Apple Forecasts Another Revenue Decline Next Quarter

[69650]

I don't think that's it judging by their customer loyalty and Android switcher rates. They just haven't created anything compelling enough recently to capture the imagination of the masses. I can see a mature Apple Watch filling the void at some point and within the next few years, possibly VR, and of course, Apple Car.

Apple still made $10B in profit so it's not like this is a sinking ship. Far from it. These next few quarters have more to do with very difficult YoY comparisons and maturing markets but there's plenty of opportunity ahead.

You don't think a 16GB iPhone is taking the piss?
[doublepost=1461804167][/doublepost]

I don't think that's it judging by their customer loyalty and Android switcher rates. They just haven't created anything compelling enough recently to capture the imagination of the masses. I can see a mature Apple Watch filling the void at some point and within the next few years, possibly VR, and of course, Apple Car.

Apple still made $10B in profit so it's not like this is a sinking ship. Far from it. These next few quarters have more to do with very difficult YoY comparisons and maturing markets but there's plenty of opportunity ahead.

A significant part of Apple's appeal has been the brand rather than the product. It's the same reason why people pay over the odds for Nike or Adidas stuff. I do think some of that brand appeal has gone for whatever reason. You don't see the same lines outside their stores when new products launch. A lot of that was down to Steve. IMO Apple should do one of two things: either get another highly charismatic leader or make all their VPs invisible. You never see the CEO of Nike or Adidas. The brand is the star not the people behind it. That means locking Cook in his office, no more interviews, parades, fashion shows, etc. Re-create the mystique that Steve cultivated and used so incredibly well. Cook is turning Apple into a marmite brand that you either passionately love or hate. That is exactly what Blackberry did and look how that turned out. IMO that is a recipe for disaster in the long term.

 

[Karma*Police]

You don't think a 16GB iPhone is taking the piss?
[doublepost=1461804167][/doublepost]

Come on, do you really think adding another 16GB would've made a big difference in sales this quarter?

The low end model exists for companies that buy thousands of models for their employees and the few that don't download a lot of apps. For everyone else, the true entry level iPhone is the $749 model, and it's been that way for awhile.

Also, Apple doesn't charge $100 for more memory. They set it up that way so users can process the difference easier, but for Apple, it's more about the ASP.

[doublepost=1461814472][/doublepost]

A significant part of Apple's appeal has been the brand rather than the product. It's the same reason why people pay over the odds for Nike or Adidas stuff. I do think some of that brand appeal has gone for whatever reason. You don't see the same lines outside their stores when new products launch. A lot of that was down to Steve. IMO Apple should do one of two things: either get another highly charismatic leader or make all their VPs invisible. You never see the CEO of Nike or Adidas. The brand is the star not the people behind it. That means locking Cook in his office, no more interviews, parades, fashion shows, etc. Re-create the mystique that Steve cultivated and used so incredibly well. Cook is turning Apple into a marmite brand that you either passionately love or hate. That is exactly what Blackberry did and look how that turned out. IMO that is a recipe for disaster in the long term.

I think you have that backwards. The product and or service is what creates a strong brand.

People pay more for certain brands because those companies earned their customers' trust. You can run commercials all day long but if your product is no good, your sales won't follow.

As for Tim turning Apple into a brand that you either love or hate, Apple has always been that way and I'm pretty sure Steve's strong personality and propensity to mock competitors publicly had a lot to do with that. If anything, Apple has toned that way down under Tim.

At the end of the day, Tim and company just needs to crank out products that people love. We still have WWDC and new Macs, iPhones and Watches coming this year so I'm sure the excitement will once again build as we near those events. But as I said in my previous post, Apple needs another catalyst that captures the public's imagination before they see serious growth again.

 

[SteveW928]

Apparently, Apple knows something Obama doesn't.

 

[brewmonkey]

So does this mean Apple will announce new Macs at WWDC but will not release them until Q3? I would not expect a downward trend in sales for Q3 if a new Mac lineup is being released.

We are in Apple's Q3 right now (April-June), so yah, if they announce refreshed/redesigned Macs at WWDC in June (end of their Q3), the couple weeks remaining in that quarter probably won't be enough to make it a big one, but I expect Q4 to be a doozy, if they finally unleash the floodgates with a bunch of new Macs. As evidenced by all the angst around MR forums, seems that there's a pretty big pent up demand.

 

[xbjllb]

Wow. Who saw this coming?