Apple Case Study Essay

The slogan Think Different, despite the grammatical error, has always been associated with Apple Inc.’s initiative of creativity since it was firstly proposed in 1997. The 12 years characterized by the return of its former CEO Steve Jobs have signified a dramatic success and miraculous recover from the depressed Apple in the 90s. The key factor that determined its success should be attributed to its commitment to identifying customer needs and innovation in creating new product. However it may be concerned how Apple would continue to innovate and grow in facing the increasingly fierce competitions in the market after the loss of Steve Jobs.
A first consideration may fall upon its future innovative capability to introduce more appealing products beyond existing portfolio in comparison with the market expectation. Upon the return of Jobs, design thinking and development strategy were highly emphasized with he himself as chief innovator. As a result, what came after was the most notably successful line including iPod, iPhone and iPad. However the market they have gained with those efforts is now threatened by both internal and external factors. Internally, the high standard they set for previous products has automatically become a barrier for its future development. In other words, customers increasingly have higher expectations for innovative products from Apple. For example, the previous transformational launch of iPhone is now a core activity of Apple, whilst customers’ dissatisfaction about few changes made in new products have been evident in the recent releases of iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. With regard to that, it is an essential option for Apple to reconsider what the market expects and then enable the new iPhones with more innovative features such as available colours, 3D screens and enhanced-resolution front cameras.
Secondly, regarding external factors this refers to the competition pressure. One of Apple’s key competitive advantages is its rational courage to conduct bold innovations. Nevertheless Apple’s transformational creations have been quickly followed and challenged by its competitors, of which the most notable one is Samsung. The Galaxy series which introduced by Samsung has incrementally deprived the market share from iPhone and iPad, for which the former are renowned of its identical and even superior quality, design and functionality to the later. Samsung build its publicity partially with the intensity and innovativeness of introducing new products. Approximately every half year a new Galaxy phone will be launched to the market with improvement in every launch from screen to camera. In comparison, Apple launched its new phone roughly every one year, covered in secrecy beforehand. Such

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