Thread: Apple Tops Microsoft

wanking material for Quack Quack and friends



Apple Tops Microsoft in the Market - Digits - WSJ

Wednesday afternoon marked the end of an era, as Microsoft lost its grip on the title of most valuable technology company.

Apple — for now — is the new king. At the close of trading, a small decline in Apple shares combined with a 4% drop in Microsoft’s stock to leave Apple’s market value ahead — at nearly $223 billion compared with about $219 billion for Microsoft.

Volatile markets could realign those rankings again, but it has long been clear Apple could overtake the software maker. Over the past year, Apple’s share price has nearly doubled to more than $244, as the computer and device maker has ridden a wave of success with its iPhone and new iPad.

I've got a full on chubby

I can see those FTC and EU anti-trust lawsuits being drawn up as we speak...

I've got the pleasure of having BF on 'Ignore', so am fortunate enough not to have to engage or acknowledge his crap. However, I did think that this article says it all:

Apple sells 2m iPads in two months - Telegraph

Again, within the context of this thread, far more knowledgeable people than BF or I influence the market through their knowledge. If Apple are doing well (particularly in the current global climate), there is more than 'gloss' to their substance. Simple things done well in attractive packages.

^ another sensitive American with an unconditional love for Apple

do I detect a pattern ?

I'm happy with Apple, not in love - but content.

Does M$ still own a portion of Apple stock?

I am not Ameican like Apple because you do not get the endless spam security false flags and reloads that seem everyday on Gates's toys
On vists to compare prices in Sydney Hawaii and Californa there were queues and waiting lists for ipads ,
Normal stores sold out of iPods
I phones seem to have become the sina qau non for Ameican yoof!
I think there is a how to be cool app

Whatever the technical merits and performancee,value for money etc
Their marketing must be superb with Poms sleeping yes sleeping in the streets of london to get their hands on hem Like Cabbage Patch Moll faze,yet paying almost double US price or at least same in sterling as greenbacks

As any Breton or Norman knows Lambic or Calva' Brandy s the finest use of Apple, Some of theApfel korn in Eastern Franconia and the MuhlviertalAlm of Bohemia also worth a gargle on the farms zwischen Linz and Ceske Krumlov paradise

^ So, are you ever able to form a coherent sentence that is not chock full of typos and errors, or is it just that you PUI?

Originally Posted by Plan B

Does M$ still own a portion of Apple stock?

No.

A persistent rumor based on the events of 1997, when Microsoft bought 150,000 shares of *non-voting* stock, as a token gesture. To place things in perspective, 150,000 shares is about 0.04% of Apple's entire shares. The deal was for 5 years, and Microsoft sold the shares 5 years later at a profit.

In August 1997, the Company and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) entered into patent cross license and technology agreements. In addition, Microsoft purchased 150,000 shares of Apple Series A nonvoting convertible preferred stock ("preferred stock") for $150 million. These shares were convertible by Microsoft after August 5, 2000, into shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $8.25 per share. During 2000, 74,250 shares of preferred stock were converted to 9 million shares of the Company's common stock. During 2001, the remaining 75,750 preferred shares were converted into 9.2 million shares of the Company's common stock.

Of course, they should have held on to them until now :-)

They sold the last of the shares around 2003 -- do the math, though. Back then, the shares were worth $8.25 (150,000 x $8.25 = $1,237,500 initial investment; at current value of about $250 a share, that'd be $37,500,000 - still, a pittance in Microsoft levels, but a nice growth for AAPL).

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

To place things in perspective, 150,000 shares is about 0.04% of Apple's entire shares.

is that pre-split ?

it was a Private Placement if I am not mistaken, so it was much larger than that percentage wise, I think at the time 5% was quoted

Good that Apple keep putting these groundbreaking products out there for people to improve.

Which is why Android phones are overtaking Apple, and why just about every manufacturer is looking at some sort of oversized Internet tablet, because Apple have proven that people prefer this to lugging a laptop.

Good luck to them, I say, they seem to have the knack for marketing first-to-market but feature-lacking shit and selling it as shinola.

Not sure about their long term revenue model though. Is it really going to be based on selling proprietary hardware, or are they really expecting to dominate the app market with the iPhone and the, er, giant iPhone?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Not sure about their long term revenue model though.

Undoubtedly, they must not know what they are doing, considering they are doing so badly in every market they enter.

To place things in perspective -- Google's Nexus One has sold a grand total of 350,000 units. A roaring success

Back to your issue -- you seem wholly unfamiliar with what exactly Apple's business model is. Considering they are pulling in over a billion dollars in *profits* every quarter, they must be doing something right.

Back to your issue -- you seem wholly unfamiliar with what exactly Apple's business model is. Considering they are pulling in over a billion dollars in *profits* every quarter, they must be doing something right.

No, I realise they cornered the market in flogging well marketed shit to idiots, but is it sustainable? You have to remember that this company was damn near in the toilet before it came up with iPod.

As for the Nexus One, I'm not sure people can take Google seriously as a phone manufacturer, but Android as an OS is a different story altogether:

According to a report by Flurry, Google sold roughly 135,000 of its new Nexus One phones in its first 74 days on the market. By contrast, Apple sold 1 million of the original iPhones in the first 74 days, while Motorola sold 1.05 million Droid phones -- which are based on Google's Android software -- during the same timeframe.

Add to that Samsung, Sony Ericcson, LG and so on, and you start to get the picture.

Most people like free shit, and Android has more free shit.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Most people like free shit, and Android has more free shit.

You're right, with emphasis being on the 'shit' part.

Subsequently, you hit upon Apple's business model, which is catering to a premium market, instead of the shit mainstream, while making their premium products available at competitive prices.

Basically, Apple's not interested in competing in the market that Android covets, which is the mainstream market -- and is more than happy leaving that to Google, which steals market share mostly from Microsoft (and some from RIM), but hardly any from Apple.

As such, Apple makes a lot of profit by catering to their core competency, while Google makes next to nothing from Android (it's a free license, as in, no charges). You should think about that, and why they are doing that.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

No, I realise they cornered the market in flogging well marketed shit to idiots, but is it sustainable? You have to remember that this company was damn near in the toilet before it came up with iPod.

You are only displaying your unfamiliarity with your statements. Apple's renaissance and recovery began with the release of the iMac in 1998. The iPod did not launch until late 2001, when the iMac was already a success. It took the iPod nearly 2 years to sell 1 million units - something which Apple now manages to do in 30 days for a new product.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I realise they cornered the market in flogging well marketed shit to idiots, but is it sustainable?

I think it is, there is no shortage of idiots, and the world seems to produce more and more every year judging by the success of American Idol and the number of iPad sold

the key here is how long will Steve Job live ? he is the product after all and design all those fool gadgets for the retards (being a retard himself).

Without him, there is no Apple. The day he goes is the day the company will die. So until then, he can enjoy the ride with all the fools who are too dumb to think by themselves and are just happy with subpar products.

The real players go with PC. Wanklettes and AOL teenage girls go with Macs

Google, which steals market share mostly from Microsoft (and some from RIM), but hardly any from Apple.

Interesting point of view. So you're saying if Android wasn't around, Microsoft and Bilgeberry would be outselling Apple?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Interesting point of view. So you're saying if Android wasn't around, Microsoft and Bilgeberry would be outselling Apple?

RIM *is* outselling iPhone, they are still the Number 1 smartphone.

Before Android, the remainder of smartphones were represented by Windows Mobile phones. Android has changed that significantly to the point where HTC, which used to manufacture 80% of phones running Windows Mobile, has now switched over 70% of their production to Android phones. It's no coincidence that Android was conceived to be able to run on the same hardware than WinMo. Nearly every other smartphone maker that used to produce WinMo devices, now makes Android devices. hp has introduced an interesting variable with their purchase of PALM, and committing to WebOS on all their devices.

Android (and now Palm) are cannibalizing the WinMo market, and their impact on iPhone is insignificant.

You really should know your numbers before tossing out statements.

Android (and now Palm) are cannibalizing the WinMo market, and their impact on iPhone is insignificant.

I have given you the numbers. Windows Mobile is the one that is insignificant, unless they can do something groundbreaking with this year's release.

I'll repeat - Motorola alone outsold iPhone with Android phones. Are you saying if this wasn't around, people would be buying RIM and MS instead?

I think not.

And it's precisely why Apple are trying to talk down Android - especially as iPad clones running Android, with changeable batteries, flash support and USB ports - will start eating into their iPad business as well.

But it seems there is enough money to go around.

Wish I had of bought apple shares 10 years ago, like I said I would

Originally Posted by Number 42

Wish I had of bought apple shares 10 years ago, like I said I would

$10 a share back then.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

And it's precisely why Apple are trying to talk down Android - especially as iPad clones running Android, with changeable batteries, flash support and USB ports - will start eating into their iPad business as well.

Highest quality claim chowder!!!

Highest quality claim chowder!!!

I assume that's American for something, care to translate?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Highest quality claim chowder!!!

I assume that's American for something, care to translate?

A play on words on 'clam chowder', in reference to amusing claims made by pundits or luddites, which will be particularly amusing to revisit at a later date -- for example in 6 months, to a year from now -- to see how your well-reasoned and researched (that was sarcasm, by the way) prediction pans out at that time.

That's usually the best way to deal with this kind of claim chowder -- albeit I'm quite certain that by that time you'll be able to place some masterfully creative spin on why, while being wrong, you were right all along.

That's usually the best way to deal with this kind of claim chowder -- albeit I'm quite certain that by that time you'll be able to place some masterfully creative spin on why, while being wrong, you were right all along.

You may consider my opinion wrong, but it is simply that, an opinion.

But I am at least willing to see how things pan out before calling you an Apple-brainwashed tit, although from the tone of your recent posts, perhaps that's all you are.

If you think the burgeoning sales of Android smartphones aren't at the expense of the iPhone, you probably aren't going to concede that all those manufacturers chucking out iPad-like Internet devices are doing it because they think there's a market out there for iPads with laptop capabilities.

So I suppose we'll just have to wait for the market to settle and see who actually does lose out? And I'm sure you will concede that iPads will continue to sell even if there is genuine competition. They just won't sell as well.

I have no argument about Microsoft, I'm sure they're throwing gazillions at Mobile and the only thing that seems to be rattling cages are Xbox features; not something I'm particularly interested in, I must say.

But their core business is still enterprise computing, and I don't think Apple eat too much of that up, do they? (Well, especially now they're no longer a "computer" company).

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

But I am at least willing to see how things pan out before calling you an Apple-brainwashed tit, although from the tone of your recent posts, perhaps that's all you are.

I have also happened to invariably have been right, historically, so I'm pretty confident in my ability to understand and foretell the market developments.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

So I suppose we'll just have to wait for the market to settle and see who actually does lose out? And I'm sure you will concede that iPads will continue to sell even if there is genuine competition. They just won't sell as well.

They are selling an iPad every 3 seconds at this moment, with the trend moving upwards (i.e. sales growth), so at what point do you consider 'not as well'?

The fact is, and this is the fundamental difference which you don't seem to understand - other manufacturers see an opportunity to make money (or so they think), while Apple sees an opportunity to build the best damn product for what they set out to do.

Quality itself will not ever win on its own, Apple understood that from mistakes in the far distant past, so (of course) they spread the word via marketing -- but at the end of the day, their products are both beautifully designed, and deliver what they promise (and, in most cases, more than that).

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

But their core business is still enterprise computing, and I don't think Apple eat too much of that up, do they? (Well, especially now they're no longer a "computer" company).

The removal of 'computer' from their name has absolutely *nothing* to do with their focus -- it's another strawman from people who *think* they have some insight.

Steve Jobs wanted his company to be called 'Apple' 30 years ago, but was not able to because of a lawsuit and objection from The Beatles' Apple Corps, holdings company. As such, they compromised on 'Apple computer', to avoid 'confusion'. Nevertheless, Steve Jobs doesn't give up on an idea, or what he wants, so the other year, when they finally took on Apple Corps in a cross-lawsuit, Apple Corps lost (settled), Apple was allowed to use the name 'Apple' straight, and that same year Apple became the company that Steve Jobs set out to call it 30 years earlier.

It has little to do with changing their focus, and a lot to do with Steve Jobs getting what he wanted, 30 years earlier. There you go, a little anecdote.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

(Microsoft) But their core business is still enterprise computing, and I don't think Apple eat too much of that up, do they? (Well, especially now they're no longer a "computer" company).

Apple doesn't need to, as Apple doesn't care much to compete in the Enterprise business.

This isn't to say that Apple has no intention to compete on that front, it is just not a priority to them right now, as the consumer market is both more profitable, and it is also the core business in which they can hand Microsoft their ass, over and over.

Apple leaves it to to their ally, Google, to take on Microsoft on those fronts.