Apple Inc.

Keen observers would have come to this conclusion... that is Jobs biggest mistake, a model that is not sustainable without a visionary, and he picked Cook.:

July 23 (Bloomberg) -- Julian Robertson, whose Tiger Management LLC was once one of the world’s largest hedge-fund firms, said Google Inc. has established a better leadership culture than Apple Inc. to ensure long-term success.
Steve Jobs, the deceased co-founder of Apple, “was a maverick person and really couldn’t establish a great, long-term entity,” Robertson said today in an interview on “Bloomberg Surveillance” with Tom Keene, Sara Eisen and Scarlet Fu. “I think that the Google people have a better way of getting things done.”

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Apple will be a great case study on structual decline of a great company... shipment support by iphone 4 and future cheaper iphones:

"Seeing alot of investor interest to Buy Apple names today on the BTE results. Perhaps expectations were simply too bearish, but I would like to highlight that 3Q at the supply chain is still coming down vs previous expectation. In 2Q we say ~30-35mn iphones shipped in 2Q13, while 3Q is also seeing a similar 35-36mn number. Originally the Apple iphone component forecasts were about 20% higher, but have come down due to Apple low-price iphone and iphone 5S pushouts to 4Q. As it stands, current component forecasts for 4Q remained unchanged at 55-60mn units, with most of the volume coming from low-price Iphone. We should not lose focus that the Apple product cycle is broken with old products for the next 6-12 months(until Iphone 6 at most). I am bullish on low-price Iphone volumes however, but similar to Ipad mini, the best products are cheaper versions with no innovation"

News reports of Apple result...

Generally, the market views are Apple's growth has stalled, but the company's business still a "lucrative" cash cow...

Strong iPhone sales still at the core of Apple success

SAN FRANCISCO — Sales of Apple’s iPhone trumped Wall Street estimates after United States shipments soared 51 per cent in the third quarter, lifting its stock 5 per cent even as profit fell.

The world’s largest technology company yesterday said that profit fell 22 per cent as gross margins slid below 37 per cent from more than 42 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/strong-i...le-success

Apple’s third-quarter earnings sag, but beat gloomy estimates

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple’s latest quarterly report confirms the iPhone maker’s growth has stalled along with its pace of innovation.

The results announced yesterday (July 23) mark the second straight quarter that Apple’s earnings have fallen from the previous year after a decade of steadily rising profits. The company earned US$6.9 billion (S$8.72 million), or US$7.47 per share, in its fiscal third quarter, a 22 per cent drop from US$8.8 billion, or US$9.32 per share.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/appl...-estimates

Apple bought back 16 billion worth of stocks. not too bad. but they can do better.

just repatriate the money and buy back your stocks since you have almost nothing to invest. Don't waste shareholders' money.

Steve Jobs, though genius in some way, is a very bad capital allocator and very unfriendly to its shareholders.

Android still No 1 in the US as Apple catches up

SINGAPORE — While Android phones have been dominating the United States smartphone market in recent months, the latest data shows that Apple has been closing the gap even though its latest iPhone failed to meet some users’ expectations.

Google’s mobile phone OS is estimated to hold 51.5 per cent market share in the US, dropping from 52.6 per cent in the same period last year. Apple share rose from last year’s 39.2 per cent to 42.5 per cent. But the biggest jump was for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8, which rose to 4 per cent from just 2.9 per cent last year — putting it ahead of BlackBerry’s 1.1 per cent.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/android-...le-catches

Interesting feature... I recalled some notebook equipped with fingerprint sensor too, but not popular. I am not sure the reason...

I tried "face unlock" feature on Samsung S4. It is interesting but not reliable under certain condition...

I wonder what will happen to unlock iPhone with fingerprint sensor, after a chilli crab meal...

Apple’s new iPhone ‘has fingerprint sensor’: Report

SAN FRANCISCO — A string of code from iOS 7 revealing ‘Photo of a person holding an iPhone with their left hand while touching the Home button with their thumb. A fingerprint that changes colour during the setup process’ was posted online Monday, sparking rumours that the new iPhone could contain a fingerprint sensor.

Apple rumour site 9to5Mac said “(it) looks like rumours are true: iOS 7 beta 4 has leaked a new folder called ‘BiometricKitUI”. The site thanked user Hamza Sood and said it’s clear Apple is preparing for a new iPhone with a fingerprint sensor.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...sor-report

Update on Apple's China venture...

Apple CEO, China Mobile discuss cooperation

BEIJING/SINGAPORE – Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday met with the head of China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier by subscribers and the only Chinese carrier that does not offer iPhones and iPads.

The meeting with China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing was to discuss matters of cooperation, the Chinese firm told Reuters. It gave no further details.

The talks could pave the way for a long-awaited deal for China Mobile to distribute Apple products on its vast network, benefitting both companies.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/appl...ooperation

Lots of speculation on next Apple's product...

iPad Mini 2 to feature Retina display, reports suggest

SAN FRANCISCO - The next version of Apple’s iPad Mini could feature a high-resolution Retina display and come in multiple colours, according to reports.

Apple is rumoured to be working with suppliers in Asia – including Samsung, Sharp and LG – to develop the device and ensure an adequate supply of screens, unnamed sources told the Wall Street Journal.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/ipad-min...ts-suggest

I recalled a Jim Rogers's statement in his book titled "Street Smart"

"Litigation is one of the healthiest growth industries in America...The explosion of litigation accounts for a significant part of the expense of doing business in this country"

US overturns ban on some iPad, iPhones

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration has overturned a United States trade panel’s ban on the sale of some older iPhones and iPads, reversing a ruling that had favoured Samsung Electronics over Apple Inc in their long-running patent battles.

The US International Trade Commission in June banned the import or sale of the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G distributed by AT&T, saying the devices infringed a patent owned by the South Korean electronics giant.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/us-overt...ad-iphones

better to help US apple than help korean Samsung haha

the time for apple has gone, people are getting bored with the always same model! samsung is the winner.