Posted on 01/03/2019 2:38:21 PM PST by Red Badger
Those very large private banks that the Fed is a part of, I wonder what their take is on Mz Mad Maxine?
Time for the Fed to raise rates again.
Yes, it's probably the primary issue, but it is more than that - for sure.
First, there is an ‘emotional’ component of all commerce. That's why companies spend so much money on advertising. It's not just name recognition. It's also ‘image’ and perception. Apples’s image has been (but is no longer) that of the innovative upstart company who were driven by doing ‘cool things’ more than by cold hard economics. By doing stupid things like constantly changing the plug-in configurations for power cords, etc, Apple's image has changed from ‘cool’ to corporate. That's huge, and makes them much more vulnerable economically than they've been in a long time.
Second, there isn't a really ‘new’ product line or new directions. There's new and improved iPhones, etc., but there is no paradigm shifting new technology. Like it or not, cell phones are much, much less ‘cool’ than they once were, and people aren't salivating to buy the ‘new phone’ as much anymore. That's just an inevitable progression of the business. Apple Watches, etc., are not going to overcome this - though cool new applications and application-based hardware (e.g. the ability to use your phone for ECGs, sleep apnea monitoring, and a myriad of other uses) will continue to drive sales.
The issues facing Facebook and Google are, on the other hand, very, very much predicated on the perceived political biases and manipulation associated with these brands. That, and the threat of potential government intervention in these corporations are making investors very skittish - understandably. Neither is shiny and new anymore, and that they are now perceived by a significant percentage of the public as being arbiters of biased social engineering is a very, very, very big problem for them. Just wait and see. It won't be that long before the significance of this becomes evident.
All economics is ultimately based upon perception and emotions.
Thanks for the thoughtful response, you make very good points — none of which I have any particular issue.
I will maintain that expecting Google/Facebook’s political problems will hatch a doppleganger version of each with its biases reversed is magical thinking. Business does not work like that.
You are so right about phones losing their luster. Got first one earlier this year (no choice, work).
If I am doing/possessing something - it is not cool.
Moore’s Law marches on, and the hardware will be so cheap it will be silly.
GM 2.0 Deja vu all over again ..........................................
Their 'young' are not so 'young' any more. With age comes a certain amount of wisdom, and they don't see any value in wasting good working equipment for a new color of the same thing......................
But the applications will range cooler and cooler, with a new thing for every moment.
To me this sounds like a great opportunity for evangelical apps. A prayer and verses for every moment for those who want it. From arising in the morning till bedtime at night, from clear roads to traffic jams, from big business meeting to informal get-together.
Way, way back in about 1976, when I was a young electronics tech in the USMC, a buddy of mine was going to build a device made with these new-fangled things called LEDs.
They would be arranged into a sign that flashed, “You made it!” every few seconds. You would push a button and restart the timer for another sequence.
If you didn’t push the button withing a certain time, it would flash, “You didn’t make it.”..........................
Thanks Red Badger.
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/13i5mc/10000_investment_in_apple_stock_10_years_ago_is/
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