EA founder: Apple heading towards inevitable decline

[Guest]

I always said that Jobs had a talent to a bring company to the top but he also has a talent to bring it down even faster. The fact that he's stepping aside for now might be a blessing for Apple. As far as Flash goes, Apple is retarded for completely cutting it out (without giving users any choice whatsoever, and it's not only with Flash; seems that little Brother grew up to be Big Brother ) but I also agree that Flash is a battery drainer (as far as cpu and all that, what year is this and what systems do you people use? are you still on vista? give me a break). As soon as Adobe finally addresses battery issue in depth Apple has nothing to say, but my guess is that if Jobs has his way they will find something. At the end, Apple will decline but they will retain their usual market share (you know, the people that say stupid thing like "2GB of RAM in Mac is like 4GB of RAM in Win." no it's not, 2 is 2 and it's all about how well u use your system). They will def loose a large share in smart phone market and as far as tablet market goes your guess is as good as mine (and anyone who says they know for a fact what will happen to that market is a fool. The only tablet I'm considering buying is ASUS transformer b/c of it's flexibility but hopefully Sony will make something like that at some point and a bit more powerful; though ASUS is good enough i guess). This is my five cents on the issue.

 

[Guest]

The problem with his main argument is that Apple does not in fact dominate anything (yet) but perhaps the mp3 player marker (iPod) where it has had above 70% market share for years. That is currently only about 5% of revenue and declining though so will soon be irrelevant to the bottom line.

PC: 10% US, 6% Globally?
Mobile phones: 5% of handsets globally , 20 something percent of Smartphones? Android has 48% , much closer to saturation and no one is preaching Googles impending decline?
Tablets: 63% market share (boy are those Android tablets selling like hotcakes, but has anyone actually seen one in use?). But the market is in still it's infancy but showing explosive growth.

All market segments Apple participates in (except iPod) is showing growth as a whole and Apple even bigger growth within those markets.

On top of that Apple has a cash pile bigger that the US Government. Someone did the math and concluded that if Apple did not sell one single device of piece of Media or Software starting today it would be able to survive for more than four years on cash alone.

Now does that sound like a company (and stock) that will reach it's peak within a year or two?

If that is true for Apple. That would mean every other company that Apple is competing with (and has bigger market share) would be even closer to decline than Apple is? Or? And even if apple growth start to level out. Why is it that no one seems to think that taking 66% of the global mobile handset profits is a good thing for Apple as a company and the stock the next year or two? Isn't the name of the game to be profitable?

Let be get this straight. The rulebook has now been rewritten for publicly traded companies. Explosive growth, a large stack of cash and great profitability is now a *liability*?

 

[Guest]

"If you look at any institution in history – look at the Roman Empire – anything in history, and what it looks like when it's peaking,"

That is so insightful. It is like saying what goes up must come down. Well, tell us when it will hit the ground and substantiate with your wisdom.

Seems he resents Apple tight rein of it's app store.

 

[hitech0101]

Here's a crazy idea how about allowing your iOS to run on machines which don't have a bitten apple on them.
Yup this definitely sounds crazy to all fanboys out there but still a practical choice to stay on top.

 

[captaincranky]

"If you look at any institution in history – look at the Roman Empire – anything in history, and what it looks like when it's peaking,"

That is so insightful. It is like saying what goes up must come down. Well, tell us when it will hit the ground and substantiate with your wisdom.

Seems he resents Apple tight rein of it's app store.

Good Lord, why do they always attach the rise and fall component of a business to the rise and fall of Rome (*)? The corner bodega just went out of business, it's like the fall of Rome, I tell you!

(*) Which BTW, arguably didn't happen until 1453 AD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire

 

[Guest]

The John Waters look is great, frankly. Also yes, I think a lot of people are aware of this, probably plenty people inside Apple worrying about it as well, and thinking they can come up with next to extend the peak another half decade. Since Jobs returned to Apple they've ridden one wave after another to ever-increasing success and share price, starting with the resurgence of the iMac with the G3, then the iPod, the iPhone and now the iPad - which I personally think is the first one that isn't having quite the same impact as the innovations before it and the beginning of a gradual decline.

In any case, you can look at the history of the IT industry, rather than the fall of Rome if you want more relevant examples; Xerox, IBM, and most recently Microsoft have all sunk from their dominant positions they held at their very peak.

 

[captaincranky]

The John Waters look is great, frankly. Also yes, I think a lot of people are aware of this, probably plenty people inside Apple worrying about it as well, and thinking they can come up with next to extend the peak another half decade. Since Jobs returned to Apple they've ridden one wave after another to ever-increasing success and share price, starting with the resurgence of the iMac with the G3, then the iPod, the iPhone ....[

Listen, if Mr. hawkins were a piece of furniture, stylistically they'd have to call it, "sleaze bag provincial".

But more to topic. I question his motivation for making this grand pronouncement. EA severely angered most of its customer base with their all digital, no tangible media decision.

IMHO, this is just a smokescreen, diversion, and publicity stunt, to stifle the bad press, and turn the camera back on himself, but in a better light.

These companies have really very little to do with one another. If Apple were to disappear tomorrow, it would mean that EA wouldn't have to write games for OS "X". Do they even do that now? (No really, do they)? (I mention EA and Mr. Hawkins in the same niche since, although he is not involved with EA, he probably still has at least an emotional connection with that company).

Everybody seems to have missed what probably is the most salient point of all, it really is fashionable to hate Apple. The possible reasoning being, if individuals do it, why not give a corporate voice to their contempt. Viewed in that light, Mr. Hawkin's blather, is nothing more than "bandwagon propaganda". Since he is involved with developing games for the "App Store", he's also bordering on biting the hand that feeds him.

and ]....now the iPad - which I personally think is the first one that isn't having quite the same impact as the innovations before it and the beginning of a gradual decline.

I'd argue that the degree of impact isn't as important as the response to it. Other manufacturers jumped in quickly, and with both feet, to counter Apple's iPad offering.

 

[captaincranky]

Apple to Developers is "The Marketplace", If she is "Number 1"
may be most developers "Trusted Apple" fairness and honesty
in distributing "Intellectual Property" commerce.

As long as "Honesty" is conserved by App Store in Partnership
with Developers, ... Apple will be "Number 1" in Mobility Commerce !

Whosoever can compete with this "Marketplace" should establish
"The Trust" as "The Fundamental" in business of Software.

Inept and boorish sermons such as this, are the reason nobody goes to church anymore.

Here are some additional quotation marks, """""""""", is case you've run out.

 

[Guest]

People like you posted report like this always. First it was 100 reasons why iPhone will fail, then who will use touch keyboard? Like it or not the market is expanding and apple is going big in Asia.
Who ever wrote this is as lame as a donkey. Bookmark this and see you again in 2 years.

 

[captaincranky]

People like you posted report like this always. First it was 100 reasons why iPhone will fail, then who will use touch keyboard? Like it or not the market is expanding and apple is going big in Asia.
Who ever wrote this is as lame as a donkey. Bookmark this and see you again in 2 years.

We'll be waiting with bated breath for your "triumphant" return.

(Cranky lifts his glass in salutation), and says, "here's to you learning something about English in the mean time"!