Sunday, September 20, 2009
APPLE
Apple Inc.
.
| Apple Inc. | |
| Founded | Cupertino, California, United States (April 1, 1976 (1976-04-01)) |
| Headquarters | 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California, USA |
| Computer hardware · Computer software Consumer electronics · Digital distribution | |
| Mac (Pro, Mini · iMac · MacBook, Air, Pro · Xserve) iPhone, iPod (Shuffle, Nano, Classic, Touch) Apple TV, Cinema Display, AirPort, Time Capsule Mac OS X (Server · iPhone OS), iLife, iWork | |
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products. The company's best-known hardware products include Macintosh computers, the iPod and the iPhone. Apple software includes the Mac OS X operating system, the iTunes media browser, the iLife suite of multimedia and creativity software, the iWork suite of productivity software, and Final Cut Studio, a suite of professional audio and film-industry software products. The company operates more than 250 retail stores in nine countries[2] and an online store where hardware and software products are sold.
Established in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 and incorporated January 3, 1977,[5] the company was called Apple Computer Inc. for its first 30 years, but dropped the word "Computer" on January 9, 2007[6] to reflect the company's ongoing expansion into the consumer electronics market in addition to its traditional focus on personal computers.[7] Apple has about 35,000 employees worldwide[3] and had worldwide annual sales of US$32.48 billion in its fiscal year ending September 29, 2008.[4] For reasons as various as its philosophy of comprehensive aesthetic design to its distinctive advertising campaigns, Apple has established a unique reputation in the consumer electronics industry. This includes a customer base that is devoted to the company and its brand, particularly in the United States.[8] Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008 and in the world in 2009.
The Intel partnership
The MacBook Pro (15.4" widescreen) was Apple's first laptop with an Intel microprocessor. It was announced in January 2006 and is aimed at the professional market.
At the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote address on June 6, 2005, Steve Jobs announced that Apple would begin producing Intel-based Mac computers in 2006.[67] On January 10, 2006, the new MacBook Pro and iMac became the first Apple computers to utilize 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.[67] The Power Mac, iBook, and PowerBook brands were retired during the transition; the Mac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro became their respective successors.[68][69]. On April 29, 2009, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was building its own team of engineers to design microchips.[70]
Apple also introduced Boot Camp to help users install Windows XP or Windows Vista on their Intel Macs alongside Mac OS X.[71]
Apple's success during this period was evident in its stock price. Between early 2003 and 2006, the price of Apple's stock increased more than tenfold, from around $6 per share (split-adjusted) to over $80. In January 2006, Apple's market cap surpassed that of Dell.[72] Nine years prior, Dell's CEO Michael Dell said that if he ran Apple he would "shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."[73]
Delivering his keynote at the Macworld Expo on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs announced that Apple Computer, Inc. would from that point on be known as Apple Inc. The event also saw the announcement of the iPhone and the Apple TV.[74] The following day, Apple shares hit $97.80, an all-time high. In May, Apple's share price passed the $100 mark.[75]
On February 6, 2007, Apple indicated that it would sell music on the iTunes Store without DRM (which would allow tracks to be played on third-party players) if record labels would agree to drop the technology.[76] On April 2, 2007, Apple and EMI jointly announced the removal of DRM technology from EMI's catalog in the iTunes Store, effective in May.[77]
On July 11, 2008, Apple launched the App Store to sell third-party applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch.[78] Within a month, the store sold 60 million applications and brought in $1 million daily on average, with Steve Jobs speculating that the App Store could become a billion-dollar business for Apple.[79] Three months later, it was announced that Apple had become the third-largest mobile handset supplier in the world due to the popularity of the iPhone.[80]
On December 16, 2008, Apple announced 2009 would be the last year Apple would be attending the Macworld Expo, and that Phil Schiller would deliver the 2009 keynote in lieu of the expected Steve Jobs.[81]
On January 14, 2009, an internal Apple memo from Steve Jobs announced that he would be taking a six-month leave of absence, until the end of June 2009, to allow him to better focus on his health and to allow the company to better focus on its products.[82] Despite Steve Jobs' absence, Apple recorded its best non-holiday quarter (Q1 FY 2009) during the recession with a revenue of $8.16 billion and a profit of $1.21 billion.[83]
The Mac mini, low-cost desktop computer.
- Mac mini, consumer sub-desktop computer introduced in January 2005.
- iMac, consumer all-in-one desktop computer that was first introduced by Apple in 1998. Its popularity helped revive the company's fortunes.[53]
- Mac Pro, workstation-class desktop computer introduced in August 2006, it was previously known as the PowerMac.
- MacBook, consumer notebook introduced in 2006, available in white, it was previously known as the iBook.
- MacBook Air, ultra-thin, ultra-portable notebook, introduced in January 2008.
- MacBook Pro, professional portable computer alternative to the MacBook, available in 13, 15, and 17 inch variants, introduced in January 2006, it was previously known as the PowerBook.
- Xserve, rack mounted, dual or quad core, dual processor 1U server.
Apple sells a variety of computer accessories for Mac computers including the AirPort wireless networking products, Time Capsule, Cinema Display, Mighty Mouse, the Apple Wireless Keyboard computer keyboard, and the Apple USB Modem.
Products on this timeline indicate introduction dates only and not necessarily discontinued dates, as new products begin on a contiguous product line.
Labels: microprocessors
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