to tanking currencies VS Us dollar,
Apple usually adjust prices only a few times a year, so in some cases your getting lower price than in the US (like last year IIphone prices before price adjustments in Canada)
Apple has always been expensive Just look at the inflation adjusted prices of early 2000s products like the Ipod and tell me with a straight face that these were less expensive than any latter versions..
Historically , it's been a hell of a lot more expensive than now. So, it's a false narrative.
People who need to think about it, every X year, they get new Apple hardware, new services, whatever.
That's locking in people even deeper, but hey, if you trust a company; it would probably be less costly than buying.
And that would probably make Wall Street very very happy.
So where are the reports refuting it?
If it's simply a made-up number... it should be easy to disprove. Are there other smartphone manufacturers making billions in profit that we don't know about?
Most time, the title is invented or inflammatory, depending on the goal.
That's my experience from 28 years on the Internet.
I don't think one second there was EVER a prof at the end of the line; very week trolling...
Other "teacher trolls" (a special type) like Gator are coherent if mostly desingenous. This, I can tolerate up to a point.
The "prof's" ridiculous condescension though grated in 10 different ways.