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Executive Summary The Past ??? Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne established Apple on April 1, 1976 in order to sell the Apple 1 Computer Kit that was hand built by Steve Wozniak. The Apple 1 was sold as a motherboard (with CPU, RAM and basic textual video chips) ??? less than what is considered a personal computer today. Apple was responsible for creating the desktop publishing market due to their innovative programmes, PageMaker and LaserWriter. Between 1983 and 1996 Apple experimented with a number of failed consumer target products including digital cameras, portable CD players, speakers, video consoles and TV appliances.
Market share and stock prices decreased. In 2001, Apple introduced the iPod portable digital audio player. The product was phenomenally successful ??? over 100 million units were sold within 6 years. The Present ??? January 2007, Steve Jobs, the CEO and Co-Founder of Apple, announces that Apple Computer Incorporated would now be known as Apple Inc. He also reveals the long anticipated iPhone, a combination of an Internet-enabled smartphone and the iPod. In June 2008, he announces that the iPhone 3G would be released in July 2008, this newer version added support for 3G Networking and assisted GPS navigation, among other things.
In July 2008 Apple launches the App Store to sell third party applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Within one month the store sold 60 million applications and brings in an average $1 million a day. The Future ??? Steve Jobs predicts the App Store becoming a billion dollar business for Apple Inc. Apple plans on focusing on satisfying personal consumer demands rather than merely fulfilling a demographic requirement as well as, improving performance and stability rather than introducing new features when releasing new versions of Operating Systems (OS X).
Question 1. 2 ??? How does Apple counter the ever-increasing use of cell phones as single entertainment device? The Answer: The iPhone! The iPhone is revolutionary mobile pone that allows you to make a call by simply tapping a name or number in your address book, favorites list, or call list. It automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac or Internet service. And Visual Voicemail lets you select and listen to messages in whatever order you want ??? just like email.
The iPhone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that shows off your content ??? including music, videos, and audio books on an amazing 3. 5-inch display. Sync content from the iTunes Library on your Mac or PC. Scroll through songs and playlists with the touch of a finger. Even browse your album artwork using Cover Flow. iPhone uses fast 3G and Wi-Fi (wireless technology) connections to deliver rich HTML email, maps with GPS, and Safari ??? the most advanced web browser on a portable device. iPhone automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or MAC and has Google and Yahoo! earch built in. since iPhone multitasks, you can even make a phone call while emailing a photo or surfing the web over a Wi-Fi or 3G connection. Situational Analysis Environmental Situation Greenpeace, an environmentalist organization, has controversially confronted Apple on various environmental issues, involving non-recyclable hardware components and toxins within the iPhone hardware. Since 2003 they have campaigned against Apple regarding their chemical policies, in particular the inclusion of PVC and BFRs in their products.
On May 2 2007, Steve Jobs released a report announcing a plan to completely eliminate PVC and BFRs by the end of 2008. Greenpeace runs a “Guide to Greener Electronics”, which rates companies on chemical-disposal waste-reduction practices. In the first edition, released in August 2006, Apple scored 2. 7/10. In subsequent editions, Apple’s score has improved steadily. Apple has soon improved it’s score to a 4. 1/10, placing it in the 45 percentile among 17 other electronic companies and 10th in the rankings.
At the 2007 Macworld Expo, Greenpeace presented a critique of Apple, stating that “the company is getting greener, but not green enough”, and “the MacBook Air has less toxic PVC plastic but it could have zero and that would make Apple an eco-leader”. The United State Environmental Protection Agency rates Apple highest amongst producers of notebook computers, and fairly well compared to producers of desktop computers and LCD displays. In 2007 and 2008, Apple updated the MacBook Pro’s backlighting and LCD screens, changing from cold cathode lamps to mercury-free LEDs and arsenic-free LCDs respectively.
Economic Situation January 2007 ??? after the announcement of the iPhone and Apple TV, Apple shares hit US$97. 80, an all-time high. May 2007 ??? Apple’s share price passed the US$100. 00 mark. 2008 ??? the entire world in economic and financial crisis, fuel price soars to unmanageable levels. Cost of living almost unbearable for many people. Very few individuals have enough money for the bare necessities, let alone disposable income for purchasing consumer electronics. Many businesses liquidate and downsize; the professional electronics sector stagnates.