munster

Apple should double down on Jony Ive, analyst suggests

NEW YORK -- "Apple should double-down on Jony Ive." That's what Gene Munster, managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, counseled during a state of Apple presentation at the Business Insider Ignition conference.

"The concept of the Apple's operating system has basically been copied by competitors... The real substance is the hardware side, where Jony Ive plays into it," Munster said. "The difference is in the hardware, and isn't fully appreciated."

In October, Ive was given the leadership role in developing the user interface for … Read more

iPad Mini eating into iPad sales?

Apple isn't saying how many iPad Minis it has sold, but at least one analyst estimates the bulk of first-weekend sales were for the smaller device.

That means the iPad Mini may be taking away from some potential larger iPad sales, which could be negative for Apple if iPad Mini volumes aren't high enough to offset the lower selling prices. Apple is counting on the iPad Mini to address consumer demand for smaller tablets that have largely been dominated by Amazon, Samsung, and more recently, Google and Asus.

Apple earlier today said it had sold 3 million iPads … Read more

Apple Maps snafu isn't hurting iPhone 5 sales, say analysts

Sales of the iPhone 5 have been unfazed by the Apps Maps debacle, according to analysts.

Demand for the new phone apparently continues to run high, as supply-chain manufacturing plans remain unchanged, says Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu. Apple still estimates a ship time of three to four weeks for the iPhone 5.

Complaints over the many mistakes in Apple Maps have surfaced since the app debuted two weeks ago. But Wu sees this as a short-term problem, and one that may have been unavoidable.

Since Maps is software-based, the analyst is confident that Apple will make the program "… Read more

Will Apple murder the iPhone?

Apple's primary concern right now should be coming up with a new device or innovation to kill the iPhone.

That's the opinion of analyst Horace Dediu, who spoke along with Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster on a panel on the future of Apple, at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo.

"We're in uncharted territory," Dediu told the room, referring to Apple's remarkable pattern of growth over the past decade or more. "(Apple) has been able to constantly create new categories and self-cannibalize." … Read more

Apple TV will start slow revolution in 2013, says analyst

Apple will release a television in 2013 for between $1,500 and $2,000, but it won't instantly revolutionize the industry, says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. You have to wonder how much time it takes to trim a hedge that big.

Munster says the content offerings on an Apple-branded set might not initially be that much different than that of the currently available Apple TV set-top box, but that within five years he would expect the company to push back against the current cable and satellite TV models and move toward more DVR in the cloud and unbundled channels that consumers can pick and choose. … Read more

Sky's the limit: Analyst says Apple could be worth $1 trillion

Apple could be the first company worth $1 trillion in market capitalization as shares hit $1,000, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

Somehow it's unlikely that Apple CEO Tim Cook is sending Munster any thank you notes. After all, we've seen these wild market calls before. Dow Jones Industrial Average at 25,000? Sure why not. All those dot-com stocks justified to the stratosphere in 2000. Magazine covers proclaiming bear and bull markets. You know the drill. One huge call can signal the end.

Rest assured Munster has more fundamental data backing him up. Apple is … Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 20: Break out the bubbly for iPad 3 rumors (podcast)

It's our 20th episode, which means we break out the expensive rose champagne from the bodega and celebrate in style.

Is it just us, or is the whole world full of chocolates and roses and wine and sunshine today in honor of our momentous achievement? It's like February 14 will forever be known as the day Rumor Has It hit 20 episodes and we decided to bet all our chips on the iPad 3 (or 2S) coming out in March. Thanks, world! We love you, too!

On today's show, we run down the litany of iPad 3 … Read more

Rumor Has It, Ep. 17: Instagram helps us care about Windows Phone

It's Tuesday again, and this time we are prepared.

On today's show, code in iBooks 2 points to possible Retina Display iPad; Casio does something other than make keyboards; our favorite people on Earth, analysts, comment on the upcoming year for Netflix; and we have a couple guesses about who Anonymous will attack next.

Also next week, or maybe the week after, is Humiliation Day. You know what's different about this Humiliation Day? For once, Karyne isn't the big loser. If you have any Humiliation Day ideas for Emily, or if you have any ideas about … Read more

Apple TV sets will be mighty pricey, analyst says

Rumors have been swirling that Apple is thinking about launching a television next year, and Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster claims to have some insight into what the iPhone maker has planned.

Speaking yesterday at Business Insider's Ignition: Future of Media conference, Munster said, according to the blog, that Apple thinks customers want an all-in-one television that isn't tied down to external boxes.

But in order to deliver that, Munster says, Apple will charge a steep premium for its television. According to Business Insider, Munster said that if a given television costs $800, Apple's alternative will set … Read more