“Nothing short of a new blockbuster product seems likely to convince the growing army of Apple skeptics that a post-Jobs Apple can innovate its way to continuing growth for years to come,” John-Erik Koslosky writes for The Motley Fool. “Even Jim Cramer, who remains bullish on Apple, said Thursday that what the company needs is ‘the next big thing.’ That’s probably why there’s been so much anticipation of the planned Apple TV. It’s presumed to not only be a blockbuster, but a big-ticket item, just the kind of product that could put juice back in Apple’s stock.”
“But investors may be missing clues about Apple’s future that suggest it could rest not on the next big blockbuster iProduct, but in spiderweb-like growth through ‘next little things,'” Koslosky writes. “Of course, Apple could surprise us all and unveil the “next big thing” any day. After all, it’s usually a few years between big innovations from Cupertino. The iPod was released in 2001, and the iPhone did not debut till 2007. It’s been only three years since the iPad was released, and we already have a mini version and a 128GB version of the tablet.”
Koslosky writes, “But even if that “next big thing’ doesn’t happen anytime soon, investors should take into account that Apple continues to look for ‘next little things’ as well. And those little innovations could prove important in maintaining Apple’s great advantage: stickiness.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Those who can, innovate.
Those who can’t, complain.
Evolutionary biologists will instantly recognize Apple product development as an example of punctuated equilibrium.
The problem is that most on Wall St haven’t evolved past slime mold.
😀
The article had a link to a Samsung product announcement, which frightened me.
My refrigerator is already out to get me—my bathroom scale told me so. But an Android-powered refrigerator seems far more menacing, somehow.
Internet enabled fridges have been talked about for at least ten years, maybe fifteen. The technology has been available all along, it’s just that there hasn’t been a manufacturer stupid enough to put one into production until now.
If you think about it, the worst place you could put a computer display in the kitchen would be on the door of the fridge. If you’re following a recipe, you want it near a work surface. If you set a timer for end of cooking, you want the reminder to stay with you when you go elsewhere. Some food is kept in the fridge, but people also have store cupboards, wine racks, vegetable drawers and larders, so adding things to your shopping lists needs to be done in multiple places.
It’s pretty obvious that if you want an internet device in your kitchen, you are best served by a portable device such as an iPad, which can be easily clipped to a holder wherever you need it, but more importantly easily removed and carried around with you.
Journalists are dumb enough to think that building a fifteen year old idea and selling it makes an innovative product, but they aren’t bright enough to realise that the real solution to that problem had already been invented by Apple several years ago.
“I get paid big bucks tomwrite total nonsense based on no information at all. Tune in tomorrow so I can get more money for spewing nonsense.
It probably wouldn’t matter if an Apple iTV came out and was a rousing success. The ANAL-ysts would still credit it to Steve Jobs being the “last invention” he was part of. Oh sure we don’t know how much Steve was involved but Tim Cook still won’t get the credit and they will remain skeptical until we get something we KNOW Jobs wasn’t ever a part of. Such is that disingenuous lot of doomsayers.
oh a bunch of tiny products – like what ??
iWatch, iPen, iGlasses – accessories or add-ons to my devices
better not be
iPad socks.
Sad, but Apple has become the victimized roadkill of its own success. If Apple product iXxxx will be announced tomorrow, even though we know nothing about it, journalistas are already predicting its failure, and speculating how it can be improved. Analcysts are already saying the iXxxx is somehow deficient by a couple of percent of gross margin, and whining how Apple is doomed, not to mention Apple can’t possibly sustain the imaginary impossible growth we forecasted in our fevered drug induced fantasy wet dream projections
For the greedy money grubbing bastards at WS, nothing is ever enough, or good enough.
iWell. A sensor-laden wrist/anklet gizmo and software linked to medical consulting services. Then Apple re-writes the HMO/PPO/Medical-Industrial complex payment and health management system.
It’s only the largest industry in America.
And maybe the most broken.
Was that article entirely devoid of content, or did I just skim too fast?
How about lightening charging cables in more than one length? I’d settle for that.
See. Nothing. Tim Cook is clueless, hapless, and hopeless. Doesn’t know where to turn to turn things around. Hey, Tim. Turn here: EXIT
As ususal, no substance, so y’all can please fuck off
I would say it will be iBorg … the Apple personal assistant. A companion that will do your bidding, help you with everything, comfort you, school you, and keep you close. It will be small and work in ways you cannot possibly imagine.
“Even Jim Cramer…said Thursday that what the company needs is ‘the next big thing.”
Oh, pleeeeeeeze, STFU, Cramer and go away…
Sheesh. It was 600 years between printing with movable type and the world wide web and these people expect monthly miracles. After moveable type there were 600 years of small improvements.
Earth changing discoveries don’t happen everyday.
I just read an article on Google working on a driverless car. All the pundits are clamoring about how this is is innovation. Driverless cars have been talked about for 50 years. Imagine those things or our current roadways, fraught with potholes, 70,000 dangerous bridges, deer overabundance, pedestrians, bicyclist, and list goes on.
Apple is very good at addressing the infrastructure required to bring the new technology to market. So (as Steve used to say when demonstrating the new products): “it’s magical”. Not magical…just a lot of hard work and due diligence to insure the infrastructure was in place to support the new technology.
But the investment community sees no glamour in doing that. They want the high tech gimmickry sold like kitchen gadgets that look good on TV, but eventually find there way to the back shelf of the pantry.
They all believe they have the answer for an Apple who has lost its way. You read the articles and it is like Google invented the time machine and took us back to the late twentieth century.
I really believe when all the pieces are in place and Apple comes out with the next “one more thing”, we won’t be able to live without it.
And then Apple’s competitors can start investigating flying cars and the time machine to remain relevant.