Synaptics may play role in next-gen iPods
Apple Computer may once again tap Synaptics, Inc. to help supply touch interface components for its next-generation iPod digital music players, one analyst says.
The longtime supplier of Apple TrackPad and Click-Wheel technology has had its share of ups and downs in recent years due to inconsistent streaks of business from the iPod maker, historically one of its largest customers.
"Based on recent channel checks, we believe it is probable for Synaptics to resume material volumes as a second source supplier for iPod interfaces in [its first fiscal quarter of 2007]," Cowen and Company analyst Robert Stone told his clients on Monday.
The analyst guesstimates such a deal could add $15M to Synaptics' top line in the second half of 2006 and as much as $24M in 2007.
"Given the importance of iPod for Apple, we have always believed a qualified second source of touch interfaces would lessen the risk of potential production glitches and add upside flexibility," he said.
Although Stone anticipates Apple's next round of iPod updates will be priced lower than existing models, he does not expect a heated price war between the players' component suppliers. Instead, the analyst believes Synaptics will be the beneficiary of a "relatively stable" share of touch interface component orders after Apple begins to ramp production of the players.
"We believe the resumption of iPod business [at Synaptics] will be reflected in guidance, and our best guess at the potential revenue impact suggests 30 percent [or more] upside in the shares relative to the market over the next 12 months," he added.
In an effort to regain tighter control of its intellectual property and component supply, Apple last year turned away from Synaptics as an interface solution designer for the TrackPad technology used in its Mac notebook product lines. Shortly thereafter, Apple attempted a similar move with its sourcing of iPod Click-Wheel components but ultimately recalled Synaptics to help supply parts during the thick of the 2005 holiday shopping season.
The longtime supplier of Apple TrackPad and Click-Wheel technology has had its share of ups and downs in recent years due to inconsistent streaks of business from the iPod maker, historically one of its largest customers.
"Based on recent channel checks, we believe it is probable for Synaptics to resume material volumes as a second source supplier for iPod interfaces in [its first fiscal quarter of 2007]," Cowen and Company analyst Robert Stone told his clients on Monday.
The analyst guesstimates such a deal could add $15M to Synaptics' top line in the second half of 2006 and as much as $24M in 2007.
"Given the importance of iPod for Apple, we have always believed a qualified second source of touch interfaces would lessen the risk of potential production glitches and add upside flexibility," he said.
Although Stone anticipates Apple's next round of iPod updates will be priced lower than existing models, he does not expect a heated price war between the players' component suppliers. Instead, the analyst believes Synaptics will be the beneficiary of a "relatively stable" share of touch interface component orders after Apple begins to ramp production of the players.
"We believe the resumption of iPod business [at Synaptics] will be reflected in guidance, and our best guess at the potential revenue impact suggests 30 percent [or more] upside in the shares relative to the market over the next 12 months," he added.
In an effort to regain tighter control of its intellectual property and component supply, Apple last year turned away from Synaptics as an interface solution designer for the TrackPad technology used in its Mac notebook product lines. Shortly thereafter, Apple attempted a similar move with its sourcing of iPod Click-Wheel components but ultimately recalled Synaptics to help supply parts during the thick of the 2005 holiday shopping season.
Comments
It's taking too long to introduce another iPod. Others are starting to catch up in interface designs, extra features, more battery life, etc.
Apple needs to introduce another iPod to stay competitive.
Originally posted by emig647
I gotta admit,
It's taking too long to introduce another iPod. Others are starting to catch up in interface designs, extra features, more battery life, etc.
Apple needs to introduce another iPod to stay competitive.
Surely when they do (we hope) it'll blow the competition out of the water.
Originally posted by crees!
Just give me the damn thing already! I have a 3rd Gen iPod that works just fine but will buy this thing in a heartbeat. Why? Because it'll just be so damn cool!
I thought the next iPod wasn't even going to have a clickwheel though. It's supposed to be all screen with a virtual clickwheel. Would Synaptics be the supplier for this new interface or are they just talking about capacity updates to the current model? They must be as there is no way they would cost less.
Originally posted by bdj21ya
I sure wish they had gone with Synaptics for the Intel notebooks. It would be GREAT to have a working trackpad driver in Windows.
The driver supplied via bootcamp doesn't work?
Originally posted by mariofreak85
The driver supplied via bootcamp doesn't work?
It works, but it doesn't do anything but the least it could do (no acceleration, scrolling, clicking, dragging, etc). Lacking these things, an external mouse is really neccessary in XP.
Originally posted by bdj21ya
It works, but it doesn't do anything but the least it could do (no acceleration, scrolling, clicking, dragging, etc). Lacking these things, an external mouse is really neccessary in XP.
For clicking and dragging what's the different between using the mouse and the trackpad button? Scrolling / acceleration would be what it wouldn't have.
Originally posted by crees!
Surely when they do (we hope) it'll blow the competition out of the water.
Yeah, like when Apple took the wraps off of the highly anticipated... boombox. Uh, never mind (in best "Radar O'Reilly" impression)
Originally posted by crees!
For clicking and dragging what's the different between using the mouse and the trackpad button? Scrolling / acceleration would be what it wouldn't have.
No, I mean tap to click and tap-hold to drag. I rarely use the actual button in OS X or on any other Windows laptop.
Originally posted by emig647
I gotta admit,
It's taking too long to introduce another iPod. Others are starting to catch up in interface designs, extra features, more battery life, etc.
Apple needs to introduce another iPod to stay competitive.
Totally!!!
Apple has really slipped up this year. We wouldn't be talking about falling sales, loss of marketshare, competition from MS, if Apple came out with some new models.
They absolutely need a new line-up for the holiday season this year.
Originally posted by bdj21ya
It works, but it doesn't do anything but the least it could do (no acceleration, scrolling, clicking, dragging, etc). Lacking these things, an external mouse is really neccessary in XP.
Some of that is intentional. The supposition is that Apple doesn't want to make the Windows experience TOO enjoyable.
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
Yeah, like when Apple took the wraps off of the highly anticipated... boombox. Uh, never mind (in best "Radar O'Reilly" impression)
I have one. It's pretty damn good! I wouldn't replace my five figure system, but it's pretty amazing for what it is. Especially if you remove the decorative front cloth panel.
Apple has really slipped up this year. We wouldn't be talking about falling sales, loss of marketshare, competition from MS, if Apple came out with some new models.
hmmm, i wonder why this could be?...
oh yeah
The Great Transition maybe?? if you think about it, how much stuff have they/still are redesigning to make the transition to the intel chips?
LOADS!!!!!
thats why the new ipods have been semi sidelined. but then, there is a dedicated ipod develpement team, wow, now im arguing with myself, great...
Originally posted by melgross
Some of that is intentional. The supposition is that Apple doesn't want to make the Windows experience TOO enjoyable.
I disagree. I think that it's more the fact that they want to have one more thing that makes everyone want Leopard, so they're saving the drivers to be bundled when they let the new cat out of the bag. I'm not complaining either, I think it's a great marketing strategy and will probably buy Leopard the week it comes out. Not having seen Leopard, I guess this is just based on faith, but I'm sure that Steve will prove my faith is not misplaced the week after next (not that I think they'll show any Windows based features then, but a bunch of other really cool features on the OS X side of things).
Originally posted by bdj21ya
Not having seen Leopard, I guess this is just based on faith, but I'm sure that Steve will prove my faith is not misplaced the week after next.
The week after next, are you serious? Man I love trying my best not to pay attention to the WWDC date, current date and doing the math. Two more weeks... I can do this!
Originally posted by bdj21ya
I disagree. I think that it's more the fact that they want to have one more thing that makes everyone want Leopard, so they're saving the drivers to be bundled when they let the new cat out of the bag. I'm not complaining either, I think it's a great marketing strategy and will probably buy Leopard the week it comes out. Not having seen Leopard, I guess this is just based on faith, but I'm sure that Steve will prove my faith is not misplaced the week after next (not that I think they'll show any Windows based features then, but a bunch of other really cool features on the OS X side of things).
You're making an assumption that they will do that. You don't know they will do that.
What will you say if they don't include them?
Originally posted by melgross
You're making an assumption that they will do that. You don't know they will do that.
What will you say if they don't include them?
I'll say I was wrong. You're right, it really is just a guess. I'm not sure about any specific drivers being released with Leopard at all. However, I am almost certain that Leopard will at least include some updated drivers for Bootcamp--or else the team that developed Boot Camp beta is no longer working on the project. Here's my predictions though (to be included in final version of Boot Camp, bundled with Leopard):
1. New touchpad driver for notebooks with support for acceleration and clicking at least.
2. New graphics card driver, with support for s-video conversion (currently impossible with the MB and the MBP).
3. A driver to support at least one of the following: IR sensor, iSight, or backlit keyboard. (I know that's kind of vague, but what do you care? This is realy just a guess anyway).
Originally posted by bdj21ya
I'll say I was wrong. You're right, it really is just a guess. I'm not sure about any specific drivers being released with Leopard at all. However, I am almost certain that Leopard will at least include some updated drivers for Bootcamp--or else the team that developed Boot Camp beta is no longer working on the project. Here's my predictions though (to be included in final version of Boot Camp, bundled with Leopard):
1. New touchpad driver for notebooks with support for acceleration and clicking at least.
2. New graphics card driver, with support for s-video conversion (currently impossible with the MB and the MBP).
3. A driver to support at least one of the following: IR sensor, iSight, or backlit keyboard. (I know that's kind of vague, but what do you care? This is realy just a guess anyway).
It's always interesting to read people's thoughts. It's when they state that Apple WILL do this or that, where it becomes twitchy.
I THINK that it would be a good idea for Apple to support more of their tech in Leopard for a Windows boot. But, as it would have been fairly easy to do so now, for the camera, for example, one has to wonder why they haven't already.
One of those reasons could be that they simply don't want to. Why should Apple want to make Windows too warm and fuzzy? The idea behind letting people use Windows on the Mac at full speed is not to let them continue to do so, with all of the advantages of the machines' more esoteric features, but to make it easier for them to buy a Mac in the first place, as the complaint has always been, that without running Windows on the Mac at close to real speeds, people couldn't take the chance of switching over.
Apple likely wants people to do just that. Buy a Mac, run Windows at close to real speed without any major Windows features missing, but then wants them to feel a need to move over to OS X full time. If all of the features of the OS, and the machines running them, are equally available on Windows as well, there will be less of a need for that to happen.
I think that Apple is keeping some features in reserve for its OS X customers.
But, of course, I could be wrong as well.
Therefore, a third-party driver will inevitably pop up, so Apple's "let's make Mac OS X look better" wouldn't have worked out.