APPLE (IPHONE)

Apple (IPHONE)

Apple (IPHONE)

Introduction

Nowadays, business world become highly competitive and challenging that forces organizations to design appropriate marketing strategies and plan to remain competitive. Apple is one of the leading brands across the world with revenue of $156,508 million in 2012. This paper provides an overview of Apple iPhone, as well as critically examines the market segmentation and communication strategy of the company.

Discussion

Company Overview

Apple Inc. is the world's renowned brand across the world countries, which is engaged in marketing, development and designing of portable digital music players, media devices and personal computers (PCs).



Nature of Business

Apple has a broad product line that includes a range of third-party digital application and content, networking solutions, peripherals, services and software. US is the primary market where Apple operates, and headquartered in California. Apple also sells a range of third-party compatible products such as iPod, iPad, iPhone and Mac, which includes headphones, speakers, storage devices, printers, application software and other peripherals and accessories. Apple sells its product across the globe by its value-added resellers, retailers, wholesalers, third-party cellular network carriers and direct sales force, online or retail stores (Saxena, 2010, pp.207-212).

iPhone is a combination of a mobile phone, an internet communications device and iPod with touch controls and a widescreen. According to multi-touch user interface of the company, features of iPhone include searching, web browsing, maps, desktop-class email that is compatible with both Windows-based computers and Macs. The reported revenue of iPhone amounted to $13.0 billion in 2009, which 93% higher than revenue in 2008 (Pride, 2013, pp.12-260).

Market Structure

Apple has a monopolistic market structure where the company is the only iPhone supplier in the marketplace, and the market is highly competitive.

Competitors

Apple operates primarily business based on geography and has five operating segments: Asia-Pacific, Japan, Europe and America and retail. Products of Apple can be classified under diverse product categories that include iPhone, iPod, iPad, iTunes, Mac Hardware Products, internet services and software, computer technologies and software products, and displays and peripheral products. The key competitors include Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung Electronics and Toshiba. Apple is presently focused on opportunities of market associated to mobile devices, such as iPhone.

The industry of mobile communication is highly competitive with experienced, well-funded, large and experienced competitors. Main competitors of iPhone include LG Electronics, Samsung, Palm, RIM, HTC and Nokia; launch their respective devices of Smartphone in the market to create important competition. In various markets, intense competition where iPhone operates can lead to the price erosion that may have an effect profitability and revenue of the company in the long-term.

Insight gained from Customer Relationship Management

CRM model of Apple, iPhone is based on one to one marketing that provide the company to address needs of individual customer and to assess lifetime customer value.

Selection of CRM

Apple iPhone, Inc has selected Clickstream analysis that gained from the company website and internet; this allows the company to record shopping patterns, purchases and consumer visits on the website. This CRM tools facilitated Apple, iPhone in converting ...