Keeping Apple

Apple introduced a new line of iPods yesterday, including a touch sensitive one that is basically an iPhone without the phone. However, the stock price dropped about 7% since the announcement. Why? Apple also cut the price of the iPhone by $200, or about one third. And that will hurt Apple’s profit margins.

Since I recently mentioned that I was keeping Apple and selling JetBlue stock, I just wanted to say that I wish I had money to buy more of Apple. I think their decision to go for market share by dropping the price will be very good for Apple in the long run. The stock price drop shows how short-sighted many investors are. I see this as a buying opportunity.

Despite being on target to sell their millionth iPhone this month, it looks like Apple is going to go for market share over profit margins in the cell phone market. Steve believes Apple made a mistake in the early years when, instead of pushing prices down and going for market dominance, it kept prices high, earned lots of money for a while and then lost most of their market share (and profits). Apple is still recovering from that mistake.

This time Apple is going to go after as much market share as they can. Their short-term profits are going to take a hit, but Apple is gaining a long-term, recurring stream of income. From all accounts, people love their iPhones and are very likely to keep using them. And Apple gets a cut of the monthly payments each customer is making to AT&T.

As for putting all my investment money into Apple, I’m going to follow Andrew Carnegie’s and Warren Buffet’s advice to keep all my eggs in one basket and then watch that basket closely.