We are seeing the demise of Apple unfold before our eyes

[jmgregory1]

Sooner or later, companies will unfold. The OP is right on the line. Reminds me of Sony.

Saying the company will or is unfolding before our eyes is just a ridiculous thing to suggest.

I'm not seeing any issues Apple couldn't overcome in the short term (the next 5-10 years) and beyond that, I wouldn't give the OP credit should Apple go south after 10 years as you could argue that even societies will eventually unfold (and chances could be good that the US takes a digger before Apple does given where we seem to be heading politics-wise at least).

It's not like they're HP - another example of a tech giant that has gone from top to bottom in a short amount of time. HP has been producing undifferentiated crap in the PC market for decades and the inkjet market is punishing all players as consumers just keep cutting back on printing photos in general. It was easy to predict their fall because they just didn't have in place anything that could drive them forward in the same way Apple has. The same has been true of Sony.

Apple has the right fundamentals and focus in place to keep growing and adapting and forcing change. There are not a lot of companies like them now or that have ever been in the same situation they're in now.

 

[Rodster]

I agree with the OP. Stupid decisions by Apple. How in the hell do you release a New..New iPad within 6 months?

So all of us who bought the launch iPad 3's don't even have the luxury of having current tech for a year. So what does that say to future purchases? I can assure you I won't buy another New iPad next time around. I'll wait for the New..New iPad 6 months later. Is competition getting to the Cupertino boys?

There's zero reason to drop another New iPad. The iPad Mini is a joke. You pay more for a scaled down version of an iPad 2.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Firstly, I am a huge Apple supporter and own essentially every product Apple makes, so no, I am not a "hater".

Pretty much nothing good is coming if you need to pre-qualify your statement with the above. Being an Apple supporter and owning products does not make any of your statements correct or false. Your "appeal to authority" is the most overused logical fallacy. I'm sure Apple is fine and that Steve would have done the same. It's fun to go nostalgic and reminisce about the "good ole days"

 

[MXSkier62]

Look mate, you're doing it wrong.

If you're going to predict the beginning of the end you need to make it more dramatically. Much more doom & gloom is required. Also calling on ancient prophecies is a plus, especially those somehow related to the ancient Maya.
First, go to excel and make up a spreadsheet showing either an extremely dramatic rise or drop of something marginally related.

Second, write a long post referencing anything that turns up in the first 5 pages when doing a Google-search on "the end of Apple". Include your made up graph at the end.

Third, make several alt-accounts to be your disciples and wholeheartedly agree with your OP, further referencing the next 5 pages of your Google search as additional evidence. Additional made-up graphs are recommended.

Fourth, go spam this over several Apple forums. The more you say it, the more likely people are to believe it.

Fifth, create a movement fighting to stop the end and rake in the cash from donations!

Overall I find this a very disappointing effort at predicting the end....

Seconded! Could be my favorite post ever!!

 

[AHDuke99]

I wouldn't call them in demise. They will sell millions of these new devices. I am a stock holder in Apple and expect the company to continue to grow as they enter new markets. Right now, they are going head on with Samsung and Amazon, which is a good thing.

The iPad is a tablet computer, and it makes sense to see them updated more than once a year. I never expected them to keep up the cycle like they did the iPhone. It doesn't mean the iPad 3 is useless now. I still use my iPad 2 and it does all I need it to do. The world won't end, and Apple isn't unfolding. Plus, Jobs changed his mind on the 7 inch tablet before he died.

 

[ActionableMango]

You people so convinced Apple is going down should put your money where your mouth is and short the stock.

I put my money where my mouth is and bought more. Thankfully the nay-sayers like you brought the stock price down today so that I could buy it "on sale". Thanks!!!

 

[Dolorian]

...what we saw at today's Apple conference was a multitude of business strategies that Steve Jobs would have never chosen to pursue.

Just because Steve Jobs would have never chosen to pursue a particular business strategy it does not means that said business strategy is wrong.

 

[davey1107]

Yep, totally on the verge...

Apple is only the world's most valuable company and they only have $160 billion in cash in the bank...that combined with a line of products that dominate their markets, flying off shelves as fast as factories can produce them...man...it'll probably only be a matter of hours before Apple Stores nationwide shutter their doors.

I'm so glad you warned me of this, because if I'd gone with data, science, expert opinions, financial analysts, logic or common sense I might have thought Apple was doing okay.

I bought apple stock at $300 per share, and it's currently worth way more than twice that. But let me know when they improbably put you in charge so I can dump my shares.

 

[LizKat]

You people so convinced Apple is going down should put your money where your mouth is and short the stock.

I put my money where my mouth is and bought more. Thankfully the nay-sayers like you brought the stock price down today so that I could buy it "on sale". Thanks!!!

Heh, there are people who might even suggest that the entire purpose of the naysayers is to make shorting profitable, given the inevitable annnouncement of record sales shortly down the road. Nothing about the big casino of stock trading should shock any of us any more

 

[er15]

Apple isn't heading for demise, currently it is growing and facing fierce competition with Samsung and Amazon. However, with that said, every company has its ups and downs. Look at Microsoft and their dominance, quite resembling and telling right? Or even Sony.

Every company have their ups and downs.

Apple will definitely in the short term will be doing relatively well imo, but I am not sure if it run out of steam in the future.

Remember they said the Titanic was unsinkable, Apple isn't titanic, nor is it unsinkable. Only time will tell, but right now it's all green arrows and growth.

 

[PJF6387]

I bought apple stock at $300 per share, and it's currently worth way more than twice that. But let me know when they improbably put you in charge so I can dump my shares.

Bought it in late 2008 at a little less than $100 per share. Needless to say, I'm a happy shareholder.

 

[davey1107]

Me too

Bought it in late 2008 at a little less than $100 per share. Needless to say, I'm a happy shareholder.

It seems like iPhone got us to $300, iPad to $600. What will get us to $1000? Is it even possible? Personally, I'd like the Apple television/cable box/whatever they're secretly working on to cut TimeWarner, Comcast and Cox out of the media supply chain. Apple redefined the phone, and then the personal computer. Redefine cable TV successfully and I think we'll see those 4-digit stock prices.

(Not today, though...don't even look at the markets...ouch all around!)

 

[TRMC13]

More like the demise of MacRumors based on what is considered "discussion" on these forums. This thread should be wastelanded.

 

[RenoG]

More like the demise of MacRumors based on what is considered "discussion" on these forums. This thread should be wastelanded.

+1 and just about every other thread across the forum these days..

 

[Mliii]

More like the demise of MacRumors based on what is considered "discussion" on these forums. This thread should be wastelanded.

Sad but too true...

+1 and just about every other thread across the forum these days..

Happily, there are still people on this site who are willing to engage in rational discussions and offer help to others without engaging in name calling, childish rants and a 'my way is right and screw those of you who disagree' approach. When i find those folks, I tend to read what they have to say in detail and skim over a lot of the rest.

 

[iEvolution]

I think they have been fragmenting the crap out of their iOS line up with the late 2012 updates.

Before the late 2012 updates:
iPod Touch 4G (A4)
iPod Nano
iPod Classic
iPod Shuffle
iPad 2 (A5)
iPad 3 (A5X)
iPhone 4S


After the late 2012 updates:
iPod Touch 4G (A4)
iPod Touch 5G (A5 + screen dimension change)
iPod Nano
iPod Classic
iPod Shuffle
iPad 2 (A5)
iPad 3 (version 2, A6)
iPad Mini (A5 + screen dimension change)
iPhone 5 (A6 + screen dimension change)
iPhone 4S (A5)

I'm not totally against holding on to last years technology but the fact is the line up actually consists of more A5 products than it does A6 so how are you supposed to advance technology when you are stuck with last years specs?

Developers are in a nightmare situation too, they have to continue to support A4, A5 and A6 if they want as wide of an audience as possible, support four different screen configurations, 4", 3.5", 7.85", 9.7" and the RAM limitation of 256MB (touch 4G).

Apple got where they were through simplicity, quite frankly the product line up is a complete disaster. Too many different configurations and options to make it easy for joe average to pick from.

 

[reputationZed]

I completely agree op. but didn't need you to write all that. Just pull up an aapl stock chart. Te daily chart has already topped out...Look intraday and you can already see it falling apart after keynote.

People can sit here and argue back and forth about how good their products are and blah blah blah but People have already voted with their dollars and pulling money out of this company. Denise indeed. Stock price will tell you all the facts you need to know

Michael Dell Apple stock advice part 2?

 

[3rd Rock]

I completely agree op. but didn't need you to write all that. Just pull up an aapl stock chart. Te daily chart has already topped out...Look intraday and you can already see it falling apart after keynote.

People can sit here and argue back and forth about how good their products are and blah blah blah but People have already voted with their dollars and pulling money out of this company. Denise indeed. Stock price will tell you all the facts you need to know

You do know that stock prices raise and falls daily, weekly, monthly to just about all the companies. This means nothing. its the long term, and the sales. You should wait it out and find out the sales numbers weeks/months from now to spout off. You silly people that declare the sky is falling for Apple should lay off the drugs. We have heard this before and we will hear it again from you doom sayers. Goodness, you guys look silly to most of us.

 

[mac jones]

Such sage like wisdom is humbling.

 

[Poochi]

wow Apple changes the release schedule of one product and all of a sudden the company is in 'demise'....

consumer fatigue of fanboys and fangirls.

If they hasten the release cycle, rather than buying it every refresh, people will stop doing that and eventually iPad may be like desktop and laptops... people buy a new one every few years.

Overall Apple may lose more in the long term.

 

[SR45]

consumer fatigue of fanboys and fangirls.

If they hasten the release cycle, rather than buying it every refresh, people will stop doing that and eventually iPad may be like desktop and laptops... people buy a new one every few years.

Overall Apple may lose more in the long term.

No they won't. Give links to this future long term issue down turn

 

[MyopicPaideia]

I think they have been fragmenting the crap out of their iOS line up with the late 2012 updates.

Before the late 2012 updates:
iPod Touch 4G (A4)
iPod Nano
iPod Classic
iPod Shuffle
iPad 2 (A5)
iPad 3 (A5X)
iPhone 4S


After the late 2012 updates:
iPod Touch 4G (A4)
iPod Touch 5G (A5 + screen dimension change)
iPod Nano
iPod Classic
iPod Shuffle
iPad 2 (A5)
iPad 3 (version 2, A6)
iPad Mini (A5 + screen dimension change)
iPhone 5 (A6 + screen dimension change)
iPhone 4S (A5)

I'm not totally against holding on to last years technology but the fact is the line up actually consists of more A5 products than it does A6 so how are you supposed to advance technology when you are stuck with last years specs?

Developers are in a nightmare situation too, they have to continue to support A4, A5 and A6 if they want as wide of an audience as possible, support four different screen configurations, 4", 3.5", 7.85", 9.7" and the RAM limitation of 256MB (touch 4G).

Apple got where they were through simplicity, quite frankly the product line up is a complete disaster. Too many different configurations and options to make it easy for joe average to pick from.

Dude, they only really have to support two screen configurations, 960x640 and 1024x768. iOS automatically handles the rest without issue. You get little skinny black bars on the 5th gen Touch and iPhone 5, and the riPad is completely transparent in its pixel doubling.

Your screen configuration number is not relevant. iPad mini runs everything with no changes, and both it and the iPad 2 have the exact same processor as the 3 had, but with dual core graphics instead of quad core. Actual computing power is identical between A5 and A5X. The A6X is awesome, but was never going to be put in the mini at this point in time.

iOS is still by far the most developer friendly mobile OS out there, and Apple goes out of its way, dictating its design principles around keeping it as simple for developers as possible. They know better than anyone that the developers and app ecosystem are an integral part of the business model.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Well, maybe. iMessages is down during the earnings conference call

 

[tann]

I don't see Apple coming out with a 5120 x 2880 display for a few years still!

And when they do watch the price of the retina version be quite a bit more!

That screen would be ridiculously high (in the x axis) and I just don't see it happening soon. Especially with the GPUs available now, my bet is 2 years from now at the very least.

 

[baypharm]

Apple may unfold before our eyes - who knows for sure? One thing is certain however, the global economy is worsening day by day. Economies as a whole can exist only so long on borrowed money until the proverbial **** hits the fan and it all falls apart. Whether that happens in our lifetime or six generations from now - no one knows - but it will happen.