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Apple To Face Challenge At WWDC

Amanda Callahan writes to tell us that Apple's upcoming WWDC could be quite a test for the Cupertino powerhouse. They will most likely be missing Steve Jobs for star-power and have extremely high expectations to meet in order to maintain their edge. Thankfully it looks like Jobs will be rejoining Apple later this month with a good prognosis after facing severe health issues. "The competition is now catching up. Palm, Google, Microsoft, Nokia and Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry, are all at varying stages of developing and introducing their own iPhone-like devices and software, along with easily accessible stores for the small programs known as applications, or apps, that run on those devices. In some cases, those companies are releasing a greater variety of phones, on more wireless carriers around the world, than Apple. To maintain its advantage, Apple must preserve the impression that it is far ahead of rivals when it comes to the capabilities and the 'cool' factor of its devices."

15 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. Amazing insight from Mr Genius by MasterOfUniverse · · Score: 5, Funny

    "If they start making products people don't want, and start losing users, then Apple's strategy will run into problems," said Benjamin Reitzes, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

    --
    "There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people."--Howard Zinn
  2. iPod market take over repeat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    According to reports, Apple will have a slew of iPhones from 4GB all the way up to 32GB.

    The data/rate plans will most likely also change.

    Apple is going to corner the smartphone market from the top down, like they did with the iPod.

    In fact to top things off even further, I bet they spun off Rubenstein and Co to make the "Pre" to appeal to the more RIM business type crowd who see's the iPhone as just a toy, not a tool.

    The fact that the Pre id's itself as a "Apple iPod" to iTunes for synching may mean Apple is turning a blind eye or somehow involved with Pre.

    Oh yea, prepare for a market assault by Apple.

    Short RIM.

  3. executive summary of comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    ITT:

    Apple fanboys: "Good health to you, Steve ol' chum!" "LOL the competition are playing catch-up they'll never catch-up!" "I wonder what new wallpapers iPhone OS 3.0 will have - not allowing background apps is such a good idea, you know!"

    Everyone else: "$600 for a fashion statement? No thanks." "Hurrr Apple users are gay." "Apple doesn't innnovate, it integrates."

  4. Re:Jobs Health by LSDelirious · · Score: 5, Funny

    maybe that's why we haven't seen much of him lately, hes been hard at work on a new iPancreas, which will not only produce insulin but will transmit blood sugar levels to his iPhone via bluetooth

    --
    Slavery is the legal fiction that a person is property; A Corporation is the legal fiction that property is a person.
  5. Re:30" OLED displays by jgtg32a · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not a chance in hell it would be that cheap

  6. Re:30" OLED displays by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kinda big for a phone

    But thanks to the Apple Patented Reality Distortion Field, this 30" OLED display only requires the same space as the current generation iPhone's screen!

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  7. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  8. Re:Uh-oh, they're catching up! Someone tell Apple! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Maybe he's using Dvorak.

  9. Re:Uh-oh, they're catching up! Someone tell Apple! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, he *is* an MBA student.

  10. Re:Uh-oh, they're catching up! Someone tell Apple! by Wisconsingod · · Score: 2, Funny

    How can you possibly misspell QWERTY? It's spelled correctly on the damn keyboard.

    They must be typing on an iPhone

  11. Re:"Catching up" is the key phrase by Tanktalus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good God, man. Stop beating about the bush and tell us how you really feel!

    (I see you prefer the "pansy" approach - I'd probably favour something a bit more severe.)

  12. Re:Apple's is losing its margins by KaptajnKold · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's starting to slip as iPhone and iPod prices come down

    It's not Apples MO to drop prices. Rather, they introduce new models and keep the prices level.

    Apple's reaction so far has been to raise iTunes prices.

    The changed prices in the iTMS has been a reaction to nothing other than the fact that this was a demand posed by the record companies in exchange for them allowing Apple to provide DRM-free versions of their entire catalogues.

  13. seriously by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's even harder to drive while texting as it is to drive while talking on the phone! Talking takes one hand and texting usually takes two. You can't drive with two hands on a cell phone; what the hell are you going to hold your beer with?

    1. Re:seriously by adolf · · Score: 2, Funny

      You're doing it all wrong. The beer goes on the back of her head.

  14. Re:Jobs Health by GoodNicksAreTaken · · Score: 2, Funny

    hes been hard at work on a new iPancreas, which will not only produce insulin but will transmit blood sugar levels to his iPhone via bluetooth

    If that is what it takes to get full bluetooth support on my iPhone I hope that Steve's other organs fail also.