There may not be any Apple in Microvision future… because Apple has considered but never [yes that’s right] warmed-up to the idea of embedding a pico projector, Microvision’s or anyone else’s, in any of its product line.
That’s a very bold statement and demands due diligence and research to support this argument.
First, watch this Alex Tokman interview video dated September 27, 2010. Watch carefully; from three minutes seven seconds to three minutes thirty five seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MQtsuj1y-I&feature=youtube_gdata_player
AT sounds sour on Apple don’t you think? For someone who used to answer questions about Apple as: “Apple world loves us”… now talks about Apple as a forgone conclusion in the iPhone vs. Google Android battle of the giants. Google Android is a new entrant to the smartphone arena and anyone worth listening to in this technology space would tell you: “it’s too early to tell who would be the leader… if there is going to be one at all in the first place?”
AT sounds sour on Apple and there may be a good reason for it.
Vast majority of technologists with-in Apple camp are convinced that pico projection technology is not mature enough to risk the integrity of their established technology offering… like computing, MP3 player, or mobile me platform [iPad, iPhone]. Unless there is an Apple product genre that offers pico projection as a primary function… there is very little chance of a pico projector making its way into the existing Apple product line? Unfortunately, that is not the only issue.
Another issue with an embedded pico projector inside any of the Apple product line, according to my sources, are the concern for primary product reliability and common mode failure caused by or because of the embedded pico projector functionality.
The reasoning goes like this...
“Pico projection is relatively new technology; with very little, if any, proven performance and reliability track record. If the pico projector goes on the fritz, the primary functionality of the iPad, iPhone or iWhatever is lost and the entire unit must be repaired or replaced”
That does not sound too good for embedded pico projectors for the Apple product line… at least for now.
However, all is not lost.
Smart companies have figured out the way around Apple’s position on embedded pico projectors. They are coming out with hand held pico projectors as an accessory unit for the Apple products─ like Microvision SHOWwx for one example, or as a docking station for the Apple mobile me products [iPod, iPhone, iPad] with added bells and whistles.
Anant Goel
Disclaimer: These comments are author’s personal observations and opinions and are based on his own research conducted recently.
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This sounds nutty
ReplyDeleteWho are your sources, I am wondering? Probably not the best ones, as you flipp flopp all the time!
ReplyDeleteFour years is a long time, and $160 million dollars is a lot of money, to accomplish what little progress Microvision has made under the current management.
ReplyDeleteOver the last four years, I have gone from being ultra bullish initially to being relatively bearish now. And that’s because too little has been accomplished over the last four years at an exorbitant cost of over $160 million dollars. Competition has caught-up with Microvision in all those product categories where the company may want to compete someday. And that someday still remains elusive and lies somewhere in the distant future.
Issues were well known four years ago; and they still are the same─ green laser technology, green laser quantities, green laser pricing, speckle, bow tie image effect, lack of image brightness, too hot, too high a cash burn rate, constant need for additional funding, yada, yada, yada.
Over the last four years, Microvision spends almost $4 million per Qtr in SG&A; with an army of personnel in administration, management, sales, marketing, product development, business development, global business development, strategic planning & development, communications, Investor Relations, out-sourced Public Relations, etc. Any fancy management title that you can think of, you will find at least one, if not more, of each at Microvision. However, this army has basically produced very little in terms of product awareness, viral marketing, or sales… with years of insignificant revenues and zilch in profits.
If I were to vacillate between bullish to bearish [the so called flip flop] over a short period of time, your comments would have some merits. However, four years is a long time to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the management team that has been in place all these years.
Current management lacks vision and gumption… and that is worrisome because both cash and time is running out for Microvision. More of the same old… same old… will be detrimental to the well being of Microvision and its investors.
[Gumption: Courage, guts, nerve, bravery, common sense, good sense, horse sense, practicality, initiative, resourcefulness, get-up-and-go]
The current PIPE funding through Azimuth Opportunity Fund is indicative of the desperate financial situation that has finally arrived at the door steps of current Microvision management.
Sooner or later, we as the investors of Microvision will learn from our mistakes just like the current management of Microvision would realize soon enough that investor money is not an ever flowing river of milk and honey and the chickens do come home to roost.
Like many others, I too was surprised that Microvision, which has some great products and patents, needs to resort to financing through Azimuth Opportunity Fund. The fund is known as the equivalent of a pawn-shop in the investment community, as their strategy is not to invest for any period of time in the financed companies, but to dump the shares immediately in the market to get their invested capital out… and make as much profit they can get.
For me, and dozens of others that have followed my recommendations, the mere fact that Microvision had to use such a fire-sale financing method is very negative… and is the final straw that broke the [proverbial] camel’s back.
Either the current management is very inexperienced and unaware how this will reflect on their company; or Microvision is really perceived as a bad risk by creditors.
Either way, the high cash burn rate and creditors' reluctance to lend more money to Microvision is not a good sign.
Anant Goel
okay, thanks for your remarks....
ReplyDeleteOnce Microvision burns another $40 million over the next three Qtrs, and at the end of this period is unable to self-sustain further cash requirements, nothing would matter... because the Wall Street investor community isn't buying this hide behind the stack of back orders and NDAs bs any longer.
ReplyDeleteIf Microvision management got something of substance, then come out with it and tell the Wall Street investors what the heck they have been doing all these years to make any money.
Business is about making money; to pay the bills and then some to show profit. It’s about time they get-on with the business... other wise they would be back to the "pawn shops" to raise more money and last a few more Qtrs to sing the "squint disease" bird song.
Last one, please turn the lights out and put-up the sign...
"We have the best technology in the world and loads of patents and will be back at the end of summer with focus free products the will delight you and cure your squint disease for sure".