The week is only half complete and already it’s a bad week for our favorite developer of consumer devices – no, not Sony silly, Apple. There are four reasons why it’s a bad week for Apple:

1. Is Steve Jobs Dead or Dying?
2. So long Macworld, so long fanboys
3. France Liberates the Jesus Phone
4. Apple cancels Christmas

1. Is Steve Jobs Dead or Dying?

Apparently Steve Jobs is dead or dying due to a reoccurrence of his pancreatic cancer and AAPL stock was downgraded overnight because of it. Well, it was partly due to that and partly because Apple is silent on Job’s health and his succession plan. He was looking pretty sickly last Summer at a conference and the rumor mill has been churning ever since.

This has had an impact on the stock, down over 6% so far today. If you hold AAPL stock this is an excellent time to re-evaluate your position.

2. So Long Macworld, So Long Fanboys!

Macworld Will Be Apple-less after an 11-year run.

That’s right, not only have they let it be known that Jobs won’t be the keynote speaker for Macworld Expo (adding further credence to the “Jobs is sick again” rumors), Apple has announced that it’s no longer attending the “fanboy con”. This surely leaves a hole in the Apple community according to the blogosphere. In my opinion, by deciding to drop the conference historically used for their big announcements like the iPhone or iPod, they are essentially killing this conference and it may reduce the big bang that occurs at each product launch.

Some speculate that this is a wise decision to cease catering to the fanatics and instead focus more on the developers and on their own release schedule. Here’s relevant snippets from Marketwatch.com on that theme:

Other analysts had a more positive take….noting that Apple has made past moves to pull out of trade events so it can better introduce products on its own schedule.

The Macworld show is owned and operated by media company IDC, not Apple.

“I think Apple wants to get away from the tyranny of MacWorld where it is forced to introduce new products on IDG’s schedule, rather than its own,” wrote Charlie Wolf of Needham & Co. in a report Wednesday.

So without Jobs, will the faithful make the MacWorld pilgrimage?

3. France liberates Jesus Phone from Orange

Apple’s ability to deal in exclusive deals seems to have run its course, the latest government to balk is the very liberal French. The French national competition council (Conseil de la concurrence) announced today that the iPhone will no longer be available for just Orange subscribers in that country. Naturally Orange will appeal the ruling to the courts.

An exclusive deal with a carrier was a very smart move on the part of Apple….that is, back when the iPhone was a novelty and unproven. Today this sort of deal just doesn’t make sense unless Apple is essentially raping profits from the carriers through this strategy compared to unlocking it for any supported mobile network.

4. Apple Cancels Christmas

Apple finally showed their hand this week by taking away one of our favorite holidays. Surely there will be a backlash? Is Steve Jobs the Grinch?

Relish my ghetto image editing skillz?

Related posts:

1. AAPL Stories This Weekend
2. Apple Releases 3 New iPhone Ads
3. Actors Paid To Line Up For iPhone Launch
4. Tech News Links – 5/18/08
5. Apple Ready To Open The iPhone?

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