Apple exec: iPhone "not married" to single-carrier model

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 56
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gobble gobble View Post


    \



    No waffling allowed.
  • Reply 22 of 56
    wallywally Posts: 211member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    It's just semantics --- there is no difference in what the analysts and apple are saying...



    Actually there is a huge difference in what some analysts said and what Apple has been saying. Analysts last week were saying Apple couldn't meet the 10m mark - they were figuring that based on a flat steady sell rate which no Apple product has. So their analysis was wrong and is basically just some more of the same crap.
  • Reply 23 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    ...even if they have to kill their current business model.



    Which one? Macs? iTunes? Apple TV and rentals? Accessories? Oh, you mean iPods.



    Well, that model is going away anyway, as evidenced by the Touch, leaving Shuffles for cheap presents and some nano-type device for joggers.



    But as Cook also said, it's better to canabalize your own sales than have someone else do it to you. A fact many, many companies learned far too late.
  • Reply 24 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ahmlco View Post


    Which one? Macs? iTunes? Apple TV and rentals? Accessories? Oh, you mean iPods.



    Well, that model is going away anyway, as evidenced by the Touch, leaving Shuffles for cheap presents and some nano-type device for joggers.



    But as Cook also said, it's better to canabalize your own sales than have someone else do it to you. A fact many, many companies learned far too late.



    Tim Cook is right. Always better to compete against your own products than to let the competition get any of the sales.



    I hope there will always be a reasonably priced, high capacity iPod. I see no point paying for a large touch screen or WiFi connection that I can't use while driving, walking or riding public transit.



    The iPod Classic would be great because it would hold my whole library, but I worked for an Apple reseller for 3 years and saw way too many iPods with dead HDs, including someone who lost 10GB of irreplaceable vacation photos, to ever fully trust a HD based unit. I'd also prefer something smaller and lighter because it'll be exclusively for music. If it can't hold my whole library I might as well save $100's and just use a Shuffle.



    There will probably be a perfect unit, a 32GB nano, in 2010. Guess Apple will be waiting that long for my money.
  • Reply 25 of 56
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member
    http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/02/...ook.interview/



    Quote:

    Will there be some cannibalization from the iPod Touch and iPhone? Tim Cook says maybe. "But I'd rather Apple cannibalize itself than others take our business"



    Nice response. So how about that expandable Mac minitower?
  • Reply 26 of 56
    Even though I take Tim Cook's comments lightly, the mere fact that he alluded to the possibility of either hastening other carrier deals or something else that will broaden acceptance of the iPhone (yes, possibly iPhone2) is exciting. Maybe, just maybe I'll load up on more AAPL at this time...we could be heading north again real soon if they make some bolder moves to counteract the current stock slump.



    Also, here's the exact contents of the story...



    Quote:

    By Ben Charny

    Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES



    SAN FRANCISCO -(Dow Jones)- Apple Inc. (AAPL) is open to exploring new ways of selling its iPhone, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said Wednesday.

    Cook also made bullish comments about the impact of any economic headwinds, and said the company is confident it will meet the 2008 target for iPhone sales. He also hinted of a bigger iPhone development to come later this month.

    Shares of Apple stock were trading up $4.35, or 3.5%, to $127.31 after-hours.

    Apple thus far has sold its iPhone, a combination of phone and media player, by giving individual carriers the exclusive rights to sell it in their home country. The strategy has been criticized for limiting the iPhone's potential sales, and leaving potential business on the table. At last report, Apple's sold 4 million iPhones.

    "Apple is not married to the single, exclusive-carrier model," Cook said from the stage of a Goldman Sachs investor conference in Las Vegas.

    As to any impact by the slowing U.S. economy on Apple, Cook pointed to Apple's healthy revenue and Macintosh computer share growth of late. "I'm not saying that Apple is immune to economic factors," he said.

    Cook also hinted that on March 6, Apple will release tools that programmers can use to create downloadable iPhone software, which Apple can then sell through its iTunes stores. The tools were due by the end of February.

    Cook said the software developer kit will "make the iPhone even more compelling." Apple on Wednesday began circulating invitations to a March 6 event to discuss the iPhone software roadmap.

    -By Ben Charny; Dow Jones Newswires; 415-765-8230; [email protected]



    (END) Dow Jones Newswires

    02-27-08 2000ET

    Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.



    This is intriguing... "He also hinted of a bigger iPhone development to come later this month."
  • Reply 27 of 56
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:

    I have a hacked iPhone on T-Mobile's network in Michigan. It sounds comparably better then an iPhone running on AT&T's network in the same area (I have several friends using AT&T). I have no idea why this is the case, and this fact probably is location dependent.



    There are various reasons this could be. Location is one of them.



    Quote:

    Even though I take Tim Cook's comments lightly, the mere fact that he alluded to the possibility of either hastening other carrier deals or something else that will broaden acceptance of the iPhone (yes, possibly iPhone2) is exciting.



    I doubt it will be hasty. But eventually the iPhone should be widely available.



    Quote:

    Maybe, just maybe I'll load up on more AAPL at this time...we could be heading north again real soon if they make some bolder moves to counteract the current stock slump.



    For those who want to hold Apple stock price in a vacuum. Google's stock price slid 38% from $747 to $464. The stock market pain is being shared all around.
  • Reply 28 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    For those who want to hold Apple stock price in a vacuum. Google's stock price slid 38% from $747 to $464. The stock market pain is being shared all around.



    It's all relative, I suppose. I'd rather have AAPL than GOOG at this point. I could never afford enough shares of GOOG to make a profit.
  • Reply 29 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tim Cook


    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/goldmansachs08/



    The general question about excess iPhone inventory begins around 23:10.



    His quote (25:25):



    We are right on track to where we want to be. We are...the...the 4 million units that we've sold over the first 200 days gives us confidence that we can achieve 10 million units in 2008. I know we've said that before; you've heard us say that before, but I want to make that perfectly clear--that we're--we believe that we are right on track for that.



    So AI did botch this (again). Is this so hard to get right?



    Could you PLEASE correct this in the story? I'm serious.
  • Reply 30 of 56
    Re Dow Jones Newswire on Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium featuring Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook.



    "Cook also hinted that on March 6, Apple will release tools that programmers can use to create downloadable iPhone software, which Apple can then sell through its iTunes stores. The tools were due by the end of February."



    NOT TRUE! What Apple did say (last October) was, "Apple: "We plan to have an iPhone SDK in developers' hands in February. Big difference.
  • Reply 31 of 56
    Re http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/goldmansachs08/



    How did we miss this, starting at 36:18 to 39:26 which ended with?



    "And we just received word on Monday that Apple surpassed Dell as the number one supplier of portables to higher education for 2007/"
  • Reply 32 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    Apple is saying that they are maintaining the 10 million iphone target --- even if they have to kill their current business model.



    I'm not sure where you get this particular spin. They have lowered their price, which is what everyone expected from day one. They have entered new markets, which everyone also expected from day one. Sure, they have made changes since release, but it seems like FUD to describe that as "killing their current business model".



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    When someone says "IN" calender year of..., it MEANS, by the end of the year.



    Absolutely wrong. Everything apple has said has contradicted that, and it defies common sense.



    If I say I will run 20 marathons in 2008, does that mean I've run 19 marathons through 2007 and will run one more in 2008?

    Or does it mean I'll run 20 marathons in 2008?



    The first "interpretation" is simply absurd.



    We just went through this in another thread, this is at least the fifth time apple has made the statement "in 2008" - nobody has shown that they've ever said "by the end of 2008".



    Quote:

    "Q: Do you still think you'll sell 10 million iPhones in the first calendar year ? or will it be more?



    Jobs: We think 10 million is a realistic goal."



    http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinv...enson-qa_N.htm



    Quote:

    "Gene Munster - Piper Jaffray



    Good afternoon. First in terms of the iPhone, Steve Jobs talked about 10 million units. Is that for fiscal '08 or calendar '08? Where did that number come from? Maybe just a little bit of logic behind that number.



    Tim Cook



    Gene, calendar year '08 is what Steve referenced in his keynote. The point that he made was that the worldwide market for total cell phones is somewhere around 1 billion and our objective of getting 1% of it would yield 10 million units across the calendar year."



    http://seekingalpha.com/article/2443...all-transcript



    Quote:

    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/mwsf07/

    about 1:15 in.



    "If you just get 1% market share, you are going to sell 10 million phones. And this is exactly what we are going to try and do in 2008, our first full year in the market - is grab 1% of the market and go from there. So we're going to enter a very competitive market - a lot of players - we think we're going to have the best product in the world - and we're going to go for it see if we can get 1% market share, 10 million units in 2008 and go from there."



    http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.en...1/dsc_0245.jpg



    And the newest one from yesterday:



    Quote:

    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/goldmansachs08/



    The general question about excess iPhone inventory begins around 23:10.



    Tim Cook (25:25):

    We are right on track to where we want to be. We are...the...the 4 million units that we've sold over the first 200 days gives us confidence that we can achieve 10 million units in 2008. I know we've said that before; you've heard us say that before, but I want to make that perfectly clear--that we're--we believe that we are right on track for that.



  • Reply 33 of 56
    You better buy as much AAPL as you can now as 200 a share is comin so fast it's gonna make your head spin. Buy on the open today and it will be nothin but up all day today. And the rest of the year. I bought all i can with all i can borrow. The rocket has lit it's next stage of the rocket and we are in for another one hell of a ride up . yeah APPLE. :s mokey:
  • Reply 34 of 56
    samabsamab Posts: 1,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wally View Post


    Actually there is a huge difference in what some analysts said and what Apple has been saying. Analysts last week were saying Apple couldn't meet the 10m mark - they were figuring that based on a flat steady sell rate which no Apple product has. So their analysis was wrong and is basically just some more of the same crap.



    If anything, a flat steady sell rate would create an over-estimation, not an under-estimation --- because they would base the annual sell rate on the hyping first month (until they lowered the price by $200) and the christmas quarter.



    Apple, like everything other CE company, lives and dies with the christmas quarter for their ipods and iphones.
  • Reply 35 of 56
    samabsamab Posts: 1,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post


    Sure, they have made changes since release, but it seems like FUD to describe that as "killing their current business model".



    Apple said that they are not married to the single carrier model and they are maintaining their sales target.



    The analysts are saying given the current single carrier model, it would be hard to achieve the sales target.
  • Reply 36 of 56
    samabsamab Posts: 1,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ahmlco View Post


    Which one? Macs? iTunes? Apple TV and rentals? Accessories? Oh, you mean iPods.



    No, I mean iphone.



    Apple just said that they are not married to the single carrier business model.
  • Reply 37 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by samab View Post


    Apple said that they are not married to the single carrier model and they are maintaining their sales target.



    The analysts are saying given the current single carrier model, it would be hard to achieve the sales target.



    How is that "killing their business model"? Apple has a five year exclusive contract with ATT, we've known since day one that they could go multicarrier after that. They've never said that their business model would be single carrier forever.



    Cook didn't say they'd add more carriers this year, did he? (the article says "this could change over time") I don't see how they could considering they have an exclusive contract with ATT that extends beyond that.
  • Reply 38 of 56
    samabsamab Posts: 1,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post


    How is that "killing their business model"? Apple has a five year exclusive contract with ATT, we've known since day one that they could go multicarrier after that. They've never said that their business model would be single carrier forever.



    Cook didn't say they'd add more carriers this year, did he? (the article says "this could change over time") I don't see how they could considering they have an exclusive contract with ATT that extends beyond that.



    He was responding to the international market.
  • Reply 39 of 56
    Originally Posted by melgross

    "When someone says "IN" calender year of..., it MEANS, by the end of the year."





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post


    Absolutely wrong. Everything apple has said has contradicted that, and it defies common sense.



    If I say I will run 20 marathons in 2008, does that mean I've run 19 marathons through 2007 and will run one more in 2008? Or does it mean I'll run 20 marathons in 2008?



    The first "interpretation" is simply absurd.



    Mindbinder, what is the problem?



    Not that I agree with Melgross all the time, he is not wrong here. All he is saying is that Apple will reach their goal, that is to sell 10 million iphones in 2008, by the end of 2008 or sometime in 2008. Apple's projection number of 10 million should not be taken as absolute.



    If Apple doesn't sell 10 million units between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2008, they will miss their original forecast. However, if they do or sell more than 10 million by the end of 2008 the will have achieved or exceeded their projections.



    Normally, published market projections by a public company are released with reservation. I'll bet that internally, the iPhone Product Manager (PM) has three forecast (pessimistic, realistic and optimistic) numbers in his/her marketing plan with a bonus that starts between the latter two. However, it wouldn't surprise me that Jobs would never allow the posting of the first number. I know I wouldn't, and I'll even bet that the PM is going for the last figure which he/she has pasted on the office wall for everybody to see.
  • Reply 40 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The iPhone is already an "incredible accomplishment," he said, but has far more potential in the long term. "I need a word bigger than 'enormous' to describe it."



    I like gi-normous. Maybe that would work.
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