Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Apple Co.mmunications?

Say you’ve just downloaded Good Will Hunting from your iTunes. Instead of huddling around your computer to watch it, you walk into the kitchen, make some popcorn, walk into your tv room, sink into your recliner, turn on the TV, and use your Apple Remote to play the movie that was, just a few minutes ago, in your iTunes library. While you were preparing your popcorn, your new movie had wirelessly synced to your Apple TV and readied itself to be viewed. As the people at Apple would say, "Give yourself a hand: You've just changed the way you watch digital media."

Apple wants to create new consumer possibilities through digital media. With a rekindled focus towards entertainment, Apple has extended its product offering with the latest announcement of the iPhone at the MacWorld conference. This "revolutionary" device integrates the technologies of a mobile phone, a touchscreen iPod, and an Internet communications device. Yet, by the looks of it, it remains puzzling as to whom the phone directly appeals to. Some have asserted it to be more of a "lifestyle" phone that offers cell phone capabilities with enhanced iPod features. Moreover, critics claim that the phone lacks the scalability of a Blackberry or Palm, in that its vibrant touchscreen doesn't scale up to Qwerty keyboards of its competitors. Also, at $499, the iPhone runs a pretty penny considering that it values at the same price as the MacMini. But like the iPod, this phone should take time to grow on consumers. It's important, however, that Apple establishes itself in the communications business before it becomes possibly "too late."

According to Wall Street, investors like Apple's products developments considering that the stock skyrocketed 7.10 points, a gain of 8.31%. What truly adds benefit to Apple value, is the wide-ranging possibilities that Apple can exploit to attract other companies to buy into its entertainment business. TIVO realizes the advantage of a joint partnership with Apple, in which it just agreed to offer TIVO capabilities via iTunes. Similar moves like this should bring Apple big business, and with continual product advancements, Apple looks to be virtually "untouchable."
-KH

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