[csomar]

I think it's very challenging for Apple. Apple is making a skyrocketing revenue because iPad and iPhone sales has boomed. But iPad won't sell for 300K piece everyday, that only happened the first day... actually it can sell! Yes, but there is an interesting point (so that it sells at such high rate): Apple "must" dominate the market.

For the iPhone, the competition is now fierce: Android, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows mobile and Nokia! Nokia is already a major player, they won't let Apple take the market easily and cheaply. They'll do marketing, new phones and crazy things to preserve their position.

That said, as competition is getting though, Apple has got to spend more on marketing and improving their products (taking down their profit, even if their sales are up, because they are spending more). Only if they dominate the market, then your investment will pay back.

My advice is: don't get in this stock. It's very risky; unless you believe that the iPhone and iPad will become standards ;)

[visava]

After using the Mac for the first time ( bought it just for iPhone development ) I was impressed . Forget iPhone and iPad , what if Mac becomes the standard. Read 'Mac is back' by Paul Graham. Many of my friends who do not do any programming bought Mac recently. Windows PC now feels like a waste of time to me. Maybe the masses will catch up later.

[bad_user]

> what if Mac becomes the standard

The only way that can happen is if OS X can be licensed to third-party computer manufacturers.

Most computer users just browse the net or read/write documents and spreadsheets. Why would they want an overpriced Mac for doing that?

That's partly the reason why I once thought that Linux will overtake the market, because of its price. But apparently there are other forces that keep Windows dominating, like familiarity and compatibility with existing apps (your free or shiny OS doesn't mean shit if I can't run my apps on it).

> 'Mac is back' by Paul Graham

I'm pretty sure Paul Graham got disappointing with Apple by now. Read "Apple's mistake".

Why in the world would you substitute a control freak for another (even worse in some cases) control freak?

[drenei]

> Most computer users just browse the net or read/write documents and spreadsheets.

Which is what the iPad was created to target.

> your free or shiny OS doesn't mean shit if I can't run my apps on it

The only application I know of where I prefer the Windows implementation to what is available for my Mac is Quickbooks. There might be other narrow verticals (CAD?) where you don't have best of breed software available for Apple's OS, but by and large in 2010 worrying about software availability for a Mac is a moot point.

[csomar]

> _Which is what the iPad was created to target._

I doubt the iPad will be as powerful as Excel and as comfortable as a desktop PC.

[danudey]

Numbers on the iPad (or on the Mac for that matter) will never be as powerful as Excel, if for no other reason than 99% of users don't use 99% of features.

The parent poster mentioned users that just 'browse the net or read/write documents and spreadsheets', and those types of people generally don't use most of what Excel offers. What they do use (formulas, charts, sheets, styles, etc.) Numbers does offer, and it does quite well.

[csomar]

> _hich is what the iPad was created to target._

I doubt the iPad will be as powerful as Excel and as comfortable as a desktop PC.

[cubicle67]

> For the iPhone, the competition is now fierce: Android, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows mobile and Nokia! Nokia is already a major player, they won't let Apple take the market easily and cheaply

Have you seen how much market share Palm, Microsoft and Nokia have lost to RIM and Apple over the last three years?!