Apple Shares Down 4.1% On The Day And 10% Off April 10 Intraday High

[libspero]

Next iPhone to be encased in "liquid metal" to separate it from the crowd.

Do they still have what it takes to stay market leader or will this just be another gimmick? answers on a postcard...

Linky

[homeless]

Funinhouslow

android does all that stuff and more. My take on apple was they were the perfect backlash to microsoft. The internet was full of microsoft haters for many years and apple came along and offered a decent alternative and the haters lapped it up and loved sticking two fingers at the arrogant monopolistic microsoft. Trouble is apple has now become another microsoft because once again just like them they are trying to lock thier customers into its own products and services. Android offers something diffrent and android will win simply because developers and manufacturers are not locked into anything, they can sell there apps from the google market or a website or anywhere. Apple has just become another microsoft, people bought into apple because they were not.

Now the apple hating online has begun, look at the hatred of itunes, and now ebooks. They have become what they set out to be an alternative too.

Android will probably turn out the same, but for now their is a new daddy in town.

[Sour Mash]

Funinhouslow

android does all that stuff and more. My take on apple was they were the perfect backlash to microsoft. The internet was full of microsoft haters for many years and apple came along and offered a decent alternative and the haters lapped it up and loved sticking two fingers at the arrogant monopolistic microsoft. Trouble is apple has now become another microsoft because once again just like them they are trying to lock thier customers into its own products and services. Android offers something diffrent and android will win simply because developers and manufacturers are not locked into anything, they can sell there apps from the google market or a website or anywhere. Apple has just become another microsoft, people bought into apple because they were not.

Now the apple hating online has begun, look at the hatred of itunes, and now ebooks. They have become what they set out to be an alternative too.

Android will probably turn out the same, but for now their is a new daddy in town.

Apple were never an alternative to the big, monopolistic companies. They have been highly litigious and overly controlling since their early days (I'm remembering how they stopped people from making hardware that would run their OS back in the late 80s and early 90s for example).

Their philosophy is to control the whole system from end to end on their platform... Hardware, OS, Software, Media. That may have originated because of Job's quest for 'perfection' but it's most certainly not the case now. The sheer awfulness and hassle factor of having to do everything through iTunes was a major reason why I chose to abandon their mobile platform after my iPhone 3G which otherwise was an excellent bit of kit.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

http://seekingalpha.com/article/525371-apple-shares-are-undervalued-by-over-50?source=feed

Apple Shares Are Undervalued By Over 50%

[MrPin]

Apple! Watch Sony now and learn!

['Bart']

Do they still have what it takes to stay market leader or will this just be another gimmick? answers on a postcard...

Shame Apple don't do their (rather nice) iCards any more, I'd have sent it on one of those.

It's a good question. I'm think that the iPhone 5 will still have a fair bit of Jobsian (is that a word?) influence. Plus Apple are still "hot" at the moment, so it will sell by the container load.

The inevitable iPhone 6 and 7 will be interesting though. This is where the successors to Steve Jobs will have to innovate by themselves, in the face of a rapidly evolving Android market.

Unless they're using one of these to communicate with Steve:

"Ouija Board" Talking Board for iPhone

['Bart']

Now the apple hating online has begun, look at the hatred of itunes, and now ebooks. They have become what they set out to be an alternative too.

Speaking as a former Powerbook and G3 owner:

Apple were "Apple" when they were the underdog.

I don't know what they are these days, but I don't like it.

They should download this from iTunes:

Nietzsche. Aphorisms

[athe]

Next iPhone to be encased in "liquid metal" to separate it from the crowd.

Do they still have what it takes to stay market leader or will this just be another gimmick? answers on a postcard...

Linky

Liquidmetal (which is an alloy of exotic things like zirconium, beryllium or niobium with metals like nickel, copper and/or titanium) is incredibly strong and scratch resistant. It also has the advantage that it can be cast and moulded like plastic. It seems ideal for phones. Apple has a perpetual exclusive licence to use it for consumer electronics. Seems like it's probably more than a gimmick.

[athe]

It's a good question. I'm think that the iPhone 5 will still have a fair bit of Jobsian (is that a word?) influence. Plus Apple are still "hot" at the moment, so it will sell by the container load.

The inevitable iPhone 6 and 7 will be interesting though. This is where the successors to Steve Jobs will have to innovate by themselves, in the face of a rapidly evolving Android market.

I think what Jobs brought to the process was a fairly brutal focus. The design came from others (eg Jonathon Ives), as did the electronics. The challenge won't be the innovation, it will be maintaining focus.

[sleepwello'nights]

Certainly Cook is no Steve Jobs. One of his first appointments was to employ John Browett from Dixons UK (????!!!!) to run its retail stores, and one of his first moves was to change retail store employee working conditions to more typical retail ones (ie. McCrappy). No doubt Apple Stores, where there is almost no sales pressure as the moment, will soon have oiks twisting your arm for extended AppleCare on everything.

See, the temptation for 'bean counter' is just to cut corners, put out crap, slap the logo on any rubbish for a short term gain is just too much. Sony got itself into trouble churning out any old tat with its logo on and losing its innovative streak.

You've made quite a thought provoking statement here.

One of the reasons why electrical retailers like DSG introduced extended warranties was because the retail margins on electricals were so thin. The reason was everyone was chasing volume and price competition became intense. This in turn led to sales staff with insufficient product knowledge and appalling customer service. Even with manufacturers taking responsibility for after sales support the stories of unhelpful support staff are legion.

I'm not an Apple fan boy but I have bought some of their products. They may not be better than equivalent products from other manufacturers but they are generally attractive in appearance and a lot of thought seems to have been given to ease of use. Apple have kept a tight hold over their distribution channels and price cutting is nowhere as prevalent as in the Intel PC world, if indeed there is any at all. The iphone sells at a premium price, the ipod is one of the most expensive MP3 players, the imacs and apple laptops also sell at premium prices.

All in all Apple have engineered a sound business model based on well designed products sold at premium prices. I visited my local Apple store recently and there were a lot more sales staff than at other electrical retailers. The sales staff were approachable, knowledgeable about the products and helpful. All in all a more pleasant experience than a visit to Comet or DSG.

You may well have confused cause and effect with your statement about the "bean counter" cutting corners for short term gain. More likely in my opinion is that when margins aren't adequate is that you have to cut your cloth and reduce costs. Time will tell but I certainly hope that the core (s'cuse the pun) of Apple's business will remain on well designed product meeting customers needs and short term financial gain not be placed above all else.

[The Masked Tulip]

Apparently US telecoms are getting fed up with low profit margins - which Apple allegedly force on them - on the iphone compared to other phones.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

There were rumours that there was something a little bit funny going on with Johnny Ive in the months leading up towards Jobs' death - wanting to spend more time in England, which was interpreted as a bit of a 'power struggle' going on behind the scenes.

Certainly Cook is no Steve Jobs. One of his first appointments was to employ John Browett from Dixons UK (????!!!!) to run its retail stores, and one of his first moves was to change retail store employee working conditions to more typical retail ones (ie. McCrappy). No doubt Apple Stores, where there is almost no sales pressure as the moment, will soon have oiks twisting your arm for extended AppleCare on everything.

See, the temptation for 'bean counter' is just to cut corners, put out crap, slap the logo on any rubbish for a short term gain is just too much. Sony got itself into trouble churning out any old tat with its logo on and losing its innovative streak.

The iPad 3 would NEVER have come out under Jobs if it ran warm to the touch when the old one didn't, a little heavier and thicker. No way. Steve Jobs could veto anything because, well, he was Steve Jobs. No one else could - they'd have to churn out any old crap ready or not just because.

And so it came to pass...

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-cutting-back-employees-2012-8

Update: Apple had been cutting back on employee hours.

The reason for its decision was that new retail chief John Browett was interested in making more money from the stores.

Browett has since reversed his position and will reinstate the normal hours for employees.

This is good. Apple should take care of its employees. They are one of its most valuable assets.

Below is our original post, written before Apple announced that it was changing its position.

Original: Apple is reportedly cutting back the hours of some retail employees, as well as thinning its staff.

This is reportedly happening because new retail chief John Browett wants Apple's stores to be more profitable.

If both of these reports are true, it's troubling on a number of levels.

There's no reason to thin out its ranks, Apple can afford to keep employees. It has $117 billion in cash. It shouldn't keep bad employees on the payroll as an act of charity. But, if good employees are being cut just make the company more profitable, it's inexcusable.

Apple has more profits than it knows what to do with. Keeping a healthy staff of retail employees is a good investment.

One of the things that makes buying an Apple product great is the customer service experience. Unlike with, say, Dell, which made it a nightmare to report problems with a computer, Apple has lots of retail people making the experience pleasant. Apple even built its most recent ad campaign around its brilliant retail employees.

Apple is going to need as many people at its stores as possible. We're about to enter a crazy sales period for Apple. It has a new iPhone and a new, smaller iPad coming. People should be lining up around the block to buy those products.

Perhaps it's a just a few stores that are struggling during the lull between new iPhones. The economy as a whole isn't doing all that great. Apple's last quarter was lighter than expected. And perhaps, this is making something out of nothing. But, if this is really the direction the new retail leader is going to take the company, we think it's a huge mistake.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-cutting-back-employees-2012-8#ixzz24swlvPfI

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-retail-stores-say-hours-are-being-cut-2012-8

Apple's retail stores are still cutting back on hours, changing employee priorities, and it all could be due to a directive from Tim Cook, according to a big report on the state of its retail operations from ifoAppleStore.com, a site dedicated to coverage of Apple's retail operations.

Earlier this month scattered reports popped up that Apple was laying off retail staff and cutting back hours in order to maximize profits at its stores.

Apple seemed to confirm these reports when it told Dow Jones, "Making these changes was a mistake and the changes are being reversed." It added, "Our employees are our most important asset and the ones who provide the world-class service our customers deserve."

Despite this statement from Apple, things are not returning to normal for retail employees, says ifoAppleStore.com. (It was the site that first reported Apple was cutting back on hours to make more money.)

In its latest report, ifoAppleStore.com says, "all the sources to IFO were unanimous that employees had indeed been laid off, fired, assigned no hours or otherwise made unemployed by Apple."

It also says, "Signs persist of a continuing focus on revenues and profit instead of customer satisfaction." It says Apple is emphasizing employees' sales numbers. Employees are being measured against how many phones they sell, as well as how many accessories.

Who is to blame for all of this? According to IFO, this is Tim Cook's fault.

IFO's sources say former retail leader Ron Johnson convinced Steve Jobs to de-emphasize profits for the retail stores in order to build a fantastic customer service experience. But, IFO says when Tim Cook was interim CEO in 2009, he told Johnson he wanted to see Apple's stores more profitable.

When Cook became full-time CEO, and Johnson left, IFO says Cook hired John Browett, who was like-minded and is trying to max-out profits. If Browett and Cook really are going to emphasize profits over customer service, it will destroy what makes Apple stores so great. And really, Apple doesn't need the extra money, so it's short sighted to do this, if it's really happening.

Another explanation for what's going on: Apple's stores could just see hours being trimmed right now because we're in between monster products from Apple. Once the fall sales season swings into full effect hours could return to normal.

Either way, we will keep our eyes on the Apple stores to see how things change.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-retail-stores-say-hours-are-being-cut-2012-8#ixzz24svGvNbv