bb-15

seanismorris said:

jdw said:

The continued presence of the "notch" coupled with what consumers perceive as the biggest bang for the buck is no doubt driving this.

I don’t think the notch is that big a deal, but price is.  

Also, IPhone have been better at security but Cellebrite can crack both iPhones and Android. (Bad guys can buy them on eBay)

Apple has the better App Store, but the gap has narrowed.

I think people look at what’s available and conclude Android is the better value.  Personally, I don’t use Apple services to a great extent so migrating isn’t that big a deal.  I’m fine with my 6s until it dies and don’t see a reason to buy ultra premium.

I, like most people, will look at what givens the most bang for the buck.  Apple is pushing things like AR and the camera, which aren’t that important.  Security, build quality are things I care about...

Agree & I’d add that many people don’t care about the privacy of there personal information anymore.
20 years ago, the idea of letting a company look at all your mail, calendar appointments, trips using a map to target you for junk ads would be considered nuts. 
But today millions are fine if Google or Amazon do it.
Millions are even fine with a company using a microphone/speaker listening in on personal conversations throughout their house! Again for targeted ads. 

* One of Apple’s big features is privacy. But their hardware cost has to pay for that.
- A lot of people say; ‘screw privacy! I can get this Android phone $300 cheaper.’ ‘I can get these $50 speakers to put all over my house which answer my questions & allow me to buy things from Amazon.’
- When features are “good enough” for the average user, price is the deciding factor.  

GeorgeBMac said:

lkrupp said:

viclauyyc said:

Can Apple buy itself and go private?

apple sure don’t need outside investors to fund ny project like many company. 

Absolutely not, no way. Apple is way too expensive to buy itself out and go private.

For many, Apple's biggest attraction has been its horde of cash...   They do have a nice operating profit.  But that's at far more risk from competition or a manufacturing/design error than a Microsoft.  (MS screws up all the time but all they have to do publish another update -- but Apple has a "--Gate" with every new release and nobody knows if or when one of them is going to stick.)

Product wise Apple has always had all over Microsoft.  But Microsoft has always had a better business model.

I’ll clarify what the MS business model is; it is to get a monopoly in a major segment of personal computing and exploit that monopoly. 
Bill Gates spoke about a natural PC OS monopoly in the 80s and MS has it on the desktop with Windows. That led to the MS Office monopoly and now that supports subscriptions to Office.
The financial analysts understand this. They know that MS has desktop monopolies in big companies (including the ones they work for) and in government.
- Now to Microsoft’s screw ups. They are sometimes terrible. Here are just a few of them. 

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/10/microsoft-suspends-distribution-of-latest-windows-10-update-over-data-loss-bug/

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/11/microsoft-explains-one-azure-authentication-outage-as-another-one-happens/ ;

* But very important; many companies and governments are locked into MS products no matter how bad the products can be. For the enterprise, overall, Mac OS or Linux are not replacements for Windows and the MS ecosystem. 
- MS may sometimes release junk but companies/government are dependent on MS products. 
That = monopoly and that = a steady stream of $.

** The appeal of Apple’s products is not understood by most financial analysts. Add to that the horde of uninformed Apple haters who don’t have a clue of the preferences of Apple product buyers which keeps the theme of much of tech journalism; spreading ignorance about Apple and its customers. 
- A US financial network, CNBC, will often have talking heads who claim that Apple is doomed because everyone is going to switch to cheap Android phones and watches. This has a 10 year old level of understanding of Apple tech and its customers but it doesn’t matter.
Ignorance makes money with views of tech journalist articles/videos and with the shorting of Apple stock.  

D_CMills said:

It is amazing that these people are able to keep their jobs year after year.

It would be amazing if all tech journalism/analysis was based on honestly reviewing facts.
With Apple a lot of tech journalists/analysts specialize in FUD.
And trashing Apple has a large audience of fans of competing ecosystems who dislike Apple.
Apple bashing makes money.
For years the Macalope / Macworld column has been tracking journalists/analysts who bash Apple.

Cesar Battistini Maziero said:

Apple should differentiate the price based on market!

Here in brazil the Xr is going to arrive for about 4200 reais, $1.342,20 dollars.

That is a LOT for an iPhone Xr, and even more when you consider that the minimum wage here is 954 reais, about $228,57.

We work four months to pay taxes, and more than 5 for a new iPhone.........

In 2017 Brazil was the second most expensive place to buy an iPhone.

“the Brazillian government levies a significant amount of additional taxes and duties on products sold (by) OEMs that don’t produce phones locally.”

http://www.iphonehacks.com/2017/05/iphone-7-price-list-country-can-buy-cheapest-iphone-7.html

From the article;

“I have a bad history of not paying attention to my phone, and my Apple Watch notifications help make sure I don't miss anything. So, that's high on the list.

The Apple Watch has truly helped me stay active. Whether it is making sure I'm not lounging too long on the couch or making sure I head to the gym on a regular interval. Each day I make an honest effort to fill my rings.” 

I remember living without an Apple Watch;
- Like you when I’m home I don’t pay attention to my phone. I used to miss calls every day.
- I had no idea how many steps I took per day.
- I have a heart condition and getting a heart rate used to be inconvenient.

* With an Apple Watch all of those problems are solved.
Very importantly, now I never miss a call, voice mail or text.
- Added to that, on the AW I check the weather, use the breathing app as well as timers/alarms and Find My iPhone, look at my heart rate and my calendar without dragging my phone with me while I’m moving around the house.   

- If my SS Apple Watch Series 2 ever dies, I’ll get another AW.
Great product for me.