Analyst: iPhone 5 demand not hit by 'Map-gate' concerns
Summary: Claims by some that Apple's new iOS 6 Maps app isn't as good as the old Google Maps app isn't putting a dent in iPhone 5 sales, claims an analyst.
Claims that Apple's new iOS6 Maps app might not be up to scratch, which became volatile enough for chief executive Tim Cook issue an apology, is not putting a dent in demand for the new handset, claims Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu.
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Five Android alternatives to the iPhone 5
There are several very good Android handsets that are just as good -- if not better -- than Apple's latest flagship handset.
"Despite well-publicized concerns with its new Maps app, we have not picked up changes in supply chain build plans," write Wu. "Demand appears robust with its online store quoting a lead time of 3--4 weeks".
Wu also praises Apple for how it has handled 'Map-gate,' claiming that the company took a "head-on" approach to the problem by referring those who have problems to use third-party maps. Apple's goal, according to Wu, "is to produce the best user experience possible and as a leading platform, third-party support is essential".
Wu also claims that display shortages, which may have been responsible for Apple 'only' selling 5 million units over the launch weekend, have eased off.
"We are seeing improving yields on in-cell touchscreens meaning it is becoming less of a constraint," Wu wrote in an analysts' note.
With the introduction of the iPhone 5, Apple switched to a new display technology called in-cell screen technology. This takes the display and the touch sensor and integrates it into a single unit. This technology makes the overall display thinner, but it also makes it a little more expensive to produce. It's also new technology, and this means that the displays are more difficult to make, with yields being lower than expected because of defects.
While the display is no longer limiting production, there are other issues that might be putting a kink in Apple's supply chain. Manufacturing the baseband that incorporates 4G LTE wireless capability into a 28-nanometer fabrication process so as to make it as power efficient as possible, along with aluminum and glass casing, could also be bottlenecks to rapid production of the new handset.
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Talkback
Too early to say
Nice headline for this Wu character but kind of stating the obvious.
now i understand my master steve jobs
ahhhhh disgusting
What's with this "Gate" suffix?
lack of creativity
android user maybe?
Our expereince with Apple
My wife and I have bought 2 each of the 3GS about 6 months after they came out and we loved them, we then bought 2 each of the 4’s about 3 months after they came out, of our 4 iPhones we bought them all in Singapore over the Singapore Apple website and whenever I went to Singapore I would pick them up at our apartment. I did ask on both purchases if I could have it fixed in Jakarta (our main home) if we had problems with them. Both times Apple's Singapore staff told me yes they could fix them in Jakarta. It was not true.
After only one month my wife’s iPhone 4 stopped working. I contacted Apple many many times and it took more than 6 weeks to finally have Apple to repair the phone free of charge even though it was under their so called warranty.
When I made complaints to Apple Singapore about this and climbed up the complaint ladder in Singapore I was told by the last Apple Singapore staff that he was the last one I could complain to, no one else was higher in the Singapore office even though he was only in Customer complaint division. LOL. Again more Apple lies. I was given very bad information by the Apple employees for the repair for the phone and the arrogance I received exceeded anything I have been submitted to by any other company in this world.
Have you ever tried to contact Apple via email? I then searched the net and emailed the only email address I could find, media@apple.com. Then I was contacted by Apple SE Asia and they refused to responsibility for their staff and the way I had been treated and then the staff got really arrogant and did not care that I was grossly misinformed, it was arrogance extraordinaire and I could not get her iPhone 4s fixed in Jakarta but had to make a trip back to Singapore to do it.
No longer will we financially support Apple, they only want money now for untested inferior software and blah products like the iPhone 5 that is still playing catch up to the Samsung Galaxy S3. The home button is crap already on my wife’s Apple iPhone 4 so yesterday she got her new Samsung Galaxy S3, she loves it and easily transferred all data and contacts over from her Apple 4 with the Samsung software.
If you want to really let Apple know how you feel about these injustices done by this arrogant company then contact these people:
Jayesh Kamath jayesh.k@apple.com Janine Beach jbeach@apple.com Frank Teo frank_teo@apple.com media.help@apple.com Shelley Reid sreid1@asia.apple.com media@apple.com
I'll do the opposite ;-)
Just because you have an axe to grind with Apple, doesn't mean that all other users of Apple products do too!
In fact, everyone that I know personally that have used Apple products, including myself, have had nothing but great experiences with both Apple's products and service.
If anything, I would contact those people at Apple to thank them!
Nice one Harvey
Hundreds of millions of people chose to do the opposite.
Not the norm
RE: Maybe he is not alone
all what was said were a bunch of lies
we love and cherish
Martin
Where's the edit?
Martin
Not your experience at all "dewi"
This is a copy and paste of a prepared statement, and can be found in the comments of another blog here: http://theeternaltruth.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/apple-apologizes-and-why-i-am-not-an-apple-fan/
of course that is under a different name, you really think people fall for this crap
You my friend are a paid shill.
So...
Proof the parent post is a spammer...
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Look+at+what+this+new+iPhone+5+under+Tim+Cook+has+brought,+a+bad+decision+about+doing+away+with+Google+Maps&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Parent post is spam. Check on Google...
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Look+at+what+this+new+iPhone+5+under+Tim+Cook+has+brought,+a+bad+decision+about+doing+away+with+Google+Maps&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=%22Look+at+what+this+new+iPhone+5+under+Tim+Cook+has+brought%2C+a+bad+decision+about+doing+away+with+Google+Maps%22&oq=%22Look+at+what+this+new+iPhone+5+under+Tim+Cook+has+brought%2C+a+bad+decision+about+doing+away+with+Google+Maps%22&gs_l=serp.3...428631.433220.0.434253.2.2.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.les%3B..0.2...1c.1.7posT0-UdEI&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=e9e476234b8c1f72&bpcl=35243188&biw=1173&bih=1061
Map issues are not the only thing wrong!!!
Sounds like a warranty issue
Why keep it if it has signal or battery problems. Bring it back.
nobrainer123.. dissapear...!!
New technology?
As for Map gate, maybe it is the Purple Fringing in the camera, the wifi issues, the easily scratched back surface, lack of YouTube, apple lock-in, or maybe most just realize android is the better platform!
Of course the fact that the Lumia 920 is coming has to suck for Apple. That Camera makes the iPhone camera look bad and it is very feature rich. I predict the Lumia 920 seriously erodes the iPhone sales.