Apple, the company Jobs cofounded, was a pioneer in the consumer electronics world; its key product introductions included the Apple II (1977), the Macintosh (1984), the iPod and iTunes (2001), the Apple Store (2001), the iPhone (2007), and the iPad (2009). At the time of Jobs’s death, Apple was the most valuable tech company in the world.
By September 2012, Apple stock had soared to record levels, with its price briefly rising above $700 per share. In addition, Apple had amassed more than $100 billion in cash, most of it held abroad as foreign earnings. Meanwhile, once-dominant tech industry giants such as Nokia, Sony, Dell, and BlackBerry were struggling.
Despite strong 2012 sales for the iPhone 5, industry observers began to wonder whether Apple’s hot streak of hit product introductions was starting to cool. Apple’s reputation was based on its proven ability to disrupt existing markets (e.g., the music and telecommunications industries) and to create new markets through the introduction of technical and design innovations. However, some viewed the 2012 launch of the iPhone 5 as an evolutionary step rather than a revolutionary breakthrough. In fact, many consumers opted to buy the slower,
cheaper iPhone 4 or 4S rather than upgrade to the iPhone 5. Without Jobs, who was considered by many to be the heart and soul of the company, were Apple’s best days behind it?

1. Are you an iOS user or an Android user? Which brand of smartphone did you buy, and why?
2. Do you think Apple can continue to grow by developing breakthrough products that create new markets, as it did with the iPod, iPhone, and iPad?
3. How has Samsung’s global marketing strategy enabled it to compete so effectively against Apple?
4. Assess the prospects for the global success of HomePod.
5. Do you think Apple should develop self-driving cars (i.e., hardware) or focus on self-driving systems (i.e., software)?
6. Which uses for an AI-enabled iPhone can you think of?
7. More than 1.3 billion Apple devices are in use worldwide. The company’s goal is to achieve 100 percent renewable energy and to generate and source 4 gigawatts of new clean energy by 2020. Dig deeper: What is the update on this initiative? Conduct some exploratory research, and write a short essay or present a brief oral report on your findings. Remember to cite your sources!