Maybe it’s just been because August was slower than a drunken sloth stuck in a tar pit, but I’m pretty excited about the September 9th Apple event. And, if I’m not being too presumptuous, I’m guessing that you’re pretty excited about it too. I mean, who could not be excited about some news out of Cupertino?
Douglas McIntyre, stock blogger extraordinaire, that’s who.
McIntyre’s a sad panda, because he thinks Apple’s hit a dead end with the iPod. In his estimation, they’ve already sold as many iPods as they’re going to, so “Apple’s best days may be in the rear view mirror.”
Well, that’s awfully dour. But Apple’s been making iPods for a while now (about seven years by my count), and while at times it might seem like everybody who could possibly want one already has one, they’re still selling plenty: 43.7 million in the last three quarters, if you’re keeping score at home. Growth may not be increasing as quickly as it has in the path, but it’s not yet declining.
McIntyre, however, thinks that the iPod’s day is done:
It has already been pointed out that Apple only has a few options to jump-start iPod sales. What has not been said, at least not often, is that none of them is likely to work.
That’s right. The crystal ball says things are hopeless. Repent while ye may! For Douglas McIntyre has spoken. Let’s look a little closer to what’s brought McIntyre to these dire conclusions.
Apple could cut prices on the machine. That would bring in more buyers, but it would saw off margins and that is not going to do much for Apple’s share price. It also turns the iPod into a bit of a commodity which is something that Apple has tried to avoid with all of its products. Apple hardware is special. Products from companies like Dell (DELL) and HP (HPQ) are junk.
Well, on this at least we agree. Products from Dell and HP are junk. And Apple’s not about to start lowering prices like crazy. They’ll do what they always do: introduce new products at the same price points. They’re sneaky like that. But that’s where we get into McIntyre’s second, more ridiculous argument.
Apple could try to add new features to the iPod. Since it already does everything a multimedia player is meant to do, it is difficult to imagine what those additions might be.
“Difficult to imagine?” Okay, perhaps. But then again, you’re not the dude in charge of coming up with new iPods. You think Jobs doesn’t have something else in mind for the iPod? You gotta be nuts. The iPod touch was the big news at last year’s September event, and the idea that Steve’s holding another special event a year later just to announce new capacity bumps to the existing iPod line is silly. “Ministry of Silly Walks” silly.
Just because the current iPods do everything you think they need to do right now doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for them to expand. I can think of a few features I want to see, just off the top of my head: Bluetooth headphones, wireless syncing, peer-to-peer sharing, AirTunes support—hey, all of those have something in common, don’t they? Hmmm.
So let us all give thanks for the simple fact Steve Jobs isn’t bounded by the imagination of Douglas A. McIntyre—else the iPod, and Apple, would be doomed for sure.
I'm excited to see what comes out of Cupertino on the 9th.
Come on, MacBook with dedicated graphics!
September 9th ? Oh yes, the day after the 8th and before the 10th... Just new iPods with GPS inside and a new design. Come on Apple, it's time to move. I need a totally new computer. What are you waiting for ? X-Mas ? X-Mas ? Hmmm... X-Mas...
McIntyre has never say any good about Apple.
For those interested you can read his comment in 24/7 wall street
All products have a life cycle and will decline because of market saturation and inside a product life cycle you have smaller cycles where you have innovated the original design. All this goes to create one big life cycle but that too much decline. They might have sold as many as they could but they haven't sold as many with X new feature, thus the cycle goes on. I can hear the cycle of life song playing in the background.......
There is always something new to replace the old.....maybe they will call the iKid instead of the iPod but it's still the iPod just younger.
He must be an analyst ( anal + cyst - c) also.