Apple Inc.
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{{Infobox Company
|company_name=Apple Inc.
|company_logo=[[Image:Apple-logo.png|128px|The Glass Apple Logo (1998 – Present)]]
|company_type=[[Public company|Public]] ({{nasdaq|AAPL}}, {{lse|0HDZ}}, {{FWB|APC}})
|foundation= [[California]], [[USA]] ([[April 1]] [[1976]], as Apple Computer, Inc.)
|location_city= {{flagicon|USA}} 1 [[Infinite Loop (street)|Infinite Loop]], [[Cupertino, California]]
|key_people=[[Steve Jobs]], [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] & [[Entrepreneur|Co-founder]]<br />[[Steve Wozniak]], Co-founder<br />[[Timothy D. Cook]], [[Chief operating officer|COO]]<br />[[Peter Oppenheimer]], [[Chief financial officer|CFO]]<br />[[Philip W. Schiller]], [[Vice president|SVP]] [[Marketing]]<br />[[Jonathan Ive]], SVP [[Industrial Design]]<br />[[Tony Fadell]], SVP [[iPod|iPod Division]]<br />[[Ron Johnson (Apple)|Ron Johnson]], SVP [[Retail]]<br />[[Sina Tamaddon]], SVP [[Application software|Applications]]<br /><!-- Please do not remove the non-breaking spaces here; they're needed to make the infobox wider -->[[Bertrand Serlet|Bertrand Serlet]], SVP [[Software Engineering|Software Engineering]]<br />[[Scott Forstall]], SVP [[Platform (computing)|Platform]] Experience
|industry=[[Computer hardware]]<br />[[Computer software]]<br />[[Consumer electronics]]|products=[[Macintosh|Mac (personal computer series)]], [[Mac OS X]], [[Mac OS X Server]], [[iPod]], [[QuickTime]], [[iTunes]], [[iLife]], [[iWork]], [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]], [[Apple Remote Desktop]], [[Xsan]], [[Final Cut Studio]], [[Aperture (photography software)|Aperture]], [[Logic Studio]], [[Apple Cinema Display|Cinema Display]], [[AirPort]], [[Apple Mighty Mouse]], [[Xserve]], [[iPhone]], [[Apple TV]]|computers=[[iMac]], [[MacBook]], [[MacBook Pro]], [[PowerBook]], [[iBook]], [[Apple I]], [[Apple II]], [[Apple III]]
|revenue=[[United States dollar|US$]]24.01 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] {{profit}} ([[Trailing twelve months|TTM]] [[Fiscal year|FY]] 2007)<ref name=ApplePR20071022>{{cite press release
| url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/10/22results.html
| title=Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results
| date=[[October 22]] [[2007]]
| accessdate=2007-11-18
| publisher=Apple Inc.
}}</ref>
|operating_income=US$4.41 billion {{profit}} (TTM FY 2007)<br />(18.37% [[operating margin]])<ref name=ApplePR20071022 />
|net_income=US$3.50 billion {{profit}} (TTM FY 2007)<br />(14.56% [[profit margin]])<ref name=ApplePR20071022 />
|num_employees=17,787 full-time; 2,399 temporary ([[September 30]] [[2006]])<ref name=10k2006>{{cite web
|url=http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/10/107357/10K_2006.pdf
|title=Apple Computer 10-K 2006
|date=[[December 29]] [[2006]]
|accessdate=2007-11-18
|page=20
}}</ref>
| homepage = [http://www.apple.com/ Apple.com]
}}
'''Apple Inc.''' ({{nasdaq|AAPL}}, {{lse|0HDZ}}, {{FWB|APC}}), formerly '''Apple Computer, Inc.''', is an [[United States|American]] [[multinational corporation]] with a focus on designing and manufacturing [[consumer electronics]] and closely related [[software]] products. The company's best-known hardware products include the [[Macintosh]] line of personal computers, the [[iPod]] line of portable media players, and the [[iPhone]]. Apple's software products include the [[Mac OS X]] [[operating system]], [[iTunes]] media browser, the [[iLife]] suite of multimedia and creativity software, and [[Final Cut Studio]], a suite of professional audio- and film-industry software products.
As of September 2007, the company operates about 200 [[Apple Store (retail)|retail stores]] in six countries<ref name=usstores>{{cite web
|url=http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/
|title=Apple Store—Store List
|accessdate=2007-12-08
|publisher=Apple Inc.
}}</ref> and an online store where hardware and software products are sold. Additionally, the [[iTunes Store]] provides music, [[music video]]s, [[television program]]s, [[film|movies]], [[podcast]]s, [[iPod game]]s, and [[audiobook]]s, which can be downloaded using [[iTunes]] on [[Mac OS X]] or [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], and also on the [[iPod touch]] and the [[iPhone]].
The company, established in [[Cupertino, California|Cupertino]], [[California]] on [[April 1]] [[1976]] and incorporated [[January 3]] [[1977]],<ref name=orgincpr/> was known as "Apple Computer, Inc." for its first 30 years. On [[January 9]] [[2007]], the company dropped "Computer" from its corporate name,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://ccbn.10kwizard.com/xml/download.php?format=PDF&ipage=4589126
|title=Form 8-K SEC Filing
|date=[[January 10]] [[2007]]
|format=pdf
|accessdate=2007-12-08
}}</ref> reflecting the company's ongoing expansion into the [[consumer electronics]] market in addition to its traditional focus on personal computers.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/technology/09cnd-iphone.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
|last=Markoff
|first=John
|title=New Mobile Phone Signals Apple’s Ambition
|date=[[January 9]] [[2007]]
|accessdate=2007-01-09
|publisher=[[The New York Times]]
}}</ref> Apple employs over 20,000 permanent and temporary workers worldwide<ref name=10k2006/> and had worldwide annual sales in its [[fiscal year]] 2007 (ending [[September 29]] [[2007]]) of [[United States dollar|US$]]24.01 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]].<ref name=ApplePR20071022 /> For a variety of reasons, ranging from its [[philosophy]] of comprehensive [[aesthetics|aesthetic]] [[industrial design|design]] to its [[Apple Inc. advertising|distinctive advertising campaigns]], Apple has engendered a unique reputation in the [[consumer electronics]] industry. This includes a customer base, particularly in the [[United States]], that is unusually devoted to the company and its brand.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/07/11/apple.google.find.loyalty/
|title=Apple, Google tops in loyalty survey
|date=[[July 11]] [[2006]]
|accessdate=2007-07-10
|publisher=[[MacNN]]
}}</ref>
{{TOClimit|limit=3}}
==History==
{{main|History of Apple}}
The company introduced the [[Apple II]] [[microcomputer]] in March 1977. A few years later, in 1983, it introduced the [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]], the first commercial personal computer to employ a [[graphical user interface]] (GUI), which was influenced in part by the [[Xerox Alto]]. Lisa was also the first personal computer to have the [[mouse (computing)|mouse]]. In 1984, the [[Macintosh]] was introduced, which arguably advanced the concept of a new user-friendly [[graphical user interface]]. Apple's success with the Macintosh became a major influence in the development of graphical interfaces elsewhere, with major computer [[operating system]]s, such as the [[Commodore International|Commodore]] [[Amiga]], and [[Atari ST]], appearing on the market within two years of the introduction of the Macintosh.
In 1991, Apple introduced the [[PowerBook]] line of [[portable computer]]s. The 1990s also saw Apple's market share fall as competition from [[Microsoft Windows]] and the comparatively inexpensive [[IBM PC compatible]] computers that would eventually dominate the market. In the 2000s, Apple expanded its focus on software to include professional and [[prosumer]] video, music, and photo production solutions, with a view to promoting their products as a "digital hub". It also introduced the [[iPod]], the most popular digital music player in the world.<ref>Cantrell, Amanda. [http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/29/technology/apple_anniversary/?cnn=yes Apple's remarkable comeback story], ''[[CNN]]'', [[2006-03-29]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref>
===1976 to 1980: The early years===
[[Image:Apple I.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Apple I]], Apple's first product. Sold as an assembled circuit board, it lacked basic features such as a keyboard, monitor, and case. The owner of this unit added a keyboard and a wooden case.]]Apple was founded on [[April 1]] [[1976]] by [[Steve Jobs]], [[Steve Wozniak]], and [[Ronald Wayne]]<ref>Ehrenfried, Marcus. [http://www.markusehrenfried.de/mac/applehistory.html History of the Apple Mac], April 2004. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> to sell the [[Apple I]] [[personal computer]] kit. They were hand-built by Steve Wozniak<ref>[http://www.ioltechnology.co.za/article_page.php?iSectionId=2892&iArticleId=3456594 IOL Technology - Co-founder tells his side of Apple story<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6167297 NPR : A Chat with Computing Pioneer Steve Wozniak<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in the living room of Jobs' parents' home, and the Apple I was first shown to the public at the [[Homebrew Computer Club]].<ref>[[Steve Wozniak|Wozniak, Stephen]]. [http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/homebrew_and_how_the_apple.php Homebrew and How the Apple Came to Be], ''Digital Deli''. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> Eventually, 200 computers were built. The Apple I was sold as a motherboard (with CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips)—not what is today considered a complete [[personal computer]].<ref>Kahney, Leander. [http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/multimedia/2002/11/56426 Rebuilding an Apple From the Past], ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', [[2002-11-19]].</ref> The user was required to provide two different AC input voltages (the manual recommended specific transformers), to wire an ASCII keyboard (not provided with the computer) to a DIP connector (providing logic inverter and alpha lock chips in some cases), and to wire the video output pins to a monitor or to an RF modulator if a TV set was used. The Apple I went on sale in July 1976 and was market-priced at $666.66.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7091190.stm BBC News: History of Technology]. Accessed January 19, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://staging.computerhistory.org/exhibits/highlights/apple1.shtml Computer History Museum (ComputerHistory.org)]. Accessed January 19, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.g4tv.com/gamemakers/episodes/3781/Apple_II.html Game Makers (TV Show)]: Apple II]. Originally aired January 6, 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.macmothership.com/gallery/newads7/1976apple1.jpg Picture of original ad featuring $666.66 price]</ref> Wozniak says he came up with the $666.66 price because he liked repeating digits.<ref name="iWoz">[[Steve Wozniak|Wozniak, Steven]]: "[[iWoz]]", page 180. [[W. W. Norton]], 2006. ISBN 13:978-0-393-06143-7</ref>
Jobs approached a local computer store, ''The Byte Shop'', which ordered fifty units and paid US$500 for each unit after much persuasion. He then ordered components from Cramer Electronics, a national electronic parts distributor. Using a variety of methods, including borrowing space from friends and family and selling various items including a [[Volkswagen Type 2|Volkswagen Type 2 bus]], Jobs managed to secure the parts needed while Wozniak and Ronald Wayne assembled the Apple I.<ref name=acmillionairemadness>{{citation|last=Linzmayer|first=Owen W.|title=Apple Confidential: The Real Story of Apple Computer, Inc.|place=San Francisco|publisher=No Starch Press|year=1999|edition=1st|url=http://www.appleconfidential.com/|pages=37-38|isbn=1-886411028-X}}</ref>
Apple was incorporated [[January 3]] [[1977]]<ref name=orgincpr>[http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=107357&p=irol-faq#corpinfo1 Apple Investor Relations FAQ], ''Apple''. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> without Wayne, who sold his share of the company back to Jobs and Wozniak, and with [[Mike Markkula]], who provided essential business expertise and funding of US $250,000 during the formation of Apple.<ref>[http://ca.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552652/apple_inc_.html], ''MSN Encarta'' Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref>
The [[Apple II series|Apple II]] was introduced on [[April 16]] [[1977]] at the first [[West Coast Computer Faire]]. It differed from its major rivals, the [[TRS-80]] and [[Commodore PET]], because it came with color graphics and an open [[computer architecture|architecture]]. While early models used ordinary cassette tapes as storage devices, this was quickly superseded by the introduction of a 5 1/4 inch [[floppy disk]] drive and interface, the [[Disk II]].{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
Another key to business for Apple was software. The [[Apple II]] was chosen by programmers [[Dan Bricklin]] and [[Bob Frankston]] to be the desktop platform for the first "[[killer application|killer app]]" of the business world—the [[VisiCalc]] [[spreadsheet]] program.<ref name=lemvc>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/06/0922.html VisiCalc and the rise of the Apple II], ''Low End Mac'', [[2006-09-22]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> VisiCalc created a business market for the Apple II, and the corporate market attracted many more software and hardware developers to the machine, as well as giving home users an additional reason to buy one—compatibility with the office.<ref name=lemvc/> (See the timeline for dates of [[Apple II family]] model releases—the 1977 Apple II and its younger siblings the II+, IIe, IIc, and II<small>GS</small>.)
According to Brian Bagnall's book, "On the Edge" (pp. 109-112), Apple exaggerated its sales figures, and Apple was a distant third place until VisiCalc came along. VisiCalc was first released on Apple II because Commodore and Tandy computers were tied up in VisiCalc's software development office due to their popularity. VisiCalc's association with Apple was thus pure happenstance, not a technical decision. Even after VisiCalc, Apple II did not surpass the [[TRS-80|Tandy TRS-80]], whose sales were helped by the large number of [[Radio Shack]] stores. However, VisiCalc did put Apple ahead of Commodore's PET, at least in the US. (Commodore later regained the lead for a while with the [[Commodore 64]] in the mid 80s, the best selling specific model of computer to date.)<ref>[http://www.jeremyreimer.com/total_share.html Personal Computer Market Share: 1975-2004] The figures show Mac higher, but that is not a single model.</ref>
By the end of the 1970s, Jobs and his partners had a staff of computer designers and a [[production line]]. The Apple II was succeeded by the [[Apple III]] in May 1980 as the company struggled to compete against [[IBM]] and [[Microsoft]] in the lucrative business and corporate computing market. The designers of the Apple III were forced to comply with Jobs' request to omit the cooling fan, and this ultimately resulted in thousands of recalled units due to overheating.<ref>Coventry, Joshua. [http://lowendmac.com/coventry/06/0901.html Apple III Chaos: What Happened When Apple Tried to Enter the Business Market], ''Low End Mac'', [[2006-09-01]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> An updated version, the Apple III+, was introduced in 1983, but it was also a failure due to bad press and wary buyers.
Apple's sustained growth during the early 1980s was partly due to its leadership in the education sector, attributed to their adaptation of the programming language [[Logo (programming language)|LOGO]], used in many schools with the Apple II. The drive into education was accentuated in [[California]] with the donation of one Apple II and one Apple LOGO software package to each public school in the state. The deal concluded between Steve Jobs and Jim Baroux of LCSI, and having required the support of [[Sacramento]], established a strong and pervasive presence for Apple in all schools throughout California. The initial conquest of education environments was critical to Apple's acceptance in the home where the earliest purchases of computers by parents was in support of children's continued learning experience.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===1981 to 1989: Lisa and Macintosh===
[[Image:Ad apple 1984.jpg|left|thumb|The unnamed heroine from Apple's [[1984 (television commercial)|1984 ad]], set in a [[dystopia]]n future modeled after the [[George Orwell|Orwell]] novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'', set the tone for the introduction of the Macintosh]]
Jobs and several other Apple employees including [[Jef Raskin]] visited [[Xerox PARC]] in December 1979 to see the [[Xerox Alto|Alto computer]]. Xerox granted Apple engineers three days of access to the PARC facilities in return for selling them US$1 million in pre-[[IPO]] Apple stock (approximately US$18 million net).{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
It is said that Jobs was immediately convinced that all future computers would use a [[GUI]], and decided to turn over design of Apple's next project, the [[Apple Lisa]], to produce such a device. The Lisa was named after Jobs' daughter (however, a [[bacronym]],<ref name=lemlisa>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/05/1005.html A history of Apple's Lisa, 1979-1986], ''Low End Mac'', [[2005-10-06]].| Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> Local Integrated Software Architecture, was coined). He was eventually pushed from the group due to infighting, and instead took over Jef Raskin's low-cost computer project, the [[Macintosh]]. Branding the new effort as the product that would "save Apple", an intense [[turf war]] broke out between the Lisa's "corporate shirts" and Jobs' Macintosh "pirates", both teams claiming they would ship first and be more successful. In 1983 the Lisa team won the race and Apple introduced the first personal computer to be sold to the public with a GUI. However, the Lisa was a commercial failure as a result of its high price tag (US$9,995) and limited software titles.<ref name=lemlisa/>
[[Image:Macintosh 128k transparency.png|thumb|The [[Macintosh 128K]], the first Macintosh computer]]
In 1984, drawing upon its experience with the Lisa, Apple next launched the Macintosh. Its debut was announced by a single national broadcast of the now famous US$1.5 million television commercial, "[[1984 (television commercial)|1984]]." It was directed by [[Ridley Scott]], aired during the third quarter of [[Super Bowl XVIII]] on [[22 January]], [[1984]],<ref>[http://www.duke.edu/~tlove/mac.htm Apple's 1984: The Introduction of the Macintosh in the Cultural History of Personal Computers]</ref> and is now considered a "watershed event"<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2004-01-28-maney_x.htm Apple's '1984' Super Bowl commercial still stands as watershed event]</ref> and a "masterpiece."<ref name=masterpiece>{{cite web
|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/02/02/eye.ent.commercials/
|title= Why 2006 isn't like '1984'
|accessdate= 2008-05-10
|author=
|last=Leopold
|first=Todd
|authorlink=
|coauthors=
|date= [[3 February]] [[2006]]
|work=
|publisher=[[CNN]]
}}</ref> ''1984'' used an unnamed heroine to represent the coming of the Macintosh (indicated by her white [[tank top]] with a [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]]-style picture of [[Apple Computer|Apple]]’s [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] computer on it) as a means of saving humanity from "conformity" ([[Big Brother (1984)|Big Brother]]).<ref name=cellini>{{cite web
|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb197/is_200401/ai_n5556112
|title= The Story Behind Apple's '1984' TV commercial: Big Brother at 20
|accessdate= 2008-05-09
|author=
|last=Cellini
|first=Adelia
|authorlink=
|coauthors=
|date=January, 2004
|work= [[MacWorld]] 21.1, page 18
|publisher=
}}</ref> These images were an [[allusion]] to [[George Orwell]]'s noted novel, ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'', which described a [[dystopia|dystopian future]] ruled by a televised "[[Big Brother (1984)|Big Brother]]."
While the Macintosh initially sold well, follow-up sales were not particularly strong.<ref name=lem1985>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/06/1002.html Good-bye Woz and Jobs: How the first Apple era ended in 1985], ''Low End Mac'', [[2006-10-02]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> The machine's fortunes changed with the introduction of the [[LaserWriter]], the first [[laser printer]] to be offered at a reasonable price point, and [[PageMaker]], an early [[desktop publishing]] (DTP) package. The Mac was particularly powerful in this market due to its advanced graphics capabilities, which were already necessarily built-in to create the [[Intuition (knowledge)|intuitive]] Macintosh GUI. It has been suggested that the combination of these three products was responsible for the creation of the DTP market.<ref>[http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/beginners/f/when_dtp.htm When was desktop publishing invented?] Retrieved on [[2007-04-30]].</ref> As DTP became widespread, Apple's sales reached a series of new highs, and the company had its [[IPO|initial public offering]] on [[September 7]], [[1984]].
An internal power struggle developed between Jobs and new CEO [[John Sculley]] in 1985.<ref name=lemsculley>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/06/0222.html Growing Apple with the Macintosh: The Sculley years], ''Low End Mac'', [[2006-02-22]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> Apple's [[board of directors]] sided with Sculley and Jobs was removed from his managerial duties.<ref name=lem1985/> Jobs later resigned from Apple and founded [[NeXT|NeXT Inc.]], a computer company that built machines with futuristic designs and ran the UNIX-derived [[NeXTStep]] operating system. Although powerful, NeXT computers never caught on with buyers, due in part to their high purchase price.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===1989 to 1991: The "golden age"===
[[Image:Macintosh portable.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Macintosh Portable]] was Apple's first "portable" Macintosh computer, released in 1989.]]
Having learned several painful lessons after introducing the bulky [[Macintosh Portable]] in 1989, Apple introduced the [[PowerBook]] in 1991, which established the modern form and [[ergonomics|ergonomic]] layout of the [[laptop computer]].<ref name=lempb>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/05/1123.html Birth of the PowerBook: How Apple took over the portable market in 1991], ''Low End Mac'', [[2005-11-23]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> The same year, Apple introduced [[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]], a major upgrade to the operating system which added color to the interface, and introduced a number of new networking capabilities. It would remain the architectural basis for Mac OS until 2001.
The success of the PowerBook and several other Apple products during this period led to increasing revenue.<ref name=lemsculley/> For some time, it appeared that Apple could do no wrong, introducing fresh new products and generating increasing profits in the process. The [[magazine]] ''[[MacLife|MacAddict]]'' named the period between 1989 to 1991 the "first [[golden age]]" of the Macintosh. However, the continuing development of [[Microsoft Windows]] had given birth to an interface that was competitive with Apple's. Combined with a huge base of low-cost computers and peripherals and an improving software suite, an increasing number of potential customers turned to the "[[Wintel]]" standard.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
Apple, relying on high profit margins to maintain their massive R&D budget, never developed a clear response. Instead they sued [[Microsoft]] for [[theft]] of [[intellectual property]], in [[Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation]].<ref name=lemms>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/06/0825.html The Apple vs. Microsoft GUI lawsuit], ''Low End Mac'', [[2006-08-25]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> The lawsuit dragged on for years before finally being thrown out of court. A series of major product flops and missed deadlines destroyed Apple's reputation of invincibility, and consequently their market share dropped, particularly after the release of [[Windows 95]].{{Fact|date=January 2008}}
During this time, Apple branched out into consumer electronics. One example of this product diversification was the [[Apple QuickTake]] digital camera, one of the first digital cameras brought to the consumer market. A more famous example was the [[Apple Newton|Newton]], [[neologism|termed]] a "[[Personal digital assistant]]" or "PDA" by Sculley, that was introduced in 1993. Though it failed commercially, it defined and launched a new category of computing and was a forerunner of devices such as [[Palm Pilot]], [[PocketPC]], and eventually the [[iPhone]].{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===1991 to 1994: Model Proliferation===
{{seealso|Timeline of Apple II Family|Timeline of Macintosh models}}
As Macintosh market share began to dwindle, Apple sought to ebb the erosion from Macintosh profits and introduce new products that would build on the success of the PowerBook and incite new market growth, particularly in the entry-level market that the IBM PCs dominated, a market which Apple had priced itself out of being the only real choice for it's revolutionary operating system. The steady erosion of Window's and Apple's defeats against Microsoft were quickly changing the rules for Apple. Seeing the [[Apple II|Apple II Family]] as too expensive to produce while potentially taking away sales from the low end Macs<ref>http://apple2history.org/history/ah11.html#11</ref>, Apple quickly moved to end the once profitable backbone of Apple for the first 15 years of the company's existence, a division for numerous reasons had been in decline for several years at this time. In their place, Apple introduced a new line of low-end educational and consumer targeted computers with limited processing power and bundled software suites, in some case utilizing technology which was already 5 years old. Notably among them was the [[Macintosh LC]] family of computers, which offered a single [[expansion slot]] specifically designed for use with the [[Apple IIe Card]], an entire Apple IIe on a single circuit board, in an effort to migrate Apple II users to the Macintosh platform.
Following the successful reception of the LC, Apple introduced the [[Macintosh Centris|Centris]] line, a low end [[Macintosh Quadra|Quadra]] offering, and the ill-fated [[Performa]] line which was sold in a myriad of confusing configurations and software bundles to avoid competing with the various consumer outlets such as [[Sears]], [[Price Club]] and [[Wal-Mart]], the primary dealers for these models. The end result was disastrous for Apple as consumers not only did not understand the difference between features offered from model to model, but were often poorly maintained by consumer electronics retailers who were more familiar and knowledgeable with the PC models often leading to non-functional demonstration Macs, which appeared to offer little over the working demos and often lower-priced Windows' PCs.
During this time Apple experimented with a number of other failed consumer targeted products including [[QuickTake|digital cameras]], [[PowerCD|portable CD audio players]], [[PowerCD#AppleDesign Powered Speakers|speakers]], [[Bandai Pippin|video consoles]] and [[Apple Interactive Television Box|TV appliances]]. Enormous resources were also invested in the problem plagued Newton division based on John Sculley's unrealistic market forecasts. Ultimately, all of this proved be too-little-too-late for Apple as their market share and stock prices continued to slide.
===1994 to 1997: Attempts at reinvention===
[[Image:Newton-IMG 0320 cleanup.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Apple Newton]] was Apple's first foray into the [[PDA]] markets, as well as one of the first in the industry. A financial flop, it helped pave the way for the [[Palm Pilot]] and Apple's own [[iPhone]] in the future.]]By the mid-90s, Apple realized that it had to reinvent the Macintosh in order to stay competitive in the market. The needs of both computer users and computer programs were becoming, for a variety of technical reasons, harder for the existing hardware and operating system to address.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
In 1994 Apple allied with long-time competitor IBM and CPU maker [[Motorola]] in the so-called [[AIM alliance]]. This was a bid to create a new computing platform (the [[PowerPC Reference Platform]] or PReP), which would use IBM and Motorola hardware coupled with Apple's software. The AIM alliance hoped that PReP's performance and Apple's software would leave the PC far behind, thus countering Microsoft, which had become Apple's chief competitor. That year, Apple introduced the [[Power Macintosh]] using IBM's [[PowerPC]] processor. This processor utilized a [[RISC]] architecture, which differed substantially from the Motorola [[68k]] series that had been used by all previous Macs.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
Throughout the mid to late 1990s, Apple tried to improve its operating system's multitasking and memory management. After multiple failed attempts to improve the existing Mac OS, first with the [[Taligent]] project, then later with [[Copland (operating system)|Copland]] and [[Gershwin operating system|Gershwin]], the company chose to purchase [[NeXT]] and its NeXTSTEP operating system, bringing Steve Jobs back to Apple in the process.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/*/product.info.apple.com/pr/press.releases/1997/q2/970207.pr.rel.next.html Apple Computer, Inc. Finalizes Acquisition of NeXT Software Inc.], ''Apple Inc.'', [[1997-02-07]]. Retrieved on [[2006-06-25]].</ref> On [[July 9]] [[1997]], [[Gil Amelio]] was ousted as CEO of Apple by the board of directors after overseeing a 3-year record-low stock price and crippling financial losses. Jobs stepped in as the interim CEO and began a restructuring of the company's product line.
At the 1997 [[Macworld Expo]], [[Steve Jobs]] announced that Apple would be entering into a partnership with [[Microsoft]] to release new versions of [[Microsoft Office]] for the Macintosh as well as a US$150 million investment in non-voting Apple stock.<ref>[http://www.apple.com/ca/press/1997/08/AppleMicrosoft.html Microsoft and Apple Affirm Commitment to Build Next Generation Software for Macintosh], ''Apple Inc.'', [[1997-08-06]].</ref>
On [[November 10]] [[1997]], Apple introduced the [[Apple Store (online)|Apple Store]], an online retail store based upon the [[WebObjects]] application server the company had acquired in its purchase of [[NeXT]]. The new direct sales outlet was also tied to a new build-to-order manufacturing strategy and announced at the same time as new machines using the [[PowerPC]] processor.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===1998 to 2005: New beginnings===
[[Image:Applecomputerheadquarters.jpg|left|thumb|Company headquarters on [[Infinite Loop (street)|Infinite Loop]] in [[Cupertino]], [[California]].]]
On [[August 15]] [[1998]], Apple introduced a new all-in-one Mac computer reminiscent of the original [[Macintosh 128K]]: the [[iMac]]. The iMac design team was led by [[Jonathan Ive]], who would later design the [[iPod]] and the [[iPhone]].<ref name=levgrossman>Grossman, Lev. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576854,00.html The Apple Of Your Ear], ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]], [[2007-01-12]]. Retrieved on [[2007-02-01]].</ref><ref>Wilson, Greg. [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/01/14/2007-01-14_private_icreator_is_genius_behind_apples.html Private iCreator is genius behind Apple's polish], ''[[New York Daily News]]'', [[2007-01-14]]. Retrieved on [[2007-02-01]].</ref> While not groundbreaking from a technological standpoint, the iMac featured an innovative new translucent plastic exterior, originally in [[Bondi blue (color)|Bondi Blue]], but later many other colors. The iMac sold close to 800,000 units in its first five months and helped return the company to sustained profitability for the first time since 1993.
Through this time period, Apple purchased several companies in a move to create a portfolio of professional and consumer-oriented digital production software. In 1998, Apple announced the purchase of [[Macromedia]]'s Final Cut software, signaling its expansion into the [[digital video]] editing market.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} The following year, Apple released two video editing products: [[iMovie]] for consumers, and [[Final Cut Pro]] for professionals, the latter of which has gone on to be a significant video-editing program, with 800,000 registered users in early 2007.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.news.com/2100-1046-6176170.html
|title=Apple exhibits Final Cut Studio 2
|first=Greg
|last=Sandoval
|date=[[April 15]] [[2007]]
|accessdate=2007-12-04
|publisher=CNet
}}</ref> In 2002 Apple purchased [[Nothing Real]] for their advanced digital compositing application [[Shake (software)|Shake]], as well as [[Emagic]] for their music productivity application [[Logic Pro|Logic]], which led to the development of their consumer-level [[GarageBand]] application. With [[iPhoto]]'s release in 2002, this completed Apple's collection of consumer and professional level creativity software, with the consumer-level applications being collected together into the [[iLife]] suite.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
[[Mac OS X]], the operating system based on NeXT's [[OPENSTEP]] and [[BSD]] Unix was released on [[March 24]] [[2001]] after several years of development. Aimed at consumers and professionals alike, Mac OS X aimed to marry the stability, reliability and security of the [[Unix]] operating system with the ease of use afforded by a completely overhauled user interface. To aid users in moving their applications from [[Mac OS 9]], the new operating system allowed the use of OS 9 applications through Mac OS X's [[Classic (Mac OS X)|Classic environment]].<ref>http://www.apple.com/support/tiger/classic/</ref>
[[Image:Apple store fifth avenue.jpg|thumb|The entrance of the Apple Store on [[Fifth Avenue]] in [[New York City]] is a glass cube, housing a cylindrical elevator and a spiral staircase that leads into the subterranean store.]]
On [[May 19]] [[2001]], Apple opened its first official [[Apple Store (retail)|Apple Retail Stores]] in [[Virginia]] and [[California]], and has since continued to open more stores in the [[United States]] and other countries.<ref>http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ List of Apple Retail Stores</ref>
Later the same year, Apple introduced its first [[iPod]] portable [[digital audio player]]. The product has proven phenomenally successful; over 100 million units have been sold in the six years since its introduction.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4625262.stm Apple enjoys ongoing iPod demand], ''[[BBC News]]'', [[2006-01-18]]. Retrieved on [[2007-04-27]].</ref> In 2003, Apple's [[iTunes Store]] was introduced, offering online music downloads for US 99¢ a song and integration with the iPod. The service quickly became the market leader in online music services, with over 3 billion downloads by August 2007.<ref>[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/07/31itunes.html iTunes Store Tops Three Billion Songs], ''Apple Inc.'',[[2007-07-31]]. Retrieved on [[2007-08-05]].</ref> Steve Jobs announced that iTunes had reached 4 billion downloads during his keynote address at the 2008 [[Macworld Conference & Expo]].
As for the Macintosh, Apple's design team progressively abandoned the flashy colors of the [[iMac G3]] era in favor of white [[polycarbonate]] for consumer lines such as the [[iMac]] and [[iBook]], as well as the educational [[eMac]], and metal enclosures for the professional lines. This began with the 2001 release of the [[titanium]] PowerBook and was followed by the 2001 white iBook, the 2002 flat-panel iMac, the 2003 [[Power Mac G5]], and the 2004 Apple Cinema Displays.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===2005 to present: The Intel partnership===
{{main|Apple Intel transition}}
In the [[Worldwide Developers Conference]] (WWDC) keynote address on [[June 6]] [[2005]], Steve Jobs announced that Apple would begin producing Intel-based Mac computers beginning in 2006.<ref name=printel>[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jun/06intel.html Apple to Use Intel Microprocessors Beginning in 2006], ''Apple Inc.'', [[2005-06-06]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref>
[[Image:MacBook Pro.jpg|right|thumb|Targeted at a professional audience, the [[MacBook Pro]] (15.4" widescreen) was Apple's first laptop with an Intel microprocessor. It was announced in January 2006, and started shipping two months later. The less expensive [[MacBook]] (13.3" widescreen) caters to the consumer market.]]On [[January 10]] [[2006]], Apple released its first Intel chip computers, a new [[notebook computer]] known as the [[MacBook Pro]] (with a 15.4" screen) and a new (though cosmetically identical) iMac with purportedly two to three times faster performance compared with its predecessor. Both used Intel's [[Intel Core|Core Duo]] chip technology. Through 2006, Apple transitioned the entire Mac product line to Intel chips, retaining the enclosure design while replacing its internal components. The Power Mac brand was retired, with [[Mac Pro]] being its successor. Apple also introduced a new piece of software called [[Boot Camp (software)|Boot Camp]] that helps users install [[Windows XP]] on their Intel Mac alongside Mac OS X.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2006/04/news_flash_appl.html
|title=News Flash: Apple Introduces "Boot Camp" To Run Windows XP on Macs
|date=[[April 5]] [[2006]]
|accessdate=2007-11-18
|first=Arik
|last=Hesseldahl
|publisher=[[BusinessWeek]]
}}</ref>
Apple's success during this period, beginning in 1997 (the first year the company turned a profit after losses through 1995 and 1996),<ref>Hormby, Thomas. [http://lowendmac.com/orchard/05/1115.html NeXT, OpenStep, and the triumphant return of Steve Jobs], ''Low End Mac'', [[2005-11-15]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> but accelerating between 2003 to 2005, was evident in its skyrocketing stock. Between early 2003 and January 2006, the price of a share of Apple's stock increased more than tenfold, from a little more than US$6 per share (split-adjusted) to more than US$80 per share. On [[January 13]] [[2006]], Apple's [[market cap]] surpassed that of [[Dell]].<ref name=modell>Gamet, Jeff. [http://www.macobserver.com/stockwatch/2006/01/16.1.shtml Apple Passes Dell's Market Cap], ''MacObserver'', [[2006-01-16]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> Nearly ten years prior, in 1997, Dell's CEO, [[Michael Dell]], had asserted that if he ran Apple he would "shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."<ref>Singh, Jal. [http://www.news.com/Dell-Apple-should-close-shop/2100-1001_3-203937.html Dell: Apple should close shop], ''[[CNET|CNET News]]'', [[1997-10-06]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref>
Delivering his keynote at Macworld 2007 ([[January 9]] [[2007]]), Steve Jobs announced a change of name: 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]]. The following day, Apple shares hit US$97.80, then an all-time high. In May 2007, Apple's share price passed the US$100 mark.<ref>[http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/04/26/analyst.raised.aapl.target/ AAPL surges past $100, target at $140], ''MacNN'', [[2007-04-26]]. Retrieved on [[2007-07-10]].</ref>
On [[February 7]] [[2007]], Apple indicated that it would be willing to sell music on the iTunes Store without [[digital rights management]] protection (allowing tracks to be played on any compatible player) if major record labels would agree to drop that anti-piracy technology.<ref name=NewsMax>[[Steve Jobs|Jobs, Steve]]. [http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/ Thoughts on Music], ''Apple Inc.'', [[2007-02-06]]. Retrieved on [[2007-03-02]].</ref> On [[April 2]] [[2007]], Apple and record label [[EMI]] jointly announced the removal of anti-piracy technology from EMI's catalog in the iTunes Store, effective in May.<ref>Dalrymple, Jim. [http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/04/02/drmfree/ Apple, EMI offer higher-quality DRM free downloads], ''Playlist Magazine'', [[2007-02-06]]. Retrieved on [[2007-04-07]].</ref>
==Current products==
{{seealso|List of products discontinued by Apple Inc.}}
===Hardware===
{{seealso|Timeline of Apple products|Timeline of Apple Macintosh models|List of Macintosh models grouped by CPU type|List of Apple Macintosh models by case type}}
[[Image:Mac mini Intel Core.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Mac mini]], low-cost desktop computer.]]
Apple introduced the Apple Macintosh family in 1984 and today makes consumer, professional, and educational computers. The [[Mac mini]] is the company's consumer sub-desktop computer, introduced in January 2005 and designed to motivate Windows users to switch to the Mac computer platform. The [[iMac]] is a consumer desktop computer that was first introduced by Apple in 1998, and its popularity helped revive the company's fortunes. The iMac is similar in concept to the original Macintosh in that the monitor and computer are housed in a single unit. It is now in its third major design iteration, and has been upgraded many times (including a switch to Intel processors) using the same design. Apple sells three lines of portable computers: the [[MacBook]] which includes a 13 inch widescreen, and is available in white and black variants, the [[MacBook Air]], an ultra-thin, ultra-portable notebook with a 13.3 inch LED backlit widescreen and the [[MacBook Pro]], a professional portable computer alternative to the MacBook. The MacBook Pro is marketed as being intended for professional and creative users, and offers configurations with 15-inch and 17-inch displays. The [[Mac Pro]] is Apple's [[workstation]]-class desktop computer offering, which is housed in an [[aluminum]] enclosure that matches the design aesthetic of the [[Apple Cinema Display]]. Apple also offers a [[19-inch rack|rack mounted]] computer called the [[Xserve]], a dual core, dual processor [[Rack unit|1U]] server.
Apple sells a variety of computer accessories for Mac computers including the [[AirPort]] wireless networking products, [[Time Capsule (Apple)|Time Capsule]], Apple Cinema Display, [[Apple Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]], the [[Apple Wireless Keyboard]] computer keyboard, and the [[Apple USB Modem]].
On [[October 23]] [[2001]], Apple introduced the [[iPod]] digital music player. Initially equipped with a 5 GB hard drive and a monochrome screen, models today can store up to 160 GB and display video, play games, and support a wide range of third-party add-on devices. As of September 2007, Apple sells four variants of the iPod: the [[iPod shuffle]], [[iPod nano]], [[iPod classic]] and [[iPod touch]]. The iPod is the market leader in portable music players by a significant margin, with more than 100 million units shipped as of [[April 9]] [[2007]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.news.com/2100-1041_3-6174435.html
|title=Apple ships 100 millionth iPod
|last=Reardon
|first=Marguerite
|publisher=[[CNet]]
|date=[[April 9]] [[2007]]
|accessdate = 2007-07-17}}</ref> Apple has partnered with [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] to introduce the [[Nike+iPod]] Sports Kit enabling runners to sync and monitor their runs with [[iTunes]] and the [http://www.nikeplus.com/ Nike+ website].
At the [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] in January 2007, Steve Jobs revealed the long anticipated [[iPhone]], a convergence of an Internet-enabled [[smartphone]] and video iPod. The iPhone combines a 2.5G [[quad band]] [[Global System for Mobile Communications|GSM]] and [[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]] cellular phone with features found in hand held devices, running a scaled-down versions of Apple's Mac OS X, with various applications such as [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] [[web browser]], e-mail, and [[Google Maps|navigation]]. The iPhone features a 3.5 inch touch screen display, 8 GB of memory, [[Bluetooth]], and [[Wi-Fi]] (both "b" and "g"). The iPhone first became available on [[June 29]] [[2007]]. On [[June 9]], [[2008]], at WWDC 2008, Steve Jobs announced that the iPhone 3G would be available on [[July 11]], [[2008]]. This version added support for 3G networking and assisted-GPS navigation, among other things.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tuaw.com/2008/06/09/3g-iphone-what-it-means-a-look-at-the-hardware/ | title = 3G iPhone: What it means - a look at the hardware | publisher = The Unofficial Apple Weblog | date = 2008-06-09 | accessdate = 2008-06-11 }}</ref>
Additionally at the 2007 Macworld conference, Jobs demonstrated the [[Apple TV]], (previously known as the iTV), a set-top video device intended to bridge the sale of content from iTunes with high-definition televisions. The device links up to a user's TV and syncs, either via Wi-Fi or a wired network, with one computer's [[iTunes]] library and streams from an additional four. The Apple TV incorporates a 40 GB hard drive for storage, includes outputs for [[HDMI]] and [[component video]], and plays video at a maximum resolution of [[720p]]. It was later updated to include a 160 GB drive for even more space for media.
===Software===
{{seealso|List of Macintosh software}}
Apple develops its own [[operating system]] to run on Macs, [[Mac OS X]], the latest version being [[Mac OS X v10.5|Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard]]. Apple also independently develops computer software titles for its Mac OS X operating system. Much of the software Apple develops is bundled with its computers. An example of this is the consumer-oriented iLife software package which bundles [[iDVD]], [[iMovie]], [[iPhoto]], [[iTunes]], [[GarageBand]], and [[iWeb]]. For presentation, page layout and word processing, [[iWork]] is available, which includes [[Keynote (software)|Keynote]], [[Pages]], and [[Numbers (software)|Numbers]]. iTunes, [[QuickTime]] media player, and [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] [[web browser]] are available as free downloads for both Mac OS X and Windows.
Apple also offers a range of professional software titles. Their range of server software includes the operating system [[Mac OS X Server]]; [[Apple Remote Desktop]], a remote systems management application; [[WebObjects]], [[Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition|Java]] [[World Wide Web|Web]] [[application server]]; and [[Xsan]], a [[Storage Area Network]] file system. For the professional creative market, there is [[Aperture (software)|Aperture]] for professional [[RAW image format|RAW]]-format [[photo]] processing; [[Final Cut Studio]], a video production suite; [[Logic Pro|Logic]], a comprehensive music toolkit and [[Shake (software)|Shake]], an advanced effects composition program.
Apple also offers online services with [[.Mac]] which bundles [[web page|.Mac HomePage]], [[e-mail|.Mac Mail]], [[social network service|.Mac Groups]], [[iDisk|.Mac iDisk]], [[Backup (backup software)|.Mac Backup]], [[iSync|.Mac Sync]], and Learning Center online tutorials.
{{Template:Timeline of Apple Products}}
==Corporate affairs==
Critics of Apple commonly point to their [[vertical integration|vertically integrated]] business model, where all the hardware and operating system software comes from one company. Although the Apple II was very open, the Macintosh was originally closed and proprietary, and during the Mac's early history Apple generally refused to adopt prevailing industry standards for hardware, instead creating and implementing their own (for example, The Lisa's [[Apple FileWare|FileWare]] drive, and the [[Apple Desktop Bus|ADB]]).{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
This trend was largely reversed in the late 1990s beginning with Apple's adoption of the [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]] bus in the [[Power Macintosh 7500|7500]]/[[Power Macintosh 8500|8500]]/[[Power Macintosh 9500|9500]] [[Power Macintosh|Power Macs]]. Apple has since adopted [[USB]], [[AGP]], [[HyperTransport]], [[Wi-Fi]], and other industry standards in its computers and was in some cases a leader in the adoption of such standards. [[FireWire]] is an Apple-originated standard which has seen widespread industry adoption after it was standardized as [[IEEE 1394]].<ref>[http://www.1394ta.org/Technology/index.htm 1394 Trade Association: What is 1394?]</ref>
However, the iPod remains a mostly closed and vertically integrated platform. Although Apple provides documented interfaces for hardware accessories, developers have no supported way to add features to the software (such as decoding of additional formats).{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Although the iPod supports the mainstream [[MP3]] and [[advanced audio coding|AAC]] formats, there is not support for other proprietary formats, like [[Windows Media Audio|Windows Media]] (this can be converted to AAC with iTunes on Windows), [[RealAudio]] and the open [[Vorbis|Ogg Vorbis]] format. Apple has refused to license its [[FairPlay]] [[Digital Rights Management|DRM]] system to other online music vendors.<ref name=NewsMax/> The company added Windows PC support with their second generation iPod series.<ref>[http://support.apple.com/specs/ipod/iPod_touch_wheel_5_10_20_GB.html iPod with touch wheel Technical Specifications]</ref>
Ever since the first Apple store opened, Apple has wanted third parties to sell their products and software inside their stores. This allows, for instance, Nikon and Canon to sell their Mac-compatible digital cameras and camcorders inside the store. Adobe, the largest Apple software partner, also sells its Mac-compatible software, as does Microsoft, who sells Microsoft Office for the Mac. A notable exception are books published by [[John Wiley & Sons]], who publishes the [[For Dummies]] series of instructional books. The publisher's line of books were banned from [[Apple Store (retail)|Apple Stores]] in 2005 because Steve Jobs disagreed with their editorial policy.<ref>Hafner, Katie: [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/30/technology/30apple.html?ex=1272513600&en=7cc0ad54117bc197&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss Steve Jobs's Review of His Biography: Ban It], ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[2005-04-30]].</ref>
===Headquarters===
[[Image:Apple 1 Infinite Loop.JPG|right|thumb|Apple Inc., [[Infinite Loop (street)|1 Infinite Loop]], [[Cupertino]], [[California|CA]].]]Apple Inc.'s world corporate headquarters are located in the middle of [[Silicon Valley]], at 1 [[Infinite Loop (street)|Infinite Loop]], [[Cupertino, California|Cupertino]], [[California]]. This Apple campus has six buildings which total <span style="white-space:nowrap">850,000 sq ft (79,000 m²)</span>. and was built in 1993 by Sobrato Development Cos.<ref>[http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2005/10/03/story4.html Apple gobbles up Cupertino office space - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 2006, Apple announced its intention to build a second campus on 50 acres assembled from various contiguous plots. The new campus, also in Cupertino, will be about one mile east of the current campus.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Bay Area: Apple Inc. | work = traveldk.com | publisher = Dorling Kindersley Limited | url = http://traveldk.com/san-francisco/bay-area/member/apple-inc | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-05-07}}</ref>
===CEOs===
*1977–1981: [[Michael Scott (Apple)|Michael "Scotty" Scott]]
*1981–1983: [[Mike Markkula|A. C. "Mike" Markkula]]
*1983–1993: [[John Sculley]]
*1993–1996: [[Michael Spindler]]
*1996–1997: [[Gil Amelio]]
*1997–Present: [[Steve Jobs]] (Interim CEO 1997-2000)
===Current Board of Directors===
*[[Bill Campbell (CEO)|Bill Campbell]], Chairman of [[Intuit Inc.]]
*[[Millard Drexler]], Chairman and CEO of [[J.Crew]]
*[[Al Gore]], Former [[Vice President of the United States]]
*[[Steve Jobs]], CEO and Co-founder of Apple; also a director of [[The Walt Disney Company]]
*[[Andrea Jung]], Chairman and CEO of [[Avon Products]]
*[[Arthur D. Levinson]], Chairman and CEO of [[Genentech]]
*[[Eric E. Schmidt]], Chairman and CEO of [[Google]]
*[[Jerry York (businessman)|Jerry York]], Chairman, President, and CEO of Harwinton Capital
===Current executives===
*[[Steve Jobs]], [[Chief Executive Officer]]
*[[Timothy D. Cook]], [[Chief Operating Officer]]
*[[Peter Oppenheimer]], [[Chief Financial Officer]]
*[[Philip W. Schiller]], Senior Vice President of Worldwide [[Product Marketing]]
*[[Tony Fadell]], Senior Vice President of the [[iPod]] Division
*[[Jonathan Ive]], Senior Vice President of [[Industrial Design]]
*[[Bertrand Serlet]], Senior Vice President of [[Software Engineering]]
*[[Ron Johnson (Apple)|Ron Johnson]], Senior Vice President of [[Retail]]
*[[Sina Tamaddon]], Senior Vice President of [[Software Application|Applications]]
*[[Scott Forstall]], Senior Vice President of [[iPhone]] Software
*[[Daniel Cooperman]], Senior Vice President, [[General Counsel]] and [[Secretary]]
===Advertising===
[[Image:Apple first logo.png|75px|thumb|right|The original Apple logo featuring [[Isaac Newton]] under the fabled apple tree.]][[Image:Apple Computer Logo.svg|75px|thumb|right|The rainbow Apple logo, used from late 1976 to early 1998.]][[Image:Apple.svg|75px|thumb|The monochrome Apple logo, used from 1998 to present]]
{{main|Apple Inc. advertising}}
Since the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 with the [[1984 (television commercial)|1984]] [[Super Bowl]] [[Super Bowl advertising|commercial]] to the more modern '[[Get a Mac]]' adverts, Apple has been recognized in the past for its efforts towards effective advertising and marketing for its products, though it has been [[Apple Inc. advertising#Criticism|criticized]] for the claims of some more recent campaigns, particularly 2005 Power Mac ads.<ref>[http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/42165/bbb-tells-apple-to-halt-misleading-ads.html BBB Tells Apple to Halt Misleading Ads]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3797261.stm Apple Power Mac ads 'misleading']</ref><ref>[http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2192019/asa-clears-apple-ads UK watchdog clears Apple ads]</ref>
====Logos====
:''See also: [[U+F8FF]] or ''[[|<span style="font-family: Lucida Grande, monotype"></span>]]'', seen as the Apple logo in [[Typography of Apple Inc.|some fonts]].''
Apple’s first logo, designed by Jobs and Wayne, depicts [[Sir Isaac Newton]] sitting under an apple tree. Almost immediately, though, this was replaced by [[Rob Janoff]]’s “rainbow Apple,” the now-familiar [[rainbow]]-colored silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it, possibly as a tribute to [[Isaac Newton]]'s discoveries of the gravity (the apple), and the separation of light by prisms (the colors). This was one of several designs Janoff presented to Jobs in 1976.<ref>[http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2003/09/60597 Wired News: Apple Doin' the Logo-Motion]</ref>
While it is generally accepted to have been in reference to Isaac Newton, a curious [[urban legend]] exists that the bitten apple is a [[homage]] to the mathematician [[Alan Turing]], who committed suicide by eating an apple he had laced with cyanide. Turing is regarded as one of the fathers of the computer.<ref>[http://www.greggore.com/dln021203.htm Understanding the Enigma of the Apple Computer Logo<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 1998, with the roll out of the new iMac, Apple began the use of a [[monochromatic]] logo—supposedly at the insistence of a newly re-inaugurated Jobs—nearly identical in shape to its previous rainbow incarnation. However, no specific color is prescribed throughout Apple's software and hardware line. The logo's shape is one of the most recognized brand symbols in the world, identifies all Apple products and retail stores (the name "Apple" is usually not even present) and has been included as [[label|stickers]] in nearly all Macintosh and iPod packages through the years.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
====Slogans====
{{main|List of Apple Inc. slogans}}
Apple's first slogan, "[[Byte]] into an Apple", was coined in the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Apple Company
| work = Operating System Documentation Project
| publisher = Operating System Documentation Project
| date = 2007-12-10
| url = http://www.operating-system.org/betriebssystem/_english/fa-apple.htm
| format =
| accessdate = 2007-12-25 }}</ref> Once Apple started selling more than just computers, slogans were created for each individual product, rather than for the company itself. For example, the slogan "iThink, therefore iMac", was used in 1998 to promote the iMac. Several company-directed slogans are marketed today; however Apple tends to focus mainly on marketing its products individually.
===Litigation===
{{main|Notable litigation of Apple Inc.}}
Apple's earliest court action dates to 1978 when [[Apple Records]], [[The Beatles]]-founded record label, [[Apple Corps v. Apple Computer|filed suit against Apple Computer]] for [[trademark]] infringement. The suit settled in 1981 with an amount of US$80,000 being paid to [[Apple Corps]]. As a condition of the settlement, Apple Computer agreed to stay out of the music business. The case arose in 1989 again when Apple Corps sued over the Apple II<small>GS</small>, which included a professional synthesizer chip, claiming violation of the 1981 settlement agreement. In 1991 another settlement of around US$26.5 million was reached.<ref>[http://www.news.com/Apple-vs.-Apple-Perfect-harmony/2100-1027_3-5378401.html news.com: Apple vs. Apple: Perfect harmony?]</ref> In September 2003 Apple Computer was sued by Apple Corps again, this time for introducing the iTunes Music Store and the iPod, which Apple Corps believed was a violation of the previous agreement by Apple Computer not to distribute music.<ref>[http://www.legalzoom.com/legal-articles/article11325.html legalzoom.com: Apple v Apple: What is at the core of The Beatles’ Apple Records vs. Apple Ipod...]</ref> The trial in the UK ended on [[May 8]] [[2006]] with victory for Apple Computer. The judge ruled the company's iTunes Music Store did not infringe on the trademark of Apple Corps and ordered Apple Corps to pay the legal costs.<ref>''[http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/judgmentsfiles/j4226/apple_v_apple_hc03c02428_0506.htm Apple Corps Ltd. v. Apple Computer, Inc.]'', [[Royal Courts of Justice]]</ref> A new settlement was announced on [[February 5]] [[2007]] giving Apple, Inc. control over the Apple mark with Apple Corps licensed to use it. Portions of the settlement are confidential, but each side will pay its own legal costs. As the Beatles' songs are not available for download from any legal music download sites, including the iTunes Music Store, Jobs' highly public nod to the Beatles (playing "[[Lovely Rita]]" on the iPhone) during his [[January 9]] [[2007]] Macworld keynote fueled widespread speculation about a deal to sell Beatles songs on iTunes. A spokewoman for Apple Corps said the settlement had no bearing on any such matter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/business/06apple.html|title=2 Apples End a Long-Running Trademark Fight|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=[[2007-02-06]]|last=Pfanner|first=Eric|accessdate=2007-02-05}}</ref>
Of the matter, Steve Jobs said "We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,250291,00.html|title=Steve Jobs' Apple Inc. Wins Control of 'Apple' Brand From Beatles' Apple Corps|work=[[FoxNews]]|date=[[2007-02-06]]|accessdate=2007-05-09}}</ref>
In July 1998, [[Abdul Traya]] registered the domain name ''appleimac.com'', shortly after Apple announced the [[iMac]], in an attempt to draw attention to the web-hosting business he was running out of his parents' basement.<ref>[http://www.news.com/2100-1023-221921.html news.com]</ref> After a legal dispute that lasted until April 1999, Traya and Apple settled out of court with Apple paying legal fees and giving Traya a "''token payment''" in exchange for the domain name.<ref>[http://www.macobserver.com/news/99/april/990427/applevsteen.html macobserver.com]</ref>
In a more recent previously unrelated lawsuit, Apple entered into a [[class action]] settlement,<ref>[http://www.appleipodsettlement.com/ Home-Apple iPod Settlement<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> upheld on [[December 20]] [[2005]] following an appeal, regarding the battery life of [[iPod]] music players sold prior to May 2004. Eligible members of the class are entitled to extended warranties, store credit, cash compensation, or battery replacement.
[[Creative Technology|Creative]] also recently filed a patent dispute alleging that Apple infringed on one of Creative's patents for their [[Creative Zen|Zen]] player with the iPod and iPod nano.<ref>[http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/06/05/15/creative_seeks_injunction_against_apple.html AppleInsider | Creative seeks injunction against Apple<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On [[August 23]] [[2006]], Apple and Creative settled their patent disputes by paying [[Creative Technology|Creative]] US$100 million.
On [[January 10]] [[2007]], [[Cisco]] sued Apple for the iPhone, since Cisco has held the trademark on the name "iPhone" since 2000. Cisco had refused rights to use the name "iPhone" on multiple occasions. Apple and Cisco had been in talks for a while about use of the name, though Apple had been denied the use of the name on several occasions leading up through [[January 9]]. Cisco alleged that Apple created a front company to attempt to acquire the name through other means, but failed also. During the 2007 Macworld Expo, Apple used Cisco's "iPhone" name anyway.<ref>[http://www.news.com/2100-1047-6149285.html?tag=yt "Cisco sues Apple over use of iPhone trademark"], ''[[CNET]]'', [[2007-01-10]].</ref> On [[February 22]] [[2007]] Cisco and Apple announced an agreement under which both companies would be allowed to use the iPhone name worldwide.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSWEN460920070222 "Cisco and Apple can both use iPhone name"], ''[[Reuters]]'', [[2007-02-22]].</ref>
In July 2007, Colorado-based photographer Louie Psihoyos filed suit against Apple for allegedly ripping his "wall of videos" imagery to advertise for Apple TV. According to Psihoyos, Apple had been negotiating with Psihoyos for rights to the imagery, but backed out and promptly used the imagery anyway.<ref>[http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/04/apple-facing-two-lawsuits-for-alleged-copyright-violations/ Apple Faces Two Lawsuits for Alleged Copyright Violations], ''[[Engadget]]''.</ref>
====Stock option backdating investigation====
On [[June 29]] [[2006]], Apple announced that an internal investigation "discovered irregularities related to the issuance of certain stock option grants made between 1997 and 2001."<ref>[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/jun/29stock.html Apple to Investigate Stock Option Grants], ''Apple Inc.'', [[2006-06-29]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-08]].</ref> A Special Committee reported the findings of the stock backdating investigation three months later on [[October 4]] [[2006]], stating "the investigation found no misconduct by any member of Apple's current management team", ... "the most recent evidence of irregularities relates to a January 2002 grant", and "stock option grants made on 15 dates between 1997 and 2002 appear to have grant dates that precede the approval of those grants". The Special Committee also reported that "in a few instances, Apple CEO Steve Jobs was aware that favorable grant dates had been selected, but he did not receive or otherwise benefit from these grants and was unaware of the accounting implications."<ref>[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/oct/04investigation.html Apple’s Special Committee Reports Findings of Stock Option Investigation], ''Apple Inc.'', [[2006-10-04]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-08]].</ref> Documents were subsequently faked to indicate a special board meeting had occurred and that the options had been granted on that day.<ref>Mintz, Howard; Wolverton, Troy. [http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5722967 Apple's Steve Jobs likely to avoid criminal charges in options probe], ''[[San Jose Mercury News]]'', [[2007-04-21]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-08]].</ref> The backdating gave Jobs a potential net gain of more than US$20 million had he exercised his options.<ref>Gullo, Karen; Guglielmo, Connie. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=AAPL:US&sid=aowKK9wOkWZw Apple's Jobs Questioned in Options Probe, Lawyers Say (Update3)], ''[[Bloomberg L.P.]]'', [[2007-01-23]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-08]].</ref>
On [[April 24]] [[2007]], the SEC announced it had filed charges against former Apple chief financial officer [[Fred D. Anderson]] and former Apple general counsel [[Nancy R. Heinen]] for their alleged roles in backdating Apple options.<ref name=options>[http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-70.htm SEC Charges Former Apple General Counsel for Illegal Stock Option Backdating], ''[[United States Securities and Exchange Commission|SEC]]'', [[2007-04-24]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-08]].</ref> Anderson immediately settled the charges for a payment of a civil penalty of US$150,000 and disgorgement of "ill-gotten gains" of approximately US$3.49 million.<ref name=options/> Heinen was charged with, among other things, violating the anti-fraud provisions of the [[Securities Act of 1933]] and the [[Securities Exchange Act of 1934]], lying to Apple's auditors, and violating prohibitions on circumventing internal controls, based on the options awarded to Steve Jobs (dated [[October 19]] [[2001]] but allegedly granted in December 2001) and also option grants awarded to top company executives, including Heinen (dated [[January 17]] [[2001]], but allegedly granted in February 2001.<ref name=options/>) The SEC is seeking injunctive relief, disgorgement, and money penalties against Heinen, in addition to an order barring her from serving as an officer or director of a public company.<ref name=options/> The charges against Heinen remain pending.<ref name=options/>
In late April 2007, the SEC announced that it would not bring action against Apple due to its "swift, extensive, and extraordinary cooperation in the Commission's investigation." Most analysts took this statement to mean that Apple was in the clear, and Steve Jobs personally read the statement to concerned shareholders at a meeting.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
===Culture===
Apple was one of several highly successful companies founded in the 1970s that bucked the traditional notions of what a corporate culture should look like in terms of organizational hierarchy (flat versus tall, casual versus formal attire, etc). Other highly successful firms with similar cultural aspects from the same time period include [[Southwest Airlines]] and [[Microsoft]]. Originally, the company stood in opposition to staid competitors like IBM more or less by default, thanks to the influence of its founders; Steve Jobs often walked around the office barefoot even after Apple was a [[Fortune 500]] company. By the time of the [[1984 (television commercial)|"1984" TV ad]], this trait had become a key way the company attempts differentiated itself from its competitors.<ref>[[ValueWiki:AAPL#Corporate Culture|Apple Corporate Culture]]</ref>
====Apple Fellows====
As the company has grown and been led by a series of chief executives, each with his own idea of what Apple should be, some of its original character has arguably been lost, but Apple still has a reputation for fostering individuality and excellence that reliably draws talented people into its employ, especially after Jobs' return. To recognize the best of its employees, Apple created the Apple Fellows program. Apple Fellows are those who have made extraordinary technical or leadership contributions to [[personal computing]] while at the company. The Apple Fellowship has so far been awarded to a few individuals including [[Bill Atkinson]],<ref name=hertzfeld>[[Andy Hertzfeld|Hertzfeld, Andy]]. [http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Credit_Where_Due.txt Credit Where Due],''Folklore.org'', January 1983. Retrieved on [[2006-05-26]].</ref> [[Steve Capps]],<ref>[http://www.msu.edu/~luckie/hallofame.htm Newton Hall of Fame!<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Rod Holt]],<ref name=hertzfeld/> [[Alan Kay]],<ref name=yoyow>Eisenhart, Mary. [http://www.yoyow.com/marye/mtstories/kawasaki.html Fighting Back For Mac], ''MicroTimes'', 1997. Retrieved on [[2006-05-26]].</ref><ref>[[Andy Hertzfeld|Hertzfeld, Andy]]. [http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Leave_Of_Absence.txt Leave of Absence],''Folklore.org'', March 1984. Retrieved on [[2006-05-26]].</ref> [[Guy Kawasaki]],<ref name=yoyow/><ref>Kawakami, John. [http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.11/11.09/Sep95Newsbits/index.html Apple Taps Guy Kawasaki For Apple Fellows Program], ''[[MacTech]]'', September 1995. Retrieved on [[2006-05-26]].</ref> [[Don Norman]],<ref name=yoyow/> [[Rich Page]],<ref name=hertzfeld/> and [[Steve Wozniak]].<ref name=hertzfeld/>
==Environmental Record==
{{Refimprove|date=May 2008}}
Apple has a track record of being an environmentally conscious company. Four areas of particular attention are product and packaging design, responsible manufacturing, energy efficiency, and recycling. Design dictates the quantity of raw materials, type and recyclability of materials, energy consumption required for manufacturing and use, and the ease of recycling. Like other flat panel displays, Apple's displays eliminate more than two pounds of lead, consume up to 80% less energy in sleep mode, and weigh half as much as their CRT counterparts. Apple plans to completely eliminate the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in its products, and arsenic in the glass of flat-panel displays by the end of 2008.<ref>[http://www.apple.com/environment/ Apple - Environment<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The EPA rates Apple Computer highest amongst producers of notebook computers, and fairly well compared to producers of desktop computers and LCD displays.<ref>[http://www.macobserver.com/article/2007/01/08.6.shtml EPA Gives Apple Silver Rating on Environment || The Mac Observer<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 2007, Apple released its first MacBook Pro with mercury free LED backlit display and in 2008 released its first MacBook Pro with arsenic free LCD.<ref>[http://www.apple.com/hotnews/agreenerapple/ Apple - A Greener Apple<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Since 2004, [[Greenpeace]] has attacked Apple for not setting a timeline to remove [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] and [[Brominated flame retardant|BFRs]], which still exist in recent products such as the [[iPod nano]] and [[MacBook]]; and for not promoting a global end-of-life take back plan for Apple hardware (although it does within [[Europe]] and [[Japan]] where this is required by law); as well as for not having reusable components.<ref>[http://www.greenpeace.org/apple/itox.html iTox + iWaste], ''A greener Apple''. Retrieved on [[2006-11-05]].</ref> As of December 2006, Greenpeace ranked Apple last out of ten electronics companies in dealing with toxic substances in their products, mostly due to a lack of relevant documentation and timelines.<ref>Greenpeace Press Release [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/greener-electronics-apple-rank-2 Greener electronics Apple ranking: Second Edition], [[2006-12-06]].</ref> On [[May 2]] [[2007]], Steve Jobs released an open letter named ''A Greener Apple'',<ref name=agreenerapple>[[Steve Jobs|Jobs, Steve]]. [http://www.apple.com/hotnews/agreenerapple/ A Greener Apple], ''Apple Inc.'', [[2007-05-02]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-02]].</ref> responding to some of the allegations. In his letter, Jobs stated:{{quote|In one environmental group’s recent scorecard, Dell, HP and Lenovo all scored higher than Apple because of their plans (or “plans for releasing plans” in the case of HP). Apple claims to be ahead of all of these companies in eliminating toxic chemicals from its products.<ref name=agreenerapple/>}}
A study in January 2006 by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] found that Apple's hardware compares favorably with that of its major competitors on environmental friendliness.<ref name="redgreenpeace"> [http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/1/6/6507 EPA information should make GreenPeace red-faced over Apple targeting], ''[[Ars Technica]]''. Retrieved on [[2007-01-08]].</ref>
On [[June 5]] [[2007]], Apple updated their MacBook Pro product line. This hardware update is environmentally notable because [[LED]]s fully replaced [[cold cathode]] lamps in the 15 inch MacBook Pro's display backlighting,<ref>[http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/graphics.html Apple: MacBook Pro Graphics]. Retrieved on [[2007-06-08]].</ref> a first for Apple laptops (the iPod has had LED backlighting since its creation in 2001). This ameliorates Apple's environmental stance, as cold cathode lamps contain [[mercury (element)|mercury]], whereas LEDs do not.
At the 2007 Macworld Expo, environmentalists such as [[Greenpeace]] presented a critique of Apple. Rick Hind, the legislative director of Greenpeace's toxics campaign, said, "(The company) is getting greener, but not green enough." Hind commented further, "The Macbook Air has less toxic PVC plastic and less toxic BFRs, but it could have zero and that would make Apple an eco-leader."<ref name = "hylwpa">[http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2008/01/green_apple Apple's 'Green' Notebook Doesn't Impress Environmentalists] 16 Jan 2008 retrieved 14 May 2008</ref> Climate Counts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to directing consumers toward the greenest companies, gave Macintosh an 11 points out of a possible 100 which places the company last among electronic corporations. Climate counts also labeled Macintosh with a "stuck icon," and the environmental group added that Macintosh was, "a choice to avoid for the climate conscious consumer."<ref>[http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207601672 Environmental Group Hits Apple] May 9, 2008 retrieved 14 May 2008</ref> On the other hand, Macintosh CEO Steve Jobs, stated to the environmentalists, "get out of the computer business (and) go save some whales."<ref name = "hylwpa"/>
==Users==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Mac and pc.JPG|thumb|left| Mac vs. PC Ad campaign which directly attacks the Microsoft users image]] -->According to surveys by [[J. D. Power]], Apple has the highest brand and repurchase loyalty of any computer manufacturer. While this brand loyalty is considered unusual for any product, Apple appears not to have gone out of its way to create it. At one time, [[Apple evangelist]]s were actively engaged by the company, but this was after the phenomenon was already firmly established. Apple evangelist [[Guy Kawasaki]] has called the brand fanaticism "something that was stumbled upon".<ref>Huba, Jackie; McConnell, Ben. [http://www.creatingcustomerevangelists.com/resources/evangelists/guy_kawasaki.asp The father of evangelism marketing].</ref> Apple has, however, supported the continuing existence of a network of Mac [[user group|User Groups]] in most major and many minor centers of population where Mac computers are available.
Mac users meet at the European [[Apple Expo]] and the San Francisco [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] trade shows where Apple introduces new products each year to the industry and public. Mac developers in turn gather at the annual Apple [[Worldwide Developers Conference]].
[[Apple Store (retail)|Apple Store]] openings can draw crowds of thousands, with some waiting in line as much as a day before the opening or flying in from other countries for the event.<ref>[http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2003/12/61513 Apple Store: Chain of Devotion<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The [[New York City]] [[Fifth Avenue]] "Cube" store had a line as long as half a mile; a few Mac fans took the opportunity of the setting to propose marriage.<ref>[http://ifostore.cachefly.net/fifth_avenue/index.html ifo Apple Store - Fifth Avenue Grand Opening<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The Ginza opening in Tokyo was estimated in the thousands with a line exceeding eight city blocks.<ref>[http://www.japanconsuming.com/news/040828.html JapanConsuming.com: Apple in Osaka<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
John Sculley told ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper in 1997: "People talk about technology, but Apple was a marketing company. It was the marketing company of the decade."<ref>[http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/commentary/cultofmac/2002/12/56677 Wired News: Apple: It's All About the Brand]</ref>
Market research indicates that Apple draws its customer base from an unusually artistic, creative, and well-educated population, which may explain the platform’s visibility within certain youthful, avant-garde subcultures.<ref>[[Ian Fried (writer)|Fried, Ian]]. [http://www.news.com/2100-1040-943519.html Are Mac users smarter?], ''[[news.com]]'', [[2002-07-12]]. Retrieved on [[2006-04-24]].</ref>
==Criticism==
Apple has received criticism for not notifying users of system vulnerabilities until a fix is released,<ref>[http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,128282/article.html PC World - Apple Bug-Hunt Begins<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> meaning users are [[security through obscurity|vulnerable to known security flaws until the fix is released]].
Longtime Apple consumers have claimed to observe a marked decline in the reliability and durability of the company's computing and iPod lines, particularly since Apple's migration to Intel processors in 2006.<ref>[http://www.fngtps.com/2006/11/apple-quality-control-broken Apple quality control broken? · Fingertips]</ref> The MacBook and MacBook Pro series of laptop computers in particular drew considerable criticism for problems associated with malfunctioning fans, surface discolouration, excessive heat production (up to 80 degrees celsius), and warping cases and batteries, particularly among "revision A" models. The Dublin office of the European Consumer Centre (ECC) consumer body has reported a rise in complaints about products made by Apple, many of which relate to an alleged design fault in some Apple laptops that causes the computer to break down after a year's usage, just outside the company's warranty period. ECC Dublin claims there is a problem with "built-in obsolescence" in some well-known Apple products such as laptops and iPods.<ref>[http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-10078239.html ENN - In the papers 30 May]</ref> It is difficult to estimate the proportion of faults per unit shipped due to the naturally [[Self-selection|self-selecting]] tendency of the sample of a consumer base reporting faults. However, the existence of a now abandoned website (it's last update was June 2007), [http://www.appledefects.com/ AppleDefects.com], dedicated solely to the discussion of faults with Apple's post-Intel transition product portfolio would appear to vindicate some of the claims being made.<ref>[http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060809-7457.html Quality control problems or growing pains at Apple?].</ref><ref>[http://blogs.smh.com.au/mashup/archives/005023.html The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs: MashUp]</ref> In conjunction with the above, Apple has been criticised for treating early adopters of new hardware like "guinea pigs" - in effect using their experiences to iron out bugs in subsequent revisions. One website states that "The conventional wisdom is to not buy "Rev A" Apple hardware".<ref>[http://ask.metafilter.com/38069/How-do-I-tell-what-revision-Apple-hardware-is How do I tell what revision Apple hardware is? | Ask Metafilter<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The iPhone was particularly subject to this accusation after the price of the phone was reduced by $200 just two months after its release, resulting in a flood of complaints to Apple.<ref>[http://www.businessethics.ca/blog/2007/09/were-iphone-early-adopters-abused.html The Business Ethics Blog: Were iPhone Early-Adopters "Abused?", by Chris MacDonald<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Apple did however attempt to rectify complaints by offering $100 store credit to early iPhone customers.
Apple has been accused of pressuring journalists to release their sources, with regards to leaked information about new Apple products, going as far as filing lawsuits against "[[John Doe]]s".<ref>[http://www.eff.org/cases/apple-v-does Apple v. Does], ''[[Electronic Frontier Foundation|EFF]]'', [[2006-05-26]]. Retrieved on [[2007-05-14]].</ref> In particular, Apple fought a protracted battle against the [[Think Secret]] web site, eventually ending in a settlement that closed the web site but maintained the anonymity of its sources.
Apple also has received criticism for its iPhone and iPod integration with iTunes for not facilitating creation of software to run and maintain those devices using different applications tools besides iTunes.<ref>[http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7002612.stm BBC NEWS | Technology | Time for Apple to face the music?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Similarly, Apple has not licensed its [[Fairplay]] [[DRM]] system to any other company, preventing users to listening to DRM protected music bought from sources other than the iTunes Store. By not allowing other companies or individuals to interoperate with its DRM system, Apple prevents competition and divides the market. For that reason, most other online music stores which use DRM use the Windows Media format, which is incompatible with Apple products.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
Apple has been criticized for possible [[sweatshop]] conditions in factories in [[China]] where [[contract manufacturer]]s make its iPod.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/15/AR2006061501898.html Sweatshop Conditions at IPod Factory Reported]</ref> Immediately after the allegations, Apple launched an extensive investigation and worked with their manufacturers to remove all sweatshop conditions found.<ref>[http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/61454.html Apple, IT and the Specter of Sweatshop Labor]</ref>
Apple also has received criticism and two [[class-action]] [[lawsuit]]s at both state and federal level about its iPhone product only being allowed service through a single mobile service provider in each country it has been released in (AT&T in the US, O2 in the UK), citing [[monopoly|monopolistic]] and [[antitrust]] allegations between the two companies.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21230559/ Apple, AT&T sued over iPhone restrictions - U.S. business - MSNBC.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Software updates (maliciously or not) initially made unlocked iPhones unusable ("bricked"), however the most recent update revives the phone. Currently there is no official way to unlock an iPhone, and it cannot be bought unlocked for use on any network.
Another common criticism of Apple is that its products are often not user serviceable, instead requiring they be returned to Apple for repairs and upgrades.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} Typical examples include the batteries in the iPod, iPhone and MacBook Air which are non-user replaceable, and the difficulty of installing simple upgrades (e.g. replacing the hard drive) in MacBook Pros. In the past it was possible for consumers to replace iPod batteries themselves following instructions on popular websites, but more recently Apple has opted to solder batteries to the casing, forcing owners to pay a premium to Apple for the service.
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
;History
*{{cite book|title="So Far: The First Ten Years of a Vision"|publisher=Apple Computer|author=Rob Price|date=1987|id=ISBN 1-55693-974-4}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.microprocessor.sscc.ru/comphist/|title=Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers|author=Ken Polsson|accessdate=2006-07-05}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.oazoo.com|title=Apple III history|accessdate=2006-08-05}}
*{{cite web|url=http://apple2history.org/history/appy/ahb2.html|title=Apple II history|accessdate=2006-07-05}}</div>
==Further reading==
{{Sisterlinks|Apple Inc.}}
<div class=references-small>
*[[Gil Amelio]], William L. Simon (1999), ''On the Firing Line: My 500 Days at Apple'' ISBN 0-88730-919-4
*Jim Carlton, ''Apple: The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania and Business Blunders'' ISBN 0-88730-965-8
*Alan Deutschman (2000), ''The Second Coming of Steve Jobs'', Broadway, ISBN 0-76790-432-X
*[[Andy Hertzfeld]] (2004), ''Revolution in the Valley'', O'Reilly Books ISBN 0-596-00719-1
*Paul Kunkel, ''AppleDesign: The Work of the Apple Industrial Design Group'' ISBN 1-888001-25-9
*[[Steven Levy]] (1994), ''Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything'' ISBN 0-14-029177-6
*Owen Linzmayer (2004), ''[[Apple Confidential 2.0]]'', No Starch Press ISBN 1-59327-010-0
*[[Michael S. Malone]] (1999), ''Infinite Loop'' ISBN 0-385-48684-7
*Frank Rose (1990), ''West of Eden: The End of Innocence at Apple Computer'', [[Penguin Books]] ISBN 0-14-009372-9
*[[John Sculley]], John A. Byrne (1987) ''Odyssey: Pepsi to Apple'', Harpercollins, ISBN 0-06-015780-1
*[[Steve Wozniak]], Gina Smith (2006), ''[[iWoz|iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It]]'', [[W. W. Norton & Company]], ISBN 0-393-06143-4
*Jeffrey S. Young (1988). ''Steve Jobs, The Journey is the Reward'', Lynx Books, ISBN 1-55802-378-X
*Jeffrey S. Young, William L. Simon (2005), ''iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business'', [[John Wiley & Sons|Wiley]], ISBN 0-47172-083-6</div>
==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.apple.com/ Apple Inc.]
*[http://hoovers.com/company-information/--ID__12644--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Apple Inc. Hoover's Factsheet]
*[http://finance.google.com/finance?q=AAPL Apple Inc. company profile]—[[Google Finance]]
{{Apple}}
{{IT giants}}
{{NASDAQ-100}}
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