Category: Smart Tech

Apple’s new iPad 5 may look a lot like iPad mini

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Apple is about to reveal its next-generation iPads and it’s likely the devices will get the biggest update in design since the original iPad came out in 2010.

(Read more: What to expect at Apple’s upcoming event)

The Cupertino, Calif., company is expected to reveal the iPad 5 and the iPad mini 2 at an event in San Francisco on Tuesday and it’s expected that the new full-size iPad will begin to look a little more like the iPad mini.

“We believe the retrofitted iPad 5 will prove to be the most important iPad upgrade since the first iPad went on sale on April 4, 2010,” said Brian White, an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, on Monday in a client note. “Essentially, we believe the iPad 5 will take on some of the form factor characteristics of the iPad mini but with a 9.7-inch display.”

(Read more: Apple’s new retail chief is no stranger to tech)

White has a “buy” rating on Apple’s stock with a price target of USD 777.

White, who recently met with Apple suppliers in Taiwan and China, said that it’s likely the iPad 5 will be 15 percent thinner than the iPad 4 and approximately 20 to 30 percent lighter. The width of the iPad 5 also will likely shrink by as much as 10 percent compared with the iPad 4, which is about 7.31 inches, White said. However, the iPad’s display screen will likely stay the same size, he said.

“Despite our expectation of smaller width, we expect the size of the display to remain at 9.7 inches (diagonal) as Apple shrinks the front size black bezel that surrounds the LCD display,” he said.

The iPad 5 will also steal some characteristics from the iPhone 5S, which launched in September.

(Read more: Nobody seems to want Apple’s iPhone 5c)

Like the new iPhone, the device is expected to come in new colors, including a space gray, gold and silver. White said it’s also likely that it gets Apple’s new A7 application processor, which also is in the new iPhone 5S and would make the new iPad twice as fast as its predecessor.

There’s also a reasonable chance that the device also will feature a a fingerprint sensor like the iPhone 5S, White said. As for the iPad mini, it’s not as likely to get as many significant updates, White said.

“Given our recent trip to Asia, our research suggests that the iPad mini 2 form factor will remain similar to the original iPad mini. In fact, we only expect incremental upgrades to the iPad mini 2 this week,” he said.

While it is expected that the iPad mini 2 will also get a faster application processor, a new color scheme and an improved camera, there is less chance that Apple will include retina display in the device.

“There have been a plethora of media reports indicating that a Retina Display is coming to the iPad mini 2 this week; however, our research during our recent Asia trip was less conclusive of such a notion,” White said.

—By CNBC’s Cadie Thompson. Follow her on Twitter
@CadieThompson

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Apple is not immune to PC bloodbath

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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It’s no secret that PC sales have been, well, bad for awhile now. Sales of Apple’s Mac computers, however, have held fairly well up for the most part.

That may be shifting.

In the third quarter, Mac sales dropped 11 percent to 1.9 million from the period a year earlier, according to an IDC report. What’s more, Apple was the only company among the top five US vendors to post a decline in shipments.

“The PC market in general has been in six quarters of consecutive decline, and it’s getting cannibalised by tablet sales,” BGC Financial’s Colin Gillis told CNBC on Thursday.

“You go back and the peak actually happened in September of 2011. PC sales as a total are down 17 percent since then, and if you add up the numbers, it correlates with tablet sales. Tablets are cheaper, tablets are easier and the PC may wind up becoming more of a relegated, niche product.”

For Apple, it use to be all about the “halo effect,” Gillis said. Consumers would buy the iPhone or iPad, and Apple bet the consumers would get pulled into the entire ecosystem and begin buying MacBook Pros or MacBook Airs. But, that halo effect is fading, Gillis said on “Squawk on the Street.”

(Read more: Ditching Apple for Android? What you need to know)

“So on the one hand, we have a nice new revenue stream for tablets, and on the other hand we have PC sales slumping and that is a negative,” said Gillis, who has a USD 500 price rating on Apple stock.

(Read more: Why I don’t like Apple stock: Gabelli )

In addition to iPad sales cannibalizing Mac sales, Apple also has to worry about its tablet competition. Amazon, Google even Microsoft are offering tablets priced below Apple’s iPad.

(Read more: Samsung’s curved phone; new Apple iPads?)

“Price competition is impacting Apple in the tablet space. It’s the same pattern as phones. Android tablets have now crossed over the 50 percent line taking market share from Apple,” Gillis said.

Apple’s highest margin product is still the iPhone, followed by the iPad and then Macs. Gillis said that he sees only a few catalysts left for Apple, which includes a deal with China Mobile.

(Read more: Apple, China Mobile deal may be coming soon)

“Apple knows its niche,” he said. “They keep their prices high. They are trying to keep their margins intact, but unfortunately they are going to lose a segment of the marketplace. It’s just, it is what it is.”

—By CNBC’s Cadie Thompson. Follow her on Twitter
@CadieThompson

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Apple will reveal new iPads October 22: Report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Apple isn’t finished showing off new products just yet. The company is planning to host a media event later this month where it is expected to show off its updated iPads, according to a report.

(Read more: Forget the iPhone 5S, let’s talk about the iPhone 6 )

The tech giant has scheduled the event for Oct. 22, according to a report from All Things D, which cites people close to the matter. Apple stock moved up slightly on the news.

(What are Apple shares doing now? Click here)

The new version of the full size iPad will likely feature a thinner, lighter body and run Apple’s 64-bit A7 chip. The iPad mini is expected to have the A7 chip and an upgraded retina display.

(Read more: Why an iWatch may not be as big as the iPhone )

In addition to the new iPads, it’s likely Apple will also show off its new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks, the report said.

Read more at All Things D.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Forget the iPhone 5S, let’s talk about the iPhone 6

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Sales of Apple’s iPhone 5S have been impressive so far, but an iPhone 6 next year will likely give the company an even bigger boost, according to an analyst report.

(Read more: Apple’s still got it: New iPhones ring up record sales)

Apple’s iPhone 6 will likely be larger than the current models, featuring a display screen that is 4.8-inches, which will prompt more people who are available for an upgrade to purchase the device, said Peter Misek, an equity analyst at Jefferies, in a note. The latest models are 4-inches.

(Read more: Apple, China Mobile deal may be coming soon)

“Also the ecosystem is excited about the iPhone 6, which we feel is warranted. We think the stock will appreciate ahead of the iPhone 6 launch,” he said in his note.

Misek, who recently returned from a trip to Asia where he met with Apple’s suppliers, increased his price target for Apple from USD 425 to USD 600 and increased his rating for the stock to buy from hold.

(Read more: Why an iWatch may not be as big as the iPhone)

Previously, Misek feared Apple’s gross margins would shrink because of increased costs from suppliers, but after his trip he said they have become more lenient on pricing.

“In contrast to earlier this year when suppliers boasted that Apple would not be able to push them around anymore, they are now scrambling to be in Apple’s supply chain as competitor ramps have not gone as planned,” he said in his note.

(Read more: How Apple has changed since Steve Jobs)

Misek estimates that there will be 85 million iPhones eligible for an upgrade by the time the iPhone 6 launches–which he expects to happen next September. In addition, the 5 million to 10 million customers who passed on the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C cycle may upgrade at that time.

“A poor iPhone 5s/5c cycle means a bigger upgrade opportunity for the iPhone 6,” he wrote. The larger screen and the estimated number of current Apple users expected to upgrade to an iPhone 6 next year will boost the company in 2015, he said.

However, Misek notes that while Apple’s iPhone 5S remains in demand, the company is actually cutting orders for the less-expensive iPhone 5C because of slow sales. He estimates the company is cutting orders from 30 million to between 15 million and 20 million. And he said Apple may cut the price of the device to boost sales.

—By CNBC’s Cadie Thompson. Follow her on Twitter
@CadieThompson

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Could Apple be going gold with its iPads too?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Several leaked images on Friday have added to rumors that the release of the Apple iPad Mini 2 is just around the corner and that the new tablet will follow its iPhone sibling by being available in – yes, you guessed to – the color gold.
 
The images were published by the Chinese website DoNews and appear to suggest that the new device will also feature the same fingerprint scanning technology found on the newly released iPhone 5s. The new product could be set for launch on October 15, according to the website Techradar.

But that’s not all. Perennial product leaker Sonny Dickson expects that the iPad Mini 2 will be joined on launch day by the new iPad 5.

(Read More: iPhone fingerprint scanner claimed to be hacked)

The two new rumored devices will follow hot on the heels of the new iPhone models released to great fanfare last Friday. On Monday, Apple said Monday that sales for its new iPhone had set a record, with consumers snapping up 9 million smartphones within the first few days of its launch, prompting the company to hike its revenue guidance.

The tech giant said in a statement that the iPhone 5s and 5c’s sales were accompanied by more than 200 million downloads of the iOS 7 platform, Apple’s new iteration of its operating software.

(Read More: Apple’s still got it: New iPhones ring up record sales)

As a result, Apple said company revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter would be “near the high end” of its previous guidance of USD 34-37 billion. Gross margins would also check in near the top of its prior guidance of 36-37 percent. 

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

For Apple, mum’s the word on iPhone 5C pre-orders

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Apple`s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 5C became available for pre-order last week, but the company has been unusually quiet about the number of devices it has sold so far.

The 5C, Apple`s lower-cost smartphone with a plastic casing, became available for pre-order on Friday with subsidized pricing starting at USD 99. The iPhone 5S goes on sale in stores and online this Friday with subsidized pricing starting at USD 199.

In the past, the tech giant has been quick to boast about its high sales during the first few hours its devices became available. The fact that the company has kept mum on the matter so far has lead some to speculate that the early pre-order numbers aren`t as good as they had been for earlier models.

But even if Apple has low pre-orders for the 5C, it may not matter that much because the company`s business strategy is shifting, Alex Gauna, a senior research analyst at JMP Securities, said Tuesday on CNBC`s “Squawk on the Street.”

“Apple is fighting against a law of large numbers, a lot more diversity of competition right now, and I think people have figured out they don`t have to get in line for these new phones. They know if Apple runs out they will build more,” Gauna said. “Right now we can read something into this-there haven`t been as many pre-orders, but what I think is more important for Apple is the global expansion of this story.”

Apple has dramatically increased support for 3G and 4G LTE in its new devices, a hint that the company will be bringing its devices into new markets.

“There`s a very big opportunity for channel-fill out there,” said Gauna, who has a “market perform” rating on Apple`s stock. However, he said, competition from Android has turned it into a zero margin game for Apple right now, so Wall Street is also looking for Apple to reach into new categories to expand its business.

“Investors have figured out it`s not really about the hardware right now. What Wall Street is looking for is something new for the business model like new software and new services,” Gauna said.

He said that because of this his firm is recommending component makers, like Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) and Skyworks (NASDAQ: SWKS), instead of Apple itself.

While Apple growth in the high-end of the smartphone market may be tapering, new product launches next year could help push the share price back up above USD 500, said Abhey Lamba, a senior equity research analyst at Mizuho Securities.

Lamba, who has a “buy” rating on the stock with a USD 520 price target, said he expects Apple to release the iPhone 6 sometime during the middle of 2014 and for that device to come in with larger screen.

“That will be a key catalyst,” he said. “It will be a much bigger product cycle. There will be a new product category, some watch form. 2014 will be a product cycle for Apple and that will get us out of this range.”

-By Cadie Thompson, CNBC. Follow her on Twitter @CadieThompson.

Copyright 2011 cnbc.com

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Apple’s still got it: New iPhones ring up record sales

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Apple said Monday that sales for its new iPhone had set a record, with consumers snapping up nine million smartphones within the first few days of its launch, prompting the company to hike its revenue guidance.

The tech giant said in a statement that the iPhone 5s and 5c’s sales were accompanied by more than 200 million downloads of the iOS 7 platform, Apple’s new iteration of its operating software.

As a result, Apple said company revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter would be “near the high end” of its previous guidance of USD 34-USD 37 billion. Gross margins would also check in near the top of its prior guidance of 36-37 percent.

Also read: Apple’s device exhaustion?

The numbers defied some of the market’s low-ball estimates, and suggest the technology giant still has cachet with consumers as it fends off a stiff challenge from Samsung.

Apple fanatics snapped up the new 5c and 5s models in droves, with lines snaking around Apple’s iconic retail stores last week. Some ebullient fans even camped out overnight, in order to be the first to get a hold of the new device.

Watch: Paid to stand in line

“The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.

The market’s estimates were off for Apple sales because the tech company combined sales of the 5c and 5s models, Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, told the “Fast Money Halftime Report.”

“The way they announced that number was a little bit different than they typically do. When you back out that channel fill of the 5c, the number was pretty much right in line with about 5.5 million, which is positive because it’s up from 5 million a year ago. But you need to kind of put that 9 million into context and I don’t think the Street was as off as maybe it looks at first blush,” said Munster, who is currently has an ‘overweight’ rating on the stock with a price target of USD 640 a share.

Apple’s shares, listed on the Nasdaq, rose 3.6 percent in afternoon trading.

Shares in Pandora, the online radio service that faces competition from Apple’s new iTunes Radio, fell more than 10 percent.

To pro traders Stephen Weiss and Jon Najarian, Apple’s sales and shares alike could continue to rise should consumer support for rival BlackBerry wane. Weiss thinks the stock could trade to USD 550 a share, but will likely remain range-bound until the company produces a “truly new,” innovative product to the marketplace.

Joe Terranova, chief market strategist at Virtus Investment Partners, an asset management firm with more than USD 25 billion under management, said it all comes down to the technicals for Apple

If the stock is able to push through resistance of USD 500 a share, he thinks more investors will start a position in the stock, sending shares even higher.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Record iPhone debut is not a ‘victory lap’ yet: Pro

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Apple enthusiasts lined up throughout the US and in China for the launch of two new iPhone models, which drew the longest-ever line for an iPhone device—but one pro cautioned that it’s not time for an Apple “victory lap” yet.

At 8 am, the line at Apple’s 5th Avenue flagship store in New York City was 1,417 people long, said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray. This is 83 percent longer than for the iPhone 5 at the same time, said Munster, who’s kept records of the lines since 2008. He noted that many of the buyers were international buyers.

“So far, it seems to be off to a healthy start, which is somewhat of a surprise given it’s the essentially the same hardware,” Munster said.

Ahead of the launch, analysts had been subdued about the new models, saying that with the exception of the 5S’s new fingerprint scanner, they didn’t have the “wow” factor to differentiated them from other phones on the market.

Also read: Peeling back the layers of Apple’s new iPhone 5S

“I think near term investors were pretty down on the iPhone launch and lineup,” Munster said said. “So far, I think the demand is better than they would have thought, which is positive.”

“This is a good start and surprise to analysts who had pretty downbeat expectations,” he added. “But the next question is ‘Are they going to be able to make enough of them?’ and second ‘What is the fade going to look like — are things strong for six months or six weeks? We don’t know that yet. This is clearly a good start, but you cant take your victory lap yet.”

Also read: Apple iPhone 5C orders ‘not overwhelming’

Munster has an “overweight” rating and a $640 price target on the company’s shares.

Apple shares inched higher in trade following the iPhone launch.

“They basically offered a deal. We advertise their company, they pay us $800 each to get whatever phone we want,” one young man told CNBC of the many advertisers who’ve tried to exploit the crowds at the store.

For this debut, Apple only allowed pre-orders of its cheaper 5C model, which feature plastic back and bright colors, but not the 5S model, which includes a fingerprint scanner and three new colors — gray, silver and the hotly anticipated gold color.

Several customers reported that the popular gold color was already sold out in stores on Friday. Online, the phone will not be available until October.

Also read: Panned new iPhones still draw die-hards at launch

“Analysts are predicting somewhere between 5 and 8 million phones — I think they’re going to have to get on the higher end of that to really satisfy the analysts, and I think they can do that because this is the first time they’re launching two phones at the same time and it’s really a repositioning of their whole mobile strategy,” said Pete Pachal, a tech editor at Mashable.

AllThingsD’s Ina Fried cautioned that this launch is a difficult apples-to-apples comparison to the last one.

“You have the two models — also you have tight supply on the 5s so we’ll see whether that puts a dent in sales at all,” she said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

World’s first ethically sourced smartphone unveiled

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Techies could soon text with a clear conscience as the world’s first fair trade smartphone is unveiled in London on Wednesday.

Dutch company Fairphone is introducing its ethically sourced phone while industry leaders, including Samsung and Apple, continue to face criticism over factory conditions and mineral sourcing.

Over 15,000 Fairphone handsets, retailing at 325 euros, have been pre-ordered from the firm’s first 25,000 unit production run. The prototype on show at the company’s Soho pop-up shop will be the first customer glimpse before deliveries begin in December.

Though Fairphone CEO and Founder Bas van Abel stressed the phone isn’t 100 percent ethical, the project took some crucial first steps.

(Read more: Ubuntu smartphone axed after crowdfunding drive fails)

Fairphone partnered with NGOs, like the Conflict Free Tin Initiative and Solutions for Hope, which provide a traceable supply chain for minerals essential to smartphone production—tin, tungsten and tantalum—that traditionally come from army controlled mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A living wage review is also underway to ensure workers in China’s A’Hong factory receive fair pay while assembling Fairphone’s first 25,000 phones this November.

“What’s important here is they didn’t compromise on experience,” said Jeronimo Francisco, IDC Research Director of European Mobile Devices.
 
Fairphone specs include a custom Android OS, quad core processor, 4.3 inch reinforced screen, and dual SIM capacity—allowing both work and personal phones to rest on one device.

(Read more: Move over Apple? Russian firm crosses iPhone with Kindle)

The phone won’t be sealed either and will come with instructions for self-repairs.

Some companies have tried to go greener with their handsets, but Fairphone is the first initiative that tries to look at both the fair trade and green prospects throughout the entire supply chain, Francisco said.

Giants like Sony highlighted the reduced carbon footprint in their C901 GreenHeart and Naite models in 2009, and Apple recently touted recycled material in its iPhone 5C.

It’s unclear how disruptive the Fairphone will be to a handset market that Francisco said is expected to ship 1 billion units by the end of the business year.

(Read more: For Apple, mum’s the word on iPhone 5C pre-orders)

But Michael Morgan, a senior mobile devices analyst for ABI Research said operators and retailers need to be the driving force of the Fairphone initiative. “If the retailers of phones don’t demand that phones become green or ethical…then there is little economic incentive to make them green or ethical.”

Van Abel confirmed that a number of telecommunication giants have already approached Fairphone, including Telefonica and T-Mobile.
“We don’t have any partnerships, but they’re interested in what we’re doing,” said Van Abel.

KPN plans to buy 1000 of the first handsets and Vodafone has held informal meetings with Fairphone, helping the team develop a longer-lasting phone and experimenting with quality design.

(Read more: Samsung may already be working on next version of smartwatch)

The handset is unlocked and usable with any mobile provider but will only be delivered within Europe this year. Van Abel hinted at North American and Australian shipments for the second batch if all goes well.

Fairphone crowd-sourced its startup funds from customer pre-orders, and plans to reinvest any first run profits into its supply chain. Next, it hopes to ethically source both gold and the cobalt needed for the handset’s batteries.

“The movement is about inspiring the industry. It’s more about different ways of doing business than a solution for all the problems. We don’t have solutions yet,” said Van Abel.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Apple’s new iPhone 5C may be priced just right

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Investors were less than thrilled with Apple`s big iPhone event Tuesday, primarily because of the price on the new iPhone 5C.

Also read: Apple goes plastic and colorful with new iPhone line

The unlocked iPhone 5C`s high price (combined with no mention of a deal in China), caused Apple shares to dip after the event.  While the iPhone 5C starts at a subsidized price of USD 99, it costs over USD 500 without a contract. Many analysts had predicted that the phone, which has a plastic case and comes in multiple colors, would be about USD 350 unlocked.

Also read: Apple live blog: Here comes the iPhone 5S

But Apple is betting on the premium market, a move that could help it, said Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray.

Munster, who has a USD 630 price target for Apple shares, said that although the heftier price may result in fewer units sold, it will help preserve margins. A deal with China Mobile-that country`s largest wireless carrier, with 750 million subscribers-will help Apple`s bet pay off, Munster said.

“Ultimately, China Mobile is a huge opportunity, and that`s going to be a positive,” Munster said on CNBC`s ” Squawk on the Street .” “It`s a bold move. They are basically saying that they don`t need price at this point to drive demand, and obviously getting a big carrier like China Mobile is going to be a huge factor in that.”

Apple is hosting an event Wednesday in Beijing, and Munster said he is 99 percent certain that is when the tech giant will announce its partnership with the Chinese company. Many investors clearly had hoped to hear news of a deal Tuesday.

The company did, however, acknowledge its growth in Asia with other news, including a deal with NTT Docomo, Japan`s largest wireless carrier. It also said it plans to roll out the new smartphones in China on day one. Customers there had to wait for months in past launches.

“I look at this all today with Apple as a tale of two markets,” said John Malloy, general partner at BlueRun Ventures and a former Nokia executive. “The U.S. fanboys … and investors are probably going to be disappointed, but it`s really all about China. And Apple needs to do that, they need to be able to move into the fatter part of the market.”

Some investors also were concerned that the 5C might cannibalize the sales of the iPhone 5S, which ranges from USD 199 to USD 399, also introduced Tuesday.
But Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, which owns USD 6 million worth of Apple, said that is unlikely for several reasons.

The 5C comes only in bright colors (including green, pink, yellow, blue and green) and will attract younger users, while the 5S is available in gold, silver and gray and probably will appeal more to older users, he said.

The difference in the prices isn`t significant enough to drive stolen sales, Gerber added.

“They changed the style enough to not cannibalize their business, and what they did that I think is most important is they didn`t sacrifice margins,” he said. “So even though it`s cheaper, it`s not that much cheaper.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow