Apple : The Best Brand Of All Time

It is quite obvious from the case that Apple is facing many obstacles. It has way more competitors today than it had two or three decades back. Part of it has to with the highly globalized environment that companies are operating in these days. Another major obstacle is the technological environment which is rapidly changing compared to the one that Apple experienced when it first emerged on the global scene. But the most important of it all seems to be a mental thing. It appears that Apple, over a period of time, developed a rigid mental model that related success of Apple with sheer innovation. This same mental model has lead to demise of many companies in the past, Xerox Corporation being the prime example of that.

One key element of Apple’s strategy in computers, personal media players, tablet computers, and smart phones is product innovation, diversification and development. Over the years Apple has been very successful in integrating software and hardware in new developing products. Despite the struggling economy in recent years, Apple has been able to grow their market share and stay ahead of the game.

First, let’s start with the Apple Inc. mission and the company history and an introduction of what apple is and what they do and provide to the market. Apple designs high quality personal computers, music players and mobile communication devices for business, education and entertainment (Apple, 2012). Apple, through easy to use, professional software such as iOS, OSX and iTunes leads the world in digital music distribution and mobile computing with its iPod, iPhone and iPad devices (Apple, 2012). Apple will continue to create electronic devices and software that is so cutting edge that it is redefining mobile computing, media distribution, and communication.

High price is the major weakness of Apple because there is a strong completion in market now, and the consumer of Apple products can easily obtain the similar function products by its competitors in a lower price. Decreasing market share can be caused to less influence its customers to using closed ecosystem of Apple. Apple Company is often blamed by other companies to disobeying their patents and also it has lost some trials as well. Such type of things can damage Apple’s reputation in market. In 2012, Tim Cook became a new CEO after the death of Steve Jobs, which was the biggest loss for Apple Company. After some time John Browett and Scott Forstall left the firm, this posed negative impact on management.

Apple has been a leader in innovation for years and has been able to achieve so by striving hard to deliver insanely great products with simplicity and sophistication. The constant need for innovation, development of unique product development strategies and their prompt execution, the presence of the visionary, Steve Jobs and their bold attitude at business experimentation formed the basis of principles at Apple.

Apple Inc. has always believed in order to stand out from other brands is to be successful in this area, in other words means to have its own personality. And because of that, Apple strays from its competitors by a wide margin. Apple’s work has always been judged upon the lifestyle of its customers. You can tell by how much Apple Inc. stresses upon this area by releasing “Siri”. An artificial intelligence that communicates with the consumer that provides information with every question asked. With the brilliance of “Siri”, Apple Inc. is said to have shaped the generation of technology, again adding good brand image. With a good brand image, it also creates good value for consumers because it shows Apple Inc. has innovation in all of its products, like

The first steps in the mobile phone market let us understand once more what the key points in Apple strategy are. Innovation and Exclusivity go together, a higher-than-the-average price place the new device as a cult and trend object, something everybody want to have, a real status symbol. In few words Apple probably believes that a key concept in Innovation is the creation of a need. Along with the innovation in design, Apple is a pioneer and a leader as well in Environmental issues, another innovative approach that is granting more and more importance among customers of any product and people in general, due to very sensitive issue like Global Warming and home safety.

I learned that Apple is a juggernaut when it comes to their technological products and marketing goals. Apple focuses on the needs of customer’s light years ahead of their competition and even before most consumers have realized they want Apple’s products. Through their innovative marketing involving social media, word of mouth, Apple Stores they have convinced consumers about the high value of their product even lending to the formation of a “Mac cult” for its diehard fans. The way ahead for Apple is not to lose sight of its brand loyalty and continue to service the customers and entice them with the brand’s prestige. Even with the death of Steve Jobs, I believe Apple forge ahead to differentiate itself from the markets they are in.

Apple Inc. has been dedicated to innovation ever since the company was first formed. Apple's recent breakthroughs were a result of a new technologies convergence upon the "digital hub" strategy (Mortensen, 2010). This strategy has served Apple well; especially during the last few years. The iPad, iPod, and iPhone were all born from this strategy. Furthermore, producing these innovative, user friendly, and design oriented products has earned them a considerable amount of customer loyalty.

Imagine you’re an 18-year-old Chinese boy, you’re in dire need of a job to provide for your family.  So you wait in a line of over a thousand people hoping the company will choose you.  Once you’re chosen, you will enter your room that looks like a 10x10 box.  Filled with 4-8 bunks per room (Fallows).  You have to live here.  You will wake up at dawn and start your work with almost a million others (Steve Jobs).  Your job-- place the screen protector on the iPhone.  You will work from dawn till dusk with an hour break for lunch.  All day, every day.  Getting paid low to nothing.  (Steve Jobs).  Is it worth it?  Apple uses the company Foxconn overseas to produce all of their products for a cheap rate (Emerson).  Although

Not everyone can afford Apple's many top-of-the-line products and as a company Apple recognized this and made different models of each specific item to fit almost every kind of budget. The company has done very well in projecting the popularity of their products in various markets and has yielded great success which has built a very solid foundation for future supply and demand of their products.

Perhaps the biggest issue facing Apple is the lack of a visionary at the helm of the company. Steve Jobs was a truly remarkable man. He was a visionary and was at the helm of almost all of those technological advances that made Apple famous and brought them where they are today. Ever since Mr. Jobs passed, the company has lacked truly groundbreaking idea and hasn’t introduced new and cutting edge products like they were when Jobs was running the company. Under Jobs leadership, the entire cellular phone industry was changed forever. He was able to come up with and perfect the iPhone, which was miles ahead of anything that any of Apples competitors had at the time. When the iPhone was created, Apple was able to

Even though Apple has encountered many setbacks, it continues to bring new and improve products to the market. Apple’s competitive strategy has been innovation. They have made an extraordinary effort developing, implementing, and executing its very unique strategy through innovation which has resulted in new product, and the enrichment of the existing ones. More specifically, Apple attempts to meet and supply the needs of a global market, by offering eager and enthusiastic consumers with innovated and high-quality products and services. Apple has employed a differentiation strategy linked to innovation with its three core products (computers, personal media player, mobile phones, tablets and other accessories). A key piece of their strategy involves meeting the needs of the converging digital electronics and computer markets. Apple has elected to implement its strategy by designing and developing proprietary operating systems and software technologies, thus allowing for strict protection of its intellectual rights.

Apple has done an excellent job of developing a very distinct strategy through industry leading innovation. This strategy has allowed them to be the frontrunners in new product introductions and the improvement of existing products. Apple has employed a differentiation strategy in an attempt to meet the needs of a global market by offering customers innovative new products and improved existing products. An important part of their strategy involves meeting the needs of the evolving digital electronics and computer markets. Apple has chosen to implement its strategy by designing and developing its

According to Forbes, Apple is the world 's most valuable brand. Apple has been one of the most important leaders in innovation. Their products and services revolutionized technology and changed the way we interact with others. Although they are a successful company, they certainly have had different failures. This paper will discuss some of Apple’s successes, failures, culture and how Apple’s actions apply to the TCOs.