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Re: Declining iPad sales I think the biggest thing Apple could do here is to change their app store policies to (re-)motivate existing developers and attract n
by HSO 11y ago
Re: Declining iPad sales
I think the biggest thing Apple could do here is to change their app store policies to (re-)motivate existing developers and attract new ones. Letting prospective buyers test-drive apps, upgrade pricing, and better discovery come to mind. I have both a Mini and a Pro with Pencil and I love the hardware. The software is the problem though. Few apps make use of all the possibilities; existing apps will also have to be (re)written and possibly reconceived for the different form factors. It's a good sign that Phil Schiller is overseeing the app stores now, hopefully something will change this year.
Re: iPhone
Here, the obvious thing to do seems to produce a new 5S-sized model. 60 percent of 5S or older install base have not upgraded? Maybe there is a reason… Also, they could always try to go "down-market" and produce a greater variety like with the iPod to take further share from Google. I don't see the end of growth in this market, by far.
Re: currency effect
True, stronger dollar affects revenue or unit sales (where prices have been adapted) relative to previous years. But one could also argue that the years 2009-2014 were special in that the US weakened the dollar through QE, and perhaps Apple (and other US companies) enjoyed "backwinds" then rather than "headwinds" now. It looks whiny to me to say "look ma, 100 then is only 85 now". As someone said, "if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle". Macro gives and macro takes.
Also, the 214bn cash bandied about should be posed against the debt they took on to pay for the buybacks. So enterprise value not quite as low as suggested but I agree it's an undervalued company.
- Spooky23 11y agoThe problem with iPad is that tablet is a tough form factor, and many users aren't big app users -- they are web and media consumers. The price point for a device that works for those users is heading south of $100, while iPad has a 3x entry price. My wife happily uses our iPad 2. I have about 3,000 users of iPad 3's at work who aren't clamor I for new stuff -- it's almost like a thin client lifecycle.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]