My predictions for Apple

[the vj]

In 10 years Apple won't exist any more.

By the way things are turining and after being an Apple fan for 18 years (since the Powerbook 50c). I see Steve Jobs is not the one running the company.

Apple has become (and is becoming) more a company towards making a proffit rather than giving the artist the tools and freedom it used to.

I see Mac Books Pros with less ports and no options.
I see an overrated (way too expensive) Mac Book Air.
I see online based software.
I see a decline in hardware updates (and still no blu-ray support)
I se no more keynotes = we do not care about the Apple comunity.

And all this is getting more the trend.

And if you want to play "not to be naive", Steve Jobs is backing up. The Walt Disney is retiering but in steps because is not a secret his presence make a difference in the stock market value. So "lets take Jobs away without gradually".

If Apple continues this trend I see it will evolve into a company that makes apliances and not computers only. But the reason why Apple is Apple is because the loyal fans.

If Apple continues this way, read my words, in 10 years or less (I really give 4) the company will colapse. Probably the iPhone will give some important return but Black Berries are growing stronger.

Those are my predictions. Mac Pros will be left on a side and things will be less friendly.

 

[r.j.s]

Hate to break this to you, but Apple is a corporation. They have always been about making a profit.

 

[zap2]

I think you're over reacting, just a bit.


A lack of Blu-Ray really isn't that big of a deal, Apple just wants to push its HD model(rent stuff)

-MacBook Pro with a lack of ports? Where?

-MBA has a market, its pricey, but their is a class of these subnotebook

-Online software, well yes, the cloud is coming. But so far its basic stuff, don't over read into RUMORS

-Less hardware updates, where you around during PPC time, when Apple -laptops where way behind PC ones, and had no where to go, updates took forever and sucked?

-And they are still having keynote, just not the same time each year, this way they can plan them based off what products they have finished inplace of having to rush to finish in time for MWSF

 

[Keniff]

I see some big changes going on at Apple in the next year or two, but not for the reason of their products, but generally for the world economic down turn.

A recent report from 'Microsoft' is that they are going to make 15,000 redundancies worldwide (3000 in the UK), with more on the horizon.

Surely, there'll be a knock-on effect with Apple?

 

[r.j.s]

-And they are still having keynote, just not the same time each year, this way they can plan them based off what products they have finished inplace of having to rush to finish in time for MWSF

Damn straight, which will be better for all of us.

 

[Koodauw]

mymemory seems to be fading at the moment, but didn't Michael Dell once say something similar?

 

[Demosthenes X]

Not one of those things points towards a decline in the company, and some are just plain wrong.

I see Mac Books Pros with less ports and no options.

And yet that hasn't stopped them from selling like hotcakes.

I see an overrated (way too expensive) Mac Book Air.

And yet they continue to sell. Just because you're not going to buy one does not make it "too expensive". For the right buyer (and the Air has a relatively limited target market), it's a fantastic machine.

I see online based software.

And? It's the future, in my honest opinion.

I see a decline in hardware updates (and still no blu-ray support)

Blu-ray is still a niche market, and a personal preference. I have zero interest in Blu-ray on a computer, for one.

I se no more keynotes = we do not care about the Apple comunity.

No more MacWorld. Apple will still hold special events as necessary. And why in the world do you need an "event" to release a product, anyway? A simple press release should suffice.

On the other hand, I can come up with a list of reasons Apple will only grow in the future:

The iPhone will continue to gobble up market share as smartphone use is even more widely adopted and data rates fall.
The iPhone nano, if rumours prove true, will gobble up marketshare in non-smartphone categories.
Apple products will continue to increase their foothold in colleges and universities, creating a whole new generation of Apple customers who will continue to buy Apple products as they graduate.
The iTunes Store will continue to expand its offerings, eventually giving Apple the same edge in movies and TV shows that they have in music.

I think Apple is in an excellent position to grow and thrive as time goes on. They're selling the right products to appeal to the largest consumer base (and yes, sometimes that means that the hardcore professional niche market can't find exactly what they need, fact of life), and integrating their products in a way other companies can only dream of (e.g., the iPod + iTunes model).

 

[yg17]

The big problem with Apple ignoring Blu Ray in favor of iTunes is that as more and more ISPs implement bandwidth caps, people are going to opt for Blu Ray, which has better quality anyways. Some people will sacrifice quality for convenience, but once that convenience will result in them hitting the cap and getting charged, then people will go with Blu Ray.

I personally opt for Blu Ray even if it isn't as convenient. I spent good money on my TV and surround system, I'm getting the best I can possibly get.

 

[0098386]

I dunno, I see them doing the right thing. It's like how critics attack the Wii because of the games Nintendo now pushes out and encourages others to do - whereas the PS3 and 360 are in dire straights, in a few years they may no longer be manufacturing consoles so the devs will move to the Wii.
Yup it's a long stretch

But it's sort of the same with Apple. They're hitting the popular notes for the mass public and pushing the pro-side away a little. But swings and roundabouts (to quote the IT Crowd ) they might come back pro heavy in a few years with all their newfound moneys.