A Financial Slant

This May Be Apple’s Most Successful iPhone Launch Ever

10/29/2017

Where the Telegraph Gets It Wrong

This article from the Telegraph trying to make the case that Apple (AAPL) is at risk of taking a profit hit due to the way that they handled the iPhone launch this year is ridiculous. Their big flaw is in the graph listing the iPhone 8 demand at much lower than the iPhone 7. But that’s because iPhone 8 demand will be more smooth and distributed evenly across the year as opposed to the peaks that new models typically get. The part that they didn’t show is how last year the iPhone 7 had a severe drop off in Q2 whereas the iPhone 8 probably won’t.

The Best iPad Keyboard Case I've Ever Used

10/28/2017

The Logitech Slim Combo Case for 10.5" iPad Pro

Apple launched the new 10.5” iPad Pro in July and since then it’s been my main workhouse machine. I use it to do all of my business and writing at home and I take it to work every day to use as my note pad and organizer. One of the things that I love about my iPad Pro is that I get to choose which keyboard I want to use based on the occasion. Unlike MacBook Pro users who are unhappy with Apple’s choice of the new shallow keys. They can’t just swap the keyboard for a different brand like an iPad user can. But I digress.

There’s No Way the iPhone X Is Less Profitable Than the iPhone 8

10/26/2017

There’s absolutely no way that Apple would launch the iPhone X and accept a lower gross margin than what it is getting on the iPhone 8.

Why Samsung Doesn’t Beat Apple Where It Matters

10/24/2017

Samsung’s former director of Innovation Strategy and lead of Retail Innovation wrote an interesting article for TechCrunch explaining why Apple beats Samsung so handily if you just look at the premium slice of the smartphone market. Here’s a few excerpts:

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Ugliest Earphone of Them All?

10/22/2017

The Pixel Buds are the Equivalent of an Underwater Driving Car

When Apple’s AirPods first came out the rest of the wireless headphones industry was in utter shock at how far Apple had leapfrogged the industry. By including dual optical sensors, accelerometers, and the new W1 chip the AirPods could do things no other earphones could. But the knock on them by many was that they looked weird.

But is that fair? If you remove wires from any headphone you end up with a challenge regarding battery placement and simple ergonomics.

I just happened to be perusing the latest tech headlines the other day when by total chance, I stumbled upon the following two news articles side-by-side.

How Does Amazon Monetize the Echo?

10/21/2017

The Echo Is the Next Sonos, In More Ways Than One

I find it the height of irony that Sonos is partnering with Amazon to plug a hole in their feature lineup. Only a few years ago, Sonos was the premier wireless music solution. When it came to wireless music for your home that had quality sound, Sonos was everyone’s top recommendation.

The Best iPhone Car Mount

10/16/2017

Plus Special Bonus for BMW F30 Owners

I’ve been searching on-and-off for five years for the perfect mount to hold my iPhone while I’m driving. The search is over because I finally found a mount that I’m really happy with. So why the difficulty? Well, let me describe my criteria.

The Curious Case of Apple’s Haptic Home Button

10/14/2017

Why Go To All the Trouble?

Even before rumors started circulating that Apple (AAPL) may drop Touch ID from all phones next year, I’ve pondered the curious existence of the iPhone 7’s faux home button. If you weren’t aware, Apple left the regular mechanical button design in the iPhone 7 in favor of an imitation button that gives haptic feedback when you press it. It’s a pretty slick design and I actually prefer it over the real buttons on older iPhones. Quick double-presses on my iPhone 7 Plus seem much more responsive than they used to.

Forbes Magazine Says Skip Tesla’s Model 3 and Check Out Chevrolet’s Bolt

10/8/2017

Tesla Took a Shortcut and It Backfired

Brooke Crothers over at Forbes had an interesting take on skipping the Tesla Model 3 in favor of the Chevy Bolt and I couldn’t agree with him more.

Amazon May Someday Join Retail, Not Destroy It

10/7/2017

I love shopping for new things on Amazon (AMZN). That’s partly because I love sitting in my favorite chair with my iPad Pro and perusing all the colorful pictures in the comfort of my own home. It’s also quite handy to read the comments from previous users of the product. Plus, I don’t have to enter my payment info every time. Who doesn’t groan when they want to buy something online and they are met with setting up a new account at some strange website?

The Best Apple Watch Review I've Seen Yet

10/4/2017

The best Apple Watch Series 3 review I’ve seen yet is from Bloomberg, courtesy of Hodinkee’s Ben Clymer. If you want to know what someone steeped in the high-brow world of mechanical watches thinks about the whole “connected watch” trend, you should read the whole article. But grab a cup of coffee and sit in your comfy seat because it’s a long one.

Apple’s Most Historically Significant Product of 2017

10/1/2017

The Series 3 Apple Watch

In September Apple (AAPL) released the 3rd generation Apple Watch called the Series 3 and it is Apple's important product launch of the year. Of course, it’ll still get overshadowed by the iPhone from a sales dollar perspective. But when it comes to history making pivot points, the watch wins handily.