“There’s something about winter,” Mark Rogowsky writes for Forbes. “The shorter days; the gloomy skies. Those convinced the election of our new president harkens terrible times; those who voted for him believing the darkness has long hovered over us. Oh, right, and the perennial concern that Apple, the 40-year-old American industrial giant whose products are used by nearly 1 in 6 humans on the planet is doomed. Finished. Over.”
“The latest installment in this long running saga was published by TechCrunch yesterday under the breathless headline, The End Of The Apple Dynasty?” Rogowsky writes. “There’s so much to unpack there and in the various critiques of Apple, we’ll get back to that in a moment.”
Rogowsky writes, “But first it’s worth revisiting the time when Apple really was close to doomed. It was half an Apple lifetime ago, in 1996.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Well, duh, YKBAID.
You know for a company that makes over 90% of the iPhone profits and around 50% of the PC profits this Apple is doomed stuff is getting pretty old.
I think it’s wishful thinking instead of reality. Whatever Apple’s problems and area’s we wish they would improve in they aren’t leaving us anytime soon. Entropic end of days will arrive before Apple is gone. You wanna genuinely worry about someone pick Microsoft, SamSplode or Google. Not much love for any of those companies.
I don’t think that it’s necessarily wishful thinking, but in many cases it’s simply greed.
The people who are particularly keen to circulate stories of doom and gloom about Apple just happen to be the very people who get a percentage when people trade their shares. It doesn’t matter whether people sell or buy, they get their fee. What they don’t want is for people to buy shares and happily hold onto them because there is no fee to be earned that way.
The more unstable they can make the market, the more income they make and it only takes a simple rumour to start a lucrative shift in the perception of the company.
There’s certainly that element. FUD where none is deserved nor historically justified.
If you want an example, just as I finished posting that last reply, a new story appeared on MDN “Why this ‘Apple optimist’ is getting nervous”. The article was written by Michael Yoshikami, founder of Destination Wealth Management and Chairman of DWM’s Portfolio Strategy Committee, which is offers wealth management services to institutional and individual investors.
So, why aren’t they trying to make Alphabet, Amazon or Microsoft into putzy companies to get their share trades? I don’t hear any doom and gloom stories about those companies going out of business. Why are they always after Apple when there are plenty of other companies that are closer to collapse? It would seem as though Yahoo or Twitter would be better candidates to consider for doom. Apple’s P/E already sucks relatively for a tech company. Next to IBM it’s one of the worst P/Es around and Apple isn’t really in the same financial category as IBM.
Easier to manipulate secretive companies maybe?
peterblood71, KingMel, alamaudio, grwisher, Barry… ARE ALL THE SAME PERSON!
He hacks the MDN rating system to give himself 5-stars and everyone else less than 2. He also is able to suddenly boost your few votes to 80 or well over 100, with less than 2-stars. Think about all the posts you made that ended up this way. He’s desperately trying to give us the illusion that MDN supports Tim Cook.
But we all know better because Tim Cook must go now!
Regular readers here will know that I’ve been on this board for maybe ten years. I only ever use this name and I consistently use the same name elsewhere too. I would also point out that it’s no secret that I live in the UK, so my postings are made at appropriate times for the working day in my time zone.
When I was a global moderator on the Macworld Forum, I was able to look up the IP address used to make postings. If we had troublemakers on the forum using “sock puppet” techniques, I would sometimes call them out by mentioning that the same IP address has been used to make postings from multiple identities.
I would welcome MDN adopting a similar approach with effective moderation and outing of sock puppets. I certainly know that I’ve got nothing to hide.
So MDN, how about sometimes pointing out when postings in threads purporting to come from different people are actually originating from the same IP address?
I’m pretty sure that Apple makes 100% of the iPhone proifts.
You are right according to recent reports. I put the over 90% to reflect the percentage that has existed for a good while.
IMHO if your competitor makes over 90% of the profits, over time you will not be able to compete with him.
Reading comprehension is a skill. As Barry said, Apple makes 100% of iPhone profits, as compared to over 90% of all smartphone profits.
It appears that my writing skills lack as well. Sorry for using “iPhone” instead of “smart phone” in my original comment.
Of course they make 100% of the iPhone profits – they’re the only company which makes iPhones.It’s like saying Apple makes 100% of the Mac Profits or that Microsoft makes 100% of Surface Book profits.
Sad but true.
It’s hard out there for Cook fanboys.
😛
When Wall Street starts smelling dropping revenue and market share they automatically feel any company is doomed. They’re hoping Apple is doomed because they hate Tim Cook and want to see him go away.
Honestly, from my point of view, I think Apple could have made itself a lot less vulnerable to these written attacks if they’d played the Cloud Game like most of the other major tech companies did. Those other companies get unlimited praise heaped upon them for offering cloud services. Microsoft completely turned itself around from it’s dying Windows business to Azure Cloud Services. Now, look at Microsoft’s climbing share price and P/E. It’s seen as nearly 3X the value Apple is. No one is calling for the death of Microsoft like they’re calling for Apple. Apple is seen as some sort of dinosaur without a cloud services business. Although profitable, all Apple has managed for the last five years is a dying iPhone business. I’m sure the company had the financial means to do a lot more than it did. Apple didn’t protect itself as well as it could have.
That doesn’t seem to be in Apple’s culture though. If possible Apple outsources risky things like managing server farms and manufacturing their products to other companies. Not much to go on to get into the Cloud game if you don’t also run the servers yourself.
Amazon is helping customers move literally TONS of data, I’m not sure Apple is willing to go this far.
http://www.supplychain247.com/article/how_do_you_get_all_of_your_data_into_amazons_cloud_by_truck_of_course/infor?ajs_uid=4802I3408578J8I
Shocking news! Samsung also makes 100% of their Galaxy line profits. According to grwisher, I wonder who get the other 10% of Apple’s iPhone profits?
Apple isn’t doomed, they have enough cash to ride out anything, however Apple is CHANGING.
I personally do not like the way Apple is changing its product line and I happen to think that the decision to develop iOS and macOS as separate entities is a mistake that will come back to haunt them.
However not everyone agrees with me. They’re wrong, but as they say, ‘other opinions are available.”
People forget how easy and quick is descent from smartphone throne. Current apple is only focused on maximizing their profits. They pushed iPhone prices to 749 and will again try to push it higher next year. At some point, ppl will revolt and buy cheaper ones. Mac prices are not helping either. I haven’t seen as much resentment in Apple users as this year. This year will turn out to be the one where Apple stumbled and starts fast and quick death. All because Tim cook’s insatiable greed and disdain for own users. Personally, I m done with Mac. And next phone will be Android.
Google Pixel is around the same price as an iPhone. The new Surface Tablet thing is more expensive than an iPad. Apple’s product is no longer the one that you have to pay a premium for.
However Apple can make huge profits because it only makes a few products and sells them in vast quantities. The economies of scale work very much in Apple’s favour.
Fanboi’s Apple profit obsession is really maddening. Always seen people argue well profit share matters and not market share. I would like to ask why the heck profit share matters? Apple hasn’t been exactly looking to delight its ardent users. Neglected Macs, stagnant MacOS, still fledgling services and always jacking up prices, doesn’t exactly look like delite to me. Apple watch, apple tv haven’t been innovative and in Apple TV’s case, it is already neglected. Apple is more focused on yearly gimmicks around fall to push iPhone sales, other than that, it is utter failure.
People arguing Apple will never go the way of Nokia, HTC, Blackberry or even Samsung, you are in for a rude surprise. Anything can happen, 2016 proved it. Worst part is, there won’t be any external threat in Apple’s case. Reverse-hallow effect will drift users to non-iOS devices. Tim Cook will still keep promising you about pipeline and customer sat.
As somebody who owns a substantial number of Apple shares, my interest in Apple is much more real than a theoretical curiosity. AAPL is by far the largest investment that I have and if I was concerned about the way that Tim Cook is running the country, you can be absolutely certain that I would be shouting from the rooftops about it.
Ongoing profit is absolutely vital to keep a business healthy. We’ve all seen how lots of well known PC manufacturing companies failed to make a profit and faded away. Nokia and Blackberry previously enjoyed massive market shares, Kodak also had a massive market share, but those previously huge companies crumbled when the profits were no longer coming in.
Samsung’s profit in the mobile electronics sector has shrunk. It’s a large company with many other croups that are performing well, so I don’t see Samsung going away, but they will have to make significant changes in order to recover and their reputation has taken a huge hit.
I’m not saying that Apple is always going to be invincible, but for as long as Apple can keep making the magnitude of profits that it does, I am not losing sleep over my investment in Apple.
“if I was concerned about the way that Tim Cook is running the country,”
….. if only !!!
Autocorrect changed company for country.
The Galaxy S7 Edge is more expensive than an iPhone 7 as well. However, saying the Surface Pro 4 is more expensive than an iPad is a bit of a misunderstanding. The Surface Pro 4 is a full computer, running a m3, i5, i7 computer and a full copy of Windows 10.
I’ve just purchased a low-end one for a family member and in setting it up, have come to appreciate it for what it is. A gorgeous hybrid machine. The touch screen is wonderful and should be installed on EVERY MacBook. Avoiding the issue by adding a touchbar is weird. I fear this is just Apple wanting to think they’re different instead of actually thinking different.
The iPad Pro isn’t really a professional tool, apart from a few who adapt their workflow to the device. A computer should be able to adapt to different people’s workflows, not the other way around.
What a refreshing thing on this forum – an open mind. /s
I happen to believe that Apple took a wise approach with forking iOS off of OS X. It enabled Apple to develop the truly functional and groundbreaking iPhone and iPad mobile devices. Microsoft and others had failed for years to create “computer” tablets. Even with the iPad leading the way, it took years for Android and Microsoft to achieve much success. Microsoft finally developed a decent version of the “computer” tablet with the Surface, but it took three or four generations to do so (once again, after the iPad).
Apple is utilizing the same basic framework, but tailoring it in different ways for the Mac, iPhone and iPad, watch, AppleTV, etc. They are fully interoperable, but unique product lines. Over time, however, Apple is blending technology developments and experience from the different product lines – witness the ARM chip and Touch ID with secure enclave on the new MBP.
In my opinion, Apple took the smart path and Microsoft continues to bumble along the only path that the company leadership has ever followed. And Google/Android? Well, my thoughts on that company verge on the unprintable.
By the way, my opinion is just as valid as yours.
Microsoft was indeed bumbling but that has changed. The Microsoft Surface Book is a very compelling computer. Rumor is that Microsoft has a new phone coming early next year that takes a lot of cues from that great laptop.
The championship belt of bumbling now goes to Apple. Tim Cook is the new Steve Balmer — but even worse as he seems to be a full-time LGBT warrior and part-time Apple CEO. Apple Macs are a joke. The iPhone is stagnating. The innovation is lacking. Apple products are now routinely trailing in new features.
I forgot to mention Microsoft’s new embrace of Linux.
This could be huge.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/microsoft-tells-devs-whatever-youre-doing-in-linux-windows-10-will-soon-do-it-too/?ftag=TRE684d531&bhid=108690425
Apple may not be doomed, but I’m actively looking at alternatives for music, photos, and laptops outside the Apple ecosystem. This would never have crossed my mind even a year or two ago.
In my circle of friends, I have never seen them as disenchanted with Apple. Most of them got into Mac around 2005 era of intel macs. Most of them switched to Windows 10 based pc, begrudgingly I might add. And I am typing this from VMware running mac os. Such is the sorry state of Apple. Unfortunately, its stewards are too blind to realize that customer will not keep paying higher prices for hardware that inconveniences them. Pursuit of simplicity and idealistic chase of fewer ports/lighter machines/gimmicky features have caused tremendous damage.
Apple isn’t going to die overnight. It certainly can find ways to make tons of money in the next few years and the competitors everyone lists are happy to share duopoly status with apple.
What is going to kill apple over time is their lack of diverse products and gross complacency. The next exciting upstart company will come along and make apple look as flatfooted as ibm or compaq or a hundred other has-beens.
A forward thinking board of directors should fire cook soon to prevent apple from rotting from the inside.
You are forgetting one thing: Apple’s bottomless acquisition funds. They will purchase the upstart companies outright. So have Google and the rest. There is more than one way to generate innovation, and this is one of the more successful methods.
The author could create his negative thinkings to positive, productive for his own good.