Continue reading Apple: iPod battery problems; iPhone SDK success

Apple: iPod battery problems; iPhone SDK success originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Apple's (AAPL) 'The beat goes on' - iPod Touch, iPhone price cut

Apple's (AAPL) 'The beat goes on' - iPod Touch, iPhone price cut originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) realizes that not everybody is thrilled to pay $600 for an iPhone. So today, according to Reuters, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) analyst announced that Apple will introduce a $300 nano iPhone.

The analyst, Kevin Chang, is based in Taiwan. His July 8th report cited people in the supply channel that he did not name and an application with the U.S Patent and Trademark office. He claims that in the fourth quarter Apple will introduce an iPhone based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player. (Apple filed a patent application document dated July 5 that refers to a multifunctional handheld device with a circular touch pad control, similar to the Nano's scroll wheel.)

Since 85% of U.S. cell phone buyers spend under $100, the pricey iPhone is not expected to take a big share of the cell phone market. But with its lower price, Chang believes that the nano iPhone would achieve 2008 sales of 30 to 40 million units.

Meanwhile, Chang suggested that a Taiwanese metal casing company, Catcher Technology Co. Ltd (TPE: 2472), could sell $183 to $244 million worth of metal cases for the nano iPhone in 2008.

If Chang is right, the nano iPhone could be great for Catcher and Apple shareholders.

Update: AppleInsider reports that the U.S. branch of JPMorgan Chase is disavowing Chang's report. Senior analyst Bill Shope noted that Chang's sources have yet to be corroborated and would contradict Apple's historical business approach of waiting until a new device becomes truly necessary for the market. Shope has a neutral rating on Apple stock. I think JPMorgan Chase needs to get its corporate act together!

Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter.

Apple to introduce cheaper iPhone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Billboard.com reports that a "prominent" Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) spokesperson said that the next generation of iPods due out this fall or winter will feature similar functions to the new iPhone. This report came out yesterday, the same day that Apple shares dropped almost two dollars. Disappointed iPod users who are intrigued by the functions of the iPhone but do not necessarily want the phone itself, may feel this rumor makes up for their disappointment (if one can really call it that).

With the iPhone launch being such a success in terms of sales, one cannot help but wonder whether an iPod that is so close in design will enjoy the same level of success. The lack of phone and internet services might entice consumers with phone services other than AT&T (NYSE: T) to buy this device, by giving them the option of an iPhone (basically).

The new iPod could also find a home with current iPod owners (like me) who do not wish to buy the iPhone out of fear of bugs and problems. I still own an iPod model that was released before the introduction of the model with video, so that function especially interests me; I just do not know that the iPhone is not for me. Of course, the iPhone would certainly be me if I suddenly became impulsive!

Apple closed at $130.33 yesterday, down from $132.30 on Friday.

New iPods to be iPhones without the phone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Currency conversion: iPod Nano as metric originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's new iPod Nano key to quarter's exceptional sales originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple after the bell 9/25/06: increasing margins, bullish analysts drive stock up originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Sep 2006 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple to Possibly Announce Movie Store originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Sep 2006 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Has Apple stalled in the iPod-release marketplace? It's been just about one year since Steve Jobs announced the latest iPods, the iPod nano and iPod with Video.

Does the market need a new iPod every six months? According to some, the perception of a dated product can be just as destructive to sales as anything. Keeping a brand like iPod fresh on the minds of every consumer is a constant battle, although judging by iPod sales, no harm has been done -- yet.

Competitors have been busy releasing new models with boatloads of features, better designs and on more timely schedules than Apple. I seriously doubt Apple has "hit a wall" as this Cnet article suggests, although it is true that the competition has seen a flurry of activity in the last year. The last iPod released was the 1GB iPod nano in February, which was just a different version than the previously-released 2GB and 4GB models. Has anything really stalled?

If anything has stalled, Apple's sales are not showing it at all, as the iPod still commands 75% of the digital music player market as well as being the most popular music player on the planet. But I'd like to see categories here (flash or hard drive-based, and by physical capacity). Apple continues to have a huge advantage that just keeps being glossed over -- the strong and incredibly easy-to-use integration of the iPod and iTunes store -- which sells music, television shows and even distributes podcasts.

The competitors, including Microsoft's upcoming Zune, will continue to churn out products at lower price points with many more features than every iPod. Does that mean a sale gained? Hard to say -- but SanDisk is the #2 player in this market behind Apple, and it's getting better every day.

Brian White has worked in various executive positions in technology and telecommunications and now focuses on editing and writing.

Apple's iPod universe has not stalled -- yet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One reason Apple's stock price has been hammered lately is that a Wall Street analyst predicted that Apple would be unable to get a new generation of iPod out in time for back-to-school sales. Apple's stock price of late is tied very closely to performance of iPod sales.

Investors and consumers alike will be pretty psyched to see that ThinkSecret, one of the more prestigious Apple rumor sites, is reporting that a new iPod Nano will likely debut at next month's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC).

The new iPod is expected to have a slightly larger capacity for songs, be in a metal alloy case to solve the scratching issues the Nanos have been dogged with, and be available in a series of colors.

In some ways the update doesn't sound like that much. Yet don't underestimate the importance of the scratch issue for Apple customers. Having a $150 device that is purchased for its stylish good looks start looking like a two-year-old scratched up piece of junk after it has been in a purse or pocket for a few weeks is not what Apple fans expect.

It's only halfway through the day, and Apple stock is up almost 64 cents, a 1.22 percent increase.

[Disclosure: I own Apple stock at the date of this post]

[Pic credit: Dan Taylor]

New iPod Nano may be unveiled in August originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Macrumors is posting a story that links the rumor that Apple has been stocking up on NAND flash memory for iPods with a prediction that the iPod Nano will soon be reaching holding capacities of 12 gigabytes.

The iPod Nano did not have as big a launch as Apple had hoped, but the Nano is still an important part of the iPod brand. Apple is hoping to get the right price/point ratio for them to take off.

Positioning itself to purchase a significant portion of the NAND flash memory available could allow a bulk purchase that allows Apple to drop the price and raise capacity of the Nano. That would be an attractive combination. And if it comes right before back to school season it may prove a profitable one.

iPod Nanos to get size boost this fall? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jun 2006 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Merrill Lynch analysts believe there will be a dip in iPod sales in Apple's third quarter. Last year saw a similar call by financial experts who expected a 'cooling' in iPod sales that never came. But the third quarter is usually a slow time for electronics sales. And the iPod nano hasn't been quite the hit expected, thanks to the screen-scratching mojo that dogged it right out of the gate.

But there's a silver lining. The Merrill analysts think the general Apple lineup of laptops and desktops will make up for the dip in iPod sales. And other analysts point out that iPod video sales, shuffles, and the low end nano, are all marching along just peachy.

And, judging by last year's track record for iPod sales, Apple may surprise the perpetual 'iPod sales cooling off' crowd just yet.

[Disclosure: I own Apple stock at the date of this post]

Will iPod sales really cool off? I doubt it. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is a new iPod coming soon? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Jun 2006 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.