The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights:Apple, AT&T, China Mobile, Amazon.com and Petroleo Brasileiro

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Oct 01, 2013, 09:30 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL-Free Report), AT&T (NYSE:T-Free Report), China Mobile (NYSE:CHL-Free Report), Amazon.com (Nasdaq:AMZN-Free Report) and Petroleo Brasileiro SA or Petrobras (NYSE:PBR-Free Report).

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Here are highlights from Monday's Analyst Blog:

Apple's iOS7 Gets Customer Complaints

Apple Inc.'s (Nasdaq:AAPL-Free Report) new mobile operating system iOS7 has been facing complaints from some of its users and some of them have even gone on to say that it makes them feel queasy. Although the iOS7 is a dynamic operating system, the over usage of the zoom feature and slide animations gives a feeling that the icons are almost floating above subtly animating wallpaper. This has not gone down well with users.

Reportedly, some active users complained that the animations displayed while opening or closing apps caused headaches and feelings associated with motion sickness. It has been reported by different users that they close their eyes during the transition phase from one App to another.

Actual users have experienced that, if one touches an App it seems as if, the icons are flying and giving a very dizzy feeling. Moreover, the usage of the zoom feature is making iOS7 users' motion-sick. Moreover, Apple's support forums have been flooded with such issues.

Although Apple's parallax feature has been introduced newly, the company added a new setting to turn it off. The settings offer features such as "reduce motion," which can tone down the agility of the parallax on icons and alerts.

Users suffering from the above-mentioned problems are also seeking another solution. They are asking the service provider AT&T (NYSE:T-Free Report) for a new iPhone 5 loaded with the older version of the operating system, iOS 6.

Apple has already sold 9 million of the new iPhone models in the first three days of the launch. This is nearly double than the 5million iPhone 5's sold in the first three days a year ago and up from the Street estimate of 6 million.

Apple, for the first time, rolled out the two new iPhone models in China on the same day rather than delaying for three months. This move has benefited the company, as about 15% of the total iPhone sales come from China. Moreover, we are also optimistic about Apple's partnership with China Mobile (NYSE:CHL-Free Report).

But the complaints come as a dampener, which might tone down the enthusiasm around the new iPhone model loaded with iOS 7. Moreover, stiff competition in both smartphone and tablet market from the likes of Samsung and Amazon.com (Nasdaq:AMZN-Free Report) remains a major headwind going forward.

Apple has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Petrobras' New Oilfield Discovery

Brazilian state-run energy giant, Petroleo Brasileiro SA or Petrobras (NYSE:PBR-Free Report), announced the discovery of oil fields in the northeast coast offshore Brazil, along with its Indian partners.

The discovery, in the Seal-11 offshore exploratory block, is expected to produce over 1 billion barrels of oil per day, starting 2018. The region holds high levels of natural gas and superior quality light crude oil.

The find is expected to be more economical for Petrobras than the pre-salt coasts in the south. The oil fields in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin are nearer to the coast compared to the fields in the south. Moreover, some of the required infrastructure already exists owing to Petrobras' long presence in the Sergipe state, resulting in lower costs.

The Sergipe area is expected to have substantial growth potential and Petrobras has filed reports of several successful discoveries in the area with the Brazilian regulatory body. As per management, the newly discovered region has the potential of becoming Brazil's largest oil source.

Petrobras has a 60% ownership in the exploratory block, while the remaining is held by IBV Brazil, a joint venture between two Indian companies – Videocon Industries Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp.

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is the largest integrated energy firm in Brazil and one of the largest in Latin America. The company operates in 6 different segments, exploration and production, refining, transportation and marketing, distribution, gas and power, biofuels and international.

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