Oh, dear. These are desperation moves. Not good times ahead for Apple (short to mid term anyway).
Once customers get used to discount pricing, it's impossible to go back.
I disagree this is a great way to get people that otherwise would not have rented to try it out, same way people have tested the quality of music by checking out a the weekly free track.
Hopefully, one of the unnamed bugs is the one that makes iTunes hang between tracks during CD playback when error-correction is turned on. I reported this one to Apple a few months ago.
I'll have to run some tests when I get home tonight, and find out.
I can't say I expect much from it. It's probably a good idea, but I expect it would only be used for movies that I won't even want to sit through. Most of the iTunes music freebies tended to be like that too, I couldn't stand to finish them, never mind get me interested in buying the album, to the point that I quit grabbing them. It's hardly a good way to promote new artists.
Sorry, I don't agree, especially when they're only discounting ONE movie a week. Seems like a really good idea to get people to take the plunge and try the service out.
Apple has had free and discounted music tracks for years, doesn't seem to hurt the business any.
It appears the traders aren't listening to your positive assertions. AAPL is down big this morning... ouch.
But it looks like Apple's been hit a little harder than most.
It's odd. AAPL has been getting severely punished over... what? I just don't know.
Other than this report from yesterday...
Quote:
Apple Cuts Flash Chip Order Forecast, ISuppli Says (Update3)
By Tim Culpan
Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc., the world's largest buyer of flash memory chips, slashed its projected orders for the semiconductor this year, which may lead some suppliers to post losses this quarter, research firm iSuppli Corp. said.
Global sales of so-called NAND flash chips will rise ``marginally'' this year, instead of the 27 percent increase forecast earlier, the El Segundo, California-based researcher said in a statement yesterday. NAND chips store data in devices such as Apple's iPod media players and iPhones.
``Apple has slashed its 2008 NAND order forecast significantly and has informed suppliers that its demand growth will slow in 2008,'' iSuppli said in the statement, without elaborating on specific figures. ``In light of these factors, NAND suppliers are likely to go into the red in the first quarter, and are not likely to recover in the second.''
Jill Tan, a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for Apple, declined to comment on the report today. Apple, down 39 percent this year, fell $2.28 to $121.54 at 4 p.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading.
Sales of the chips grew 12.5 percent last year to $13.9 billion as consumers bought more music players, digital cameras and advanced mobile phones, which require larger storage capacity, iSuppli said. Apple bought 13 percent of the world's NAND flash memory in 2007, according to the statement.
Samsung Electronics Co., based in Suwon, South Korea, maintained its lead as the world's largest maker of the chips with 40 percent share in the fourth quarter, the researcher said. Tokyo-based Toshiba Corp. was second with 27 percent, followed by Ichon, Korea-based Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tim Culpan in Taipei at [email protected].
Another very positive thing about $.99 rentals is that it causes you to make a mental note:
"NOTE TO SELF -- Must check iTunes every week to get the cheap rental!"
That's a great plus for Apple... to have you constantly thinking about them and their product... That's huge.
And what happens if you don't like the rental for the week? "Well, I've already gotten two at $.99 so why not go for a $2.99 this week. I'm still ahead..."
And that's how this business goes interstellar in the span of about 3 months.
AAPL is down because no one senses the stock to be on its way up. You tell me -- do you have a deep gut feeling that 140 is right around the corner? If not, and if you got in around 70 or 80 or 110, why not sell and make some cash? Then when you think it's turning buy some more.
AAPL is down because no one senses the stock to be on its way up. You tell me -- do you have a deep gut feeling that 140 is right around the corner? If not, and if you got in around 70 or 80 or 110, why not sell and make some cash? Then when you think it's turning buy some more.
I give AAPL maybe a year to get back to up around $200. Gene Munster is off his rocker if he thinks it's headed back to $225-$250 any time soon. Then again, momentum may be against Apple... with the possibility of an Obama presidency...Obama would raise rates on capital gains to about 25 percent... things could get VERY depressed in the stock market.
If any of you have the problem with iTunes where the audio cuts out when you mouse over a menu, most noticeably in Safari, Or, if iTunes is stuttering on songs. I figured out it's the 'internet playback' thing.
1. Trash your preferences User/preferences/iTunes stuff
2. When it asks if you want to set iTunes for internet playback, say no.
I did this after zapping the pram... everything works great now. It was annoying surfing in safari trying to listen to online radio and having the audio cut out every time I opened a menu or bookmark stack.
It's odd. AAPL has been getting severely punished over... what? I just don't know.
Other than this report from yesterday...
I suppose that report was made a bit late in the day for it to taken effect yesterday.
Edit: Actually a lot of it did take effect yesterday, there was already a $4 hit taken from Bloomberg's article to the end of the day, a $3 drop in 2 hours.
"The Hours is about three women of different generations and times whose lives are interconnected by Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs Dalloway!"
Come on Apple, who wants to watch that?
Come on you know you love a good chick flick.
Actually it's smart marketing on Apple's part. Get the women hooked on iTunes rentals. Around this house at least, the movies rented and watched are chosen pretty much entirely by females, one in particular. They'll watch the same movie 2 or 3 times in one weekend, go figure.
I suppose that report was made a bit late in the day for it to taken effect yesterday.
Edit: Actually a lot of it did take effect yesterday, there was already a $4 hit taken from Bloomberg's article to the end of the day, a $3 drop in 2 hours.
AAPL losing nearly 1/2 of it's valuation in a matter of 2 months is pretty disconcerting... I'm getting very nervous, even as a long time investor.
Then again, momentum may be against Apple... with the possibility of an Obama presidency...Obama would raise rates on capital gains to about 25 percent... things could get VERY depressed in the stock market.
(For the record, this has nothing to do with whether I am against or for Obama.) Where did you see/hear that Obama will increase cap gains rate to 25%?
(For the record, this has nothing to do with whether I am against or for Obama.) Where did you see/hear that Obama will increase cap gains rate to 25%?
As far as I can see, Obama didn't say it directly, his economics adviser is claiming that's what he'll do.
Yeah, I don't know how I can practically be expected to not sell any of my stocks for 4 years of an Obama presidency... maybe I'll just get out of the market entirely. If it looks like Obama will be the sure winner, expect a huge flight of capital from the US and the stock market.
Comments
Oh, dear. These are desperation moves. Not good times ahead for Apple (short to mid term anyway).
Once customers get used to discount pricing, it's impossible to go back.
I disagree this is a great way to get people that otherwise would not have rented to try it out, same way people have tested the quality of music by checking out a the weekly free track.
I'll have to run some tests when I get home tonight, and find out.
they should all be 99 cents! after all its a non physical rental...
thats my 0.2 cents
Except that the studios probably want more than that in a royalty per rent.
99 cents for a movie rental is a fair price. I might actually use it at that price. What ludicrious price do they charge normally?
The same price as every other download and pay-per-view service. Until the studios drop *their* fee, nobody will be charging less for a download.
Sorry, I don't agree, especially when they're only discounting ONE movie a week. Seems like a really good idea to get people to take the plunge and try the service out.
Apple has had free and discounted music tracks for years, doesn't seem to hurt the business any.
It appears the traders aren't listening to your positive assertions. AAPL is down big this morning... ouch.
Actually the first title was last week, Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Still too expensive for George Kastanza!
lol He ate their popcorn too.
It appears the traders aren't listening to your positive assertions. AAPL is down big this morning... ouch.
I'm waiting for APPL @ $99 to match its iTunes .99 cent numerical face value
It appears the traders aren't listening to your positive assertions. AAPL is down big this morning... ouch.
Most sectors are down today, so I wouldn't read that much into it.
http://finance.google.com/finance (lower right corner, Sector Summary)
But it looks like Apple's been hit a little harder than most.
Most sectors are down today, so I wouldn't read that much into it.
http://finance.google.com/finance (lower right corner, Sector Summary)
But it looks like Apple's been hit a little harder than most.
It's odd. AAPL has been getting severely punished over... what? I just don't know.
Other than this report from yesterday...
Apple Cuts Flash Chip Order Forecast, ISuppli Says (Update3)
By Tim Culpan
Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc., the world's largest buyer of flash memory chips, slashed its projected orders for the semiconductor this year, which may lead some suppliers to post losses this quarter, research firm iSuppli Corp. said.
Global sales of so-called NAND flash chips will rise ``marginally'' this year, instead of the 27 percent increase forecast earlier, the El Segundo, California-based researcher said in a statement yesterday. NAND chips store data in devices such as Apple's iPod media players and iPhones.
``Apple has slashed its 2008 NAND order forecast significantly and has informed suppliers that its demand growth will slow in 2008,'' iSuppli said in the statement, without elaborating on specific figures. ``In light of these factors, NAND suppliers are likely to go into the red in the first quarter, and are not likely to recover in the second.''
Jill Tan, a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for Apple, declined to comment on the report today. Apple, down 39 percent this year, fell $2.28 to $121.54 at 4 p.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading.
Sales of the chips grew 12.5 percent last year to $13.9 billion as consumers bought more music players, digital cameras and advanced mobile phones, which require larger storage capacity, iSuppli said. Apple bought 13 percent of the world's NAND flash memory in 2007, according to the statement.
Samsung Electronics Co., based in Suwon, South Korea, maintained its lead as the world's largest maker of the chips with 40 percent share in the fourth quarter, the researcher said. Tokyo-based Toshiba Corp. was second with 27 percent, followed by Ichon, Korea-based Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tim Culpan in Taipei at [email protected].
Last Updated: February 21, 2008 16:30 EST
"NOTE TO SELF -- Must check iTunes every week to get the cheap rental!"
That's a great plus for Apple... to have you constantly thinking about them and their product... That's huge.
And what happens if you don't like the rental for the week? "Well, I've already gotten two at $.99 so why not go for a $2.99 this week. I'm still ahead..."
And that's how this business goes interstellar in the span of about 3 months.
AAPL is down because no one senses the stock to be on its way up. You tell me -- do you have a deep gut feeling that 140 is right around the corner? If not, and if you got in around 70 or 80 or 110, why not sell and make some cash? Then when you think it's turning buy some more.
I give AAPL maybe a year to get back to up around $200. Gene Munster is off his rocker if he thinks it's headed back to $225-$250 any time soon. Then again, momentum may be against Apple... with the possibility of an Obama presidency...Obama would raise rates on capital gains to about 25 percent... things could get VERY depressed in the stock market.
Actually the first title was last week, Breakfast at Tiffany's.
"The Hours is about three women of different generations and times whose lives are interconnected by Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs Dalloway!"
Come on Apple, who wants to watch that?
1. Trash your preferences User/preferences/iTunes stuff
2. When it asks if you want to set iTunes for internet playback, say no.
I did this after zapping the pram... everything works great now. It was annoying surfing in safari trying to listen to online radio and having the audio cut out every time I opened a menu or bookmark stack.
Just throwing that out there...
It's odd. AAPL has been getting severely punished over... what? I just don't know.
Other than this report from yesterday...
I suppose that report was made a bit late in the day for it to taken effect yesterday.
Edit: Actually a lot of it did take effect yesterday, there was already a $4 hit taken from Bloomberg's article to the end of the day, a $3 drop in 2 hours.
"The Hours is about three women of different generations and times whose lives are interconnected by Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs Dalloway!"
Come on Apple, who wants to watch that?
Come on you know you love a good chick flick.
Actually it's smart marketing on Apple's part. Get the women hooked on iTunes rentals. Around this house at least, the movies rented and watched are chosen pretty much entirely by females, one in particular. They'll watch the same movie 2 or 3 times in one weekend, go figure.
I suppose that report was made a bit late in the day for it to taken effect yesterday.
Edit: Actually a lot of it did take effect yesterday, there was already a $4 hit taken from Bloomberg's article to the end of the day, a $3 drop in 2 hours.
AAPL losing nearly 1/2 of it's valuation in a matter of 2 months is pretty disconcerting... I'm getting very nervous, even as a long time investor.
Then again, momentum may be against Apple... with the possibility of an Obama presidency...Obama would raise rates on capital gains to about 25 percent... things could get VERY depressed in the stock market.
(For the record, this has nothing to do with whether I am against or for Obama.) Where did you see/hear that Obama will increase cap gains rate to 25%?
(For the record, this has nothing to do with whether I am against or for Obama.) Where did you see/hear that Obama will increase cap gains rate to 25%?
As far as I can see, Obama didn't say it directly, his economics adviser is claiming that's what he'll do.
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB...lenews_barrons