Apple fiscal 3Q profit jumps 15 percent

[RandySF]

If you build a superior product and take care of your customer, you can sometimes make money even in this economy.

http://ktar.com/?nid=49&sid=1191459

SEATTLE (AP) - Apple Inc., the closest thing the tech industry has to a luxury brand, said Tuesday its profit jumped 15 percent in the most recent quarter despite the recession.

The company said earnings in its fiscal third quarter, which ended June 27, rose to $1.23 billion, or $1.35 per share. Apple's profit was $1.07 billion, or $1.19 per share, in the same period last year. Sales increased 12 percent to $8.34 billion.

Apple beat Wall Street's forecast on both counts. Analysts were expecting Apple to earn $1.17 per share on $8.20 billion in revenue, according to a Thomson Reuters survey.

[Tikki]

1. Apple makes a quality product that lasts...

and lasts. Something is only 'really' expensive if you pay a lot and then it craps out
too soon or becomes very expensive to fix. My son has had three computers (whatever they are)
to my one iMac in the last six years.

I do understand though...everything is relative.


Tikki

[Deja Q]

4. Most times.

People have complained about their keyboards and the cause of the new 3GS battery overheating is still up for debate.

By and large, I agree, but Apple isn't perfect either -- nor are the subcontracting companies they might use to have somet of their goods manufactured.

[PatGund]

2. That makes sense though...

Apples tend to last longer and hold better resale value. Right now, people want purchases that will last for a while.

[smalll]

3. Rather, if you sell a luxury status symbol to the wealthy, you can make money even in this economy -

It's the poor who always suffer the most in recessions/depressions. The rich just get a little less rich. They can still buy their Airbooks, lattes and arugula. If they feel a pinch, they'll just take their skiing vacations stateside this year, rather than spring for Kathmandu. :shrug:

[Deja Q]

5. Pity; the profession I'm looking at makes Macs the better choice by far...

ad design/marketing/statistics/management...

Your latte and caligula gibber has precious little to do with anything.

[smalll]

9. Well, if you're "looking at" a "profession" in "ad/design...management"

it sounds like you're aiming to rise right up into the vital core of the upper-latte classes, and become another overpaid so-called "creative" whose job it is to tie the rest of us ever tighter to mindless, debt-creating consumerism and to fill our souls with junk-food entertainment.

So it would make sense for you to go for a Mac.

[Touchdown]

10. That's such bullshit!

Macs are not for the rich only, nor are they an elitist product. Get off those MS "Laptop Hunter" ads. They're not working on anybody else either.

[Tikki]

6. I am not rich...I saved and saved for my Apple...

I do understand that some people need a computer sooner than saving and
for some the saving will never reach the goal.

I try to buy the highest quality I can...

I think maybe the American auto manufacturers have heard...

You can now, if you'd like, 'trade up' to a FORD.


Tikki

[Tesha]

11. Nice try, but wrong.

This year, *ACTUAL* luxury brands (Swiss watches, fancy clothes, bags, drinks,
and the like) are taking a beating.

Apple continues to profit because they sell a great product to the mainstream.
Real value still is very salable.

Tesha

[alfredo]

7. Detroit needs Ives and Jobs. Most companies are too conservative, to

timid to even try to push the technology. Looking at the new laptops offered by those commodity computer companies, they really need to take their design teams out into the yard and flog them. They look like a 1958 Cadillac.

[Touchdown]

8. And if the rumors of their 10" tablet computer or iPod Max

are true, this October those cheap netbooks will have a high quality competitor, and Amazon's big Kindle will be DOA.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10285188-1.html

[Tesha]

12. I'm not so sure about that.

Kindle is in quite a different market than iPod Touch/iPhone/"iPod Max".
Kindle's electronic paper non-volatile display is highly-optimized towards
the display of text that is highly legible in a variety of lighting conditions
*WITHOUT* the use of any electrical power to maintain or illuminate the
image.

Then again, Amazon is clearly hedging their bet by making a Kindle
eBook reader app available for the iPhone family.

We'll have to see how this evolves...

Tesha