Steve Wozniak Predicts Apple in Danger of Loosing Smartphone War

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has never shied away from expressing his thoughts on internet policy, phone design, or the Steve Jobs biopic. Now, in comments given at the Businessweek Best Brands Awards and published atGerman magazine WirtschaftsWoche, he says Apple is in danger of losing out with smartphones. "Currently, we are in my opinion somewhat behind with features in the smartphone business," he said (translated from German), in response to a question about Apple's record sales and profits.

While he praises Apple and its ability to garner loyal fans, he says the company needs to work to maintain it. "Others have caught up. Samsung is a great competitor. But precisely because they are currently making great products." Wozniak maintains a pretty minimal connection to Apple, and he certainly won't be directly influencing future projects. His current comments echo previous ones: among other things, he's said before that though he still uses an iPhone, its interactions are "more awkward" than those on Windows Phone, though he also said Windows Phone's design beat Android's by a wide margin.

You can follow me on Twitter, add me to your circles on Google+ or Subscribe to me on facebook or YouTube. You can also check my website and blog to keep yourself updated with what is happening in the ever changing world of technology

Apple Shares Fall Bellow $500 Due To Reduced iPhone 5 Orders

AAPL shares were down nearly 4 percent before the market opened, a hit that came after both The Wall Street Journal and Nikkei issued reports claiming that Apple had slashed iPhone 5 component orders due to weak demand. The company is said to have cut "roughly half" of its orders for the 4-inch display on its latest smartphone, and also initiated a drawdown on other components in the current quarter, which concludes in March.

The news comes just over a week before Apple is set to announce earnings for its recently concluded December quarter. Apple's sales during the holiday season are expected to be record setting, particularly for the iPhone, which some believe may have reached sales of 50 million.

Uncertainty about Apple's future growth has made next Wednesday's earnings report conference call that much more important for the company. Last week, before rumors about iPhone 5 orders surfaced, one prominent analyst had already declared that the Jan. 23 call would be Apple's most important in a decade.

Even before reports claimed iPhone 5 component orders were halved, Apple stock had tumbled nearly 17 percent over the last three months. It's been said that investors are concerned about Apple's gross margins in 2013, in addition to the company's growth potential.

The last time Apple stock went below $500 was last February. The company's high came in mid-September, when it was briefly priced at more than $700 per share.

Riding the hype of the iPhone 5 launch, some analysts predicted that AAPL stock was headed for $1,000 per share, and Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets has maintained his price target of $1,111. But in premarket trading on Monday, Apple had become worth less than half of those targets. [AppleInsider]

You can follow me on Twitter, add me to your circles on Google+ or Subscribe to me on facebook or YouTube. You can also check my website and blog to keep yourself updated with what is happening in the ever changing world of technology