Most posts I have seen have been negative and the impact on the AAPL stock has been as well.
A contrarian view follows:
- Given the increase in the market share of Apple, did not really make sense to have a consumer focused show in January to announce all the great changes to product lines. This is why many savy Apple watchers would tell folks: Do not buy Apple computers in the fourth quarter of the year as they announce new products in January. A lot of consumer purchasers are done for (i) back-to-school and (ii) Xmas Holidays. Bottom line - being caught in a situation where you announce in January your new products does not make sense. MacWorld is not CES where the products will be launched in 18 months.
- Jobs issue - Steve Jobs return to Apple re-invigorated the company and brought a lot of bright people to the organization.
- The major issue for Apple is succession - what is Apple post-Jobs! We all had an idea of the post-Gates Microsoft well before Mr Gates retirement. We need the same thing from Apple. Steve Jobs has built a company that is not based on him but on the products and teams he has built.
Bottom line: having an Apple that is not 100% focused on Steve Jobs is the best thing that shareholders and Mac fans can hope for.
One more thing - in this moribound economy - what is the point of announcing a ONE MORE THING in January 2009... Why not wait for the next killer product when things pick up (and your speaker then could be Mr Jobs ...).
It is APPLE'S decision to announce products at MacWorld. He's only invited to give a keynote speech, and it's his prerogative to make a speech or to use it as a product announcement forum.
Apple's decision to end its participation at the annual Macworld Expo after next month's show is a sign the company wants to free itself from making product announcements on someone else's schedule and not an indication that its chief executive is in poor health, according to new reports.
There are two seperate issues here. If Apple want to leave MacWorld and set their own timetable for product announcements then fine but that does not explain why Steve Jobs is not presenting the final keynote. If he's sick or just taking a less hands on role Apple should announce something, if only to stop the slide in their share price.
There are two seperate issues here. If Apple want to leave MacWorld and set their own timetable for product announcements then fine but that does not explain why Steve Jobs is not presenting the final keynote. If he's sick or just taking a less hands on role Apple should announce something, if only to stop the slide in their share price.
Because Steve is a vindictive bastard. Undoubtedly somebody at MacWorld pissed him off, and he did this as a calculated thing, to do the most damage possible to MacWorld.
I'm actually pretty impressed with the moves that Apple is making while the economy is down.
First, I understand Apple's decision to remove itself from Macworld after 2009. Apple is currently "forced" to announce a new product at Macworld or else there will be short-term stock drop right after the event (reclarification: Apple's stock usually rises after the event, but usually in response to product announcements and releases. A change in this trend would result in a stock drop). I don't necessarily agree or disagree with Apple's decision to remove itself from Macworld - I'm neutral on this - but I do understand that the publicity gain for Apple being at Macworld is less than it used to be when Apple was struggling for market share and acceptance. The value of Macworld to Apple has decreased - they've responded correctly, much to the dismay of us Apple fans.
Second, I'm glad that Apple is making this move during the bad economy. With this news has come a stock drop, but the front that Apple is using is "who knows the real reason?" Maybe the stock drop is due to the economy and not the announcement. In this economic downturn I think it's great for Apple to be re-evaluating its goals and strategies. They're cushioning the blow.
Comments
A contrarian view follows:
- Given the increase in the market share of Apple, did not really make sense to have a consumer focused show in January to announce all the great changes to product lines. This is why many savy Apple watchers would tell folks: Do not buy Apple computers in the fourth quarter of the year as they announce new products in January. A lot of consumer purchasers are done for (i) back-to-school and (ii) Xmas Holidays. Bottom line - being caught in a situation where you announce in January your new products does not make sense. MacWorld is not CES where the products will be launched in 18 months.
- Jobs issue - Steve Jobs return to Apple re-invigorated the company and brought a lot of bright people to the organization.
- The major issue for Apple is succession - what is Apple post-Jobs! We all had an idea of the post-Gates Microsoft well before Mr Gates retirement. We need the same thing from Apple. Steve Jobs has built a company that is not based on him but on the products and teams he has built.
Bottom line: having an Apple that is not 100% focused on Steve Jobs is the best thing that shareholders and Mac fans can hope for.
One more thing - in this moribound economy - what is the point of announcing a ONE MORE THING in January 2009... Why not wait for the next killer product when things pick up (and your speaker then could be Mr Jobs ...).
Apple's decision to end its participation at the annual Macworld Expo after next month's show is a sign the company wants to free itself from making product announcements on someone else's schedule and not an indication that its chief executive is in poor health, according to new reports.
There are two seperate issues here. If Apple want to leave MacWorld and set their own timetable for product announcements then fine but that does not explain why Steve Jobs is not presenting the final keynote. If he's sick or just taking a less hands on role Apple should announce something, if only to stop the slide in their share price.
There are two seperate issues here. If Apple want to leave MacWorld and set their own timetable for product announcements then fine but that does not explain why Steve Jobs is not presenting the final keynote. If he's sick or just taking a less hands on role Apple should announce something, if only to stop the slide in their share price.
Because Steve is a vindictive bastard. Undoubtedly somebody at MacWorld pissed him off, and he did this as a calculated thing, to do the most damage possible to MacWorld.
First, I understand Apple's decision to remove itself from Macworld after 2009. Apple is currently "forced" to announce a new product at Macworld or else there will be short-term stock drop right after the event (reclarification: Apple's stock usually rises after the event, but usually in response to product announcements and releases. A change in this trend would result in a stock drop). I don't necessarily agree or disagree with Apple's decision to remove itself from Macworld - I'm neutral on this - but I do understand that the publicity gain for Apple being at Macworld is less than it used to be when Apple was struggling for market share and acceptance. The value of Macworld to Apple has decreased - they've responded correctly, much to the dismay of us Apple fans.
Second, I'm glad that Apple is making this move during the bad economy. With this news has come a stock drop, but the front that Apple is using is "who knows the real reason?" Maybe the stock drop is due to the economy and not the announcement. In this economic downturn I think it's great for Apple to be re-evaluating its goals and strategies. They're cushioning the blow.
Just my 2 cents...