“Apple has roughly $40 billion in cash and securities, and many shareholders are wondering what it plans to do with its war chest,” Madway reports. “It recently made two relatively small acquisitions, buying mobile ad firm Quattro Wireless and music subscription service Lala.”
“Apple is preparing to launch its newest device, the iPad tablet computer, in the coming weeks. Cook said the iPad will be sold directly by Apple, and in some indirect channels with ‘assisted sales,’ such as Best Buy,” Madway reports. “Cook praised the iPad data pricing plan to be offered in the United States by carrier AT&T Inc. as ‘revolutionary,’ and brushed aside a question about what others would have to do become a carrier for the product. ‘I wouldn’t want to speculate about what else somebody would have to do to join the party.'”
“Cook conceded that [Apple TV] was ‘still a hobby’ but said the company believes in it and will continue to invest,” Madway reports. “The COO said Apple plans to open around 50 retail stores this year, at the top of its expected range.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Again with the “hobby.” We don’t have much to criticize when it comes to Cook, but please stop referring to Apple TV as a “hobby.” The reason why Apple TV has sold “only” around 7 million units lies somewhere between content providers not offering enough reasonably-priced content to Apple TV and Apple treating the device like a red-headed stepchild.
When your cable company-issued DVR inevitably screws up, Apple TV is invaluable. When you want to catch a movie without any hassle, Apple TV is great (rentals more so than purchases, which are priced too high). For sharing music, home movies, YouTube content, podcasts, and photos, it’s excellent, too. Why Apple either belittles the device as a “hobby” or just completely ignores it and fails to promote it is beyond us.
We have Apple TVs. We use Apple TVs. We love our Apple TVs. Apple TVs are great devices that do many things well. It sells itself to people who see us run it through its paces. Why Apple hates their own product remains a maddening mystery to us.
Here’s a plan, Apple (and this goes for everyone from Steve Jobs on down):
1. Stop referring to your product as a “hobby.” You’re not just talking to analysts; everybody hears you. You’re denigrating the product for no reason. Why don’t you just come out and say “don’t buy it?” Idiocy happens at Apple, too; thankfully, it’s rare.
2. Start – gasp – actually promoting Apple TV and maybe you’ll even surprise yourselves by actually selling units beyond the relative trickle to those who are extremely-in-the-know and who sell your product for you via word-of-mouth alone.
By the way, Apple, if you make a TV ad, it helps to actually run it:
Direct link via YouTube here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]