Running head: Apple Inc.
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Introduction
Over the past 30 years, Apple has become a dominant force in the computer industry and
beyond. Few companies have been as successful at breaking in to a variety of markets as Steve
Jobs and Apple. From groundbreaking computer designs to cell phones, this company has set the
bar high. Although Apple has faced some setbacks over the years, there is no doubt this company
founded by Steve Jobs will continue to be effective in the years to come.
Evaluation Criteria
As Apple progressed through the years, their net income grew exponentially from $334
million in1981 to $42,905 billion in 2009[ CITATION Yof11 \l 1033 ]. The reason for Apple’s
success is the constant state of creativity stemming from the original Macintosh computer to the
new MacBooks. Furthermore, Apple has been able to break into a relatively closed market of
cellular phones with the iPhone. There is little doubt that one of the main reasons for the success
of the company originates from the founder Steve Jobs. He has never settled for creating a decent
Apple Inc.
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product, and instead, continues to create groundbreaking products, and evolving current products
such as the iPods.
The success of Apple Inc. stems from the three main categories. The iPod faces the least
amount of competition, and continues to dominate the mp3 player industry. Total sales of the
iPod reach over $8 billion in 2009. Although the sales dropped slightly from 2008 thru 2009,
Apple will continue to have success with the iPod, which is constantly improved with new
versions.
The next area to focus on is the computer industry of Apple. This area faces the highest
threat from competition due to multiple factors. First, the price of the MacBooks and desktops
far exceed the costs of other companies’ computers such as Dell and the industry leading Hewlett