“I continue to be buyer of [Apple Inc. (AAPL)] stock for our clients as I believe this cash rich company still trades at a cheap valuation,” Michael Yoshikami writes for CNBC. “Cash flow is huge and the company will benefit from any tax reduction from a Trump administration on repatriated foreign cash.”
“I have written several columns about the wisdom of owning Apple; I still believe this to be the case. Even so, I fear Apple is losing some of its shine,” Yoshikami writes. “Based on what I have observed in the past 2 years, the company is beginning to appear iterative in nature rather than more focused on innovation. Yes, many have uttered this suspicion; now I’m adding my voice to the chorus. I’m not convinced this is the case, but I’m beginning to wonder out loud.”
“Over the last several years we have seen the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPad Pro all vying for attention as the next big thing. Turns out, as of now, those devices don’t seem to be game changers. Over the next several years, Apple needs to produce game-changing products that reflect a spirit of innovation. There is a market hunger for creativity from Apple,” Yoshikami writes. “Tim Cook has promised that there are amazing technologies under development and I want to believe. I want to believe that Apple will not slip into being a highly efficient company with mature product categories; in the end that will lead to average results. Apple users are loyal but they have their limits. As other companies innovate, users may move on.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote last week:
“Pipeline Tim.” That sticks until the vaunted pipeline actually delivers.
Until then, Apple has made a number of mistakes, all of which look like laziness from the outside, including:
• No new 4K-capable Apple TV for Christmas 2016 (this would have been so easy, it’s inexplicable and unforgivable not to have this on the market right now)
• No new iMac, Mac Pro, and or Mac mini for far, far too long
• No Apple skinny bundle(s) for Apple TV while other companies ink deals and announce launches – these customers will be tough for Apple to get back once lost, if they ever get the deals signed. (Perhaps, Tim, you need to hire better negotiator(s) who can get the ink? Or make an acquisition that reshapes the industry, causing them to line up to work with you?)
• Flagship iPhone launches without its flagship feature (Portrait mode) and is currently still only in “beta” (seriously?)
• Apple TV remote looks to have been “designed” by Steve Ballmer himself (If Steve Jobs wasn’t already dead, the Apple TV Remote would have killed him; he would’ve had an aneurysm the second the mockup was handed to him)
• No new iPads for Christmas 2016 (Even simply “refreshed” with current A-series processors would have created more sales)
These are a few of the reasons why Apple fans and investors are and should be concerned.
On occasion, Steve Jobs teased the product pipeline, too. The difference is that Steve Jobs repeatedly delivered.
SEE ALSO:
Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, and Apple’s monster hits – November 25, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook still hasn’t introduced a mega-hit and investors are growing impatient – November 23, 2016<
you can airpods embarrassment to the list, tim cook is simply not up to the task, never was and it is more and more evident with each passing quarter…. time for bod to change direction.
And Tim Cook hasn’t done a blessed thing to instill confidence.
From intentionally destroying the 30-pin industry and inconveniencing millions of Apple consumers just to gouge us for more money, to the maps fiasco, to mismanaging Apple executives, to blowing billions on buybacks solely to enrich Apple executives, to tanking Apple stock, to releasing buggy software, to releasing poorly made, overpriced and stripped down products, to failing to update Mac products altogether, to discontinuing popular software and hardware, to permanently damaging Apple’s reputation for “it just works” quality, to using Apple as a platform for gay activism and putting the executive management of Apple secondary to gay activism… because of all this millions of Apple consumers are baffled, appalled, and otherwise completely FED UP with the ever INCOMPETENT, lazy, bumbling, and abjectly greedy Tim Cook!
https://www.change.org/p/apple-board-of-directors-remove-tim-cook-as-ceo-of-apple
Notice how every anti-Cook post has shot up to around 80-100 plus votes, with less than a 2-star rating.
Yet look at KingMel and Danox, two aliases of peterblood71… 5-stars. Now go look at every popular story on this forum and you will see the same pattern. This desperate POS is sabotaging our rating system.
you can add airpods embarrassment to the list, tim cook is simply not up to the task, never was and it is more and more evident with each passing quarter…. time for bod to change direction.
Acceptance is the solution for all of us who have long-time fans of Apple. Apple is stuck & has lost its way
It appears no one is in charge. Ives has left design to subordinates, pursuing esoteric fashion projects. In addition to lack of much new Mac hardware, the quality of Apple software has declined.
Tim Cook does not have the vision. Nor does he appear to command respect from employees, leading to shoddy products
Apple’s best days are behind it. Don’t believe the hype that tells you otherwise.
We miss you, Steve
did you sign this?
https://www.change.org/p/apple-board-of-directors-remove-tim-cook-as-ceo-of-apple
I’m not a fan of the perspectives of coattail-riding analysts just in it to make a buck that don’t actually use, enjoy, or understand a company’s products or services. In the abstract perhaps, but strictly speaking, neither Apple nor any other company owes you jack shit. Get over yourselves, already.
Having said that, I personally believe that Apple has finally used up whatever guidance Steve Jobs left them with, and they aren’t doing as well as they could winging it. That’s an entirely separate, though loosely related, conversation. Their profits have only been impacted marginally.
Add to that, why drop Apple monitors? Surely at worst they could just use an iMac shell, screen, camera etc.
I hook my laptop up to my Apple LCD screen (old I know) and my setup looks great. Why do I now have to go to an LG monitor for my next laptop.
It’s the industrial design I’ve really liked about Apple. Now I have to pollute it with some random kit from other vendors.
Apple seem to have forgotten that they are buying customers rather than selling product. It’s the accountant’s version of business and doesn’t bode well for the long term.
“We have exciting things in the pipeline.” – T.Cook 2012
“We have exciting things in the pipeline.” – T.Cook 2013
“We have exciting things in the pipeline.” – T.Cook 2014
“We have exciting things in the pipeline.” – T.Cook 2015
“We have exciting things in the pipeline.” – T.Cook 2016
“Now, when I count to three you will
continue to believe that!” – The Great Cookini 2012-20??
Time Cook 2017 RIP – https://www.change.org/p/apple-board-of-directors-remove-tim-cook-as-ceo-of-apple
Sounds like the pipeline that stopped at the Indian reservation
Where is the 32″ iMac? (don’t care about a 4k or 5k monitor), or the rack-able Mac?
The spaceship looks nice mind. All those site visits must be getting in the way of actual work being done I guess, poor luvs.
Ahh, good point. Jony is wrapping up office design details, Eddie is wandering in the circle still looking for his office, Phil is politicking to have a Cafe Macs serving window into his office and Tim, well…trying to rationalize why RED for office color fits. Life is hard.
I had hoped otherwise, but the computer company trend may be holding.
IBM built new, fancy offices and in the years following it went downhill.
DEC built new, fancy offices and in the years following it went downhill.
Compaq built a new, fancy offices and in the years following went downhill and got bought out.
Other examples exist too.
So… is Apple the next in the long line of companies that have built new, fancy offices and then imploded?
And the embarrassing coffee table book. Maybe the people who were working on that could have been doing something else like, you know, get the airpods out on time?
No?
Right – priorities I guess – what do I know.
Yes, that coffee table book makes as much sense as the $20,000.00 TAM did.
Bunch of pessimists populating this forum now. And not a damn one of you will admit error when Apple proves you wrong. Even MDN just reposts their same take. Sad…
What is sad, is Apple Apologists like yourself FAIL to see the forest for the trees and how far Apple is slipping year after year.
Maybe not their bank account, but everything else that is not an iPhone … now that is truly sad. And as evidenced by your defensive posts, I don’t expect you to see the light anytime soon.
KingM, nope you’re incorrect. I will be completely willing to admit error, if/when Apple returns to product superiority/innovation. I am a dyed in the flax Apple fan. If you wish, I’ll even wear a forehead “L” for awhile to show that I’m not just being an irrational pessimist.
Notice how he has 5-stars while spouting his pro-Cook rubbish, while every anti-Cook post has less than 2-stars.
Yes, I have noticed the Apple Apologist posts are off the charts in positive ratings which mean absolutely nothing because from what I have read they can be manipulated.
Apple constructive critics like myself are at the opposite end of the star rated spectrum and its all good. Could not care less.
I suspect Peter is no aka as you allege. Predrag, certainly is in the same camp.
Come on, it’s not good to have all new products concentrated on the holiday season. Too much stress for the supply chain. Too little interest for the Apple shops during the year.
Just remember, applecynic is taken….
Ill tell you what else – iOS 10 can take a long walk off a short pier. I’ve never been so annoyed.