According to speculation by Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research, Apple will announce a netbook at Macworld. His vision is one of a computer platform supporting the App Store:
Sorry dudes. Just it first hand from Brian Seitz, Group Manager of Zune: “No Zune phone at CES.”
The Kaufman Bros.–technology market analysts, plumber aficionados, and part-time acrobatic artists–are arguing that the $US99 Apple-branded mobile phone is going to happen, echoing what Charlie Wolf already said. Really. One of these days:
Apple-obsessed financial analyst Charlie Wolf said today in a research note that Apple could cut the price of the 8GB iPhone to $US99. Why? Apparently, just because they can. At least, based on his guesstimations on the iPhone margins and costs, and we can only guess, his famed telepathic powers, animal entrails reading abilities, and the shiny 8-ball he has hidden in the bottom drawer of his work desk.
According to a report on ZDNet today, analysts from both Gartner and IDC are claiming that Apple’s Australian market share is growing at a rate that far outstrips the competition. And this is despite the fact that Macs cost twice as much as PCs…
Gartner analysts apparently reckon that the house that Jobs built is recording 52% year on year growth, and in the second quarter of 2008 captured 5.3% of the market (compared to 3.8% for the previous year.
But what’s even more interesting is that Analyst group IDC claim that Apple are fast approaching Toshiba and Lenovo, who each claim about 8% market share (although they claim Apple has 6.2% market from Q1 2008).
HP are still the country’s biggest computer maker, with Dell and Acer behind them.
Although nobody outside of Apple probably has any way of knowing, but I wonder just how much of an effect the Sydney Apple Store has had on Mac sales?
[ZDNet AU]
newVideoPlayer("/yarmulke2dot0_giz.flv", 494, 296,""); The last time we caught up with tech analyst Avi Greengart, he sported a yarmulke emblazoned with crocheted gadgets. Now he’s put his money where his mouth keppe is and made his newest yarmulke a gadget itself. It is loaded with LEDs that scroll his name—and presumably messages to the man upstairs, or anything else he can dream up. I have one pressing question: Does he turn it off on Friday night? [Avi Greengart]
Foretelling Apple’s next grooves is the national pastime for (some) geeks and an occupational obsession for analysts, who trip over themselves with crazy predictions in “notes” and reports to people with lots of money who want to make more. Forrester just released its big report on what Apple will be like in 2013, and it’s a doozy—their crystal ball must be a Chinese knockoff, because it completely ignores the actual direction of not just Apple’s wares, but gadgets and media as a whole. An Apple clock radio? Really?
Gene Munster is at it again, now saying that he expects Apple “to introduce cheaper, innovative iPods with Wi-Fi and multi-touch technology.” After reiterating his “buy” rating with US$250 stock price target, the Piper Jaffray analyst added “we believe that the iPod touch is the first of several internet-connected iPods that Apple is currently developing.” In related news, an anonymous analyst pointed out that he expects Apple to keep releasing “some computers,” “new iPod thingies” and “you know, stuff like that.” [CNN Money]
From the bestselling cellphone in history to the most ignominious departure of a CEO not related to any criminal behaviour, Motorola’s had a hell of a slide, but still, the latest speculation comes as a punch to the chin. Richard Windsor, an analyst with a firm called Nomura International, says that Moto may exit the handset business. On one hand, it could sell the division to Chinese investors, but on the other hand, not even the Chinese really know how to solve Moto’s problems. What happened, Motorola? Seriously, what in hell happened? [MarketWatch]
Gene Munster, the analyst who estimated Apple sold 500K iPhones on launch (vs the real 270K), says now that “PC analysts are a bunch of rookies when it comes to phones.” But if you “talk” to a mobile phone analyst, his 45 bajillion iPhones prediction is still good. Next on Giz Analyst Watch: Nostradamus. [TopTechNews]
