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Samsung software is really bad. Their screens are really good. This move will deplete Apple's cachet further. We've seen this Apple before, in the 90s. The pro

Samsung software is really bad. Their screens are really good. This move will deplete Apple's cachet further. We've seen this Apple before, in the 90s. The problem with Apple isn't the removal of the 50 year old 1/8 inch headphone jack, of which the cords have ripped the buds off my ears more than 100 times. The future is cordless and there are cordless headphones that work great for 20 or more hours per charge. Removing the headphone jack was a strong product decision, likely made by some of the leaders in product design and technology, the world around. The problem lies in a company that can't make a strong big corporate direction decision. Apple clearly attempting to shift to services because they can't come up with a new killer device. Services are safe, and safety kills good hardware companies. Their most important software, iTunes and iPhone iPod app has become nearly unusable due to the strong sales funnel aimed at Apple Music. Which I don't use but is trogan-horse-adware that causes popups everyday on my iPhone. Apple Presents confusing product lines highlighting numerous similar items weakens the entire line. Selling high-quality products and at the same time filling those devices with popup sales for services is indicative of a company that can't commit. These are clear signs of an Apple devolving to a state similar to where Steve Jobs found Apple Inc in 1997, which is scary.

scarface74 8y ago
Everyone acts as if it’s possible to come up with an electronic product in a category that’s more massive than the mobile phone. 5 years before the iPhone was introduced, it was clear that the world was getting to a point that almost everyone would have a phone. Since the iPhone was introduced, no one has come up with a product larger than the smart phone.
- headShrinker 8y ago
  Hopefully it isn't just about cellphones, though that was a big one. There are tons of sectors waiting to be disrupted and markets yet to be created. No one knew they wanted an iMac, iPod, or an iPad. Apple created those markets. meanwhile after Jobs, the Apple Watch isn't doing that well. iPod sold more units in one year than the entire history of Apple Watch. The home pod is a wash. Beyond that, there are no Apple hardware success stories. I think that's because Jobs took huge risks, had huge vision and put huge pressure on staff and the tech and media industries. No one is doing that anymore. except Elon Musk
  - scarface74 8y ago
    It took Apple two years to sell the first million iPods. It was nowhere near an overnight success. At its height it sold 50 million a year. When the iMac was introduced, Apple was celebrating selling one million Macs a quarter. In its best year, Apple sold around 20 million Macs in total a year - less than half the number of iPhones they sell in a quarter. At its height, Apple sold about 45-60 million iPads a year - again about the number of iPhones Apple sells in a quarter. I’ll consider Elon Musk a “success” when either SpaceX or Tesla is profitable long term. Going into the phone market wasn’t a huge untapped market. By the time the iPhone came out, the mobile phone was already the next big thing. As far as the Apple Watch not being a success, it’s a more profitable product than cell phones are for any company besides Apple and Samsung....
    - itchyouch 8y ago
      I think if there is another segment for Apple to be as successful as the iPhone, it's not obvious yet, which product it is to be. Another challenge is that there are markets to be disrupted, but they may not necessarily be a 1 trillion dollar market like smartphones have been. Apple could disrupt an industry that people may absolutely love and flock to, but if its size is 50 Billion dollars, but that would be less than 10% of their current market cap. What would be a 50B dollar successful stand-alone business doesn't necessarily serve as the product that can get Apple to say a 2T market cap. And it isn't like Apple isn't trying to find a product (e.g. apple car, watch, homepods, etc).
      - scarface74 8y ago
        That’s the problem. If any other company had a new product that generated $10 billion in profit a year, everyone would be celebrating. If Apple does it, people yawn. Without realizing that most phone manufacturers can’t even break even consistently....
    - headShrinker 8y ago
      > I’ll consider Elon Musk a “success” when either SpaceX or Tesla is profitable long term. Ehem... I'm sure you applied your stringent earnings requirements to other companies like Amazon as well... https://qz.com/1196256/it-took-amazon-amzn-14-years-to-make-as-much-net-profit-as-it-did-in-the-fourth-quarter-of-2017/ https://qz.com/1196256/it-took-amazon-amzn-14-years-to-make-...

scarface74 8y ago

Everyone acts as if it’s possible to come up with an electronic product in a category that’s more massive than the mobile phone. 5 years before the iPhone was introduced, it was clear that the world was getting to a point that almost everyone would have a phone. Since the iPhone was introduced, no one has come up with a product larger than the smart phone.

headShrinker 8y ago
Hopefully it isn't just about cellphones, though that was a big one. There are tons of sectors waiting to be disrupted and markets yet to be created. No one knew they wanted an iMac, iPod, or an iPad. Apple created those markets. meanwhile after Jobs, the Apple Watch isn't doing that well. iPod sold more units in one year than the entire history of Apple Watch. The home pod is a wash. Beyond that, there are no Apple hardware success stories. I think that's because Jobs took huge risks, had huge vision and put huge pressure on staff and the tech and media industries. No one is doing that anymore. except Elon Musk
- scarface74 8y ago
  It took Apple two years to sell the first million iPods. It was nowhere near an overnight success. At its height it sold 50 million a year. When the iMac was introduced, Apple was celebrating selling one million Macs a quarter. In its best year, Apple sold around 20 million Macs in total a year - less than half the number of iPhones they sell in a quarter. At its height, Apple sold about 45-60 million iPads a year - again about the number of iPhones Apple sells in a quarter. I’ll consider Elon Musk a “success” when either SpaceX or Tesla is profitable long term. Going into the phone market wasn’t a huge untapped market. By the time the iPhone came out, the mobile phone was already the next big thing. As far as the Apple Watch not being a success, it’s a more profitable product than cell phones are for any company besides Apple and Samsung....
  - itchyouch 8y ago
    I think if there is another segment for Apple to be as successful as the iPhone, it's not obvious yet, which product it is to be. Another challenge is that there are markets to be disrupted, but they may not necessarily be a 1 trillion dollar market like smartphones have been. Apple could disrupt an industry that people may absolutely love and flock to, but if its size is 50 Billion dollars, but that would be less than 10% of their current market cap. What would be a 50B dollar successful stand-alone business doesn't necessarily serve as the product that can get Apple to say a 2T market cap. And it isn't like Apple isn't trying to find a product (e.g. apple car, watch, homepods, etc).
    - scarface74 8y ago
      That’s the problem. If any other company had a new product that generated $10 billion in profit a year, everyone would be celebrating. If Apple does it, people yawn. Without realizing that most phone manufacturers can’t even break even consistently....
  - headShrinker 8y ago
    > I’ll consider Elon Musk a “success” when either SpaceX or Tesla is profitable long term. Ehem... I'm sure you applied your stringent earnings requirements to other companies like Amazon as well... https://qz.com/1196256/it-took-amazon-amzn-14-years-to-make-as-much-net-profit-as-it-did-in-the-fourth-quarter-of-2017/ https://qz.com/1196256/it-took-amazon-amzn-14-years-to-make-...