VernonDozier

spice-boy said:

The target audience for this Swatch device is too young to remember or ever heard of the "Think Different" campaign. I understand Apple trying to protect it's technology, patents and such but this is a waste of time and money. 

Phil Schiller is trying to justify his job in branding.   The "Tick Different" may confuse customers into thinking an analog clock is somehow the same as an Apple device with a one-day battery.

Well, I understand the argument Apple is making; after all, a business that makes $21,000,000,000 in revenue during one quarter (with Apple's cut being $6,000,000,000) is a case and business any company would logically fight.  

But if I wanted to invest my own money to create my own App Store, it wouldn't go very far with Apple's walled-garden approach.

A case like this would be best fought on Copyright Law; specifically First-sale doctrine.  Apple's financial interest in a product should expire once the device is paid for.  Think of it like buying a car.  Once you own a car, you can do whatever you want to it, or increase its performance like a new exhaust.  However, Apple designs software, supplemented with capricious license terms which limits future purchases (and customer choice) to doing business only with Apple.

Customers can purchase music from Amazon and load it using iTunes.  Similar functionality for app sales doesn't exist yet.  If you want to trade freedom for safe apps, that's should be a customer's choice; not Apple's.

When customers learn that systems become more efficient, and all that overhead related to HR, training, on-site cafeteria, hotel, and most importantly, wages don't have to be paid, customers generally expect a price reduction.

The main point here, of course, and the problem Apple is trying to solve is strange. Apple isn't really innovating along the lines of new products; however, it is innovating it's balance sheet.

If you dig a little deeper, It's really exposes an issue with leadership not able to have people skills necessary to manage people.  Showing up 3 hours late to a meeting while wearing a Hawaiian shirt and no socks is an example.  Taking a family member on an excursion to visit the NYSE, and even telling Government where governement's limits should be drawn (FBI iphone case.). Telling reviewers (Consumer Reports) that an unfavorable review of their product must be wrong.

Hopefully they get to a point where they can automate entire board of directors jobs away.  The only thing missed would be the "wooshing" sound of the air that traveles around the boardroom table, in a circle through one ear, and out the other to the next board member.   US Businesses could learn that it's no longer worth emulating Apple as a "best practices" company.  

The overall basis for this is relatively simple- as a company their products are no longer "adding value" in the way they used to. 

gregg thurman said:

The ONLY thing holding back significant OLED production is cash, and Apple has plenty of that. If Apple think's OLED is required it will contract for the production machines instead of waiting for OLED manufacturers to grow their capacity organically. Since the iPod's 2.5" HD Apple has done this several times. There is no worthwhile story here.

Well, leaks can be actually a form of "disclosure" to investors. When facts like these are disclosed, Wallstreet Analysts can re-tune their financial models including expected earnings for the company. Also, a company like Canon Tokki may receive all the financial support needed to fill an order for Apple. Another reason to disclose news like this would be to disclose this as a type of un-expected capital expense; either way, some people call them rumors, but often times, there are facts within the rumors which need to be disclosed.

rotateleftbyte said:

Eastern District of Texas?
I guess that Nokia has transitioned all right. Into a Paten Troll aka NPE.

Rather a shame that a once proud company has resorted to this.

Oh well, that will keep the teams of lawyers tied up for the next .... 5 to 10 years.
Oh to be a company lawyer. A job for life as long as your company does not get taken over or go out of business.

Well, technically, Nokia has a sales office in Texas... Plus, if memory serves me correctly, Nokia manufactured phones somewhere in Texas as well. Companies and people are free to file a complaint anywhere... But Nokia actually performs business in Texas.