It’s very odd how we keep hearing about the big fall Apple’s going to have any day now.
Sure, we’ve been hearing this for years, but this week alone we’ve already heard “How Apple Could Fall From Grace” and been asked the musical question “Has Apple Lost Its Mojo?”
Now we’re advised by Thomas H. Kee, Jr. at MarketWatch that it’s “Time to sell Apple” (tip o’ the antlers to Daring Fireball).
No, for real—another mook in a suit is warning us about Apple. These mooks aren’t always the suit-wearing variety, but it’s often a good indicator that their advice about Apple will be less than stellar.
If a business fails to take care of its customers, its customers will go elsewhere. …
In the case of Apple, this is happening in front of our eyes, and the risks are therefore very high. …
Most people think Apple’s customers are the end user, but because Apple relies so heavily on third-party resellers like Verizon and Sprint, both of which are feeling margin contraction and negative effects on earnings because of the extremely high cost of iPhones, the real customers are third-party resellers, and Apple is not treating them right.
Right. Well, that’s certainly a creative reinterpretation of the relationship. Let’s take what’s wrong with Android and say that Apple should do the same thing. That tie might be on a little tight. It’s hard to imagine AT&T as an Apple customer when, as Michael McCormack of Nomura Securities has noted, the iPhone deal has “really been a wealth transfer from AT&T shareholders to Apple shareholders.”
If Kee’s formulation were true, carriers would just drop the iPhone. Instead, they’re beating down Apple’s door to get it because it’s the hottest selling smartphone there is.
Despite all this nay-saying, the actual news about the company seems to be pretty good to this mythical beast’s eyes. Which, admittedly, are just representations of eyes drawn on the screen of a Classic Mac. But look for yourself:
“More US Consumers Choosing Smartphones as Apple Closes the Gap on Android”
“WSJ: Apple continues creeping in to enterprise”
”Apple vs. PC Shipments: ‘PC’ Decline Worse Than Reported”
Seems pretty good to the Macalope. But he’s wearing a suit, so…
[Editors’ Note: In addition to being a mythical beast, the Macalope is not an employee of Macworld. As a result, the Macalope is always free to criticize any media organization. Even ours.]