Free Essay

Apple

In: Business and Management

Submitted By kaykaykay
Words 2966
Pages 12
APPLE VS. MICROSOFT – A WEBSITE USABILITY STUDY
RESOURCES, USABILITY · MAY 29, 2009
Today we’re going to compare the websites of two monumental companies: Apple and Microsoft.
The two giants pride themselves for producing cutting edge consumer and business products, and are leading the developments in software and hardware.
But what about their websites? How do they both compare, and more important, which one is better and more usable?
Well, in this article we’ll take a look at both websites for closer examination from a usability point of view.
One important thing to note before we proceed to compare these two websites is that each company’s business revolves around different markets.
Microsoft primarily makes its profits from business to business, which mainly consists of selling licenses to its operating system to computer manufacturers and office suites for enterprises.
That’s not to say that they don’t sell to consumers — they do, and they have consumer only product lines as well, such as the Xbox gaming console, and of course home users also buy Windows and Office. This means that their business targets pretty much everyone, from home computer owners to developers and enterprises; which in turn stretches the purpose of their website to try and serve everyone.
On the other hand, Apple is primarily a consumer company, and makes most of its profit selling hardware, like its iPod music players and Mac computers. This makes the target of Apple’s site much clearer — marketing, selling and providing support for its products to consumers.
They don’t have to worry about selling licenses to manufacturers because they’re the only manufacturer, so the key purpose of the website would be to advertise and promote their multiple product lines, as well as selling them through their online store.

1. HOMEPAGE
The homepage is one of the most important pages of the whole site because it’s the first, and in many cases the only chance you get to impress the visitor enough to keep them browsing. You’ve got a few seconds to convince them that the site has enough value for them to keep using it, because if it doesn’t, the visitors will leave.
Apple’s approach to the homepage has been consistent throughout all the years that the site has been running. They use this page as a kind of advertising board that always shows a big ad of their latest product, followed by 3 other ads to another 3 products or news that is important at the moment.
If you’re not interested in any of the 4 suggested items, you can use the large navigation bar at the top, which is split into their core businesses: Mac, iPod and iPhone, followed by a couple of other important links, such as the online store and support pages. The navigation bar also incorporates a search field.
[pic]

The interesting thing here is that the main ad at the top is huge — indeed it almost covers the entire page. If this doesn’t grab your attention then nothing will. Apple knows the importance of getting the customer’s attention using good marketing, so they’re not afraid to really go for it.
One other thing to note is the lack of content. You’re not distracted by sidebars, notices or extra navigation items — there are only a few items on the page, focusing your attention andmaking the decision of where to go next easier.
Microsoft has a different approach to their homepage. Firstly, they feature a similar style of ad at the top, designed to be attention grabbing. These are large images, but only one out of 3 ads is shown at a time — you have to hover over the other two to expand them. This focuses attention, but may potentially weaken the effectiveness of the two hidden ads since the visitor has to work to see them. Right at the top of the page is the navigation, together with search.
[pic]

What’s below the main ads is more interesting though. As I mentioned previously, Microsoft’s business operates in many markets, including both business to business and business to consumer.
The space below acts as a set of highlights and news for these various areas of the business. One big problem with the content featured here is that it’s fairly boring and overwhelming, with a lot of information packed into a very small space, without anything try to make it scannable.
Sure, it’s broken down into bullet points, but the font is small and there are hardly any images to differentiate between the items. As it stands, there is little to attract me to make me want to read through this content because it’s just, well… boring.

2. FLOW
What I mean by flow is this: is the site structured and laid out in such a way that I can easily find items to focus on? Do I know what to read after I focus on those items — is the site design directing me across the page with less effort on my part, or do I have to work to try and navigate around the content to find what I need?
Here’s the MobileMe section on Apple.com:
[pic]

I think Apple has done a great job at structuring all of their pages. Here, the first thing you focus on is probably the picture on the right and then the large headline on the left.
After you’ve read the headline you can proceed to read the marketing blurb below, which leads nicely into a call to action signup button for the free trial. If you’re not interested in the trial, there are more features below to persuade you, each one ending with a “Learn more” link to a more detailed feature page. This leaves no dead ends and keeps the user browsing.
Microsoft seems hit and miss in this department. Here’s the SharePoint section:
[pic]

Yes, there is a focal point at the top that grabs your attention — the large quote and the image of a server — but what’s next?
All of the content below is extremely monotonous, especially the “Learn More” box with a list of 8 links. The dry presentation gives the user less incentive to click around. Some Microsoft sites use better layout to direct the flow of attention, but they generally all suffer from the same illness: too much content.
When you present the user with too many choices, you make them work — they have to think about what they want and they have to process more information. By reducing choice, Apple directs the users through a more carefully designed funnel, which generally delivers a better experience.

3. NAVIGATION
Apple’s website has a large navigation bar at the top, which remains there consistentlywhichever section of the site you go to.
The options available show the main sections split by its lines of business as well as a couple of essentials, such as support and the store. The bar also integrates search and branding as the home button displays the Apple logo instead of a label.
Any extra sub-navigation is located on individual site pages and is placed within the context of that page, whether on a sidebar, or as a horizontal bar at the top.
[pic]
Microsoft has a similar navigation bar on the homepage, but that navigation bar is not consistent across the site. Actually, all of the sub-pages tend to use their own navigation bar, in style and in content. The homepage navigation thus acts as a site map to the rest of the Microsoft website sections.
In a lot of the navigation bars, including the one on the homepage, Microsoft uses drop-down menus — unlike Apple. They don’t just use drop-down menus — they use huge drop-down menus. In some cases, the menu even has a scrollbar (in Firefox):
[pic]

Is this good or bad? In a recent Alertbox entry, Jakob Nielsen, a well known usability guru, has written that mega drop-down menus can work.
They work because they present a lot of choices in groups, so they allow for easier scanning as you can jump to the group that you want and scan the items inside them. You have to get certain things right though, like the order of the groups and only mentioning each element once, for them to work well.
In this case, I think it makes sense for Microsoft to go the route of the drop-down menus, but I feel that they may have gone a little too far. For example, some options point to the same thing, like the ‘Office’ drop down and ‘Office’ option in the ‘All Products’ drop down.
The drop-down also blocks the content below, so if you accidentally moused over the menu, you have to mouse off from it again to get to the content below — all the while being careful not to hover over other items.
There are also a lot of options under each group — sometimes showing about 13 items, which makes processing the options much more difficult. Also, the inconsistency of navigationacross the different sections makes it much harder to jump from one area of the site to another, e.g from the Office site to the Xbox site.

4. READABILITY
Because most of the content on the sites is text, it’s vital to ensure that everything is readable and legible. Here are the main things to consider when working on readability of your site’s content: • Make the text large enough so that it’s easy to see and read. • Ensure that there is enough contrast between the text and background. • Provide enough white space around the text to keep other content and graphics from distracting the reader. • Provide plenty of headings or highlighted/bold text to allow users to quickly scan the content for key information. • Add images and icons to make it easier to focus on individual sections of the text, i.e. product or feature descriptions. • Keep the text short and to the point.
Let’s see how Microsoft and Apple fare in this area. Here’s a typical page on the Apple.com website:
[pic]

Apple does a great job of keeping everything easy to read. The text is generally small, but never too small so as to be a problem. Headings are set in heavier type and stand out, allowing you to quickly get the gist of each section.
Apple also makes heavy use of white space to separate everything apart and adds images to make each text blurb more interesting.
Here’s a typical page from Microsoft.com from the Windows section:
[pic]

It follows the general usability guidelines by breaking things down into small bite size pieces of text that are easy to digest. It looks a lot busier than the Apple site because there is more content on one page and there are many different treatments for headings and highlighted words.
Too much variety causes visual chaos on the page, with each different colored or bold item competing for your attention. In this case, the page really needs to be simplified to make it easier for the viewer to process.
Here’s another page, this time from the Microsoft security section:
[pic]

The text on this page is probably a little too small to be comfortable to read, and the site needs more white space around the content to separate the text. Let’s see what a really busy page on Apple’s site looks like:
[pic]
This is the Apple store. Really busy with lots of products and category links everywhere. Fonts get pretty small to allow more content to fit in, although good use of white space ensures things are still usable.

5. SEARCH
Apple’s search is integrated into the navigation bar. When you type something in the search box you actually get live search results with AJAX, by way of a little box which pops up, showing you the results as you type.
It’s very well done — there is no lag when typing, the results are grouped in categories and are fetched very quickly, usually before you finish typing your full query. Here’s what it looks like:
[pic]
If you want to see more results you can just hit Enter when you’ve finished typing and you’ll be taken to the standard search results page. It’s very clean and organized by categories.
You can drill the results further down by category, selectable from the menu on the right. It’s functional and clean, and works well when you’re trying to find any products that they sell.
[pic]

Microsoft has a more familiar search results page that looks a lot like Google (or any other search engine these days).
That’s because it uses Microsoft’s own Live search engine. It’s certainly good at finding what you’re looking for and got the results that I wanted. The format of the results is one big list, which makes sense for Microsoft because of the nature of their business, with a lot of sub-pages and different content to search through.
It’s functional, but the look and feel is different to the other pages, which makes it look like you’re browsing a different website.
[pic]

6. AESTHETICS
Apple’s website aesthetics closely mirrors that of its product line. The navigation bar looks like it’s crafted out of aluminum and features gentle gradients and indented text.
There are also plenty of reflections and minimalist design elements. Apple has always worked on unifying the look and feel of its interface across its entire product line, from the hardware to software, and their website is no exception.
[pic]

Do aesthetics have anything to do with usability? Actually, they do. Research shows thatpeople perceive better looking interfaces as more usable.
Attractive interfaces will set better first impressions and may even make their users more tolerable to problems. So how does Microsoft fare in the aesthetics department? Here’s the Internet Explorer 8 page:
[pic]

The site follows a faint Windows theme with the light blue clouds, but there is little else to say that this is a page for Internet Explorer or Windows.
The look and feel is very generic and doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself or build a coherent brand. Here’s another page; this is the Download Center:
[pic]

Again, we have a completely different design, although the light blue color is used here too for the backgrounds. If there was no title on the page, could you tell that this is a Microsoft or Windows page? Probably not.
The designs are overall pretty good, but pretty good just isn’t enough. There are plenty ofinconsistencies and a lack of polish, which puts Apple ahead in this area.

7. CONSISTENCY
Consistency is important because it allows you to develop usage patterns. This basically means that if your site has a consistent interface throughout, your visitors will quickly learn how it works and will be able to use this knowledge in any of the new pages that they visit, since they’ll all be using the same, or very similar, interface.
Apple does a great job of keeping the interface consistent. All of the product pages feature very similar aesthetics and are structured in the same way.
The whole site looks and feels the same throughout and the global navigation bar at the top is always there, on every page. This means that the entire experience is very unified and coherent — you know you’re on the same website wherever you go.
Here’s a Microsoft page for the Azure platform:
[pic]

Could you tell that this is a Microsoft page if you took away their logo? Custom graphics, styles and color palettes across all the Microsoft sections help little to maintain a coherent brand image on the web.
Microsoft really struggles here. There are many different sections across Microsoft.com and they all feature their own look and feel, including their own navigation.
So once you go to a section on their site, be it the Microsoft store, the Office site, or the Security pages, they will all look and feel like separate websites.
What’s worse, the global navigation bar is also gone, meaning that you have to go back to the homepage, or the site map, to see an overview of all of their sites. It’s really an ecosystem of websites hosted under the same domain and therefore it doesn’t get the benefit of consistency that Apple has. The brand image is also terribly fragmented making it impossible to define what a Microsoft site looks like.

CONCLUSION
Which site is the winner? If you’re looking at usability alone, Apple comes out ahead. They have a better designed homepage that offers less choice, which means the user needs to think less.
They have consistent navigation across all of their pages. They use a lot of white space and sub-headings to make everything more readable, yet they keep things simple by not overusing too many different text treatments.
The Apple site is generally more user friendly and offers a much better experience to consumers who use it to check out Apple’s latest products.
Having said this, the Apple website is much smaller in scale than Microsoft’s site. Unlike Apple, Microsoft hosts many different sites and sections under the Microsoft.com brand, creating a whole ecosystem of sub-sites. Each site is packed with information and the Live powered search that Microsoft offers tends to yield good results. The biggest problem for Microsoft is consistency.
Microsoft just doesn’t have a consistent, coherent and unified brand. Every section looks and feels different. There is no global navigation and there are not many visual clues that tell the user that this is a Microsoft site — unlike Apple, where the whole site shares one unique aesthetic that mirrors that of their hardware and software, thus creating a powerful brand.
For these reasons, I think Apple is the clear winner here.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Apples

...About Apples History The history of apples stretches back to the days of Adam and Eve, when it is believed to have been the “forbidden fruit” described in the Bible. Despite this long standing history, apples did not always grow naturally in New England. While the first apples are thought to have grown on the lower slopes of Tian Shan, a mountain range separating Kazakhstan and Krygystan, they also grew wild in Central and Southwest Asia, China, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Greece. Through conquest and exploration, apples were spread when Romans conquered England and when Spaniards brought them to Mexico and South America. It wasn’t until the mid 1600’s that the Pilgrims cultivated them in Massachusetts. It is believed that John Endecott, an early governor, was the first to bring an apple tree to North America, and the first orchard was planted on Beacon Hill by a clergyman named William Blaxton. It is Blaxton who is credited for growing the first named apple, the Yellow Sweeting. Once apples were established in New England, they played an active role in everyday life. As a fruit which was easily stored through the winter, as well as being very beneficial to settlers’ health, apples were a main staple in early settlers’ diets. Despite the fact that apples were not initially from North America, and have been growing disease-free for centuries in their native habitats, the early settlers found that the long, hot summers and cold winters of New England grew apples unlike...

Words: 1318 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Apple

...Apple From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the fruit. For the technology company, see Apple Inc.. For the apple genus, see Malus. For other uses, see Apple (disambiguation). "Apple tree" redirects here. For other uses, see Apple tree (disambiguation). Apple A typical apple Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Maloideae or Spiraeoideae[1] Tribe: Maleae Genus: Malus Species: M. domestica Binomial name Malus domestica Borkh., 1803 Synonyms Malus communis Desf. Malus pumila auct.[2] Pyrus malus L.[3] The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apples grow on small, deciduous trees. The tree originated in Western Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists. Apples have been present in the mythology and religions of many cultures, including Norse, Greek and...

Words: 379 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Apple Tree

...The apple is from a tree that grows in the ground. It is red and it can be used to make apple sauce, apple juice, or apple butter. Many people enjoy eating apple sauce because you can add cinnamon for flavoring. Apple juice is also a popular beverage because of its sweet taste. Sometimes people use apple butter on different types of bread. The apple is from a tree that grows in the ground. It is red and it can be used to make apple sauce, apple juice, or apple butter. Many people enjoy eating apple sauce because you can add cinnamon for flavoring. Apple juice is also a popular beverage because of its sweet taste. Sometimes people use apple butter on different types of bread. The apple is from a tree that grows in the ground. It is red and it can be used to make apple sauce, apple juice, or apple butter. Many people enjoy eating apple sauce because you can add cinnamon for flavoring. Apple juice is also a popular beverage because of its sweet taste. Sometimes people use apple butter on different types of bread. The apple is from a tree that grows in the ground. It is red and it can be used to make apple sauce, apple juice, or apple butter. Many people enjoy eating apple sauce because you can add cinnamon for flavoring. Apple juice is also a popular beverage because of its sweet taste. Sometimes people use apple butter on different types of bread. The apple is from a tree that grows in the ground. It is red and it can be used to make apple sauce, apple juice, or apple butter...

Words: 379 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Case: Apple

...negocio, la innovación, alrededor de esta variable giró la nueva filosofía de Apple Inc.. Con la introducción de productos nuevos e innovadores, como el reproductor de música iPod, que se ha convertido en uno de los pilares del éxito actual de Apple. Jobs ha mantenido esta estrategia con el lanzamiento de nuevos productos, estilizados y de fácil uso que ayudaron a que incrementara su share, generando nuevos mercados. Jobs ha sabido identificar claramente la tendencia del mercado hacia la sincronización entre los teléfonos móviles y PC, así como el mercado de la música digital, con una visión estratégica enfocada hacia estos cambios. Los objetivos se establecieron alrededor del éxito financiero y su medición mediante las unidades vendidas. Jobs desarrolló una estrategia de entrar en estos mercados por productos diferenciados, estilizados y fácil de usar, impulsado por una investigación de nuevos productos y la evaluación de las tendencias del mercado y su reacción con estas innovaciones. Dado lo anterior considero que Steve Jobs se desempeñó de una manera sorprendente ya que supo redirigir a su compañía y enfocarla a un futuro muy claro para ellos con su visión. Convirtió a Apple en un rotundo caso de éxito después de que hasta el 2007 presentaba pérdidas en sus finanzas. 2. What are the chief elements of Apple’s strategy? How well do the pieces fit together? Is the strategy evolving? Apple mantiene productos innovadores en el mercado, al darse cuenta de que innovación...

Words: 1976 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Apple Inc

...evaluar y racionar antes las fuerzas ajenas a la empresa que puedan afectar las operaciones. La compañía Apple inc., junto a sus afiliados, los diseñadores, fabricación y mercadeos de las computadoras personales, las comunicaciones móviles y dispositivos de medios portátiles y reproductores de música digital, así como la venta de programas, servicios, soluciones a redes y contenido digitales y aplicaciones en todo el mundo. La compañía Apple inc., vende sus productos en todo el mundo a través de sus tiendas en los centros comerciales y tiendas a través del internet, tiene ventas a mayoristas, tiene distribuidores y revendedores de valor añadido. Además sus macs, iphone, ipad y productos compatibles con ipod, incluyendo las aplicaciones para estos. También tienen impresoras, dispositivos de almacenamientos, altavoces, auriculares y otros tipos de accesorios, a través de sus tiendas tanto físicas como online y los contenidos digitales y aplicaciones a través de itunes store. La compañía vende sus productos a las empresas de consumo, pequeñas y medianas empresas, escuelas, gobiernos y los mercados creativos. A partir de septiembre 25 2010, había 317 tiendas incluyendo 233 en Estados Unidos y 84 tiendas intermediarias. Se le conoce como Apple computer inc., y fue fundada en el 1976 y su central se encuentra en cupertino, california. Tenemos que destacar que Apple es una compañía fenomenal en sus productos, tanto las portátiles como los desktop, sus teléfonos, tablas, y...

Words: 470 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Caso Apple

...Resumen Ejecutivo   Apple  Computer  ha  pasado por varios CEO y ha  sido exitoso, pero también estuvo a punto de la   bancarrota.  Se  han  destacado  por  innovar  con   sus  productos  creando  una  nueva  necesidad  para  sus  consumidores.  Muchos  acreditan  a  Steve Jobs  por el éxito de Apple y se cuestionaron  cómo sería el desempeño de Tim Cook.    La  empresa  se  destacó  por  crear  productos  complementarios  los  unos  con  los  otros,  como  el  caso  del  iPod  y  iTunes.  Esta  ha  sido  una  de  las  muchas  estrategias  utilizadas  por  la  empresa  para  hacer   frente  a  los  distintos  mercados  en  los  que  compiten.  También realizaron  alianzas  estratégicas  que  les  permitieron  expandir  sus  mercados,  aunque  también  han  participado  en   litigios  por  patentes.  Entre las categorías de productos que manufacturan estan: computadoras  portátiles y de escritorio, celulares, tablets, software, etc.     A  pesar   de  que  era  una  empresa  con  liderazgo  total,  los  consumidores  han  ido  cambiando  muchas   veces  el  producto  por  Samsung,  ya  que  hace  falta  un  poco  de reinventar,  dar  nuevas   ideas  y  nueva  tecnología  que  impresione  al   consumidor,  productos  nuevos  salen  pero  los   cambios que se han hecho son poco perceptibles por el consumidor.    En  cuanto  al  análisis  interno  de  la  empresa,  la   cadena  de  valor  de Apple  le  permite  tener  una  ventaja  absoluta  en  términos  de  innovación  y  tecnología...

Words: 2241 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Apple

...NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL AB311 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT ON APPLE INC. SEMINAR GROUP 2 TEAM GENIE Instructor: A/P LAI SI TSUI-AUCH Word Count: 5,999 Done by: CHAN ZHE YING GOH CHUWEN LEE KOK CHONG TEO KOK MIN JOHN 1 Table of Contents I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... 3 II. MAIN REPORT............................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction of Apple Inc. ........................................................................................................... 5 1.1 1.2 2. 2.1 History................................................................................................................................. 5 Current Business Strategy ................................................................................................... 5 SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10 Promising Opportunities ....................................................................................................... 10 The Shift from the PC to Mobile Era ............................................................................ 10 Emerging Markets ......................................................................................................... 11 Consumer Digital Lifestyle...

Words: 8330 - Pages: 34

Premium Essay

Apple

...Purpose The purpose of this report is to present a relevant Discussion Forum and Blog to Apple Computer, Inc. Apple Computer, Inc is the one of main manufacturer of a line of personal computers under the Apple Macintosh brand name, peripherals, and computer software. Two interest groups that focus on services of Apple Company are introduced in this report. The first one is a Discussion Forum named ¡°AppleInsider-Forum¡±. This is a web page concerning all the products of Apple Company, such as iPod, ITunes and Mac computer and let people discuss about these product. The visitors of this discussion forum usually are current and prospective users of Apple¡¯s products. This forum offers people a place to exchange their opinions and experiences in using Apple¡¯s products. The other one is a Blog named ¡°The cult of Mac Blog¡±. It is a news and opinion about Apple and the Mac community. This Blog is powered by Leander Kahney who posts news and threads about Apple on this Blog and viewer may follow their comments. APPLEINSIDER-FORUM Description AppleInsider launched in 1997 and quickly grew to become one of the Internet's premier sources of information for all things about Apple. This forum¡¯s nine different sections cover every aspect of Apple¡¯s products, from hardware to software, from purchasing advice to tech support. Everyday many fans of iPod mp3 player or Macintosh computer gather in this forum to share...

Words: 1068 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Apple

...Marketing Opportunities for Apple Name: Institutional Affiliation: Date: Table of Contents Introduction 3 History of apple 3 Market Presence and Revenue Standings 4 Market research 4 Secondary market research 5 Apple brand review 5 Market segmentation 5 Research analysis of consumer needs and wants 7 Summary on the client's wants and needs 9 Research analysis on apple products Preferences 9 Summary 10 Conclusion and recommendations 10 Reference: 11 Introduction History of apple Apple lnc was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The main idea of establishing the Apple lnc at the time was to sell Apple 1, which is a personal computer kit. Steve Jobs during the establishment was one of the majority shareholders with approximately 45% of the total shares, Steve Wozniak also had share as Steve Jobs of 45%. Wayne owned the remaining 10% ownership (bott.org, 2014). During the formation of the Apple, Inc. Company, both Jobs and Wozniak were young entrepreneurs with no asset to their names. They were therefore not afraid of taking any risk. On the other hand, Wayne was a little bit older and had his own personal assets. Due to his fear of undergoing a huge risk, he sold his company ownership stake to Steve and Wozniak for 800$. The valuation of Wayne’s ownership compared to today’s company’s market value, it would be exceeding 3...

Words: 2457 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Apple

...The multi billion-dollar corporation, Apple Inc., designs and manufactures some of today’s highest technological gizmos and gadgets. Among their best known products are the Apple and Macintosh computers, iPods, iTunes, iPhones and iPads. Apple is one of the most powerful and influential high tech companies in the world. The success of Apple Inc. stems from the innovation and visions of co-founder and entrepreneur, Steve Jobs, the excellence of the stylish, user-friendly products, and the ability to create innovative products that consumer’s desire. The development of Apple Inc. came during the unstable economic times of the 1970’s. Best friends and college dropouts, Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak pooled their electronic and business skills to market what was to become the first personal computer. Stephen Wozniak had designed a small computer, the Apple 1, for the enjoyment of some friends at a Homebrew Computer Club meeting. The Apple 1 developed in Steve Jobs’ bedroom and garage, while he envisioned the commercial potential of a personal computer that could help families with personal finances and small businesses with day to day tasks. Vision, drive and creativity allowed this entrepreneur to take the risk to create a business. The challenge of building that business and the desire to control his destiny required passion and perseverance along with innovation. Apple’s first personal computer, the Apple 1, took six months to design and 40 hours to build with an initial investment...

Words: 1680 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Apple

...Apple Computer, Inc.: Maintaining the Music Business while Introducing iPhone and Apple TV Leave a reply Topic: Apple Computer, Inc.: Maintaining the Music Business while Introducing iPhone and Apple TV Subject: Business Details: 1. Strategic challenges facing Apple Computer. 2. Dimensions along which company success can be measured. 3. Critical external and internal environmental factors that have strategic implications for Apple\’s future. 4. Dow Apple\’s strategy stands up against industry rivalry. 5. Recommendations you would make to enhance the effectiveness of the company\’s strategy or to change its strategic approach for better results. Abstract: Apple computers were started some 35 years ago by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in the garage of Steve’s home. It has achieve tremendous growth and is currently one of the largest companies in the US marketing electronic technological produces such as the iPad and many other such items that are used extensively by consumers. The company is dedicated to providing its customers the best know-how and understanding through its original hardware, software, and computer related devices along with the best possible services. The major tactical challenge that Apple computer is facing is that the company’s competitors try to surpass its accomplishments and that they are bringing into the market comparable products that are much cheaper than the products marketed by Apple Inc. Introduction             Apple Computer was started...

Words: 1402 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Apple

...Running head: ETHICS BEHIND APPLE AND FOXCONN RELATIONSHIP 1 Ethics Behind Apple and Foxconn Relationship Maryana Didovych The College of Westchester ETHICS BEHIND APPLE AND FOXCONN RELATIONSHIP 2 Abstract This paper examines Apple, Inc.’s relationship with one of its biggest suppliers, Foxconn Technology Group. Recent growth in suicide incidents at Foxconn factories again caught media’s attention. Whether Apple’s decision to stay in business with Foxconn despite these incidents is ethical or not is examined using Traditional 5-Question approach. Contradictory evidence is also examined. Based on the result of 5-Question approach and reviewed evidence it can be concluded that Apple’s decision may indeed be unethical. Recently published evidence suggests Apple and Foxconn are addressing several issues, but close monitoring of the improvement process is required to ensure success. ETHICS BEHIND APPLE AND FOXCONN RELATIONSHIP 3 Ethics Behind Apple and Foxconn Relationship One of the biggest suppliers and manufacturers of Apple Inc’s (Apple) products recently has been involved in scandals concerning working conditions of its factory workers. This company is called Foxconn Technology Group (Foxconn). It operates in more than 40 research and development centers as well as manufacturing facilities in Asia, Russia, Europe and the Americas. According to Pratap, Radhakrishnan and Dutta (2012), Foxconn is “the world’s biggest contract electronics manufacturer, taking...

Words: 3108 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Apple

...The Apple Company is launching a new fall campaign titled, “The Big Apple!” to promote the sales of its new laptop computer, the Mac Book Pro. Featuring the campaign in New York City, Apple stores will be selling the new MacBook Pro laptops with three new cover designs. Known for its simplicity in computer design, Apple expects to ‘wow’ audiences with a departure from the usual look and a venture into new creative territory. Aimed at (but not limited to) the creative personalities that make up fast-paced and glamorous New York City, the campaign is expected to be a big success. The campaign will consist of a city-wide contest where applicants can design a cover that involves some of the elements that represent New York City and then send their idea in to Apple. The judges will then pick one of the designs to be featured alongside the two other covers which will be created by two different icons in New York city which Apple will have personally picked. One will be an up-and-coming designer, the other an artist. By doing this, Apple creates a connection between the people in the city, the culture, and their own brand. The campaign will run from September through till December, during which time the contest will be held, the designs finalized, and the new Mac Books will be available for purchase. Target Audience/Market: In terms of the target audience that Apple is looking to focus on with their campaign, there are a few demographics that the company would like to adhere...

Words: 1957 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Apple

...Hase BUSS 508 October 21, 2014 The Apple Corporation has become one of the largest corporations in the world. There are a lot of companies that would like to be mentioned in the same breath as Apple. Many companies want to emulate their success. In this paper I will examine Apple current position and reputation, regarding ethical and social responsibility. According to Crane and Matten (2013) “One of the basic tenets of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) movement in business has been it being voluntary and meeting social expectations above and beyond the law.” The Apple Corporation has been publishing its CSR report on its website since 2007. On Apples website it states “Workers everywhere should have the right to safe and ethical working conditions. They should also have access to educational opportunities to improve their lives. Through a continual cycle of inspections, improvement plans, and verification, we work with our suppliers to make sure they comply with our Code of Conduct and live up to these ideals”. Living up to the previous statement concerning apples commitment to ethical and social responsibility has not been an easy one. My position on whether Apple has met their responsibilities would be no because with their brand being the world’s best global brand, they should be held to a higher standard. When you are the leader in your field other corporations are looking at you to ensure all the rules are being followed. Apples 2013 Supplier Responsibility Progress...

Words: 2168 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Apple

...Apple in the digital age from the iPod to the iPad Apple Inc. The Case Study 2000 - 2010 Foreward John Ashcroft Welcome to this Apple case study. I have always been something of a computer geek. My first computer was a Commodore Pet in 1978. It had 8k of RAM and a cassette player for storage. Programmed effectively, a two dimensional pencil sketch of a rocket would take off and zoom off screen. Beyond that and a few simple games, I don’t recall it did much at all. My first experience of Apple was the Apple II in the early 1980’s. The combination of Apple and a Visicalc spreadsheet, greatly enhanced financial and business plan modelling. Business models were more easily produced and what-if simulations were available at the click of a button. It was a great step up from the pencil and calculator. Seven years ago, I abandoned Microsoft and converted entirely to Apple. Apple Macs, MacBooks, MacBook Air, iPods, iTouch, the iPhone and the iPad, I had to try them all and never looked back This is the case study of Apple in the digital age. The great era of the iPod, the discovery of the digital hub and Apple’s move into the mainstream consumer market with the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. It has many great examples for enthusiasts of marketing, leadership, organization, financial analysis and strategic management. The story begins almost ten years ago. In 2001, Apple sales fell by a third and the company reported an operating loss of $350 million some 6% of sales. The company...

Words: 5086 - Pages: 21