Where is Apple Products heading?

[dinggus]

I've been out of the Apple game for awhile, got tired of upgrading phones or tablets that other companies already came out with. Not trying to turn this into a debate. I'm just curious where Apple products are heading.

For example, the MacBook and MacBook Air. Is there really need for both of those? Isn't the MacBook just as thin as the air, besides wanting a bigger screen (MBA comes in 2 sizes)

iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro (9.7). Really, for $100 more you get the 32GB iPad Pro.

So, my question is the MacBook Air and iPad Air lines eventually going away soon?

 

[Tech198]

I reckon its more of a difference between what customers want.

Small screen vs larger screen while still being fairly on the light side, and a "pro" Mac, but giving up the weight for performance, and connectivity external ports added instead of just one USB-C connector.

MBA and iPad Air, same thing..

You want a tablet for light use, but not exactly a computer that can do everything... Use the right tool to get the job done..

Although you could just just use a MBA, These days I also can't help feeling although u have different devices with limited scope of tings it can do, it also opens it up for "Well which device would be best suited" since in all cases u can do anything on an iPad as much as u can a smaller iPhone.. The trade-off of a smaller screen may have some advantages, but depending on uses. Rather than one device, to a few. customers now must decide on that scale. To the point, it starts to get confusing.. It's probably just demand, then anything.

Apple will kill of iPad Air 2 eventually, I think . Now u have the equivalent better version with a pencil.

Isn't that what Apple does? Come out with a bigger version to distinct it away from other products,, one year later they may put out an equivalent of a two year old device, then then its *feels* a better reason to just expire the original. As though it may not be "that much" of an issue since the scope is smaller. I always found that recently.

 

[dinggus]

Demand makes sense. But, if I was to chose between the 11" MBA and 11" MacBook, I'd go for the MacBook due to better screen.

 

[C DM]

Sounds like a good question to pose to Apple.

 

[roadbloc]

downhill

 

[Tech198]

hehe..I second that emotion..

 

[Smartass]

under Tim Cook? not very far. He needs to go, he's a good CEO but he's not a type of person that Apple needs.

 

[I7guy]

under Tim Cook? not very far. He needs to go, he's a good CEO but he's not a type of person that Apple needs.

He will go. When he's ready to retire.

 

[Low country]

under Tim Cook? not very far. He needs to go, he's a good CEO but he's not a type of person that Apple needs.

Wrong...he is DEFINITELY not a good CEO

 

[I7guy]

Wrong...he is DEFINITELY not a good CEO

He's not going anywhere anytime soon is my prediction. BH investment is a testament to that.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

under Tim Cook? not very far. He needs to go, he's a good CEO but he's not a type of person that Apple needs.

You can't say that b/c he has never been a CEO anywhere but Apple. Maybe he would be a great CEO somewhere else, but that hypothesis hasn't been proven yet.

He was a good chief of operations at Apple. He's actions as CEO though show him to be not only unfocused, but also unable to manage the cadre of "celebrity" Exec VPs under him. He looks less like a pack leader and more like a substitute 7th grade school teacher.

I have a lot of historical reference when it comes to Apple. I remember the Sculley, Amelio, Spindler days. I'm getting a stronger feeling of deja vu every passing day. Unlike then Apple still has a "halo" and its stock is worth something, so I suspect TC understands the stakes. But then, judging from the iPhone 7 rumors, maybe not.

 

[Low country]

Well I posted a similar thread about Apple's disturbing direction here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-disturbing-direction-that-apple-is-headed.1973609/page-2

And it seems about 95% of the responses I got are absolutely thrilled with Apple and see no issues at all, yet every responder on this thread sees Apple definitely headed in the wrong direction.....funny how these forums work...

 

[C DM]

Wrong...he is DEFINITELY not a good CEO

Yup, Apple has only been selling like crazy and setting records under him.

 

[I7guy]

Well I posted a similar thread about Apple's disturbing direction here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-disturbing-direction-that-apple-is-headed.1973609/page-2

And it seems about 95% of the responses I got are absolutely thrilled with Apple and see no issues at all, yet every responder on this thread sees Apple definitely headed in the wrong direction.....funny how these forums work...

Certain threads are a magnet for certain types of responses that don't in general align with the world or universe.

 

[grahamperrin]

Where is Apple Products heading?

Primarily to fatten the purses and wallets of shareholders. Secondarily to customers.

 

[maflynn]

Yup, Apple has only been selling like crazy and setting records under him.

but yet, with sales slowing, perhaps his weaknesses are starting to peak through.

Let me put it another way, Steve Jobs set in motion, some great advances at Apple that Cook only had to manage. Basically, Cook was riding the wave of popularity that Jobs created. Now that the wave has crested, we're relying on him to create the next magical product. I'm not saying he can't, but that's what he's facing now.

 

[C DM]

but yet, with sales slowing, perhaps his weaknesses are starting to peak through.

Let me put it another way, Steve Jobs set in motion, some great advances at Apple that Cook only had to manage. Basically, Cook was riding the wave of popularity that Jobs created. Now that the wave has crested, we're relying on him to create the next magical product. I'm not saying he can't, but that's what he's facing now.

There's something to that, but I don't tbink it's all that or even mostly that more than five years after Cook has been in charge. The wave was there and contributed of course, but when worldwide historic earnings records are set so many years after it all, the CEO in place would have a good amount to do with it.

 

[Low country]

Yup, Apple has only been selling like crazy and setting records under him.

WTF are you smoking my friend?! Their stock has tanked, the watch was a failure, iPhone and iPad sales are headed in reverse, analysts are extremely concerned....You better bookmark Bloomberg and Forbes

 

[C DM]

WTF are you smoking my friend?! Their stock has tanked, the watch was a failure, iPhone and iPad sales are headed in reverse, analysts are extremely concerned....You better bookmark Bloomberg and Forbes

Apple didn't break historic worldwide earnings records in the quarter prior to the last one? They haven't been at the top of of being the most valued company ever? Talk about smoking something.

 

[maflynn]

Apple didn't break historic worldwide earnings records in the quarter prior to the last one? They haven't been at the top of of being the most valued company ever? Talk about smoking something.

The writing is on the wall with the iPhone sales, and given that Apple derives most of its income from a single product, financial experts are concern and @Low country is correct, the stock price has been going down for some time. If analysts were bullish and thought that Apple would still be making record profits, then the stock price would be performing better.

And it seems Google is valued more then Apple at this point.
Google Again Surpasses Apple as Most Valuable Company in the World

Apple's share price is down again amid rumors of weak demand for the upcoming iPhone 7 and there's no relief in sight as Apple is also expecting a revenue drop in Q3 2016.

 

[C DM]

The writing is on the wall with the iPhone sales, and given that Apple derives most of its income from a single product, financial experts are concern and @Low country is correct, the stock price has been going down for some time. If analysts were bullish and thought that Apple would still be making record profits, then the stock price would be performing better.

And it seems Google is valued more then Apple at this point.
Google Again Surpasses Apple as Most Valuable Company in the World

That doesn't mean that Apple hasn't done exceptionally well even for years after Jobs with Cook running it. Certainly even if there might be some concerns there has been plenty prosperity and well beyond that with Cook in charge (and while Jobs' legacy contributed to it it's hard to say that it was just it on its own that has been responsible for it all especially so many years afterward). So saying Cook is "DEFINITELY" not a good CEO is basically just cherry picking this or that and (conveniently) ignoring rather large pieces of the rest.

And yes Google/Alphabet might be ahead as of not long ago that doesn't change that Apple was at the top for a while and is still pretty much there even if not first, all still under Cook. Certainly well ahead of thousands of other companies, many of which are considered great or good with respected CEOs.

 

[maflynn]

So saying Cook is "DEFINITELY" not a good CEO is basically just cherry picking this or that and (conveniently) ignoring rather large pieces of the rest.

I don't think its cherry picking as its germane to the topic. I don't think he's a bad CEO either. I think he's been a very good manager of what was handed to him.

What Apple needs imo, is someone not to manage, but to lead and innovate. Like it or not excitement is waning with regard to some apple products. Even Apple is cautioning the financial eggheads on wallstreet, in that they're lowering expectations for the iPhone 7. The past quarter Mac sales dropped 40%, that's a huge drop off.

Yes, Apple has made money hand over fist, primarily thanks to the iPhone and that's where people are mostly concerned. With iPhone sales now dropping, what will apple do? So far we've gotten pink products.

I also understand there are forces and circumstances larger then him, making it harder on Apple, but as the CEO who's made it a point to be the face of apple, when things go south, its on his shoulders fair or not. He's taken the adulation an enjoyed the fruits of Apple's success, he now needs to put on his shoulders the responsibility of leading apple through this period of lower iPhone sales.

 

[C DM]

I don't think its cherry picking as its germane to the topic. I don't think he's a bad CEO either. I think he's been a very good manager of what was handed to him.

What Apple needs imo, is someone not to manage, but to lead and innovate. Like it or not excitement is waning with regard to some apple products. Even Apple is cautioning the financial eggheads on wallstreet, in that they're lowering expectations for the iPhone 7. The past quarter Mac sales dropped 40%, that's a huge drop off.

Yes, Apple has made money hand over fist, primarily thanks to the iPhone and that's where people are mostly concerned. With iPhone sales now dropping, what will apple do? So far we've gotten pink products.

I also understand there are forces and circumstances larger then him, making it harder on Apple, but as the CEO who's made it a point to be the face of apple, when things go south, its on his shoulders fair or not. He's taken the adulation an enjoyed the fruits of Apple's success, he now needs to put on his shoulders the responsibility of leading apple through this period of lower iPhone sales.

While I agree with various parts of what's mentioned there to one degree or another, it's not really quite how the original comment that I responded to was really coming off.

 

[I7guy]

I don't think its cherry picking as its germane to the topic. I don't think he's a bad CEO either. I think he's been a very good manager of what was handed to him.

What Apple needs imo, is someone not to manage, but to lead and innovate. Like it or not excitement is waning with regard to some apple products. Even Apple is cautioning the financial eggheads on wallstreet, in that they're lowering expectations for the iPhone 7. The past quarter Mac sales dropped 40%, that's a huge drop off.

Yes, Apple has made money hand over fist, primarily thanks to the iPhone and that's where people are mostly concerned. With iPhone sales now dropping, what will apple do? So far we've gotten pink products.

I also understand there are forces and circumstances larger then him, making it harder on Apple, but as the CEO who's made it a point to be the face of apple, when things go south, its on his shoulders fair or not. He's taken the adulation an enjoyed the fruits of Apple's success, he now needs to put on his shoulders the responsibility of leading apple through this period of lower iPhone sales.

Since we're on this discussion of innovating even Steve jobs might not have done a good a job as Tim as bringing record sales quarter after quarter. People like to think he was infallible, but 2q/16 might look exactly the same financially no matter who is or was ceo.

 

[maflynn]

Since we're on this discussion of innovating even Steve jobs might not have done a good a job as Tim as bringing record sales quarter after quarter. People like to think he was infallible, but 2q/16 might look exactly the same financially no matter who is or was ceo.

Agreed, there's no way to project forward his success. His track record however is such that if I were to pick between Steve Jobs and Tim Cook to lead Apple, I'd pick Jobs.