The Market And Energy Page, T+137 -- June 6, 2017

Apple: Apple may or may not have hit a home run yesterday, but if not, it certainly came close. Generally following any WWDC keynote speech, there would be overwhelming disappointment reflected in the comments at Macrumors. Not this time. Overwhelming positive comments. In addition, the business media is also very positive. Usually AAPL drops significantly after any WWDC keynote speech. Yesterday the drop in AAPL shares happened before the keynote and was incredibly minimal. Today, AAPL is actually very slight up in a down market.

Apple HomePod: "first listen" impressions -- INCREDIBLE: Audio With Bass-Heavy Sound That Easily Beats Echo.

Comments:

• no surprise that Apple would have an incredible speaker
• home pods
• Amazon: emphasizes comsumerism
• Google: emphasizes data mining
• Apple: emphasizes entertainment
• not one analyst yet has mentioned this (of those I've heard/read): Amazon/Google do not have the eco-system in which to place their home pods; Apple is one huge eco-system
• I was on the fence on whether to get Amazon's home pod, but now, without question, we will get the Apple HomePod
• Apple fans eagerly look forward to any "new" hardware -- the Apple Watch was perhaps the best example
• Apple must have thought it was not worth in-house R & D to develop own "over-the-ears" headphones; bought Beats
• too expensive is a common complaint: that suggests to me the analysts have no clue on several levels 
• there's a lot of money out there
• those who buy Apple products are used to "high prices"
• it's all relative: compare the price of HomePod to any other Apple hardware product: I believe there is nothing less expensive in the Apple orchard
• anything less than $350 -- possibly $299 would have been okay -- would have suggested a "cheap" Japanese plastic speaker
• it's going to be released during the holiday period -- used to be called "Christmas" -- it will fly off the shelves; it could be the season's #1 "must-have gift"
• biggest risk to Apple: delayed availability, missing the gift-giving season