Apple To Ship 300 Million iOS Devices A Year? Let Do The Math

According to a report out of Korea Times, Apple and Samsung has signed a deal for the Korean tech giant to quadruple its chip shipments to Apple in the coming years.

The article specifically mentioned AP, application processors, which is just a fancy way of call the CPU inside the iOS mobile devices.

So, quadruple? Yeah looks like. Though it is possible that this is a misinterpretation and that it actually meant that Apple and Samsung signed a four year deal for Samsung Sung to supply Apple with APs.

Let's suppose that this article is correct with its facts and we really have no reason to believe that it's not, Apple will soon ship up to 4X the number of iOS devices! If we loosely take the number of iOS devices shipped in 2010 (which I estimates to be 80 million devices) and multiply it by four times, we are talking about 300 million devices a year.

Furthermore, the post suggested that Apple's business will take up 50% of Samsung's chip making capability, an increase of 20,000 sheets from 5,000 out of a capacity of 40,000 sheets.

I really hate to doubt these numbers but we cannot dispute the $3.9 billion in investments that Apple put forth for future parts for the iOS devices. Securing screens and APs seems like a prudent thing for Apple to do with the $60+ billions in cash. Maybe this was to help finance fabs for the AP and factories to crank out screens.

According to Apple, it could have sold more iPhones over the Christmas quarter had they been able to sell enough of it. Also keep in mind that Apple will start selling a CDMA version of the iPhone in a few days. And after that, these CDMA iPhones may well make their way to China, Japan, India, and Korea.

So would the other members of the iOS family. Many Apple may be gearing up for a major iOS assault on the mobile and tablet market unlike any on the previous years.


More at Korea Times,

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Verizon iPhone Might Be In Short Supply, So Move Fast

Can you believe it has been almost three weeks since Apple and Verizon Wireless (VZW) announced the availability of the iPhone on America's largest (maybe second largest - VZW is disputing reports in the media that AT&T is now number one) wireless carrier and on its CDMA network.

And we are less than a week from current VZW customers getting first crack at ordering it. And the week after that, it'll be the general public's turn.

And while I am trying to stay strong and wait a bit longer, I wonder if Apple and VZW are underestimating the demands.

So far, all the folks I have spoken to are very excited about the iPhone on VZW and seemed ready to pull the trigger on it. And all surveys back in late 2010 as well as recent blog polls suggests an iPhone rout in the mobile market.

Not convinced? Let's take both Ma Bell and VZW's earrings this week. Both reported less new subscribers than Wall Street estimated. The conventional wisdom for this is that many mobile warriors held back purchases or upgrades, despite being the Holidays, and waited on faith, because we didn't know if the iPhone really was coming to VZW, that they can get the iPhone on VZW.

So the pended up demands is there. While we don't know just how much, I think we can safely say that there are going to be long lines again.

This time, however, the lines will all be outside the Apple stores and VZW stores. AT&T guys can just take it easy. At least, until June.


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Podcasting With The iOS Devices

I once tried to recording a meeting I had with a couple of people (yes, I had their permissions) using the Android G1 and it did not come out well at all. So I tried it with an iPhone using the Voice Memos app and the quality was excellent.

Obviously, it was not to the level of a studio or even a semi-decent environment set up do record podcasts but it was workable.

So I did a test podcast with a friend at a coffee shop where you could hear the background noises.

To my surprise, our voices came out pretty clear. So I was considering doing a podcast on tech, both mobile and green tech, and on current events with social impacts.

I am still in the formulation stages but I am seriously considering doing this via iOS or other mobile devices only.


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Should Apple Release A 4" iPhone?

Should Apple release an iPhone with a 4" screen?

The 3.5" isn't all that much bigger than the 4" that we see on some of the Android devices but you can feel the difference.

And while these 4" devices are heftier, it allows more room for folks who want to see bigger images and videos.

I think Apple should consider it. Here's why. Such a device would allow Apple to differentiate the iPhone line and provide users with more choices.

After all, Apple has only one device and that is the iPhone. By providing a 3.5" and one that is 4" to 4.5", Apple can open itself up to a greater segment of the mobile market.

We can finally have the iPhone nano.


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Next Big Thing For Apple Should Be Medical Equipment

Medical care cost are rising despite the best efforts of the Obama administration and who know what the health care reform law will do. There are just too many moving parts. While I applaud the President's State of the Union Speech last night about medical malpractice reform, more must be done and more can be done.

This is why companies like Apple should get into the lucrative field of medical equipment. Imagine what Steve Jobs and Apple doing for hospitals what it did for the content creation industry.

Ease of use, low IT maintenance, and the cost savings. I can see hundreds of billions saved when techs,doctors, and other health care personnel can easily access and operate machines to do scans and perform tests.

If Apple is looking for an opportunity to invest its $60+ billion in cash that helps Apple's bottom-line and change the world once more, this is it.


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Verizon's iPhone Data To Be Unlimited, For a Time Only - Brilliant Move To Steal Customers From Others

Today, we got confirmation that the data plan for the Verizon iPhone will sport only the wireless data plan for $30 a month.  Plus, it's only for a limited time though Verizon Wireless declined to say what this time limit would be.

Two quick thoughts.  First, great move by Verizon to provide unlimited data.  Otherwise, this added an incentive for switchers, current customers, and newcomers alike to get the iPhone from Verizon rather than ATT.  

Second, without provide a time limit on when they'll discontinue offer unlimited data for potential iPhone buyers, mobile warriors do not know when that'll end.  Perhaps, Verizon might provide a future date when they will discontinue the wireless data plan or it might just end it abruptly without any warning.  Facing the unknown, buyers are more incline to pull the trigger than take their time getting it.

I'll be honest.  If I need a phone, I'm inclined to get the Verizon phone just to lock in the wireless data plan.   

And by not revealing just how long Verizon will keep this unlimited data plan going, the uncertainty and the expected overwhelming demand for the iPhone works in its favor.  

Furthermore, ATT is no longer sure what it should do in response.  Should it start offering unlimited data plan once more to keep users from defecting or provide parity with Verizon to attract new users?  Or should ATT wait until Verizon discontinues the unlimited data plan, which it may not if it continues to find success attracting more customers than ATT.

Anyway, this is what competition is all about, folks.  

So by not saying when it'll take away the unlimited wireless data plan, Verizon Wireless is sitting in a good position – maybe it will end it at some future data or it might not.  The point is, you don't know and I don't know and that just might be enough to get us to lock ourselves in with VZW sooner rather than later.  And judging by the comments on various blogs, that is exactly what is going to happen.

Brilliant move.

More at WSJ.

Note;  Some commentors on Appleinsider are alluding Verizon's announcement on limited time for the unlimited data plan as collusion with ATT.  Very interesting.  I'm suspicious enough of the carriers to believe this as well.

Verizon's First iPhone 4 Commercial

A clock ticks down. Kobe taking the ball down the middle of the court for a final last second shot, with the hands of Lebron and Wade in his face, to win the NBA Championship in game 7. Or Jack Bauer disabling the relativity bomb at CERN that would collapse the planet. Or the end days as we get closer to 2012.

Nope! It's Verizon Wireless' new iPhone 4 commerical. Nay a mention of the iPhone 4 until the last seconds of the commercial. But it was effective. I got really really excited. Until I realized that I'm gonna stick it out with my iSpot and iPod touch setup.

Perhaps, I might finally see the iPhone 4G or 5 on T-Mobile sometimes this year. Meanwhile, this was a pretty effective commercial. Talk about freezing the sales in time.



For folks who have been waiting years for this, this is it. This is your time.


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