Apple's Product Life Cycle Of Apple Inc.

Company overview

Apple Incorporation (Apple Inc. or Apple or ‘the company”), designs and manufacturer of iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV and sells a variety of related software, peripheral devices, networking solutions; services included professional software application, the iOS and OS X operating systems and iCloud. Apple also sells and delivers digital content and application through the iTunes Store and App store, iBook Store and Mac App store. Apple sells its products worldwide through its retail store, online store and direct sales force, as well as through third party cellular network carrier, wholesalers, retailers and value-added resellers. Apple sells its products to consumers, small and mid-size businesses (SMB) and education, enterprise and government customers.

During the financial year ended September 2014, Apple Inc. has reported a net profit of $39,510 million with sales income of $182,795 million. It is an increase of 7% over FY2013. (Applecom, annual report 2104)

Background

Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steven Wozniak and was incorporated in 1977 It was started to develop and sells personal computers. The

There are four stages of a complete product cycle; introduction, growth, maturity and decline. iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, the fifth and sixth generation of iPhone, has reached its maturity stage. Although there is still a strong demand of iPhone 5S, in the financial result reported by Apple, the rate of profit and revenue had slowed down. Apple has reported that its revenue for Q2’2014 climbed 5 percent, to $45.6 billion, from $43.6 billion in the same period the year earlier. The company's earnings were up about 7 percent, to $10.2 billion, from $9.5 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Although the results are good but the rate of profit and revenue growth has slowed down. (Chen, Brian X. International New York Times [Paris] 25 Apr 2014: