“For those used to big announcements from Apple, the company’s media event at its headquarters here on Tuesday might have been a disappointment,” Troy Wolverton reports for TheStreet.com. “Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised some ‘medium-scale’ product introductions and delivered along those lines, introducing a new version of the company’s low-end computer and an iPod-powered boom box. But if the actual products were underwhelming, the company’s vision is becoming clearer — and bolder. The product announcements indicate that Apple is clearly trying to establish itself as a player in the battle for the digital living room, where computer and networking technology is married with consumers’ traditional entertainment systems.”
“The updated version of the company’s Mac mini computer, for instance, has sophisticated audio-out jacks, a remote control and Apple’s Front Row software, which allows users to access digital video, pictures and music using the remote,” Wolverton reports. “With the Mac mini, the company is releasing an updated version of Front Row that allows the software to connect with other computers on a user’s network, meaning that consumers will be able to watch video or listen to music stored on computers other than the Mac mini… But the Mac mini and Front Row are just part of the company’s new advance into the living room. The company’s iPod Hi-Fi is the other. Essentially a speaker box that connects to an iPod, the Hi-Fi represents Apple’s first effort by itself to transform the iPod from a personal music device to a home audio device.”
“That lack of a ‘wow’ product rollout was seemingly reflected in Apple’s stock price, which began slipping Tuesday after the products were announced; the shares were recently off $1.77, or 2.5%, to $69.22,” Wolverton reports. “Still, the products did represent important steps. The new Mac mini will include Intel processors, marking the latest models in the company’s Macintosh computer to make the transition from PowerPC chips. As Jobs noted, the company has now moved half of its Macintosh line over to Intel chips since the start of the year.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: The stock price slip is more likely due to the Google mess than today’s product announcements.
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Apple debuts iPod Hi-Fi speaker system, leather cases for 5G iPod, iPod nano – February 28, 2006
Apple introduces new Intel-based Mac mini – February 28, 2006
No streaming webcast of the event, huh? Steve must be pissed about something.
So am I.
The FORM of the annoucement is probably what Apple was refering to several months ago when they said they wanted to move away from Huge product annoucements at MacWorld which slowed sales prior to those events.
I am perplexed at the stock slip myself. I see this an an opportunity for Apple to establish itself in the living room and thereby the home. Unfortunately, the price point is about $100 higher than I for one expected.
Still, one can hardly blame Apple. Recognizing that in the short term they will likely sell every unit they can make, why not open at a higher price? the units will still sell and it is much easier to lower the price by $100 later (or add features) than to raise the price later.
One other comment for those looking for a Movie announcement INSTEAD:
How could Apple really announce movies without having a mini to play them on? This announcement had to come first. Apple has to build the case for feature length downloads. With the infrastructure, success of TV shows, and now the mini, the stage has been set.
the problem is everyone gets hyped beyond belief before these things (me included). I think if we didn’t have all these rumors going around we wouldn’t be upset as much. thats just my two nuts.
I’ve been waiting…….
Now I’m get rid of the DVD player, Tuner, EQ, CD Changer, VHS and anything else sitting beneath my HDTV. Movies, music, pictures and anything else I want to do from my couch.
Now if I just had that “magic fridge”.
Not pissed. Just didn’t want to blow too loud a horn over such meager offerings.
Did Microsoft make any announcements today to try to steal Apple’s thunder?
I think I see some of what’s taking place with Apple’s announcements these days. Evolution. Get ready for more of the same, because Steve Jobs is peeling us like an onion, playing us like a violin.
Layers. It’s all about layers.
Layers. Moving to Intel means Apple puts the DVR/PVR, updated Front Row capability on the Intel Macs, so there’s an incentive for owners of older Macs to upgrade to new Macs.
Layers. Apple needs the Intel Macs to hit the streets sooner than expected. iMac first, Mac mini, the iBook to MacBook, then 17-inch MacBook Pro, then the new Pro series later this summer.
Layers. The new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system fits into an already existing ecosystem with nearly 50-million customer universe. It’s better to push it now than a year ago.
Layers. Step by step, everything cool and new will show up in new iPods, new Macs. You will be upgraded. Resistance is futile.
Layers. Mac OS X Tiger looks good compared to Windows XP, even to what Vista may be in December, but it’s OS X Leopard (another layer), that will set Bill Gates’ hair on fire.
Layers. Macs still appear expensive to Windows users, and the new Intel Macs don’t do much to dispel that thinking. But notice, no one pays much attention to megahertz/gigahertz anymore. It’s a non-issue.
Layers. Steve Jobs is getting good at spreading out the announcements. We’ll probably see something on April 1st, then again by late spring at the developers conference.
We live in interesting times, but we’re being peeled like an onion and played like a violin.
Tera Patricks
Mac360
MDN… your take is wrong, today’s downturn for Apple’s stock is definitely today’s announcements. Nothing today is helping Apple keep their over-valuation of the stock.
By the way, does anyone else think the Hi-Fi should have had USB connectivity to allow iPod control and updating from your computer while docked? And how about other dock capabilities (S-Video, being the main one). If you could get all the features of the dock from this thing (and therefore didn’t need to purchase a separate dock), then I think it would make more sense.
Sold all my AAPL stock today! I’ll stay on the side lines for a while. Apple so way oversold this media event disappointment was certain. The market is getting less robust. I’ll buy AAPL when it drops to $52-$55 or when we see something that turns up the chatter. MDN Magic Word = blue
And one more thing – regarding the drop in stock price – that always happens after an Apple product announcement. Why would a weak announcement be met with any different response?
I’m predicting Apple will transition all cpus to Intel by WWDC 06 if not earlier. Why would Apple release Final Cut Studio in March without any high end desktops to go along with it?
is temporary, but its caused by false rumors and unreasonable expectations.
Not every event can change the world. That’s silliness.
People can’t just enjoy what happens, they have to wet themselves because rumors turn out to be just that–rumors
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Grrrilla, look on the back of the box – there’s a dock connector.
Apple will not announce anything to do with movies until they settle with Burst.com. In this regard, Microsoft is way ahead of Apple because they already have a license to use Burst.com’s technology. If Microsoft could not win against Burst, what hope does Apple? No one is going to invalidate Burst.com’s patents. Apple has screwed themselves in this regard. This is probably why Apple seems to be stagnating with their announcements. I mean $99 for an iPod leather case.
Ha. Jobs is gonna force Gates to play his hand first. Smooth. I love it.
Mac Mini
Intel Shared Graphics- Bad (Probably)
1 FireWire Port-Bad
Available Dual Core CPU-Very Good
UPNP capability (sort of) in Front Row-Good
BoomBox
The sort of stuff that Apple should be partnering with Bose, Harmon-Kardon (Infinity/JBL) and others for. If you eat the market of your partners, partners could be hard to find in the future.
A prime example of Apple ‘big-footing” it on a partner.
http://www.karelia.com/
Mac Mini
Intel Shared Graphics- Bad (Probably)
1 FireWire Port-Bad
Available Dual Core CPU-Very Good
UPNP capability (sort of) in Front Row-Good
BoomBox
The sort of stuff that Apple should be partnering with Bose, Harmon-Kardon (Infinity/JBL) and others for. If you eat the market of your partners, partners could be hard to find in the future.
A prime example of Apple ‘big-footing” it on a partner.
http://www.karelia.com/
Mac Mini
Intel Shared Graphics- Bad (Probably)
1 FireWire Port-Bad
Available Dual Core CPU-Very Good
UPNP capability (sort of) in Front Row-Good
BoomBox
The sort of stuff that Apple should be partnering with Bose, Harmon-Kardon (Infinity/JBL) and others for. If you eat the market of your partners, partners could be hard to find in the future.
A prime example of Apple ‘big-footing” it on a partner.
http://www.karelia.com/
Mac Mini
Intel Shared Graphics- Bad (Probably)
1 FireWire Port-Bad
Available Dual Core CPU-Very Good
UPNP capability (sort of) in Front Row-Good
BoomBox
The sort of stuff that Apple should be partnering with Bose, Harmon-Kardon (Infinity/JBL) and others for. If you eat the market of your partners, partners could be hard to find in the future.
A prime example of Apple ‘big-footing” it on a partner.
http://www.karelia.com/
Anyone who has been following Apple announcements over the last five years knows that the stock ALWAYS tanks on announcement day…
The only exception was the most recent Macworld and that was because Steve let out that 14 million iPods were sold..
Of course, when the entire financials were released a week later, the stock tanked again…
This stock dip is nothing out of the ordinary… It happens every time.
OK, get a grip folks, Grrrilla is right.
Unless Apple announed a new iPod where both the front and back were screens that you controlled using only your eye movements and the iPod also made great smoothies, Apple’s stock was going to drop. Happens after every announcement.
Apple didn’t oversell this announcement. They’ll get great press over iPod Hi-Fi, the Mac mini will sell like crazy, and the Master Plan is one step closer to reality. First, everything has to move to Intel, and the iBook, PowerMacs and XServes are still G4/G5.
We won’t see an iTunes Movie Store for at least six months. Apple won’t do it until the hardware for the living room is in place, which it is not yet (and no, Microsoft’s Media Center doesn’t count). Look for hardware to be announced with a 6G iPod (full screen movie player) around September – just in time for stocking stuffers!
For all who are complaining about integrated video…This is not a bad thing at all and there is a logical explanation …
Apple is obviously trying to market the mini as a media center… Using integrated video is the only way to keep costs at $600 yet still allow the graphics engine to use as much Ram as needed for HD video content…
Movies are the next step for Apple folks.. And hi-def movies require alot of RAM.. Apple is certainly not going to include a 256 mb graphics card and still keep the price at $600… Integrated video with shared Ram was the solution…