Apple Inc. Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple Inc. Business Analysis - Essay Example The organization’s current strengths are multi-varied. Perhaps Apple’s greatest current strength is its competitive advantages. From the earliest incarnations of Apple Computer the company sought to carve out a competitive advantage through horizontal and vertical integration that restricted external product licensing ("Apple computer, inc.," 2011). Today among Apple’s strongest products are the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and the Mac book. These elements have a strong presence in everyday recreation uses, artistic practices, and education. In addition, they are supported by Apple’s globally strong brand. Another prominent advantage is Apple’s attention to design elements. Building products from the ground up allows Apple to implement innovative design elements that create a loyal customer base. One considers the iMac released in 1998 with its eggshell design as prominently implementing this technique ("Apple computer, inc.," 2011). This design advantage al so extends into Apple’s image. Apple, Inc. increasingly cultivates an image that presents itself as the alternative choice to mainstream computer producers. This has allowed Apple to become a cultural force resulting in significant market advantage. The iPhone contains Apple’s unique operating system, allowing it significant quality advantage over competitors ("Apple -- iphone," 2011). Indeed, quality product design has become one of the driving forces of Apple’s success and has created a significant competitive barrier for outside manufacturers, such as Google (Gilbertson, 2010). One must also consider the iPhone’s competitive advantage in terms of its position in the Apple whole. In these regards, Apple has been able to leverage its competitive position in mp3 with iTunes and its compatibility with the Macintosh operating system as a means of encouraging user identification (Schramm, 2011). The Apple App Store also provides the organization with a uniqu e advantage over other smart phone suppliers. In addition, Apple’s implementation of Siri voice activation technology will surely drive an amount of future sales. Weaknesses While Apple, Inc. has a number of strengths one must consider their potential weaknesses. One of the largest questions of the organization is the extent that they can continue their current unprecedented streak of innovation and growth. Perhaps the greatest challenge in this realm of understanding considers that company founder Steve Jobs recently died; significant questions remain as to whether new CEO Tim Cook will be able to continue this past success. While the Apple App store is a highly important element in the iPhone’s success the Android Marketplace has begun developing a number of competitive applications as a means of threatening Apple’s smart phone sustainability (Wauters, 2011). In addition, Microsoft has developed a new smart phone design and will pose new challenges to Appleâ⠂¬â„¢s overarching market share. Still, the greatest weakness is that while Apple has leveraged market share through product innovation the open source models have been able to reengineer many of Apple’s innovations. While Apple has engaged in a series of patent lawsuits, notably a recent victory over HTC, the extent that this remains a viable strategy remains greatly questionable. Furthermore, Google’s position as a cornerstone of the Internet, coupled with the