Above Avalon

This episode is focused on rethinking the car. We begin by looking at how Apple positioned the iPhone to change our perception of the phone. This helps us discover what will be the auto industry's "iPhone" moment, or idea that leads us to think about the car differently. After discussing electric cars, autonomous driving and smart dashboards, we go over why rethinking the car seat ends up being the secret to rethinking the car. If we begin to think of a car as a personalized room on wheels instead of simply a box on wheels, our definition of a car will change. We conclude by looking at the competitive landscape to see who is best positioned to capitalize on this transformation. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com/membership.

Episode 59 is dedicated to Apple's dividend. In two weeks, Apple's board will authorize an increase in the quarterly cash dividend. We take a comprehensive look at Apple's quarterly cash dividend, including growth trends and forward trajectories. The episode goes over some of the background regarding Apple paying a cash dividend, how share buyback impacts dividends paid to shareholders, and how tracking Apple's dividend strategy can provide clues as to how management is thinking about future prospects. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com/membership.

Apple will celebrate Apple Watch's one-year anniversary later this month. In this episode, we look at Apple Watch's first year, including the ups and downs. We then look forward to where the Apple Watch is likely headed from a product perspective. The focus should be placed on Watch bands and not watch cases. After going over my Wrist Real Estate theory, we look at ways that Apple can better utilize our wrists to push the wearable category forward. With Watch bands still on our minds, we look at what will likely be Apple Watch's financial drivers in the future. The episode concludes with brief words on Apple Watch development paths. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com/membership.

Episode 57 is dedicated to the iPhone SE. After a few comments on Apple's "Let us loop you in" keynote, we begin to address the "what" behind the iPhone SE. We look at Apple VP Greg Joswiak's primary goals in announcing Apple's new 4-inch iPhone on stage and who Apple is targeting with the iPhone SE. Next, we look at how the iPhone SE is manufactured, finding clues that explain the rationale behind the device's $399 price. The episode concludes with a look at Apple's broader iPhone strategy based on screen size differentiation. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

In this episode, we discuss the rivalry between Facebook and Apple and the degree to which Facebook is an Apple competitor. We begin by discussing my Facebook experiment. I stopped using Facebook properties for six months in order to analyze the product. After going over my five primary observations from the experiment, we tackle the debate about whether or not messaging apps will eventually threaten mobile operating systems. Next, we look at Facebook and Apple's relationship and why they are not competitors, but actually partners. The episode concludes with a look at how the Facebook vs. Apple relationship could change in the future based on each company's mission. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

In this episode, we discuss the "why" behind Apple releasing a new 4-inch screen iPhone at its upcoming product event. We take a closer look at the changing iPhone user base and the two primary factors contributing to a more diverse base with varying opinions and attitudes towards small screen iPhones. The episode then shifts to why things changed once the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launched, making the case for a 4-inch iPhone that much more compelling. We conclude by briefly discussing the iPhone's future and what it means to have screen size be the primary differentiating factor. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

We have learned a great deal about Tim Cook's motivation and leadership these past two weeks from following the FBI iPhone case. In this episode, we take a closer look at what is becoming Tim Cook's legacy as Apple CEO. After giving various examples of Cook's defining moments, we shift and talk about how Cook works with Jony Ive to create products that push Apple forward. The episode concludes with a look at who holds the most power in and out of Apple and how Cook is literally defining the Apple CEO position. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

After a few brief words on Tim Cook's message to customers regarding iPhone security and the San Bernardino case, Episode 53 is dedicated to the car industry. Beginning with a look at Tesla's most recent earnings report, we discuss the progress Tesla has been making as an auto manufacturer and why the company has a balance sheet dilemma. Next, we take a closer look at why suggestions that Apple should buy Tesla are off base. The second half of the podcast is focused on the car and why auto production is the single biggest factor to watch in the changing auto industry. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

In this episode, we take a closer look at how the iPhone has changed the definition of success for Apple. Using three examples (Apple Watch, Apple Music and Apple accessories), we highlight how the iPhone business has been able to twist reality when it comes to the judging of Apple's newest products and how much success the company is actually seeing. The secret to understanding Apple success is to focus on the product. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

Apple's Wall Street narrative is broken. The metrics long used to judge Apple's success are now turning negative, and management is trying to use new data points as a way to measure Apple's progress. In this episode, we take a closer look at why narratives are important on Wall Street and why Apple's old narrative is no longer effective. We then take a deep-dive into management's new narrative, including how Apple looks at its service revenue. The episode concludes with a look at what a new Apple narrative needs in order to be effective. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

In this post-Apple earnings episode, we discuss what happened to the iPhone business at the end of 2015. Taking a closer look at Apple management's comments on the conference call and analyzing a few new iPhone platform data points, we arrive at the most likely cause for the latest amount of iPhone turbulence. We then look ahead at the near-term strategy Apple is most likely to use for navigating the iPhone business through this turbulence. Finally, we mark the 50th episode of the Above Avalon podcast by discussing the most pleasantly surprising Apple product to have come out since the start of the podcast in 2014. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

Apple has spent the past four years planting the seeds for doing the seemingly impossible: moving beyond the iPhone. In this episode, we discuss what it means to Apple to be the iPhone company and the strategy Apple has undertaken to position itself as the driver of the next technological era. After analyzing how the wearables market performed in 2015, we conclude with how Apple is thinking about the iPhone's future and the danger of losing relevency. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

There are two Apples: AAPL, the stock, and Apple, the company. In this episode, we discuss the difference between the two Apples. What are the parameters guiding Wall Street's view of AAPL in comparison to Apple management's long-term goals for the company? We discuss AAPL's remarkable underperformance in 2015 and why Apple, the company, had a much more successful year. We conclude with one way Apple management can take this divide between Wall Street and Silicon Valley and use it to their advantage. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.

In this episode, we discuss Apple's business prospects for 2016. By focusing our attention on 20 different topics including Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Music, AAPL financials, management, and product wildcards, we embrace the unknown to reach a better assessment of Apple's priorities and opportunities. We then discuss new Above Avalon features for 2016, including an Above Avalon team in Slack and a new archive for members. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com

The Apple Watch and iPad are being positioned as the top tech gadget gifts of the season. In this episode, we take a closer look at Apple's fourth quarter and why third-party retailers are betting on Apple products. With Best Buy and Target offering significant discounts on Apple Watch and iPad, we go over the rationale behind such sales and why retailers want access to tech gadgets with the most buzz. We conclude with a look at where Apple products are sold and how product promotions impact the Apple brand. More information on Above Avalon memberships can be found at AboveAvalon.com.