Highlights of Apple's 1Q 2011 Conference Call

[Jcoz]

As to response number 1, really? Look at the Apps available on the iPad that aren't available or supported on the other iOS devices. Just in the area of Document creation/editing and presentation alone, make the iPad a viable alternative to a laptop for many people, including myself. The iPod Touch or iPhone simply cannot fill that bill. It is a simple fact that the iPad is cannibalizing laptop and net-book sales (for Apple and others). The iPod Touch did not. Therefore, your first statement is incorrect. Just because you may not use it for more than you would use an iPod Touch, is not a reflection of the views of the other 14.8 million users or the capabilities of the device.

I have a friend who uses his microwave that sits on his counter for nothing more than a place to store his bread. His failure to use or recognize additional capabilities of his microwave does not mean that a microwave is nothing more than a large breadbox.

As to statement number 2: Really? You have completely discredited yourself. Especially with the absoluteness of the statement, "Nobody". By April, Apple had already sold 600,000 books. The Kindle Reader has been as high as number 5 on the top downloads, and is today number 100 on a massive list of Apps for the iPad. I can assure you, people aren't downloading it to "store their bread".

The Kindle Reader is an excellent reader for the record, and I can see why people like it. It's praise is fully deserved. However, the Kindle as a web browser? It's "experimental" as stated by Amazon, and it is pretty useless. Media? Pictures? The list is long as to what a Kindle does not do, and what "Nobody" actually does on it.

So you can get a device that is a decent or good reader, and a great almost everything else, or you can get a great reader that does almost nothing else. I, personally, like to take ONE device on the road with me thank you.

IMO, amazon should keep that minimal as can be.

No need to experiment, the screen is specialized, and specialized well.

Definitely a place for it that isn't going to be met by the media tablet sector.

 

[kdarling]

Tim wasn't talking about apps when he mentioned the scaled-up smartphone experience, he was talking about the OS.

He was talking about both the OS and the screen size, but those alone don't do anything. The only thing that matters are the apps.

The version of Android out there right now is only meant for smartphones. To use it in a tablet format means you have to scale it up.

When Google said it wasn't meant for a tablet, all they meant was that they hadn't yet added support for showing multiple screen sections/menus at a time, and things like floating the main buttons as you rotate the orientation.

That doesn't at all mean you cannot run apps on it, or create large-screen nice looking "tablet" apps even now.

Amost all Android apps scale up very nicely to use the full screen, and without being pixelated.

iOS is meant for whatever format it is running on. It was originally meant for tablets before Apple decided to release the iPhone first.

There was no iOS for tablets at first, although certainly there was touch tablet UI R&D going on... Jobs said so. We also know that iOS itself did not exist before the OSX port began for the iPhone at the end of 2005.

Some common larger screen tablet concepts such as split views and popovers were folded back into iOS later on for the iPad to use.

 

[Mr. Chewbacca]

I wonder how many people fall under the halo effect category?

First I got an iPod for Xmas. It sat in a drawer for a year before I finally checked out iTunes and podcasts. Then it progressed to a bigger iPod then my brother gave me his iPhone 2g.

That was it, I became a fan. My 2g was upgraded to a 4 the day it came out, this is being written on my iPad connected to the web with a new 1tb timeport and I came here today to find any new rumors about my future MBP.

The effect of the iPhone was to create an all around Apple fan. Unless Apple changes I imagine I will be a loyal customer for life

 

[reckless2k2]

I had similar thoughts to you when it was first announced, I just couldn't see why that many people would want a 'big iPod touch'. That changed when I had a play on one and you could see straight away what an impressive product it was.

I trashed talked the iPad when it first came out too. I thought it just a big iPod Touch and hated that it ran iOS. It wasn't long before I bought one and use it like crazy every day.

 

[mrsir2009]

Well, one of the iOS device's main purposes was to sell more Macs - And it seems to be working quite well. You see a lot of people buying iOS devices then buying Macs.

 

[Jcoz]

Well, one of the iOS device's main purposes was to sell more Macs - And it seems to be working quite well. You see a lot of people buying iOS devices then buying Macs.

Visibility and brand recognition is very high....I don't know whether its just how the apple symbol sticks out but all I ever see in an airport seems to be macs.

By a large margin. I dont remember this always being the case at all.

Its weird, walking around and watching tv, you'd think Apple was the one with 90% market share (or whatever the number is) instead of the other way around.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

I trashed talked the iPad when it first came out too. I thought it just a big iPod Touch and hated that it ran iOS. It wasn't long before I bought one and use it like crazy every day.

I still can't get into mine. It sits on my desk doing nothing. I use my Macbook Air for everything. its small enough to carry around and does everything I could want and more.

 

[Presssack]

In conjunction with the rumor of the iPad "Retina" Display:

As Tim Cook was talking yesterday in the phone conference about contracts they made in 2005 for the SSD Flash Memory and that they did it now for another technic.

The "only" real evolutional milestone for the display segment, like the SSD was for the harddrives, are in my opinion the so called electronic papers or powder displays.

I guess that they already have their hands on these or similar display technologies. With ultra thin displays that are brilliant like the current state of LCD, but consuming only a fraction of power, they can make the next milestone to even thinner displays and an extensive longer battery runtime.
Like MacBook -> MacBook Air...

Does anyone share this one or has another clue what Tim Cook meant on the phone conference call? Am I too far in the future with these electronic papers?

Cheers
Daniel

 

[ChinaAzzi]

China is in love with iPad

I still can't get into mine. It sits on my desk doing nothing. I use my Macbook Air for everything. its small enough to carry around and does everything I could want and more.

iPad is really big in China. I see so many Chinese with them and they don't spend money on something unless they hear good things about it from their friends and social networks. There are more and more Apple looking stores in China to service these new customers. I talked to one owner and he plans to open a 1,000 stores he has a few 100 now.

 

[Bytor65]

2)Nobody uses the iPad for reading books.

That seems ridiculous. They had 5 million book downloads by June and already had 22% of the ebook market.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/07/ipad-ibooks-app-store-stats/

Some people may have issues with reading on LCDs, but I have read whole novels on LCD PDAs (I don't have an iPad).

 

[NT1440]

Its weird, walking around and watching tv, you'd think Apple was the one with 90% market share (or whatever the number is) instead of the other way around.

Thats because while Apple may only have <10% of the marketshare, they have a vast majority of the public mindshare.

 

[i.mac]

Sorry sir are we not formal enough for you?

You reach Demi status by contributing to the site through a paid membership. Some people are Demi status with only a few posts because they feel the site is worth supporting

Why is this in any way important?

 

[i.mac]

I still can't get into mine. It sits on my desk doing nothing. I use my Macbook Air for everything. its small enough to carry around and does everything I could want and more.

My iPad is my personal briefcase:

. Take all kind of notes for work and personal. Never again will I need an egineer's pad.

. When traveling for work, I do not take any papers. All is in my iPad to read.

. Books, articles, magazines, all fits into my iPad

. Personal bible and hundreds of books on all subjects within easy reach

. Encyclopedia, animated books for my kids, photos, movies...

. not to mention email + Internet

. Too many other uses... Soon it will replace my scanner as well

. My kids will wonder how was life possible before the iPad.

 

[Bernard SG]

Visibility and brand recognition is very high....I don't know whether its just how the apple symbol sticks out but all I ever see in an airport seems to be macs.

By a large margin. I dont remember this always being the case at all.

Its weird, walking around and watching tv, you'd think Apple was the one with 90% market share (or whatever the number is) instead of the other way around.

Very true, that.
I work in a company whose IT systems are rabidly Windowzinated, however when they show someone on a computer in some document that is directed to the public, the computer is systematically a Mac.

 

[*LTD*]

So, iPad naysayers!

Where're your windows NOW, huh?

15 million in 9 months. Incredible.
And all those tech experts said it would probably be hard stressed to reach 4 million in sales. Doofs.

The moment I saw SJ sit down with that thing in that comfy chair and just start swiping away, I thought "winner."

I mean, it was so obvious. Pretty hard to believe so many missed the point. Then again, it just shows how bankrupt the industry is (and pundits, too) when it comes to imagination.

 

[nylonsteel]

I'm amused by tim cook's remarks of tablet competitors as -
"heavy," "bizarre" and nothing but "vapor"
similar of his comments of netbooks a couple years back - which turned out to be correct
now - i'd rather own an ipad versus a netbook
netbooks are so 2008
i think mr cook is very competent as steve's backup - in business

 

[apple1990]

I'm amused by tim cook's remarks of tablet competitors as -
"heavy," "bizarre" and nothing but "vapor"
similar of his comments of netbooks a couple years back - which turned out to be correct
now - i'd rather own an ipad versus a netbook
netbooks are so 2008
i think mr cook is very competent as steve's backup - in business

Luckily there are plenty of visionaries at Apple, Ives being the biggest. I think Cook is the best man for the job, if/when Steve leaves. Hes a huge reason behind Apple's success. Streamlined the operations to a ridiculously good level, the margins have been increasing even while they have been ramping up.

 

[rdowns]

I'm amused by tim cook's remarks of tablet competitors as -
"heavy," "bizarre" and nothing but "vapor"
similar of his comments of netbooks a couple years back - which turned out to be correct
now - i'd rather own an ipad versus a netbook
netbooks are so 2008
i think mr cook is very competent as steve's backup - in business

Backup? Hardly. Tim Cook has as much to do with Apple's success as Jobs, maybe more.

 

[doctor-don]

Considering the financial report and the current state of Apple, one wonders why AAPL closed 6 points lower on Friday.