Not be direct or maybe I will be — are you a international soothsayer ? How would you or anyone know all the ins and outs of every single carriers offers globally? Do you even know just how many they are?
I mean forest through the trees people.
It’s mindboggling to think that a corporation whether it’s Tim Cook or anyone else just somehow sits there and just makes stuff up...
I mean really folks. C’mon. really !
And earth to MANY OF YOU — if he is including AMERICAN CARRIERS - yes to many many iPhone owners that have not upgraded in years - YES years - they would
NOT be inclined to do so without the old subsidy paradigm - I mean what is so “shocking and untrue” about that?
There’s no doubt the lack of subsidies for
cell phone carriers is now having a material impact on ANYONES decision to upgrade or not. Not every consumer upgrades their electronics yearly, every other year or even every three years.
The lack of getting a $1k phone for $250 as a carrier subsidy IS having a serious impact on upgrades — period.
U.S. carriers haven’t had subsidies for several years now. However, they now offer “carrier financing” which in substance is the same thing.
If Tim Cook said that Apple was making less because the cellular carriers are being greedy and charging more, then I could see some validity to your claim.
Looking at the totality of the market with Samsung’s r cent announcement, it does appear we are close to reaching market saturation in regards to smartphones. The difference is that Samsung has multiple revenue streams which will allow it to adapt faster to the new normal. However, as much as Apple has attempted to diversify its business, it is still a very much a one-trick pony with iPhone sales accounting for well and over one-half its revenue.
We wil have to see if Apple considers opening up its sevices to Android devices. That may be one way for Apple to increase demand for its services but runs the risk of reducing demand for iPhones even more.
They can try to make another play for MacBooks in Enterprise. But again their high prices and difficulty in repairs make them a nonstarter for many businesses.
I liken this problem to one Starbucks has had for a while now. What do you do once you have a coffee shop on every corner?