Gene Munster Shares WWDC Predictions: Beats Product With Siri Integration, Improvements to AI and AR

[SteveW928]

Right but you are not understanding my point. He doesn't follow Mac because it's a small part of Apple's revenue. That is not the same thing as him not caring if Apple discontinues it. From a financial perspective he would care about whether Apple could replace that revenue. If it could, yes, he's not sentimental about any particular product. He's a financial analyst. Money is money. I doubt many analysts coving GE monitor light bulb sales.

And... that would make him not a very good financial analyst, because the real world is much more complex than a pie-chart and spreadsheet. No, things wouldn't be the same if you could replace the Mac with equivalent revenue. For crying out loud, this is a developer's conference. If the Mac went away, how would developers make the apps that drive the iPhone?!

My fear, is that Apple might have a bit too much of this kind of short-sighted thinking going on as well.

 

[gugy]

I would love to hear some information about the Mac Pro and displays. This wait is insane.

 

[SteveW928]

I would love to hear some information about the Mac Pro and displays. This wait is insane.

Yea, some updates would be nice, but I think we already know that will be sometime in 2019... maybe next year's WWDC.

I'm more interested in what happens to the Mini, the laptops, maybe the iMac, as they are also behind or have issues that need fixing (and we don't have a timeframe for them yet). Or, what Apple's real plans are for eGPU (will they support a variety, or continue to tighten the screws on how flexible they are). Is the OS getting good attention, or just being further degraded. Or, is Apple going to give us some new Mac to fill in the gaping hole in the desktop lineup (assuming it isn't the Mini)?
Stuff like that.

 

[mariusignorello]

Why do people keep complaining about emojis. Sure, Apple talked about them during the iPhone X unveiling, but they kind of had to. I remember them talking about the redesigned Messages app in iOS 10, and talking about them. But thats it. Usually they add new ones with a iOS X.1 or X.2 update. And they just update them to stay up to date with other phones. So its not that big of a deal.

The emojis don’t bother me. They’re actually quite nice. It’s the amount of time they dedicated to them.

 

[SteveW928]

The emojis don’t bother me. They’re actually quite nice. It’s the amount of time they dedicated to them.

And, how it indicates what the new target market is for Apple, and how that target market is more concerned with triviality than substance (and what the long-term implications are of focusing on that vs making our lives better and more productive).

And... if you're a shareholder, what the longer term impact is in a company shifting from substance to triviality and fashion (both, of which can *rapidly* change and impact profitability).

 

[Glockworkorange]

If all they show is stupid %*#$ like that, I'm probably done with Apple.
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What universe do you live in? Most of the Mac line hasn't been updated in years. (I guess a couple products were downgraded, though.)

I see what you did there.

 

[SteveW928]

I see what you did there.

?

 

[Chupa Chupa]

And... that would make him not a very good financial analyst, because the real world is much more complex than a pie-chart and spreadsheet. No, things wouldn't be the same if you could replace the Mac with equivalent revenue. For crying out loud, this is a developer's conference. If the Mac went away, how would developers make the apps that drive the iPhone?!

My fear, is that Apple might have a bit too much of this kind of short-sighted thinking going on as well.

Says the guy not making millions, previously working for a high end Wall Street shop, currently with his own firm. Munster is not an auditor, he is a tech investor focusing on future tech, not past. No one buys AAPL shares for the Mac play. Sorry, they don't.

But it's funny, you say the world is more complex than pie-charts, and yet, its that pie chart that Munster is ignoring and looking at what really will fuel Apple and AAPL growth. You should get your story straight.

 

[tkermit]

You do realize that WWDC is a software developer conference not a consumer hardware event, right?

The keynote event never seemed particularly developer-oriented these past few years. Seems like nowadays the Platforms State of the Union address is what the keynote used to be.

 

[Glockworkorange]

?

Products were literally updated, but the updates over the past few years can be seen as downgrades, with the lack or ports, keyboard issues, etc.

At least that is what I took it to mean.

 

[Zwhaler]

Siri integration with Beats? Someone get me a barf bag.

 

[Michael Goff]

Products were literally updated, but the updates over the past few years can be seen as downgrades, with the lack or ports, keyboard issues, etc.

At least that is what I took it to mean.

I laugh when people say the USB C thing is a downgrade. It’s literally better in almost every way.

 

[macduke]

Ugh I don’t want to get something Beats branded just to get a cheaper HomePod. I’ll just wait until HomePod is useful enough for me to want one for the price.

 

[SteveW928]

Says the guy not making millions, previously working for a high end Wall Street shop, currently with his own firm. Munster is not an auditor, he is a tech investor focusing on future tech, not past. No one buys AAPL shares for the Mac play. Sorry, they don't.

But it's funny, you say the world is more complex than pie-charts, and yet, its that pie chart that Munster is ignoring and looking at what really will fuel Apple and AAPL growth. You should get your story straight.

The Mac is an integral part of what makes Apple, Apple. Developers use Macs. Creatives use Macs. People who do complex projects and 'change the world' who care about productivity use Macs.

These people need Macs, not emojis, TV shows, or Beats w/ Siri integration. Someone who is just looking at the numbers and trying to figure out how Apple might maximize profits - but who can't see the big picture - doesn't really understand investing.

Of course, now if you're talking about gambling in the markets under the guise of 'investment,' then yea, I suppose. All they care about in that case is short-term gains, even if it ultimately ruins the company. That's not investing, though.

Products were literally updated, but the updates over the past few years can be seen as downgrades, with the lack or ports, keyboard issues, etc.
At least that is what I took it to mean.

Yes, that's pretty much what I meant. Several models haven't seen updates at all in a long time. And several of the models that have been updated very recently (like laptops) or just several years ago (Mini) have been seen as somewhat downgrades in various aspects, compared to the previous versions.

I laugh when people say the USB C thing is a downgrade. It’s literally better in almost every way.

USB-C isn't a downgrade, but for many, *only* USB-C is. You shouldn't need adapters when you're out and about to be able to plug pretty much anything into your laptop. It might be a technological upgrade, but it's a productivity/functional downgrade.

But, that's the least of the problems with the new MBPs.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

The Mac is an integral part of what makes Apple, Apple. Developers use Macs. Creatives use Macs. People who do complex projects and 'change the world' who care about productivity use Macs.

These people need Macs, not emojis, TV shows, or Beats w/ Siri integration. Someone who is just looking at the numbers and trying to figure out how Apple might maximize profits - but who can't see the big picture - doesn't really understand investing.

Of course, now if you're talking about gambling in the markets under the guise of 'investment,' then yea, I suppose. All they care about in that case is short-term gains, even if it ultimately ruins the company. That's not investing, though.

Yes, you are mixing up what Apple fans are looking for and what agnostic Wall St. investors and analysts like Muster are looking at. Wall Street doesn't follow the Mac segment much because that isn't where future growth for AAPL and Apple is. To them Mac is a legacy product that will eventually be subsumed in revenue by some other product much as the iPhone vanquished the iPod, Apple's previous big money maker. Wall St isn't looking as just numbers as you say, they are looking at forthcoming products that will create growth. Mac sales haven't grown in a decade. It's not going to start now with the whole desktop/laptop segment across all brands and OSes shrinking.

 

[rfrmac]

If all of this is true, and that's all that can be introduced and talked about, then another year of "innovation gap".

 

[SteveW928]

Yes, you are mixing up what Apple fans are looking for and what agnostic Wall St. investors and analysts like Muster are looking at. Wall Street doesn't follow the Mac segment much because that isn't where future growth for AAPL and Apple is. To them Mac is a legacy product that will eventually be subsumed in revenue by some other product much as the iPhone vanquished the iPod, Apple's previous big money maker. Wall St isn't looking as just numbers as you say, they are looking at forthcoming products that will create growth. Mac sales haven't grown in a decade. It's not going to start now with the whole desktop/laptop segment across all brands and OSes shrinking.

Yes, I get that... and I'm saying why they are wrong. (If investment is the goal, which it often isn't.)

The Mac isn't a growth area, necessarily, but it is a necessary part of the eco-system, without which the rest of the eco-system - including future growth - wouldn't happen.

It is possible that will change some day far into the future, but that is the current reality.

 

[Glockworkorange]

The Mac is an integral part of what makes Apple, Apple. Developers use Macs. Creatives use Macs. People who do complex projects and 'change the world' who care about productivity use Macs.

These people need Macs, not emojis, TV shows, or Beats w/ Siri integration. Someone who is just looking at the numbers and trying to figure out how Apple might maximize profits - but who can't see the big picture - doesn't really understand investing.

Of course, now if you're talking about gambling in the markets under the guise of 'investment,' then yea, I suppose. All they care about in that case is short-term gains, even if it ultimately ruins the company. That's not investing, though.



Yes, that's pretty much what I meant. Several models haven't seen updates at all in a long time. And several of the models that have been updated very recently (like laptops) or just several years ago (Mini) have been seen as somewhat downgrades in various aspects, compared to the previous versions.



USB-C isn't a downgrade, but for many, *only* USB-C is. You shouldn't need adapters when you're out and about to be able to plug pretty much anything into your laptop. It might be a technological upgrade, but it's a productivity/functional downgrade.

But, that's the least of the problems with the new MBPs.

I suspect the keyboard is the biggest for most, followed by RAM and then USB-C only.

Can't fix the keyboard and RAM problems. Can fix the USB-C issue with a dongle.

Personally, I've had zero problems with all USB-C /TB 3. I can understand why others might, however, especially if it's your only Mac.

 

[SteveW928]

I suspect the keyboard is the biggest for most, followed by RAM and then USB-C only.

Can't fix the keyboard and RAM problems. Can fix the USB-C issue with a dongle.

Personally, I've had zero problems with all USB-C /TB 3. I can understand why others might, however, especially if it's your only Mac.

I more or less agree. They *could* fix the RAM issue, like Dell and others have. But, it would take Apple making a particular SKU aimed at that audience. I doubt they will do that.

They could also fix the USB-C problem by just adding a USB-A on their models that allow for it (in terms of space). But, I suppose Apple is trying hard to force USB-C adoption at the expense of their user's convenience. That isn't unlike Apple, but this time I disagree with their timing. (i.e. something like Flash was horrible and needed to be forced out, while USB-A is still the majority by orders of magnitude.... and there is little wrong with it aside from port size.)

Yes, the keyboard is the main thing that has kept me from buying a 2016/17 MBP, but the other things weigh in as well. Also, I'm not happy with the massive trackpad, but some like it. The TouchBar is another huge issue, as it not only costs more, but I don't want it... and the non-TouchBar models aren't built like the TouchBar models, so they aren't really a choice.

So, when it comes to Apple pro laptops, it's either 2015 tech (sans TB3 port for expandability), or a very compromised, even broken design. Sorry, they just cost way to much for me to put up with that. If they don't fix it, I just likely won't be buying an Apple laptop again (after having owned more than a half-dozen personally, and several more within our family... and having recommended hundreds, maybe thousands of them to others over the years).