Apple
Apple
Apple current product lineup includes portable and home hardware such as the iPhone, iPad,
Apple watch, Mac, and Apple, TV; operating systems such as ios, iPadOS, and macOS; and
various software and services like Apple music and Apple TV+. Apple is one of the big five
American information technology companies for the most part since 2011, Apple has been the
world's largest company by market capitalization, and, as of 2023, is the largest manufacturing
company by revenue, the fourth-largest personal computer vendor by unit sales, the largest
vendor of tablet computers, and the largest vendor of mobile phones in the world. Apple became
the first publicly traded U.S. company to be valued at over $1 trillion in 2018, and, as of
June 2024, is valued at just over $3.2 trillion.
2) History
History of Apple Inc. is divided into seven periods:
Apple was established on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne to
sell the Apple I personal computer kit. The Apple I was sold as a motherboard (with CPU, RAM,
and basic textual-video chips), which is less than what is now considered a complete personal
computer.
Fig: On 1st April 1976 Apple Computer was founded by Steve jobs, Steve Wozinak and Ronald Wayne
The Apple II, also invented by Wozniak, was introduced on April 16, 1977, at the first West
Coast Computer Faire. By the end of the 1970s, Apple had a staff of computer designers and a
production line. The company introduced the Apple III in May 1980 in an attempt to compete
with IBM and Microsoft in the business and corporate computing market.
Apple began working on the Apple Lisa in 1978. Lisa won the race in 1983 and became the first
personal computer sold to the public with a GUI, but it was a commercial failure due to its high
price tag and limited software titles. In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh. It was the first
personal computer to be sold without a programming language at all. Its debut was announced by
the now famous $1.5 million television commercial "1984".
In 1990, Apple released the Macintosh LC, which featured a single expansion slot for the Apple
II Card to help migrate Apple II users to the Macintosh platform. Apple stopped selling the
Apple II in 1993.
In 1994, Apple allied with IBM and Motorola in the AIM alliance with the goal of creating a
new computing platform (the PowerPC Reference Platform), which would use IBM and
Motorola hardware coupled with Apple software. The AIM alliance hoped that PReP's
performance and Apple's software would leave the PC far behind. The same year, Apple
introduced the Power Macintosh, the first of many Apple computers to use Motorola's PowerPC
processor. On November 10, 1997, Apple introduced the Apple Online Store, which was tied to
a new build-to-order manufacturing strategy. On August 15, 1998, Apple introduced a new all
in-one computer reminiscent of the Macintosh 128K: the iMac. The iMac design team was led by
Ive, who would later design the iPod and the iPhone. The iMac featured modern technology and
a unique design, and sold almost 800,000 units in its first five months.
2000–2006: Return to profitability
On May 19, 2001, Apple opened the first official Apple Retail Stores in Virginia and California.
On October 23 of the same year, Apple debuted the iPod portable digital audio player. The
product, which was first sold on November 10, 2001, was phenomenally successful with over
100 million units sold within six years. In 2003, Apple's iTunes Store was introduced. The
service offered online music downloads for $0.99 a song and integration with the iPod. The
iTunes store quickly became the market leader in online music services, with over 5 billion
downloads by June 19, 2008.
In July 2008, Apple launched the App Store to sell third-party applications for the iPhone and
iPod Touch. Within a month, the store sold 60 million applications and registered average daily
revenue of $1 million, with Jobs speculating in August 2008 that the App Store could become a
billion-dollar business for Apple.
Apple also released the iPhone 4, which introduced video calling, multitasking, and a new
uninsulated stainless steel design that acted as the phone's antenna. Later that year Apple again
refreshed its iPod line of MP3 players by introducing a multi-touch iPod Nano, an iPod Touch
with FaceTime, and an iPod Shuffle that brought back the buttons of earlier generations.
From 2011-2012, Apple released the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, which featured improved cameras,
an "intelligent software assistant" named Siri, and cloud-sourced data with iCloud; the third and
fourth generation iPads, which featured Retina displays; and the iPad Mini, which featured a 7.9-
inch screen in contrast to the iPad's 9.7-inch screen. These launches were successful, with the
iPhone 5 (released September 21, 2012) becoming Apple's biggest iPhone launch with over 2
million pre-orders and sales of 3 million iPads in three days following the launch of the iPad
Mini and fourth generation iPad (released November 3, 2012).
At the Worldwide Developer's Conference on June 10, 2013, Apple announced the seventh iOS
operating system alongside OS X Mavericks, the tenth version of Mac OS X, and a new Internet
radio service called iTunes Radio. iTunes Radio, iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks were released fall
2013. On December 6, 2013, Apple Inc. launched iBeacon across its 254 U.S. retail stores.
Alongside Google vice-president Vint Cerf and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, Cook attended
a closed-door summit held by President Obama on August 8, 2013, in regard to government
surveillance and the Internet in the wake of the Edward Snowden NSA incident. On February 4,
2014, Cook met with Abdullah Gül, the President of Turkey, in Ankara to discuss the company's
involvement in the Fatih project. Thus Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne have made
an incredible contribution to the world history; they began to write a new page in the history of
the computer age. For over 29 years Apple Inc. has been the leader among manufacturers of
various types of software and hardware that are designed to ease our lives.
3) Products
Since the company's founding and into the early 2000s, Apple primarily sold computers, which
are marketed as Macintosh since the mid-1980s. Since then, the company has expanded its
product categories to include various portable devices, starting with the now
discontinued iPod (2001), and later with the iPhone (2007) and iPad (2010). Apple also sells
several other products that it categorizes as "Wearables, Home and Accessories", such as
the Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, HomePod, and Vision Pro. Apple devices have been
praised for creating a cohesive ecosystem when used in conjunction with other Apple products.
MAC:
Mac, which is short for Macintosh—its official name until 1999—is Apple's line of personal
computers that use the company's proprietary macOS operating system. Personal computers were
Apple's original business line, but as of the end of 2024 they account for only about eight percent
of the company's revenue.
iOS is one of the two major smartphone platforms in the world, alongside Android. The iPhone
has generated large profits for the company, and is credited with helping to make Apple one of
the world's most valuable publicly traded companies. As of the end of 2024, the iPhone accounts
for nearly half of the company's revenue.
iPad:
The iPad is Apple's line of tablets which run iPadOS. The first-generation iPad was announced
on January 27, 2010. The iPad is mainly marketed for consuming multimedia, creating art,
working on documents, videoconferencing, and playing games. The iPad lineup consists of
several base iPad models, and the smaller iPad Mini, upgraded iPad Air, and high-end iPad Pro.
Apple has consistently improved the iPad's performance, with the iPad Pro adopting the
same M1 and M2 chips as the Mac; but the iPad still receives criticism for its limited OS.
Services:
Apple offers a broad line of services, including advertising in the App Store and Apple News
app, the AppleCare+ extended warranty plan, the iCloud+ cloud-based data storage service,
payment services through the Apple Card credit card and the Apple Pay processing platform,
digital content services including Apple Books, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple
News+, Apple TV+, and the iTunes Store. As of the end of 2024, services comprise about 26%
of the company's revenue. In 2019, Apple announced it would be making a concerted effort to
expand its service revenues.
Premium Branding: Apple has cultivated a strong brand identity associated with quality,
innovation, and exclusivity. This premium branding allows them to command higher prices.
Loyal Customer Base: Many Apple users are highly loyal, often choosing to purchase additional
Apple products and services due to their positive experiences.
User-Centric Design: Apple focuses heavily on user experience, ensuring that products are
intuitive and easy to use. The design aesthetic is also a significant draw, appealing to consumers'
desires for stylish and functional devices.
Ecosystem Integration: Apple’s ecosystem (iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS) allows for seamless
integration across devices, enhancing the user experience and encouraging customers to buy
multiple Apple products.
Performance Optimization: Proprietary hardware and software (like the M1 and M2 chips)
ensure that Apple devices perform well, often outperforming competitors in real-world usage.
Effective Marketing Strategies: Apple excels at marketing, creating buzz around product
launches and maintaining a strong presence in media and advertising.
Simplicity in Messaging: Their marketing emphasizes simplicity and ease of use, appealing to a
broad audience.
5. Retail Experience
Apple Stores: The physical retail experience is designed to be inviting and informative, allowing
customers to interact with products and receive personalized support.
Customer Service: AppleCare and in-store support provide strong customer service, enhancing
customer satisfaction.
Data Protection: Apple has positioned itself as a champion of user privacy, which resonates with
consumers increasingly concerned about data security.
7. Continuous Innovation
Regular Updates: Apple consistently updates its software and hardware, ensuring that products
remain current and competitive.
Expansion into New Markets: The company has successfully ventured into new product
categories (e.g., smartwatches, services) that complement its core offerings.
While brand status and premium pricing play significant roles in Apple's success, the company’s
commitment to innovation, quality, and user experience creates a compelling value proposition.
Apple products stand out among competitors due to their unique combination of design,
performance, and ecosystem integration, making them desirable beyond just their brand status.
This multifaceted approach has solidified Apple’s position as a leader in the technology market.
References
1) Alongside Alphabet (the parent company of Google), Amazon, Meta (the parent company of Facebook),
and Microsoft.
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