APPLE CORPORATIONS

Apple Corporations

Apple Corporations

Synopsis of Apple Inc

Apple is a California based company, which established in 1976 and was formerly known as Apple computer, Inc. Apple operates under the applications software sector/ industry and is, therefore, registered under the New York's stock exchange. Therefore, the company has too dominant competitors, which are Microsoft and Google although they operated in different ways. Moreover, the main activities of Apple inc is to design, produce and market mobile devices, portable digital music/ video players, personal computers and, therefore, sells a range of related software and network solutions, with 46600 employees as at 2010.

Strategic position of Apple

Competitive Advantage

Apple's competitive advantage is the software that supports its innovative products. Apple creates unique software applications and systems that designed solely for use by the Apple brand name.

Apple's Competitors

Microsoft (MSFT) provides software and computer products to a global customer base. Software products include Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office, entertainment software, and digital imaging software. Their products include networking systems, data storage systems, IT outsourcing services, product life cycle software, infrastructure management software, and information management software (Frith 2004, 74). Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) provides various software solutions, products, and services. Among all of these competitors, one can easily analyse that Apple is no doubt the No.1 Company in terms of its unique products and services as compared to its competitors.

SWOT Analysis

Apple or "the company" engaged in the design, development and marketing of personal computers, media devices, and portable digital music players. The company also sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Apple brand is well recognized amongst most consumers. The company's strong brand enables it to command a premium pricing and create significant demand for its products such as iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Strong-brand image gives the company an edge over regional and global competitors. However, rising popularity of Android may affect the attractiveness of Apple's is affecting the market share of Apple.

Strengths

The Apple brand is well recognized amongst most consumers. Apple's products enjoy a high level of brand awareness and brand recognition throughout all its markets. This is evident with the rapid sales of new Apple launches (Beard 2004, 72). In FY2010, net sales of iPhone increased 93% to $25.2 billion. Also, the net sales of Mac desktop and portables increased 43% and 18%, respectively, while net sales of other music related products and services increased 23% compared to 2009. According to industry sources, Apple is the fourth largest player in the global mobile phone market. The company holds a market share of approximately 5% and trails Nokia, Samsung and LG Electronics, which hold 29%, 18.5% and 6.5%, respectively. Moreover, in the global smart phone market, Apple's iOS platform is the third largest player, with a market share of approximately 18.5%. The company projected to take the second spot by overtaking the Symbian platform by the end of 2011. Strong-brand image gives the company an edge over regional and global ...