Apple - AAPL - Share Chat

It’s almost time for another Apple Event, and we’ve noticed an interesting trend on the app over the last few months :green_apple:

Apple is currently #29 in the most owned stocks on the app, close to Microsoft #28 and Disney #31.

However, when we compare it to the most popular US stock on Freetrade, Tesla, we can see this:

You can see that, while demand for Tesla has continued to increase in line with our rapidly growing customer numbers, Apple has more or less remained static – ultimately declining in popularity.

However, if you had invested in shares in Apple at the beginning of January 2019, you’d be looking at an increase of around 19% up to the end of August 2019.

How do you feel about Apple’s prospects? :chart_with_upwards_trend:

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They’re stagnating I think. They need to launch a good new product and by the sounds of it with the blacking out shop windows maybe they are. Would love to see them buy Peloton/Spotify. I think the time to buy Tesla has probably gone

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I’d rather hold Apple than Tesla any day. In fact I do have a few Apple shares and no Tesla

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I invested at the end of January and am up 45%

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Is that graph showing us the number of trades (buys and sells), or the gross, or net value of trades, or what @Freetrade_Team?

TSLA is -30% in 2019, AAPL +36%. One of them has always felt like a long shot, the other like a dividend stock that’s so safe it’s practically a bond.

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They wouldn’t buy Spotify, I think - they got their own platform and it’s quite good:


(Source - Chart: Spotify Keeps Apple Music at Arm's Length | Statista)

Peloton costs $2k at least + $3k in the first year in total with the subscription servce, etc. How scalable is it? I’m sure Apple would want to slide their software into Pelotons though, because data is the oil in this century. Also, many people can afford Apple Watch - the best selling high-margin smart watch - and these people don’t even have to like fitness.

Apple may be going after Tile - the maker of stuff trackers (link) with Apple Tag:
https://9to5mac.com/2019/09/01/apple-item-tracking-device/
I think the idea of Tile is great but Tile’s management missed its opportunity (could’ve been IPOing this year?). The business idea is still extremely great, especially if you travel a lot. Years ago, I successfully tracked my bag somewhere on the East Coast once - it worked better than the airline’s lost luggage system.

In defence of :green_apple::

  • Apple Watch is a billion dollar+ business on its own - wearables, home, accessories brought USD 5.5 billion in sales in the last quarter.

Apple Watch is the best selling smart watch - period.

  • “Services” is the second largest business after iPhone - USD 11.5 billion in revenue in the last quarter.

(Source - 10Q)

You can list Apple’s iPad on NASDAQ and it’d be a “better” tech company than any of the newcomers who have iPOed recently.

The iPhone echosystem lock-in is also very strong - it’s hard for people to leave iPhone, even if you switch to Google Pixel with Android 10 (different UI, lack of iMessage, etc).

The differences between the two OSs are becoming small - they are all just copying each other.

Android Studio wants to be more like X Code - if you’re a developer. Kotlin vs Swift.

Never thought I’d see so many people with pricey iPhone X after it was announced a couple of years ago. Apple are masters of distorting reality.


(Source - 10Q)

Now, :bug::bug::bug::green_apple::

The average phone upgrade cycle is changing not in phone-makers’ favour - definitely a concern for Apple’s largest segment (the iPhone):


(Source - Blog - Ting Internet)

But Apple has managed to convince the world that paying $1000+ for something we used to pay half that is OK.

Compared to Samsung, Apple is in a league of its own in terms of brand perception. They know how to make psychology work in their favour.

And they know how to manage finances - borrowing at ultra low rates to fund dividends while minimising taxes thanks to the cheap debt.

My concern is what can the ex-COO and now CEO Tim Cook do with innovation, now that Sir Jonny Ive has left and many others have too in the past (one of the chief designers of iPod/iPhone left and founded Nest which was bought by Google).

Another elephant in the room is the state of machine learning (a subset of AI or whatever you want to call it):

Siri is :poop:.

Apple bought Siri, popularised the voice assistant thingy, and then god knows what happened. Actually, someone did some research:

And search is everything - ask Amazon, Microsoft (with Microsoft Search and the Alexa tie-up), and the leader - Google (Assistant). They managed to hire a top AI person from the GOOG but you can’t rebuild an AI platform and catch up with Amazon in 1 or even 2 years while the rest of the leading pack are also moving.

Also, Microsoft and its partners have finally started making cheaper and better laptops.

Macs are Apple’s 3rd largest business by revenue after iPhone and Services.

Windows 10 is quite great - it does the job. And, if you like Linux, side-load the open-source OS onto your sleek Acer or HP laptop and it’s still cheaper than a Macbook Pro. If you read some hardware or domain-specific forums, many people are discussing how upgrading to Win10 machines from old MacPros was OK + they saved some money.

The upgrade cycle for laptops is nowhere near the smartphones I think.

P.S.

Apple has USD 211 billion of cash and marketable securities.


(Source - 10Q)

It is still a MOAT.

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This would explain some of the weirder Twitter photos.

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Apparently the big reveal is going to be Augmented Reality Glasses.

I’ll hold off on buying Apple till around the time where the 5g phone will be announced. As an earlier poster said it seems they’ve stagnated…unless they pull a rabbit out the hat today and shock everyone!!

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Apple Livestream Event: Apple Special Event — September 10, 2019 - YouTube // https://www.apple.com/apple-events/livestream/

Apple Arcade to be launched for $4.99 a month. Over 100 exclusive games.

[Update 1]
Apple TV + free for 1 year to those who buy a new iPhone, iMac, iPad.
$4.99 a month. Also for the whole family.
The power of the lock-in.

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Hey @rod, sorry for the delay, it’s been quite a day :sweat_smile:

The chart shows trades (buys) for each stock.

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The Super Retina XDR display, A13 bionic, 8.5 billion transistors in a chip, best machine learning platform in a smartphone, pro camera, wide camera, ultra wide camera, telephoto camera…




(Source - https://theoatmeal.com/comics/apple)

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:joy::joy::joy:

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The cheapest iPhone appears to be priced at $699 + local tax (£729 in :uk:…). That’s down from maybe $750 a year before.

Pricing was a big theme during the entire presentation. $4.99 a month for TV+!

“Nice” FX rate:
US: iPhone Pro 64GB - $999 (plus local tax, I assume)
UK: iPhone Pro 64GB - £1,049

The cheapest Apple Watch is 3 - at £199. It is two models behind but probably aimed at the FitBit users. Smart.

With India/China being some of the most important markets for Apple, presenting your hardware products as cheaper than before - or at least cheaper than the next premium Galaxy phone - may be a good strategy. They may also be taking into account the foreign exchange fluctuations, so can afford to use some of the mega cash reserves to attract new customers looking for “high end” stuff.

2019:
iPhone Pro $999
iPhone 11 $699 +local tax
iPhone XR $600
iPhone 8 $450

2018:
iPhone XS $999…
iPhone XR $750ish

Undercutting the competition.

Well done, Apple.

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Personally I’m not a fan of Apple products, I think they are overpriced compared to the competition and I’m not a fan of IOS

but I realise loads of people do like them and they have an almost cult like following (as shown in the Oatmeal cartoon above!) and that’s why I own shares :smiley:

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:+1: With Apple I’d guess it’s unusual to hear someone disliking the products but holding the stock.

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Im with Dave. Apple annoys me no end and I love Samsung. But I think Apple is a great stock. The fact Warren Buffet holds a huge position too makes me feel alright about its cost.

Apple used to be great under Jobs. Now their products just ride along on his ethereal coat tails. I live in the Apple ecosystem and can see the quality depreciation of the last few years. Sad.