Apple says No to netbook but I see it differently
During Apple’s Q2 earnings report conference call yesterday they were asked about Apple’s interest in the netbook market. Tim Cook, COO, responded with the following. I’ve highlighted the anti-netbook comments in red and the pro-netbook type-device in blue.
For us, it’s about doing great products. And when I look at what is being sold in the netbook space today, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens, and just not a consumer experience, and not something that we would put the Mac brand on quite frankly. And so, it’s not a space as it exists today that we are interested in, nor do we believe that customers in the long term would be interested in. It’s a segment we would choose not to play in.
That said, we do look at the space and are interested to see our customers’ respond to it. People that want a small computer so to speak that does browsing and e-mail, might want to buy an iPod Touch or they might want to buy an iPhone. And so, we have other products to accomplish some of what people are buying netbooks for and so, in that particular way we play in an indirect basis.
And then of course, if we find a way where we can deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution, then we will do that and we have some interesting ideas in the space. The product pipeline is fantastic for the Mac. We are – as we look back over the last four plus years, 17 of the 18 quarters of the last four-and-a-half years, we’ve exceeded the market rate of growth.
My interpretation is that Apple is developing a new device, a mini tablet using the rumored 10″ touch screens. The real question is when will they announce it?
Posted by Al Degutis
