AAPL - Apple Inc.

[rkbabang]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

Impossible? Any 20$ Bluetooth headphones will allow you to do it. Also, they improved battery life by a few hours per day, which reduces the need to charge while doing something else.

 

At some point you have to move on. Check out the Buzzfeed link above.

 

Reminds me of this:

 

1984: “No command line?!”

1998: "No floppy drive?!”

2008: "No CD drive!?”

2010: “No Flash?!”

2015: "No USB!?"

2016: "No headphone jack!?"

 

I agree, I think it is a good move and before long others will follow.  I had to laugh about the first one on your list though, because I find myself using the terminal window on my iMac all the time.  I'm just too used to using linux at work, old habits die hard.

 

 

[merkhet]

For consumer: the camera/lenses on 7+ is a big step forward, a significant selling point. Finally we have something that is close enough to eliminate the main reason to drag along a DSLR. (Ok, it still isn't a 80-200/2.8 lens.) Big camera manufacturers like Nikon and Canon have really been sleeping all these years. Maybe "simulated" bokeh isn't on their purist radar.

 

For strategy: my guess is W1 will become significant over time. The earpods will evolve into full-blown wearable devices packed with sensors. W=wearable?

 

I thought W was for wireless.

[DCG]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

 

That's a good point. Would companies be able to design docking stations that play much and charge the phone at the same time?

 

 

I see very little with the 7 that will encourage owners of the 6 to feel the need to upgrade. This seems more like an 'S' incremental update than the typical significant update we've become accustom to.

[rkbabang]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

 

That's a good point. Would companies be able to design docking stations that play much and charge the phone at the same time?

 

 

I see very little with the 7 that will encourage owners of the 6 to feel the need to upgrade. This seems more like an 'S' incremental update than the typical significant update we've become accustom to.

 

I think 6->7 is a significant upgrade, 6S->7 not so much.  6->6S seemed like a more significant upgrade than 6S->7 does.

 

Maybe they are saving all their tricks for the 10th anniversary phone next year.  It probably makes sense.  They can still sell a lot of iphones this year if they can get a good number of 6 owners to upgrade to 7 (even if not many 6S owners do), just because the 6 was such a big seller.  And save the significant upgrades until next year.

 

[fareastwarriors]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

 

That's a good point. Would companies be able to design docking stations that play much and charge the phone at the same time?

 

 

I see very little with the 7 that will encourage owners of the 6 to feel the need to upgrade. This seems more like an 'S' incremental update than the typical significant update we've become accustom to.

 

I think 6->7 is a significant upgrade, 6S->7 not so much.  6->6S seemed like a more significant upgrade than 6S->7 does.

 

Maybe they are saving all their tricks for the 10th anniversary phone next year.  It probably makes sense.  They can still sell a lot of iphones this year if they can get a good number of 6 owners to upgrade to 7 (even if not many 6S owners do), just because the 6 was such a big seller.  And save the significant upgrades until next year.

 

Perhaps owners of 6/6S might not upgrade, but there are plenty of 5 (and 4!) users. They are due for an upgrade. At least that's what I'm hearing from coworkers/friends. Some are getting the 7 and some are getting the 6S.

 

 

 

 

[boilermaker75]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

 

That's a good point. Would companies be able to design docking stations that play much and charge the phone at the same time?

 

 

I see very little with the 7 that will encourage owners of the 6 to feel the need to upgrade. This seems more like an 'S' incremental update than the typical significant update we've become accustom to.

 

I think 6->7 is a significant upgrade, 6S->7 not so much.  6->6S seemed like a more significant upgrade than 6S->7 does.

 

Maybe they are saving all their tricks for the 10th anniversary phone next year.  It probably makes sense.  They can still sell a lot of iphones this year if they can get a good number of 6 owners to upgrade to 7 (even if not many 6S owners do), just because the 6 was such a big seller.  And save the significant upgrades until next year.

 

Perhaps owners of 6/6S might not upgrade, but there are plenty of 5 (and 4!) users. They are due for an upgrade. At least that's what I'm hearing from coworkers/friends. Some are getting the 7 and some are getting the 6S.

 

I have a 5S. But I usually keep something till it breaks or can't function because it is too obsolete. My car is 14 years old. I hope I don't have to put too much into my car to keep it running till I get delivery on my Tesla model 3!

 

Edit: Of course my wife and daughter are different stories. They both have a 6s and they will probably get a new iPhone before I do!

 

2nd edit: Actually I did not buy my 5S. I was happy with the iPhone I had, whose model escapes me, but received the 5s as a gift from my wife and daughter. So I imagine that is how I will get my next iPhone.

[LC]

5C owner here looking seriously at the SE.

[Hoodlum]

But charging the phone while listening to music is impossible now.

 

There are already 3rd party solutions with likely cheaper knockoffs to come.  I don't see this as being a issue.

 

http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F8J198/

 

[rkbabang]

The perfect solution for those who are staying with their old iPhones yet want the latest feature.

 

http://appleplugs.com/

 

[brendanb22]

anybody considering / own any LEAPS in the stock? Looking at 2018 expirations around $80 strike

[Liberty]

Ordered my 7 Jet Black at 3:30 am, half an hour after it started, and delivery was already in mid October...  :(

 

Edit: switched to regular black, getting it next week.

[portfolio14]

anybody considering / own any LEAPS in the stock? Looking at 2018 expirations around $80 strike

 

What's the thesis to get in the money leaps?

[Sunrider]

anybody considering / own any LEAPS in the stock? Looking at 2018 expirations around $80 strike

 

What's the thesis to get in the money leaps?

 

I expect the motive (not necessarily thesis) is non-recourse leverage.

[rkbabang]

Apple Shuts Some Elements of Electric Self-Driving Car Project, Lays Off Workers

http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-shuts-some-elements-of-electric-self-driving-car-project-lays-off-workers-1473475712

[Liberty]

How long until we have a fake "gate" controversy with the iPhone 7? Or was the lack of a traditional headphone jack the big thing this time? Maybe there'll be a "scuffgate" with Jet Black when people realize that super-polished surfaces show wear differently than matte finishes...

 

Anyone remember bendgate? How many iPhones 6 were sold, and how many people are still talking about bending them?

[rkbabang]

How long until we have a fake "gate" controversy with the iPhone 7? Or was the lack of a traditional headphone jack the big thing this time? Maybe there's be a "scuffgate" with Jet Black when people realize that super-polished surfaces show wear differently than matte finishes...

 

Anyone remember bendgate? How many iPhones 6 were sold, and how many people are still talking about bending them?

 

I think people just learned to not sit on their phones.  I'm sure you are right about the Jet black scuffgate coming. I've already read people mentioning that it will be an issue.  The vast majority of people keep their phones in cases though, so I don't think it matters.  I've never got why the finish matters at all, actually, for that reason.  The only thing you really see once it is in a case is the screen and the bezel around it.  So you really only have two options: black bezel or white.

 

If you don't keep your phone in a case, I can't see how it won't get banged up and scratched.

 

[fareastwarriors]

I use a cheapy clear case. Gotta show off the bling. 

 

;)

[Liberty]

I'd go caseless if I didn't have a toddler...  :-\

[gfp]

I never use a case, but always have applecare.  This article on pre-order sales mix seems to support that there will be a meaningful bump in average selling price this cycle, with the larger phones capturing more share (people are getting more used to the idea and the compelling better camera features lure others) and the 128gb storage level getting a lot of share.  Even though supply constrained, the jet black only being available in the higher storage tiers supports this shift.  Higher asp, higher margins

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/15/iphone-7-plus-128gb-black-most-popular/

[DeepSouth]

With screen repair falling to $29 if you have applecare, a case becomes less of a necessity.

[johnny]

This article on pre-order sales mix seems to support that there will be a meaningful bump in average selling price this cycle, with the larger phones capturing more share

 

I'd temper that with the recognition that given how aggressive the upgrade promotions are with US carriers (and how uniform the terms across carriers), there is a decent possibility that Apple is participating in the discounting, quietly.

[Guest roark33]

The promotions have always been pretty uniform, which to me indicates the lack of differentiation among the carriers, not Apple's participation.

 

 

[johnny]

I'm not sure that you're right about that, but I'd be willing to drop the point. It's the aggression that I think is more important. A few million new iPhones are being blown out at an effective price of ~$350. So either the carriers are getting some participation from Apple on this, or there is a few hundred million dollars of promotion expense they're going to be recognizing over the next 24 months. Or, as I suspect is the case, both.

 

 

[glorysk87]

Johnny - you seem to be forgetting that the carriers have always had massive promotions for iPhones.  Don't you remember the years when carriers would subsidize the phone down to a $200 price point (in effect offering a $450 subsidy for customers)? In my opinion promotional activity has gotten less aggressive over the years, not more.

[gfp]

I would be very surprised if Apple is the one doing the promotional discounting.  Why on earth would they do something like that with a supply / demand imbalance at launch?