Strategic IT

With the promotion of Iphone in the market in 2007, app developers saw opportunities in creating an app market by providing convenient and favorable apps to Iphone users. Apple saw another market of business by protecting ecosystem and controlling on purchases, transitions, and even advertising. A new business model is created for the company that will benefit the future revenue from the Iphone market place more than that from the hardware market. However, this was no accident, it was the strategic IT.

Ipad

The Ipad can be a useful tool in improving businesses. It can be used to access and display information anytime anywhere. The fast access to up-to-date information may result in better business decisions. Hence, the Ipad can be  used as an important tool in gathering  business intelligence.

B2C

B2C (Business to Consumer) – This model refers to any business that sells its products or services to consumers (us) through means such as the Internet. There are several ways a business can sell to its customers using the B2C model. One-way is through an eshop – any customer can simply go online, visit the retailers website and directly shop online without leaving his/her home. Another way is through an emall. In this case, customers can shop at various stores through one gateway or one website with multiple links leading to other stores that have goods or services that substitute or compliment the preceding stores.

Apple uses an eshop –which is the apple website. Through this portal any consumer can go online and purchase any given item at any given time. Items usually ship within two business days. This is extremely comfortable for the consumer since a person doesn’t have to leave his/her house to make a purchase. Apple has done a really fantastic job in making their eshop user-friendly and easy to make payments or returns. Also apple has developed online support through chat on their website to assist customers with their purchasing decisions just like in a face to face visit.

B2B

B2B (Business to Business) – This model refers to a company that sells or buys products or services from another company. The market consists of businesses exchanging goods and services over the Internet. The primary goal of B2B is to make it easier for businesses to conduct business with one another by implementing and electronic market place where all the magic happens.

Apple has an online portal, which provides products and services to other businesses. Although apple may not buy anything back from the businesses it sold too, it’s still a B2B focus. Apple offers various products for at home or at office businesses, such things include, custom hardware, software, networking, training, and IT solutions. Apple try’s to tailor specific goods and services when it comes to B2B.

Information Systems & Technology

The Information Systems & Technology team manages Apple’s corporate and retail systems, as well as other key infrastructures. These Mac experts ensure that every computer, phone, server farm, and network at Apple is up and running 24/7. They also use their creativity to design customized programs when off-the-shelf solutions don’t exist. They can do so through the feedback that they get from the variety of customers. Customers can contact them at anytime and get their problems solved. Apple Inc. has a very effective team to pursue this area that responds to customers quickly and efficiently.

On June 6, 2005, Steve Jobs announced that Apple would begin producing Intel-based Mac computers in 2006. On January 10, 2006, the new MacBook Pro and iMac became the first Apple computers to use Intel's Core Duo CPU. By August 7, 2006 Apple had transitioned the entire Mac product line to Intel chips, over 1 year sooner than announced. The Power Mac, iBook, and PowerBook brands were retired during the transition; the Mac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro became their respective successes. (credits to wikipedia.com)

Apple also introduced Boot Camp to help users install Windows XP or Windows Vista on their Intel Macs alongside Mac OS X. Doing this would make it easier for customers adapt to the new software on their own instead of going through the trouble to understand the software.

Apple also offers online services with MobileMe (formerly .Mac) that bundles personal web pages, email, Groups, iDisk, backup, iSync, and Learning Center online tutorials. MobileMe is a subscription-based internet suite that capitalizes on the ability to store personal data on an online server and thereby keep all web-connected devices in sync. Announced at MacWorld Expo 2009, iWork.com allows iWork users to upload documents for sharing and collaboration. All these services help consumers to understand more about the new software.

Again on their website, they allow consumers that purchase their products to sign-up for a user to log-in to their site in order to buy things. By doing this, Apple Inc. can easily bill the consumers by notifying their purchase(s) through the given e-mail addresses and this saves Apple Inc. money instead of printing and mailing information. They are also very effective through marketing through e-mails if they are allowed to. Because there is a branded corporation, they rarely have any sales; hence, they e-mail consumers about new products and software. This seems very effective because Apple Corporation is running stable on their sales of products. Their website makes it easy to browse through to buy products, and in return, customers are more likely to visit their websites to purchase items and continue shopping there. And through what the customers buy, Apple inc. is allowed to recommend related products to sell to the consumer, thus, making even more sales.

How to create an app for Apple.

The iPhone was unveiled to the market in 2007. App developers saw the opportunity to capture the audiences interests through customized apps. Apple took the competitive advantage and began app production. In order to protect Apples innovation from competitors, Apple created a well protected system of producing the OS apps. The end result was that Apple created the marketplace where individuals can produce their own apps and apple can release it into the app world. This was beneficial for the creator of the app as well as Apple. Today, the world of Apple apps has hundreds and thousands of new innovative apps that were created by separate entities.

Anyone interested in creating an app for Apple follow the link below.

http://mashable.com/2009/02/21/how-to-build-an-iphone-app/

Technology

Apple's Business Strategy

Apple's Website

http://www.apple.com/

Apple uses it web site to conduct Business to Business e-commerce and Business to Customer e-commerce. In addition, the web site is an important tool for apple customers, to learn about updates and new products.  Therefore, Apple's website targets marketing, selling and providing support for its products to consumers

Apple Strategically Innovates and Differentiates its Products

Apple's use of  differentiation strategy  increases customer's loyalty and decreases buyer's power

Apple - iPod nano - New way to nano

Apple continues to develop innovated technologies to increase its margin and demand. There are currently over 100,000 apps from the company, over 91 percent of applications submitted are approved within 14 days, and around 3 billion downloads as of March 2010. The App Store is available to Iphone and Ipod touch users in 77 countries. Apple reportedly has earn 428 million dollars from the App Store, with 189 million dollars in gross profit. Iphone's sales are increased by 245% in 2008, stimulated by over 50,000 apps. Some of the most profitable apps are Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, Bejeweled 2, and Koi Pond.

The story behind the apps.

Apple - iPhone 4 - This changes everything. Again.

Apple - iPad - Introducing the iPad

Introducing the new MacBook Air.

CEO

                                Steve Jobs' Official  Biography 

   Steve Job's biography as posted on Apple's website, "Steve Jobs is the CEO of Apple, which he co-founded in 1976. Apple is leading the consumer technology world with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, its family of iPod media players and iTunes media store, and its Mac computers and iLife and iWork application suites. Apple recently introduced the iPad, a breakthrough Internet and digital media device, plus the iBookstore, alongside iTunes and the App Store.

Steve also co-founded and was the CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, which created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time including Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and Ratatouille. Pixar merged with The Walt Disney Company in 2006 and Steve now serves on Disney's board of directors.

Steve grew up in the apricot orchards which later became known as Silicon Valley, and still lives there with his family". (www.apple.com)  

Introduction/History

History

The primary founders of Apple Inc. are Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Steve Jobs is the current CEO of Apple Inc. and has led Apple Inc. to its prosperity in many ways trying to advance the everyday gadgets that we use. Many people may think that one must be very educated to be successful, but in Apple Inc.’s case, it was a whole different story. Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak were two college drop outs who decided to make computers in their garage by buying different computer parts and assembling them together. They were the original partners of the not-yet-established Apple Inc.

            During the rough times, they had to sell their most valued possessions in order to create capital for their business to start. Later on, Ronald Wayne joined them and together created the Apple Computers Inc. which was established on January 3, 1977 in Cupertino, California. Thus, the Apple Inc. has a history of thirty years, and has successfully stabilized the company’s image around the world today. Apple Inc. started out as a company selling computers against Dell, and Hewlett-Packard, but later expanded to their creations of the iPod, and iPhones that are popular in society nowadays. Many different versions of computers were created, some successful while others for instance, Apple Lisa, were not so successful due to the price of the machine.