During Apple’s semi-annual meeting for financial analysts Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that the Cube had found its market and downplayed any plans for the company to get into the Internet appliance market.
Though admitting that the small supercomputer hasn’t sold as well as hoped, it has a “definite market.” Those buying it are high-end consumers who care about design and who want a “small, quiet, and beautiful” system.
“It’s a disappointment to us that this market isn’t as big as we thought,” Jobs said. “It’s smaller than expected, but is a definite market. And we’re very pleased with the Cube. Apple has never received more glowing reviews than we have for the Cube.”
When asked about an Apple Internet appliance device, Jobs said that Apple will “continue to look at the space” but has nothing to announce. The CEO said, as he had in the past, that the current crop of such devices may prove disappointing in the long run. Since they miss much of the functionality and expandability of a full-fledged computer, they can perhaps access “three fourths” of Web sites now, but that amount may plummet as Web sites become more sophisticated.
Jobs also wondered about the practicality of a stripped down Internet device that isn’t really equipped to handle digital photographs and deal with the digital music “revolution.”
“We believe as some new areas of the Internet blossom, the intrinsic value and capability of the personal computer will start to shine again,” said Jobs.
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