Jefferies Gives Weekly Tech Update (RIMM, AAPL)

Jefferies expects AT&T T and Best Buy BBY to offer RIMM's RIMM wifi-only Playbook in March. It believes additional distribution channels and SKUs will be added over time. A RIM-commissioned analysis showed that its data compression and NOC infrastructure leads to it being 4.5x more efficient than Android and 11.4x the iPhone for email. Web Browsing was 2.1x more efficient than both Android and iPhone. For Google Talk Instant Messaging it was 5.9x vs the iPhone and 0.4x vs Android. Social Networking was 2.2x vs the iPhone and 2.6x vs Android. As mobile network congestion increases with 4G and higher data use, we think bandwidth efficiency will become an increasing consideration for carriers and users, especially with the proliferation of tiered data plans. Since Larry Page had the most sway in the Google triumvirate and with Apple's market cap among the top three in the world, the CEO position would be likely to appeal to Schmidt. Just having left a shared leadership role, a role as co-CEO with Cook might be less appealing. Apple's future is likely to increasingly overlap with Google in the areas of cloud computing, advertising, and content. Schmidt could help position Apple for that shift. While not necessarily likely, Jefferies think this scenario is at least a possibility. RIMM closed Thursday at $62.40 AAPL closed Thursday at $332.68