John Paczkowski

Recent Posts by John Paczkowski

200 Million FaceTime-Enabled Devices in 2012?

By the end of fiscal 2011, Apple will have an installed base of some 85 million FaceTime-enabled devices as the company’s nascent video conferencing platform gathers momentum. This according to Barclay’s analyst Ben Reitzes, who expects Apple to sell about 50 million FaceTime-compatible iPhones in fiscal 2011 along with 15 million FaceTime-compatible iPods, 12 million FaceTime-capable Macs and 10 million FaceTime-compatible iPads.

And by the end of fiscal 2012, said Reitzes, that installed base will have reached over 200 million devices, driven by what he called the “FaceTime networking effect” that encompasses the better part of Apple’s consumer product line–something the company’s rivals may not be able to duplicate with video conferencing apps of their own.

“While Android and competitive devices either have or are working toward incorporating a similar feature, we believe this particular feature benefits from Apple’s vertically integrated model,” Reitzes said. “Experiences across disparate hardware platforms tend to vary–with Apple’s one of the most reliable in our trials. Also, this feature allows Apple to mine the millions of iTunes users who have Apple ID’s–and provide an attractive feature across devices that can be put into use immediately. We believe the ‘FaceTime networking effect’ could enhance a halo effect on Macs and iPads as the feature becomes available.”

Oh, and that FaceTime-compatible iPad that Reitzes says Apple will sell 10 million of? He expects it to be announced over the next month with a shipping date near the end of March or early April. And like most folks, he assumes it will include a thinner and lighter design, front and rear-facing cameras, a USB port, and an iPhone-like high resolution display.

[Image credit: FacePlant]

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Another gadget you don’t really need. Will not work once you get it home. New model out in 4 weeks. Battery life is too short to be of any use.

— From the fact sheet for a fake product entitled Useless Plasticbox 1.2 (an actual empty plastic box) placed in L.A.-area Best Buy stores by an artist called Plastic Jesus