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April 19, 2006

money

iPod sales leveling, Macs strengthening

Posted Apr. 19, ’06, 4:31 PM PT by Scott Silverman
Category | Money

stocks.jpgA recent Macworld interview with Richard Chu of Cowen & Co. reveals several things about Apple, especially in light of their recently released earnings. Chu expressed a bit of doubt as to Apple’s ability to consistently deliver amazing surprises and subsequently increase sales of the iPod. He does feel, however, that if any company will be able to do this, it will be Apple. Here’s a rather telling quote from the interview:

Apple certainly has the capacity historically to consistently surprise and that may inject new people. However, there is a clear caution flag that we ought to be prepared for growth rates to fall.

He also suggests the possibility of Apple introducing more products to pull more people into the iPod “fold.”

Additionally, the market research firm conducted a survey surrounding the iPod, Macs, and computer purchasers. The survey shows a gradual, but steady, increase in the percent of computer buyers who plan to buy a Mac—from 6.1% in October 2005 to 7.8% in the recent April survey. Apple’s recent switch to Intel also helped it’s computer sales, increasing the number of planned Mac sales due to the Intel processor. Lastly, and perhaps most significantly is Boot Camp (no surprise there—isn’t everything about Boot Camp these days?). Twenty-eight percent of those surveyed claimed Boot Camp makes it more likely they will buy a Mac in the next 12-18 months, while 42% of those with definite plans to buy a PC give Macs a “more likely” rating due to the ability to dual-boot.

Apple continues to dominate the digital media player market with the iPod, and is dabbling into the home theater market with their computers running Front Row. Chu comments that Front Row is only the beginning, reminding us that Apple hasn’t “played their cards yet.” He says that when Apple does release some sort of home theater solution, it will be “consistent with
everything else that they do, which is easy to use and integrated.” Amen to that, my friends.


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