Case Analysis: Apple Computer
Week 1 Case Analysis
Apple Computer
DeVry University
Professor Harrison Burris
July 13, 2013
Table of Contents Part I: What were some of Apple’s successes and failures? 3 Apple’s Successes 3 Apple’s Failures 3 Part II: Apple’s success and its culture 4 Apple Computer: The culture 4 Apple Computer: Successes linked to its culture 4 Part III: Apple Computer and class TCO’s 4 TCO A: Given a company situation be able to describe the industry dynamics of technological innovation. 4 References 5
Part I: What were some of Apple’s successes and failures?
Apple’s Successes I won’t list Apple’s successes in any chronological order, I’ll just list them by what I feel had the greatest impact on our culture and what were some of the greatest inventions and innovations by the company.
1. Invention of the iPod ‘click-wheel’. The click wheel was the beginning of the tapping and swiping touchscreens that many other companies followed and still follow to this day. Initially for me it was an adjustment, but once I got used to it the iPod click-wheel enabled me to almost seamlessly filter through hundreds of songs with very few clicks. I think the iPod ‘click-wheel’ paved the way for many users such as myself to become accustomed and eventually demand convenience at my fingertips.
2. Image Management/Branding. During the reign of Steve Jobs, I believe Apple Computer was one of the best at imaging themselves. It started with the “I’m a Mac” ad campaign in the mid 2000’s where two guys compared the PC to the MAC. While windows was focused on megabytes and megahertz, Apple chose to sell their computers based on how you used it and how ‘sexy’ it is rather than sell features…and it paid off big time for Apple!
3. The iTunes Store. While the iPod was very innovative and some of its components were inventions in and of themselves, it was, at the end of the day another MP3 player until the iTunes Store came along in 2003. The iTunes Store completely
Apple Computer
DeVry University
Professor Harrison Burris
July 13, 2013
Table of Contents Part I: What were some of Apple’s successes and failures? 3 Apple’s Successes 3 Apple’s Failures 3 Part II: Apple’s success and its culture 4 Apple Computer: The culture 4 Apple Computer: Successes linked to its culture 4 Part III: Apple Computer and class TCO’s 4 TCO A: Given a company situation be able to describe the industry dynamics of technological innovation. 4 References 5
Part I: What were some of Apple’s successes and failures?
Apple’s Successes I won’t list Apple’s successes in any chronological order, I’ll just list them by what I feel had the greatest impact on our culture and what were some of the greatest inventions and innovations by the company.
1. Invention of the iPod ‘click-wheel’. The click wheel was the beginning of the tapping and swiping touchscreens that many other companies followed and still follow to this day. Initially for me it was an adjustment, but once I got used to it the iPod click-wheel enabled me to almost seamlessly filter through hundreds of songs with very few clicks. I think the iPod ‘click-wheel’ paved the way for many users such as myself to become accustomed and eventually demand convenience at my fingertips.
2. Image Management/Branding. During the reign of Steve Jobs, I believe Apple Computer was one of the best at imaging themselves. It started with the “I’m a Mac” ad campaign in the mid 2000’s where two guys compared the PC to the MAC. While windows was focused on megabytes and megahertz, Apple chose to sell their computers based on how you used it and how ‘sexy’ it is rather than sell features…and it paid off big time for Apple!
3. The iTunes Store. While the iPod was very innovative and some of its components were inventions in and of themselves, it was, at the end of the day another MP3 player until the iTunes Store came along in 2003. The iTunes Store completely
References: Gruman, G. (2009, November 11). Rotten Apple: Apple 's 12 biggest failures. Retrieved from InfoWorld: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/rotten-apple-apples-12-biggest-failures-231&current=13&last=2#slideshowTop Koetsier, J. (2013, April 1). Android up 13%, iOS down 7%, BlackBerry down 81% … and Windows Phone up a massive 52%. Retrieved from VentureBeat: http://venturebeat.com/2013/04/01/android-up-13-ios-down-7-blackberry-down-81-and-windows-phone-up-a-massive-52/ Schneider, L. (2013, July 13). Apple Computers, Inc. Retrieved from About.Com: http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/companyprofiles/p/AppleComputer.htm Tynan, D. (2011, August 11). Apple 's greatest triumphs and worst failures. Retrieved from IT World: http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/192487/apples-greatest-triumphs-and-worst-failures?page=0,0 Unknown. (2010, June 8). What is the internal culture like at Apple? Retrieved from Quora.Com: http://www.quora.com/Apple-Inc-2/What-is-the-internal-culture-like-at-Apple