Tag Archives: Apple

iPhone 5 Hits Stores Around the World Triggering Long Lines and Happy Customers

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Tim Cook, New CEO of Apple
On Line in New York for iPhone 5

The much anticipated iPhone 5 made its appearance on Friday, exciting buyers and sellers as it was whisked off the shelves by the thousands.

The new Apple offering is not an astounding technological breakthrough, but just a bit better in many of the ways the customers already love their old iPhones: like a super-model, its thinner, taller and lighter, and that’s about it.

This is the first product launch since Tim Cook took over Steve Jobs’ position as head wizard at Apple, and it seems his skills might not quite be a clone of Jobs’ special magic, but Cook seems to have a bit of magic of his own up his sleeve.

“We are positively surprised regarding the pace of the rollout, since we had expected a bigger impact from component constraints,” Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said.

And what at pace it’s been, and is going to be. On Friday the iPhone 5 went on sale simultaneously in New York, Japan and Hong Kong, and a few other hot spots. By next Friday expect to see this hot-selling phone in 31 countries, and by December 31st of this year, in more than 100. That exceeds by 30 the number of countries the iPhone 4s , the 5’s predecessor, was launched from during a similar time-frame.

“His skills fit the time period and the flow of product,” said Raymond Miles, professor emeritus at Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He added that Apple may be at a stage where it needs “someone with a production vision.”

Cook’s magic seems to be working: He was able to supersede Jobs’ sales record as preorders for the 5s climbed to 2 million within 24 hours, twice the speed with which the 4s was pre-sold. Analysts and observers/investors are anticipating a similar successful launch of the smaller iPad mini in October.

Top Searches on Google for 2011

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An Apple Everyday

At the end of each year Google releases a list of which search terms garnered the most numbers in

Steve Jobs and iPad

a variety of different categories during the previous twelve months. In the top ten list of terms with the fastest growth in technology, the top six were all related to Apple, including “iCloud,” “Osx Lion” and “iPad 2.” In the eighth position was the term “Steve Jobs.”

Rebecca Black Most Searched Term Overall

Rebecca Black

On the overall top 10 list, “Google+” came in second place. Amazingly, the only search term growing faster than “Google +” was the search for “Rebecca Black” nabbing first place, proving that ‘most’ is not always ‘best.’  Apple took control here as well; with three of the top ten spots, including “iPhone 5” taking sixth place, and “Steve Jobs” in ninth place. “iPad 2” made it into the top ten at tenth place.

Kindle Fire Most Searched for Gadget

The list of top ten fastest growing searches in the gadget category was a better representation of what really happened this past year: Getting the gold was “Kindle Fire,” while “iPhone 4S” was the second place finisher. Also placing in the top ten list for gadgets were, “Sidekick 4g,” “HP Touchpad,” “HTC Inspire,” “Palm Pre 3,” and the “HTC Thunderbolt.” These are the electronic toys that fueled the minds of consumers and filled the pockets of the electronics industry this past year.

Arthur Levinson Named New Apple Chairman

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Until now the co-director of the board at Apple Inc, Arthur Levinson will take over the chairmanship in the wake of the death of the former CEO, Steve Jobs.

Apple also chose Bob Iger, CEO of Disney and former close friend of Jobs to a seat on the board.

“Art has made enormous contributions to Apple since he joined the board in 2000,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a prepared statement. “Bob and I have gotten to know one another very well over the past few years and on behalf of the entire board, we think he is going to make an extraordinary addition.”

Levinson has been a member of the board at Apple since 2005, making him the longest-serving director. He is also the chairman of the board at Genentech, the biotech drum company, and a board member at Roche Pharmaceuticals. Until 2009 when Levinson stepped down, he was the CEO at Genentech for 14 years.

“Apple is always focused on out-innovating itself through the delivery of truly innovative products that simplify and improve our lives, and that is something I am very proud to be a part of,” Levinson said Tuesday in a statement.

iPhone 5…It’s Coming

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The new iPhone 5 is set to make its debut with Sprint Nextel by mid-October.  Sprint’s stock recovered from near collapse on the news.  In the last year Sprint’s stock prices have been halved and so the news of iPhone 5 sales going through it has enhanced its stock valuation. The question of how this affects the larger tech market will remain to be seen.

Apple and China

Apple may be able to do what Google couldn’t and that is break into the Chinese market. Apple is currently in talks with China Mobile (CHA) and China Telecom (CHL).  These carriers would open Apple to the huge Chinese market that increase the companies worth exponentially. Apple is currently trading at 374.35 per share. The deal will also help China Telecom. The company headed, by CEO Wang Xiaochu  saw it’s profits rise 8% in the first half and the iPhone should increase them even more.

Apple’s Advertising Aberration?

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iPad 2 Commercial Needs Work

Apple doesn’t really even need to advertise itself. The company’s products seem to pretty much know how to sell themselves. As noted by Peter Oppenheimer, the company’s CFO, “Apple sold every iPad 2 that we could make.” Hardly a company that needs any marketing assistance. But nonetheless, the powers-that-be have clearly made the decision to do otherwise and clearly dedicate a fair portion of its budget on marketing as do most large corporations. It’s only a shame if they invest this money and then not actually achieve the image they are going for. And that seemed to happen with the latest commercial for the iPad 2.

Apple Shouldn’t Have Broken With Commercial Tradition

What’s somewhat strange in this commercial is how Apple seems to have ditched its standard tradition of how it usually markets itself. Ordinarily, the company’s ads are based on how little they blow their own trumpets, but this one seems to do the complete opposite. The TV commercial that aired last week, had the iPad 2 as “an all-purpose tool useful to children and CEOs alike.”

Different to the product’s first commercial, it uses the theme, “if you asked,” as a way to argue its usefulness. The first one pushes the idea that technology alone is not enough.” Anyway if you want to check it out for yourselves, go to this link.