Susan, Mini- I Phone is a good idea. Most of the I Phone is costing around $500 and its little bit costlier when compare with other brands. That means for branding “Apple”, we are paying the extra, which may not be affordable to certain category (weaker section) of peoples. So I think mini- I phone with lesser cost can be affordable to such peoples too and everybody can afford an I phone.
"If Apple moves ahead with the mini-iPhone we will witness a tough and very interesting battle for leadership in the smartphone market"
Susan,
I totally agree with you. If APPLE releases handsets in the price range of 200$, it will surely dent the profit margin of Android phones, especially Samsung which is doing very well in Developing markets like India.
@Ariella, well, you got to admit that Steve Jobs looks at least vaguely like a James Bond villain...
Anyhow, at first I was skeptical that Apple would attempt to cater to the "lower-end" market, but then I remembered the direction they took with the iPod, introducing smaller, cheaper iPods that were still cool, but not nearly as jam-packed with gizmos as the latest iPods.
So despite that past history and the fact that a mini-iPhone does make sense, I'm still SLIGHTLY skeptical that Apple is actually working on this... but then again, I think they do realize that they've got to do something if they want to capture market share outside of the gadget-obsessed early adopter types.
I Think that Apple's mini-iPhone worldwide success will depend on the price tag Apple puts on it. $200 is still a lot of money in many emerging and developing countries. Apple may probably not conquer the world with the mini-iPhone and I even doubt it will get that closer to its competitors in emrging countries in terms of the number of items sold.
"You would think if they were rational, they would be content with several billion dollars, but no, it's always the whole world or bust."
I would argue that for those of us that would be content with 'several billion dollars', we should not be in the same realm of Apple. The strive to improve and take over more market share is what keeps the engine churning.. or causes your downfall.
I have a good analogy for this one. It's like an Apple pie. You know you can eat only two slices and yet, you want to eat the whole pie. And yes, will a little more effort you can eat half of the pie. :)
They certainly do think big: "Instead of targeting 25 percent of the global mobile phone market, Apple would be going after 100 percent." I don't know if it is realistic to expect to quadruple one's market and attain that 100%, but I suppose that they believe that aiming for 100% might get them 50% or more, which would still be quite an improvement.
World domination: it's what all the evil masterminds are after in thrillers. You would think if they were rational, they would be content with several billion dollars, but no, it's always the whole world or bust. For a real business plan, though, you have to not revert to the bust if the 100% doesn't happen.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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