September 20 should be a big day in Apple’s history. This will be the day the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S should be released. But the vibe I’m getting from the media and the public is: who cares?
The last time I checked today’s ticker tape, Apple stock lost 5% of it’s share this day alone. A year ago at this time, Apple’s stock was worth over $700. Another factor is timing. Are you aware it’s been 230 days since Apple came out with it’s last product? The last big space was 132 days. Low prices are doing little to help. This iPhone 5C goes for $99 in the US, with a contract. Some economic experts say the mid-lower price smartphone booming so much$99 isn’t cheap enough. Speaking of competition, as of this week, Samsung sold over 38 million Galaxy Note smartphones. During Apple’s release drought, Microsoft released the Windows 8 phone. Some experts say by 2017, Windows will have almost the same amount of the phone market Apple does now.
This is a long way from what we’re used to. I don’t see long lines and people sleeping on the streets rushing to get these iPhones. They got us spoiled. When you release new product after new product, you’re going to shorten consumers’ attention span. By this point, we’re addicted to seeing what’s next. When the what’s next doesn’t come for over 7 months, naturally, our attention is going to wander elsewhere. Competitors knew it and jumped on the opportunity. One would think a smartphone for under $100 would get people running to the Apple store. A few years ago, it probably would have. Now, you can get one for far cheaper, with a contract of course. Don’t get me wrong; I love Apple products as much as anybody. But it’s a new world out there. Can Apple compete?