The only thing that is certain at the moment is that Steve Jobs is a marketing genius! How so? Well, there are several phones already out there today that combine some of the main features of the iPhone, some of them even with (arguably) better features, like GPS. Just look at this list of the Top Ten iPhone Killers compiled back in February. Many of the phones listed there have already been released like the Nokia N95. Sarah Gilbert also reviewed a few other super/smart phones that may threaten the iPhone. And yet, no other phone received such attention.
How much media coverage is too much? Slate writer Apple Suck-Up Watch by saying, "And somewhere out there in medialand a journalist will produce such a fawning piece of iPhone worship that the Church of Apple will anoint him a saint." Has the media gone too far? To be sure, some people had had enough and sites like engadget even offer feeds that exclude iPhone and/or Apple coverage.
Question is, though, what to do with your Apple stock, or, if you don't have any, what action to take?
Some have been saying that Apple has peaked, including John Heilemann who, in his New York Magazine (very long) piece, Steve Jobs in a Box, also started the rumor about Google buying Apple. John C. Dvorak of MarketWatch opined a couple weeks ago that the time for shorting Apple may come soon (perhaps two weeks later, the time has come?). Jim Cramer suggested selling Apple a few days before the iPhone's shipping date, but buying back on dips.
Many others, including BloggingStocks blogger Georges Yared, remain bullish on the stock, claiming that while short-term dips are indeed possible, even probable, the long-term fundamentals are solid -- so why bother with the selling and buying? Another BloggingStocks blogger, Sheldon Liber, also reminds investors of possible tax implications selling now may have, which can end up costing investors more than a short-term gain.
Despite a few rare bear cases, most are still bullish on Apple long-term. It seems that for long-term investors who already have Apple in their portfolio, the best bet is to hold. Those who have missed the boat so far may want to take advantage of the possible coming weakness and climb aboard.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-22-2007 @ 10:36AM
Jay said...
Forget iPhone. With rumblings of Mac market share continuing to grow at 3x the rate of any PC maker, and with the lucrative back-to-school season, new iMacs and the Leopard upgrade just a couple of months away, there are big catalysts around the corner. Not to mention the best quarter of the year (Christmas) and any growth that a sub-portable laptop, a widescreen iPod, movie rentals and/or AppleTV might bring to the mix. Too much upside to ignore for those willing to ride out the bumps between now and 2009. And who knows... maybe the iPhone (and its future versions) will explode, too.
6-22-2007 @ 11:42AM
Puerto Morelos said...
Perhaps the trade ruling re:QRCM/BRCM represents the telling arbiter for iPhone. Like Jay, I feel one must pay close attention to the AAPL fundamentals.
Market and products: New OS probably going to work upon release - unlike MS. MAC growth at multiples of competitors. Careful lifting of architectural skirts. No mistakes. AAPL has legs far beyond iPhone and iPhone will score a major positive.
Financials/Logistics: Great cash creation vs debt/equity. Supplier positioning very well poised. Smoke and mirrors at competitors in sector give AAPL better substantive read.
Equity markets: Growth of institutional holders is the standard for this market sector.
If you've watched a NASA launch, you know what the vibration is like in the moments between ignition and clearing the pad. AAPL is there. If you're planning the short play, you'd better act very soon. If you're planning the long play, it's only a matter of what alternatives you're going to shed.
PM
6-22-2007 @ 6:02PM
David Werling said...
Latest news is that iPhone supports reading Excel and Word documents--probably the Quicklook feature ported from Leopard.
Also if one looks at the features of Leopard and what happened at WWDC it appears that Apple might work its way up the ladder of introducing 2nd gen iPhones, new ultra-portables, and subnotebooks because LEOPARD with its multitasking Spaces, Stacks, Coverflow and Quick Look IS DESIGNED FOR THE SMALL SCREEN.
Apple is playing to its strength in portables and now handhelds. Even the Safari for Windows Beta was introduced to test the metal of its security. So fire away hacks and security experts--your helping to make Safari bullet proof and safe for iPhone.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/
Think of the iPhone buttons as a dock and the multi-tasking apps as active layers that come to the top of the screen for execution. People who love iPhone and iTunes Coverflow will love Leopard. Leopard is no 1 on pre-orders and XP and Vista 2 &3 at Amazon. The best is yet to come. The consumer stream of PC to Mac switchers may well turn to a flood.