iPad 2.0

The highly anticipated iPad 2 was unveiled today at Apple's exclusive launch event. Guess the rumours were true this time!

If you'd like to witness the unveiling, you can see Apple's iPad 2 keynote live on Apple's website in iTunes. 

 

This Wall Street Journal article has a brief description of what to expect of the upgraded  iPad:

"The iPad 2, which like its predecessors starts at $499, will ship in the U.S. on March 11 and in 26 more countries on March 25. It comes with front and rear cameras—addressing an omission in the initial model—and a new Apple-designed chip that Mr. Jobs said performs standard calculations twice as fast as its predecessor and offers a nine-fold boost in graphics performance."
 

Half the iPhone for Half the Price

According to a news article from the Wall Street Journal, Apple will soon release a line of less costly iPhones:

Apple Inc. is working on the first of a new line of iPhones and an overhaul of software services for the devices, people familiar with the matter said, moving to accelerate sales of its smartphones amid growing competition.

One of the people, who saw a prototype of the phone late last year, said the device is intended for sale alongside Apple's existing line. The new device would be about half the size of the iPhone 4, which is the current model.

Of course, with a smaller model, some features will be eliminated from the iPhone 4. Below are a picture of the current iPhone 4 model next to the rumored image of the new iPhone, unofficially dubbed "N97". Bloomberg also reported that Apple was working hard on the iPhone to combat the growing Android market.

I applaud Apple for always being one step ahead of the game.Of course, this should be no surprise to Apple consumers as they have already witness the progression from the iPod to the simplified iPod nano. (Did you know the profit margin for the nanos are much greater than the original ones? Apple knows how to cash it in.)

Excited? Rumor has it that this cheaper version will be unveiled during summertime, much like the releases of its predecessors.

White iPhone 4 spotted at retail stores

For those that have anticipated for the release of Apple's white iPhone 4 since last June, the wait is finally over! Spotted at a Best Buy store in Houston, TX, the ivory cased iPhone 4 can be yours for the same sweet n' low price as the black model -- $599.99!!! The Source (the Canadian RadioShack) also posted their own price tag.

 Apple is certainly stepping up their game recently. First releasing Verizon iPhones and now this, maybe Steve Jobs's "medical leave" wasn't a bad decision after all.

 

[Source: Engadget]

Apple Inc.

Recent news of Steve Jobs' medical leaves opened up new questions regarding Apple's future. Techies and bankers are both concerned about imminent future of one of world's most innovative company of this decade.

Let me gave everyone a brief background. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. Initially, they ran a small operation out of the Jobs' garage in Los Altos, California and revolutionized the Personal Computer industry with its easy-to-use computer Apple II. Although Apple pioneered in the PC industry, it was difficult for them to sustain a competitive advantage with its differentiation niche strategy. By charging their consumers at a premium price, Apple offered high quality Macintosh computers with guaranteed reliability and simplicity. While Apple seems to have a bright future ahead of itself, it lost a majority of the PC market shares to Microsoft, Dell, and HP. It didn't help that their top management team made a few wrong maneuvers during the Sculley-Spindler-Amelio years. Apple fell to its lowest trough in 1997 with a loss of $1.6 billion and barely managed to hold its ground with a 3% worldwide market share.

Thankfully, someone at Apple made a smart decision to hire Steve Jobs back. Unlike his predecessors, Jobs was a "tech visionary." I personally believe that Jobs got the golden touch. By focusing heavily on Research & Development and restructuring efforts, Jobs revived Apple in 1998 with a $309 million profit during the fiscal year. His commitment to R&D helped the creation of the "digital hub" strategy. Due to the stagnant nature of the computer industry, Jobs pushed the boundaries of digital technology when he introduced the iPod. Since the iPod, Jobs has redefined the digital world with a string of iGadgets: iTouch, iPhone, and the latest iPad. In 2009, the majority of Apple's net sales came from non-Macintosh series. The iPhone series became 30% of Apple's total revenue. Not only do the financial report figures illustrate Steve Jobs' success, but the ubiquitous presence of Apple products also confirms this theory.

(Interesting side note: Ever since I bought an iPhone, I've became more aware of Apple's products on the silver screen. For those that are curious about this phenomenon, this Product Placement News article claimed that Apple does not pay for the exposures.)

While I applaud Mr. Jobs's maverick attitude and trendsetting accomplishments, I can't help but wonder what would become of Apple sans Jobs. In a press release to Apple employees, Jobs announced a medical leave with an indefinite return date.

Dun dun dun. Here comes the million dollar question! How will Apple fare under a different management? Is Apple going to prevail or is history doomed to repeat itself?

FYI: To give everyone a quick heads up, some are betting against Apple already. One daring prediction against Steve Jobs is that he will not be returning to Apple as he has already achieved everything he wanted. Others are concerned about his health.

A shot of Steve Jobs setting the record straight regarding his "premature death", circa 2008. 

Update:
Netgear's global chairman and CEO Patrick Lo spoke about Steve Jobs in a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. Lo said, "Once Steve Jobs goes away, which is probably not far away, then Apple will have to make a strategic decision on whether to open up the platform."

Does the future of Apple rely solely on Steve Jobs? I want to leave y'all with a quote by Mr. Jobs, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."