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How Apple Had a Spectacular Year
Hugh Pickens writes "John Boudreau writes in the Mercury News that during its just-completed fiscal year, Apple broke four consecutive quarterly revenue and profit records and amid the worst recession in decades, hired thousands while others cut jobs, but what most distinguishes Apple is that while other tech titans spent 2010 cutting costs and acquiring new technology through mergers, this $65 billion company has been relentless in innovating like a startup and ruthless in promoting technologies that disrupt its own product lines. '"It's been an awesome year. The frequency of new stuff just boggles the mind," says Charles Wolf, an analyst with Needham & Co. "There is no company that is remotely close to what Apple is doing. They are the Energizer Bunny." In September 2005, Apple killed off the popular iPod Mini to make way for the the iPod Nano; Apple openly acknowledges that the iPhone is cannibalizing its iPods — and they don't seem to care; and the iPad tablet could ultimately threaten its core laptop business. "[Apple] has a different cultural mind-set," concludes Wolf. "They are acting like a startup, though they are becoming a $100 billion company."'
I never bought into Applethink, and after every product annoucement I falsely predict they've finally blown it and nobody will "fall for it" this time. Meanwhile they're approaching $100e9 and probably wouldn't give my resume a second look. You win.
This is why I enjoy watching all the Steve Jobs keynotes. The whole culture and sect like mentality behind Apple and its fanbase is not only hilarious, but very interesting to watch. Apple use weasel words constantly to give people (and its fans especially) that they are still the underdog company (in comparison to Microsoft of course).
Notice how Jobs almost always says 'we think this solution is the best' and 'we think this phone is the best ever'. The whole manipulation of words is amazing to watch. You may think this is purely something that happens, I am certain that this has been undertaken carefully by Apples marketing department (which I have an idea that Jobs leads).
Remember when rumours was roaming everywhere that Jobs would no longer attends Apple-events? Gosh, it was like the worst nightmare to all Apple fans!
A shorter alternative to this way of thinking about Apple and predicting their results is to just assume consumers are stupid and they like shiny things. And if it has a real brand on it, even better. Microsoft, HP, Dell, Lenovo and so on are not regarded as 'real brands' to most consumers. Apple is in Gucci-league.
Clicked pie.
Roland Piquepaille clone...
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
Unfortunately, the iPad is intentionally limited when it comes to doing all of those "basic killer app" type things.
This is especially true for the web.
A lot of "apps" serve no other purpose than to deal with the fact that the iPad version of Safari isn't suitable for a real website.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Consider the AppleCare approach; for $269 I can get 3 years of mail-in service, or having to take my Macbook to their store, and leave it with them for weeks on end to get fixed. Somehow that is considered better and more convenient than what Dell, HP, and most others offer - $199 for a technician to come to ME with replacement parts, to fix it the next day, at my convenience. Paying more for less service is desired, and I think it's because Apple has built the reputation of their stores as shrines to all things Apple. It's like a mini-pilgrimage and you should feel grateful for the opportunity to let the priests of Apple pray and heal your iDevice.
Eventually, the fad will fade, the religion will implode and Apple will slink back down.
PS: really want to watch a Macolyte go nuts? Tell them for all that revenue, Microsoft still makes more profit, and has a higher profit margin...
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
They are very good at covering the "cannot be bothered" ends of the market both at the top end of the market and at the bottom.
Beyond that, they kind of suck and you need to flee them to get something a little bit different or more flexible.
Their interfaces are good at doing very basic things but often bad at doing something even the slightest bit interesting.
Some of their dumbed down interfaces help not scare the n00bs away but they can be terribly limited.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.