The Zune’s current market share is around 2.8 percent. This is greater than Apple’s (AAPL) 2.3 percent personal computer market share in 2003 but still described as a pittance by most news outlets. The LA times business section led with an article entitled, “Zunes not likely to get iPod fans to change their tunes.”
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The Onion, a news outlet rarely revered by serious minded investors, played the comic sage in their predicting, “Date of Apple backlash set for March 21, 2008.” The article states, “Consumers will finally get fed up with the computer manufacturer’s high retail prices and various product bugs.” A fictitious Goldman Sachs analysts even predicts, “At the current rate, we believe that at this time a sea change will occur in which people will look down at their glossy white or black devices and feel a sense of embarrassment and gullibility,”There is some truth to this sentiment; there are higher functioning phones and mp3 players available at lower costs.
Verizon (VZ) and Vodafone (VOD) are already selling phones to directly compete with the iPhone. LG also just released the LG Voyager; a phone it hopes will directly compete with the iPhone.
What Apple did do correctly is manage its image and offer stunning industrial design. Also, iTunes opened up a sea of personal expression through podcasting and homemade music though its iTunes store. Apple is also often portrayed in print as being a stylish company who cares deeply about its customers.
However, from a developer prospective, Vista is often considered much better than Apple’s OS 10. Microsoft (MSFT) even gives away basic development tools like asp.net and visual studio on their website.
Will consumer’s love affair with Apple begin to wane? If the US economy were to stagnate will the market become more price sensitive? And if they do, will consumers tend toward equivalent and more reasonably priced products offered by IBM (IBM), Microsoft, Dell (DELL), Palm (PALM), Nokia (NOK), Toshiba, and Sony (SNE).
On the PR war, Bill Gates looks positioned to here forward appear as a benevolent do-gooder as he steps into his charitable trust role. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, seems to be perpetually selling snake oil in front of a 40 ft image of Apple’s latest gadget.
Look at both sides:
Whatever side of this discussion you find yourself on, PowerOptions can find an option trade to suit your investment needs. Below, we take a look at covered calls on Microsoft, Apple, Dell, IBM, Nokia, Sony, Vodafone and Verizon.
| Power Options Covered Call Search Data – Apple and its Competition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Symbol | Stock Price |
Option | Option Details |
Opt. Bid |
Net Debit |
% Dnsd Prot |
% if Unch |
% if Asgnd |
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| AAPL | 157.92 (-0.53) | APVAN | 08 JAN 170.0 (108) | 10.05 | 147.87 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOK | 36.65 (-0.63) | NAYAH | 08 JAN 40.0 (108) | 1.35 | 35.3 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 13.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DELL | 27.58 (-0.18) | DLQAF | 08 JAN 30.0 (108) | 0.9 | 26.68 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 12.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AAPL | 157.92 (-0.53) | APVAL | 08 JAN 160.0 (108) | 14.1 | 143.82 | 8.9 | 9.8 | 11.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AAPL | 157.92 (-0.53) | APVKN | 07 NOV 170.0 (45) | 4.95 | 152.97 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 11.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PALM | 15.35 (-0.10) | UPYAC | 08 JAN 15.0 (108) | 1.4 | 13.95 | 9.1 | 7.5 | 7.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SNE | 50.07 (-1.07) | SNEAJ | 08 JAN 50.0 (108) | 3.5 | 46.57 | 7 | 7.4 | 7.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DELL | 27.58 (-0.18) | DLQAY | 08 JAN 27.5 (108) | 1.95 | 25.63 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IBM | 116.40 (-1.96) | IBMAD | 08 JAN 120.0 (108) | 4.5 | 111.9 | 3.9 | 4 | 7.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MSFT | 29.45 (-0.25) | MSQAK | 08 JAN 30.0 (108) | 1.28 | 28.17 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VOD | 34.98 (-1.16) | VODAG | 08 JAN 35.0 (108) | 2 | 32.98 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOK | 36.65 (-0.63) | NAYAG | 08 JAN 35.0 (108) | 3.6 | 33.05 | 9.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IBM | 116.40 (-1.96) | IBMAC | 08 JAN 115.0 (108) | 7.1 | 109.3 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VOD | 34.98 (-1.16) | VODKG | 07 NOV 35.0 (45) | 1.6 | 33.38 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SNE | 50.07 (-1.07) | SNEKJ | 07 NOV 50.0 (45) | 2.25 | 47.82 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PALM | 15.35 (-0.10) | UPYKC | 07 NOV 15.0 (45) | 1 | 14.35 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VZ | 45.24 (-0.10) | VZAI | 08 JAN 45.0 (108) | 2.15 | 43.09 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DELL | 27.58 (-0.18) | DLQAE | 08 JAN 25.0 (108) | 3.6 | 23.98 | 13.1 | 4.3 | 4.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SNE | 50.07 (-1.07) | SNEAI | 08 JAN 45.0 (108) | 6.8 | 43.27 | 13.6 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IBM | 116.40 (-1.96) | IBMAB | 08 JAN 110.0 (108) | 10.4 | 106 | 8.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MSFT | 29.45 (-0.25) | MSQAY | 08 JAN 27.5 (108) | 2.84 | 26.61 | 9.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOK | 36.65 (-0.63) | NAYKG | 07 NOV 35.0 (45) | 2.75 | 33.9 | 7.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VOD | 34.98 (-1.16) | VODAZ | 08 JAN 32.5 (108) | 3.5 | 31.48 | 10 | 3.2 | 3.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Competitors:
Competitors for AAPL include: Dell Inc. (DELL), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE), Avid Technology Inc. (AVID), Creative Technology Limited (CREAF), DivX Inc. (DIVX), Napster Inc. (NAPS), RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK), and Sonic Solutions (SNIC).
Competitors for NOK include: LM Ericsson Telephone Co. (ERIC), Motorola Inc. (MOT), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (private), Openwave Systems Inc. (OPWV), palmOne Inc. (PALM), QualComm Inc. (QCOM), Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM), and Qiao Xing Universal Telephone Inc. (XING).
Competitors for DELL include: Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Acer Inc. (private), Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL), Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY), Circuit City Stores Inc. (CC), Gateway 2000 Inc. (GTW), Insight Enterprises Inc. (NSIT), Neoware Systems Inc. (NWRE), Rackable Systems Inc. (RACK), SuperMicro Computer Inc. (SMCI), and Systemax Inc. (SYX).
Competitors for PALM include: Motorola Inc. (MOT), Nokia Corp. (NOK), and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM).
Competitors for SNE include: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (MC), Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV (PHG), Activision Inc. (ATVI), Avid Technology Inc. (AVID), Dolby Laboratories Inc. (DLB), Eastman Kodak Co. (EK), Immersion Corp. (IMMR), Microvision Inc. (MVIS), Polycom Inc. (PLCM), Rimage Corp. (RIMG), Seachange Intern. (SEAC), Sonic Solutions (SNIC), and Audiovox Corp. (VOXX).
Competitors for IBM include: Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), Accenture Ltd. Class A (ACN), BearingPoint Inc. (BE), BEA Systems Inc. (BEAS), BMC Software Inc. (BMC), Computer Associates Intl. Inc. (CA), Compuware Corp. (CPWR), Cray Inc. (CRAY), Dell Computer Corp. (DELL), Datalink Corp. (DTLK), Diamondcluster Intl. Inc. (DTPI), NIC Inc. (EGOV), EMC Corp. (EMC), Dot Hill Systems Corp. (HILL), Infocrossing Inc. (IFOX), Informatica Corp. (INFA), Isilon Systems Inc. (ISLN), NCR Corp. (NCR), Novell Inc. (NOVL), NeuStar Inc. (NSR), Opsware Inc. (OPSW), Oracle Corp. (ORCL), Open Text Corp. (OTEX), Quest Software Inc. (QSFT), Rackable Systems Inc. (RACK), SAP AG (SAP), Sapient Corp. (SAPE), SuperMicro Computer Inc. (SMCI), Sybase Inc. (SY), TIBCO Software Inc. (TIBX), Unisys Corp. (UIS), and Vignette Corp. (VIGN).
Competitors for MSFT include: Google Inc. (GOOG), International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Oracle Corp. (ORCL), Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL), Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE), Borland Software Corp. (BORL), Convera Corp. (CNVR), Cognos Inc. (COGN), Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS), DivX Inc. (DIVX), Earthlink Inc. (ELNK), Epicor Software Corp. (EPIC), GSI Commerce Inc. (GSIC), Immersion Corp. (IMMR), Logitech Intl. SA (LOGI), Lawson Software Inc. (LWSN), Marchex Inc. (MCHX), McAffee Inc. (MFE), Macrovision Corp. (MVSN), Novell Inc. (NOVL), Openwave Systems Inc. (OPWV), Open Text Corp. (OTEX), Progress Software Corp. (PRGS), Red Hat Inc. (RHT), Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM), RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK), SAP AG (SAP), Smith Micro Software Inc. (SMSI), SonicWall Inc. (SNWL), Sybase Inc. (SY), Symantec Corp. (SYMC), TiVo Inc. (TIVO), VMware Inc. (VMW), Wind River Systems Inc. (WIND), and Zixit Corp. (ZIXI).
Competitors for VOD include: Orange PLC (private), Telefónica O2 Europe plc (private), T-Mobile International AG (private), NTT DoCoMo Inc. (DCM), Deutsche Telekom AG ADR (DT), and Millicom Intnl. Cellular S.A. (MICC).
Competitors for VZ include: AT&T Inc. (T), Qwest Communications International Inc. (Q), Sprint Nextel Corp. (S), Cincinnati Bell Inc. (CBB), Consolidated Comms. Hldgs. Inc. (CNSL), Citizens Utilities Co. (CZN), Embarq Corp. (EQ), Fairpoint Comms. Inc. (FRP), FiberTower Corp. (FTWR), Global Crossing Ltd. (GLBC), Internap Network Services Corp. (INAP), IPass Inc. (IPAS), Level 3 Comm. Inc. (LVLT), RCN Corp. (RCNI), Telephone & Data Systems Inc. (TDS), TNS Inc. (TNS), Time Warner Telecom Inc. (TWTC), Vonage Hldgs. Corp. (VG), and Windstream Corp. (WIN).
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[tags] Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Acer Inc., Orange PLC, Telefónica O2 Europe plc, T-Mobile International AG, AAPL, Apple Computer Inc., ACN, Accenture Ltd. Class A, ADBE, Adobe Systems Inc., ATVI, Activision Inc., AVID, Avid Technology Inc., BBY, Best Buy Co. Inc., BE, BearingPoint Inc., BEAS, BEA Systems Inc., BMC, BMC Software Inc., BORL, Borland Software Corp., CA, Computer Associates Intl. Inc., CBB, Cincinnati Bell Inc., CC, Circuit City Stores Inc., CNSL, Consolidated Comms. Hldgs. Inc., CNVR, Convera Corp., COGN, Cognos Inc., CPWR, Compuware Corp., CRAY, Cray Inc., CTXS, Citrix Systems Inc., CZN, Citizens Utilities Co., DCM, NTT DoCoMo Inc., DELL, Dell Computer Corp., DIVX, DivX Inc., DLB, Dolby Laboratories Inc., DT, Deutsche Telekom AG ADR, DTLK, Datalink Corp., DTPI, Diamondcluster Intl. Inc., EDS, Electronic Data Sys. Corp., EGOV, NIC Inc., EK, Eastman Kodak Co., ELNK, Earthlink Inc., EMC, EMC Corp., EPIC, Epicor Software Corp., EQ, Embarq Corp., ERIC, LM Ericsson Co., FRP, Fairpoint Comms. Inc., FTWR, FiberTower Corp., GLBC, Global Crossing Ltd., GOOG, Google Inc., GSIC, GSI Commerce Inc., GTW, Gateway 2000 Inc., HILL, Dot Hill Systems Corp., HPQ, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intl. Business Machines, IMMR, Immersion Corp., INAP, Internap Network Services Corp., INFA, Informatica Corp., IPAS, IPass Inc., ISLN, Isilon Systems Inc., LOGI, Logitech Intl. SA, LVLT, Level 3 Comm. Inc., LWSN, Lawson Software Inc., MC, Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. Ltd., MCHX, Marchex Inc., MFE, McAffee Inc., MICC, Millicom Intnl. Cellular S.A., MOT, Motorola Inc., MSFT, Microsoft Corp., MVIS, Microvision Inc., MVSN, Macrovision Corp., NAPS, Napster Inc., NCR, NCR Corp., NOK, Nokia Corp. ADR, NOVL, Novell Inc., NSIT, Insight Enterprises Inc., NSR, NeuStar Inc., OPWV, Openwave Systems Inc., ORCL, Oracle Corp., OTEX, Open Text Corp., PALM, palmOne Inc., PHG, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, PLCM, Polycom Inc., PRGS, Progress Software Corp., Q, Qwest Comm. Intl., QCOM, QualComm Inc., QSFT, Quest Software Inc., RACK, Rackable Systems Inc., RCNI, RCN Corp., RHT, Red Hat Inc., RIMG, Rimage Corp., RIMM, Research In Motion Ltd., RNWK, RealNetworks Inc., S, Sprint Nextel Corp., SAP, SAP AG, SAPE, Sapient Corp., SEAC, Seachange Intern., SMCI, SuperMicro Computer Inc., SMSI, Smith Micro Software Inc., SNE, Sony Corp. ADR, SNIC, Sonic Solutions, SNWL, SonicWall Inc., SY, Sybase Inc., SYMC, Symantec Corp., SYX, Systemax Inc., T, AT&T Corp., TDS, Telephone & Data Systems Inc., TIBX, TIBCO Software Inc., TIVO, TiVo Inc., TNS, TNS Inc., TWTC, Time Warner Telecom Inc., UIS, Unisys Corp., VG, Vonage Hldgs. Corp., VIGN, Vignette Corp., VMW, VMware Inc., VOD, Vodafone AirTouch PLC, VOXX, Audiovox Corp., VZ, Verizon Wireless, WIN, Windstream Corp., WIND, Wind River Systems Inc., XING, Qiao Xing Universal Telephone Inc., ZIXI, Zixit Corp., covered call investment strategy, investment strategy, poweroptions [/tags]