Company
Apple: Midlife Crisis at 40. Birthday
The most valuable company seems to be stuck in a crisis. The growth rates are stagnant, the chief to be a drone, revolutionary products are missing. The group is in a state of upheaval.
Those were the times, when company founder Steve Jobs groundbreaking, announcement of new products. With his turtleneck sweater and the cool Art to the delight of the Jobs of millions of people. Apple’s secret lay not necessarily in it to be really innovative. Rather, it was the Aura, the attention to Detail, the perfection, and, ultimately, also the ingenious Marketing that made Apple the most valuable company in the world.
Stephen Guilfoyle works for over 30 years on the floor of the New York stock exchange. He is no Apple Fan, also the share he would not buy currently. However, Apple is incredibly successful, to develop products, of which nobody knew, that he needs you – and without which we can no longer do today. “But,” says Guilfoyle, “the not be able since the death of Steve Jobs.”
The Apple shaped Image like no other: Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs invented neither the Computer nor the phone, but he has revolutionized entire industries. With the iPod and the iPhone has changed the way we listen to music and mobile telephony use, fundamentally. And Apple has earned it strong, no company is more profitable than the company from Cupertino, California. Last year, Apple made 234 billion dollars in sales and a 53 billion Dollar profit. According to company CEO Tim Cook about a billion Apple products are currently in use around the world.
The Apple is owed primarily to the company’s founder, Steve Jobs, says the independent New York-based Tech Analyst Bob Enderle. “Similar to Walt Disney or some big politician Steve Jobs was very good at manipulating people.” Such a talent is very rare. “Tim Cook is definitely not a guy,” says Enderle.
Quieter Times
Since Jobs death in October 2011, the euphoria of the Fans has subsided. “Apple has become boring,” “Apple has lost his Sparkle” and even: “Has Apple reached the Zenith?”, the recent headlines were.
As of mid-March were presented with the latest products, the booth no one queue in front of the Apple Stores. New bracelets for the Apple Watch were presented. Also the prices for the watch and the new iPhone have been reduced. Never a new iPhone was cheaper. Unlike the competitor Samsung has taken Apple earlier never to a price war, and his products are aware of the tax sold.
Difficult heritage for CEO Tim Cook
Company boss Tim Cook is no Steve Jobs. But he doesn’t have to be, says Tech Analyst Enderle. It is usually not a good idea to copy the company’s founder. “At Microsoft, Steve Ballmer has tried to lead the company as Bill Gates,” says Enderle. “This is not going to end well.”
Cook, by contrast, has broken with traditions. So he listens to the wishes of the customer. Thus, the effect of Surprise of its predecessor is lacking, but it is the correct way, seems to Enderle believes. Cook does not shy away from the investors. In the spring of 2012, Apple began to even, pay dividends to its shareholders. It would have been under Jobs is unthinkable. The investors thanked it Cook, and Apple has risen to become a market bewetrung of around 600 billion dollars to the most valuable company in the world.
Apple in change
For the future of the Analyst, Enderle is confident that the have shown the more recent recovery in the share price. According to Enderle, Apple is transforming itself into a company that focuses more on solutions and services, for example in the health sector. The Hardware isn’t more games in the future such a large role.
While Google, Facebook, and other Tech-giants, the user data to resell and make a Profit, Apple to the wish for a protected privacy. This has been shown most recently in the dispute with the U.S. government. The U.S. justice Department wanted to force Apple to crack the iPhone of an assassin. Cook refused and was very public Position, the protection of user data have priority.
Technology with significant start-up difficulties: payment system, Apple Pay
The change of the company will, however, need time. So Apple’s payment service Apple Pay has yet been found no-impact dissemination. Recently, it was said that Apple Pay will be this year, mobile Shopping on web sites can be used.
Apple may not have in the future with today’s businesses have a lot in common. Other companies such as IBM have undergone a similar change. But change will be essential to ensure that Apple can also celebrate 40 years anniversary.