Company Bio: Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that is currently headquartered in 1 Apple Park Way Cupertino, CA 95014. In this location, it is where the company personnel design, develop and sell consumer electronics such as smartphones among other online services. Since the death of Steve Paul Jobs, one of the company’s founders, Tim D. Cook has been enforced as the CEO while Arthur D. Levinson took up the role of Chairman and President of the company. The firm is traded for its public stock at the Wall Street, New York, NY under the stock symbol AAPL. Its final stock price in (U.S.: “NASDAQ-GS) at close 4:00 PM, EDT 06/15/2018 of the market, is $188.84” (The Wall Street Journal, 2018).
History of AAPL: On April 1 st , 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne co-founded AAPL Computer Company. Its first headquarters located at 2066 Crist Drive Los Altos, CA 94024. The company sold its first computer in 1976. Mike Markkula, later invested $250,000 into the company and became an employee number 4. The company was incorporated on January 3 rd , 1997 and become known as Apple Inc. AAPL is associated with designs, mobile communications, and personal computers. The company then introduced further computer products which had personalized compatibility with office functions. On December 12, 1980. After nine years of service, Steve Wozniak left AAPL in 1985. From 1991 to 1997, AAPL went into a decline and restructured by the end of 1997 and joined with Microsoft to make versions of Microsoft office for AAPL's computers. From 1997 to 2004, AAPL restructured and went ahead to launch products such as iMac, iPod, and iPhone. AAPL started its first laptop in 2006 in partnership with Intel Corporation. From 2007 to 2011, AAPL ventured into mobile devices, where it has been dominant. On August 24 th , 2011 Steve Jobs resigned as a CEO and later that year on October 5, 2011, passed away.
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AAPL Enterprise Level Strategy: AAPL has always been seeking the need to improve the products it makes available to its users. They look into solving the need and creating an ambiance for personalization. This is seen on the modifications they make to their products and even the products of other companies such as the Walkman, “the introduction of Siri to iPhone gadgets” (Stony Brook University, 2018). AAPL as a brand has always kept its customers and potential market expectant of improvement each time they announce to launch a product.
Corporate level Strategy: Over the years, AAPL has grown to not only to become a leading force in the mobile phone industry, but it has also made a name for itself in the corporate world. AAPL expanded its scope into other businesses ventures over past years. On May 8, 2014, AAPL acquired Beats Electronics LLC for $3 billion . Beats Electronics LLC mainly deals in lines of headphones and wireless speakers. The second largest acquisition by the AAPL was NeXT Inc . AAPL purchase NeXT Inc. on December 20, 1996, for $400 million, bringing back former CEO Steve Jobs. NeXT Inc. was an "American computer and software company that developed and manufactured a series of computers workstations intended for higher education and business market" (Wall Street Journal, 2017). At the same revenue, the next spot is going to Shazam Entertainment Ltd. AAPL purchase Shazam on December 11, 2017, for $400 million. Shazam is an identifying app that can identify music, movies, advertising, and television shows just by recording its sounds. PrimeSence Ltd, a 3D motion sensor, was the fourth largest purchase that was made by AAPL. AAPL purchase PrimeSence, LTD on November 24, 2013 for $360 million. At the 5 th spot is Siri , Inc. AAPL purchase Siri on February 2010 for $200 million. Siri was software that helps customers make reservations, get directions, and later mobile application as a virtual personal assistant. Lastly, on July 1, 2002, AAPL acquired Emagic, Inc ., for $30 million. Emagic company was famous for its music sequences, Logic.
Business Level Strategies: AAPL has plenty of business implementations to ensure high revenue for the company. APPL is currently the world’s largest IT company. In as much as AAPL is the second largest mobile phone manufacturing company, after Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. It is through its iPhone series that it has managed to obtain its highest sales for revenue. According to AAPL's 2018 Q2 report iPhones brought approximately 61.1 billion. The company has been present in maintaining a high quality of products for its customers by adding useful features to each new product. AAPL has sought the differentiation strategy in its business as it identifies the values unique in its potential market and exploits them. “These values are treasurable to its market, and hence the market responds as it wants to attain convenience” (Research Methodology, 2018).
Core Competencies: AAPL is a company that has been on the top for as long as most of us can remember. Apple is advantaged with some core competencies, these competencies include A comprehensive product range: AAPL has many products that generate its revenue, this has enabled the company to stay at proper earning levels. Efficiency and Personalization in its products: AAPL is a company that produces products that have an assurance of quality. The use of iCloud to back up data and progress is amongst the mentionable quality improvements by AAPL.
Three Major Competitors: AAPL faces stiff competition in the market by established and upcoming gadget producers like HP Inc, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and Google LLC. According to Hoover’s competitive landscape, while AAPL records a comfortable figure of 229,234 in millions of yearly sales. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. follows closely with $167,327.34 million recorded annual sales . HP, Inc. is the second biggest competitor of AAPL which comes to $52,056 millions recorded yearly sales . Google LLC comes third with yearly sales of $22,079.43. To curb this competition, the Apple Stores system has been equally upgraded with its services made flexible enough to adapt to changes in the market. First off, Apple Inc. has made a point in its periodic upgrade to be able to avail the latest technology to its users as soon as it is developed. After production, the upgraded versions are shipped almost immediately using the most efficient means of transport to ensure the stores are always updated as soon as an upgrade is out, thereby beating the technological advantage any other producer or OEM may have.
What I’ve Learned: After completing my research on Apple Inc. I’ve learned that there were more than two co-founders that founded Apple Inc. I’ve learned that the first attempt at the modern-day tablet was in 1992. Also, in May 2016, Apple invested $1 billion to DidiChuxing, which is an automotive competitor to Uber. This investment signified that Apple Inc. could look into venturing into the automotive industry. Besides making great products such as iPhone, and iPad, etc., Apple Inc. has an energy division, Apple Energy, which sells solar energy.
References
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https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000032019317000070/a10-k20179302017.htm .
(2). Dernbach, Christoph. 2016, September 15. Mac History: How the Founders of Apple Got Rich: The
Wall Street Journal , https://quotes.wsj.com/AAPL?mod=DNH_S_cq .
(3). Dudovskiy, John. 2018, January 10. Apple Business Strategy: Product Differentiation in Design and
Functionality: Research Methodology , https://research-methodology.net/apple-business-strategy/
(4). Dow Jones, A New Corp Company, 2018, June 15. News Apple Inc.: The Wall Street Journal,
https://quotes.wsj.com/AAPL?mod=DNH_S_cq .
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Bloomberg LP ,
https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2018-04-20/everyone-talks-about-
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(6). Stony Brook University, (2018). Final Project on Apple-Case Study Analysis. Apple’s Corporate
Level Strategy, https://stonybrook.digication.com/final_project_on_apple/Corporate_Level_Strategy
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