It seems that the big worry on Apple centers strictly on its iPhone product. Its growth, year over year, is more important than any other of its products, whether it is the Mac, iPad, or even the Apple Watch. Financially, Apple may be doing quite well but market sentiment seems to be that it is a one product company that lives or dies on sales of its iPhone. Still the stock market is a bit like gambling, high on expected short term outcomes, low on long term strategy.
Still, while Apple has been seen as strictly a technology company, its competitors seem to do more diversification. We are already expecting a news conference to be announced to tell us about next generation iPhones, Apple Watches, Apple TV boxes, and more. It's iTunes and App Store and its new Apple Music subscription service continues to grow, adding more and more revenue and profit to the bottom line. But these are all technology platforms.
It is Apple's future plans that intrigue a number of us. Will Apple create a self driving car or are they better suited to partner with a current company like a Tesla? Should Apple invest in content creation and consider buying a media company. A CBS Broadcasting Network or assortment of cable networks like Viacom and Scripps might be a smart way to diversify into content. Is content distribution in their grasp and could buying Netflix or Hulu a means to be in the OTT space? Or does Apple see itself as the center of IoT (The Internet of Things) and it is time to invest and partner with major appliance manufacturers or HVAC manufacturers like Honeywell to make Apple the centerpiece of the connected home.
Time may be ripe for Apple to declare a new strategic direction to generate a buzz and declare a commitment to the future. No doubt Apple iPhone growth must slow; the Apple Watch may not be enough to satisfy the market. It may be the right time to shake up the world again.
