Dear The New York Times journalist,
I do realize that Apple’s 3G iPhone is one of the most talked about consumer products today. I do realize that people are still interested in hearing about 3G iPhone, its merits, and demerits. But then, haven’t you already discussed this issue to death?
When you came up with the brilliant discovery that the new 3G iPhone actually costs more than the old one, I was really taken back. And if you remember, I already wrote a rebuttal for that. And now, you come up with this. What do I say?
The story is this – Apple sells its iPhone for $600 to those who don’t want the two-year contract with AT&T. Those who come under the contract can pay just $199. You see, we’re fine with that. But then, when you quote some market research firm and say that the iPhone is actually worth only around $170, aren’t you stretching things a little too far?
And how the hell did someone come up with that arbitrary figure? Based on the cost of the hardware components in the phone alone? Hello, ever heard of something called R&D? When you price a product, you have to take the cost of R&D, designing, and marketing into consideration. So, claiming that the iPhone is worth only around $170 based on the value of its components is not just incorrect, it’s plain stupid.
Sensationalizing issues is better left to bloggers like me. You, being a journalist, are supposed to be neutral and most importantly, well informed.
Thanks.
Tags: 3g iphone, Apple, bloggers, brilliant discovery, iPhone, journalist, journalists, merits and demerits, new york times, rebuttal
Technorati Tags: 3g iphone, Apple, bloggers, brilliant discovery, iPhone, journalist, journalists, merits and demerits, new york times, rebuttal
Categories: Rant, Apple iPhone.
Finally, after weeks and weeks of chaos and confusion, it’s been officially announced that Microsoft – Yahoo deal is not going to happen. Microsoft is fuming at a lost opportunity and Yahoo is having a hard time convincing its shareholders. In the midst of all this, one company is beaming. It goes by the name Google.
If you remember, a lot of bloggers, including yours truly, had predicted what could happen to Google’s dominance if the much hyped Microsoft-Yahoo deal were to materialize. It didn’t happen and now I have my foot firmly in my mouth.
Now, let’s take a look at the situation of all three entities involved – Yahoo, Microsoft, and Google.
Yahoo is perhaps the worst sufferer right now. While Jerry Yang was never interested in Microsoft’s offer, Yahoo’s stockholders thought otherwise. They wanted the deal to go through and salvage the stock price of Yahoo. It didn’t happen and you can already see the effect in its tumbling stock prices.
Microsoft is actually wondering what went wrong with their offer. They offered what was considered a very good price per stock and when Yahoo was not interested, they even raised their offer. But then, Yahoo was not convinced. Microsoft wanted this deal to go through more than anything else, as it would help them grab a significant share of the search engine market. Now, Microsoft has to settle for companies like AOL to form strategic alliances with.
Google is the real winner now, as it’s always been. First, it outbid Microsoft and acquired DoubleClick Inc. Then, it got the FCC to make it mandatory for the winner to open its network to all devices. And now, it has got its biggest competitors Yahoo and Microsoft exactly where it wants. Google is about to get into an ad-partnership with Yahoo wherein it can place its ads in Yahoo’s search engine while Microsoft is left in the lurch.
At the end of the day, Google’s number one position in online search market is safe and now it can continue to concentrate on its new venture of mobile advertising. Initially, Yahoo was going great guns in the mobile world with lots of partnerships and deals that even Google was slightly threatened about its place in the mobile world. Now, Yahoo has lots of business to take care of in its own backyard, Microsoft is not in a position to dominate either the online search or the mobile market, and Google can dutifully work on its Android platform and make it big in the mobile market too.
Given the current position of Yahoo and Microsoft, I don’t think they would be able to challenge Google either in the online search market or in the mobile search and advertising market. In other words, Google’s dominance will continue and there is not a thing Jerry Yang or Steve Ballmer can do about it.
Tags: Android, Android platform, AOL, bloggers, dominance, DoubleClick, doubleclick inc, FCC, Google, jerry yang, Microsoft, Microsoft Yahoo deal, mobile, mobile market, mobile search, online search, search engine market, search market, Steve Ballmer, stock price, stock prices, strategic alliances, Yahoo
Technorati Tags: Android, Android platform, AOL, bloggers, dominance, DoubleClick, doubleclick inc, FCC, Google, jerry yang, Microsoft, Microsoft Yahoo deal, mobile, mobile market, mobile search, online search, search engine market, search market, Steve Ballmer, stock price, stock prices, strategic alliances, Yahoo
Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, Google, All things mobile phones, Yahoo, Microsoft.
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