Comments on: What the MacBook means to Apple

By: Tony - Boston, MA

Tony - Boston, MA — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:59:29 +0000

If Apple actually wrote any good software anymore they could make HUGE profits and view the business as hardware vs. software instead of niche hardware vs. niche hardware vs. our bread 'n butter. If they'd stuck to standards instead of implementing their own proprietary ways early in the game they'd be enjoying much higher profit margins. And if they'd switched to Intel much earlier in the game (God I can't believe I'm suggesting this…) they'd probably have a much stronger foothold in the gaming market.

I don't think their business model of supporting the business on Macs, iPods, and iPhone is safe at all. The iPod and iPhone markets are slowly merging into a PDA market. (Hey, remember how success and well-marketed the Newton was?) What will Apple do then once their stool inevitably only has two legs? And it's an even worse business model when instead of added dedicated "legs" like the iPhone, they're shifting resources from other legs a la the Leopard delays due to the iPhone. Diminishing the quality of one successful product for the sake of another is just asking for trouble.

By: Julia eCompetitors, New York, NY, www.ecompetitors.com

Julia eCompetitors, New York, NY, www.ecompetitors.com — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:54:02 +0000

I am absolutely pro-Apple person. I love my Mac, I like my iPod and I adore my iPhone. I think that soon Steve Jobs will invent something even more brilliant.

By: Vince, Chicago

Vince, Chicago — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:59:27 +0000

I absolutely love my MacBook Pro, it's pricey but love it. Considering getting a mac-mini for home so the kids can video conference with me while at work!

Vince of http://www.CreditGuideFor.me

By: Colin Poole UK

Colin Poole UK — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:56:02 +0000

Look at the sub £300 notebooks hitting the shelves in the UK pre-christmas, Apple will be missing a market if there is no £400 Macbook rival soon. Not only that but mobile broadband 3G is being 'built in' to many of the future Notebook releases for Europe.

By: JJ, Austin, AR

JJ, Austin, AR — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:24:19 +0000

Apple wants people to upgrade from an iPod to an iPhone?? How about offer it on more networks than just AT&T and some people might consider it. Until they do that, the iPhone will never be a big player because a lot of people don't want to drop their network just to get an iPhone.

By: John, Camarillo, CA

John, Camarillo, CA — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:42:40 +0000

No question Apple has its followers and has slowly gained a small piece of the laptop market. However I think the biggest boost to Apple has been Microsoft Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. PC users are so upset with Vista they are taking a look at Apple computers. Microsoft made so many unnecessary changes to the operating system, many changes make it look more like a Mac too, that customers might as well take a broader look when picking their next computer.

A second change is from the familiar menus in Office 2003 to the Ribbon design of Office 2007. Many don't see the value of that change, and many have reinstalled Office 2003 to have their old familiar interface back. Some have discovered that the Mac version of Office didn't change to a ribbon interface so that is a second attraction.

In other words Microsoft is doing all it can to expand Apple's market share. Apple doesn't have to do anything at all.

By: charanischiu, Hong Kong

charanischiu, Hong Kong — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:32:38 +0000

Apple only need to widen the existing international market share in all different categories.

Recent opening of worldwide Apple Flagship stores do allow potential customers to get first hand experience in full lines of Apple products.

By: R Brown, Finger Lakes, NY

R Brown, Finger Lakes, NY — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:19:06 +0000

"The iPod, with a market share somewhere in the 80th percentile, "

Keep it simple the iPod has a market share in excess of 80%"

Using percentile is not appropriate here.

By: pk de C'ville, Charlottesville, VA

pk de C'ville, Charlottesville, VA — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:20:43 +0000

Nice article.

Could you run those 2008 projections with the iPhone deferred revenue shown as 'booked revenue'?

You'll see the true value of the iPhone super nova.

And could you extend the booked revenue iPhone segment into a 2009 est chart? Just estimated between 25m and 35m iPhones sold in 2009.

By: VaughnSC, SJ, PR

VaughnSC, SJ, PR — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:48:53 +0000

The 'decrease' in the iPod's piece of the pie might be exaggerated somewhat if you stop to think that the iPhone is an iPod as well. Adding the two segments together would represents only a 4% smaller piece of a 65% bigger pie (19B v 32B per your numbers)!

Some may argue that the 'iPhone' moniker alludes to a whole different widget until you stop to consider the iPod touch, which only lacks the ability to make phone calls.