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APPLE INC.

MARKET
RESEARCH
Farah Kabesh Year 10 Green
What Is Marketing?
Marketing is about meeting the needs and wants of customers.
It is about understanding customers, anticipating the changes
in their needs as well as finding ways to provide the products or
services demanded.

About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs
and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software
products.

History Of Apple
Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald
Wayne on April 1, 1976, to develop and sell personal
computers. It was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on
January 3, 1977, and was renamed as Apple Inc. on January 9,
2007, to reflect the company's ongoing expansion into the
consumer electronics market in addition to its traditional focus
on personal computers.

The Present
Today, Apple ranks as the first U.S company, has been voted as
the Worlds Most Valuable Brand, and values more than One
Trillion Dollars almost three times as much as Google.

Apple believe in continuous improvement, and look into all the


key sectors like the environment, health and safety,
management systems, and the quality of their products,
processes and services.

The Future
Apple plans to focus on satisfying personal customer demands
rather than merely fulfilling their requirements. Also, they plan
on improving the performance and stability of their products
preferably than introducing new features when releasing new
versions of any product.
The Difference Between A Market & Product
Oriented Business
A product-oriented business is based on producing the
product itself first, then finding a market for it.

A market-oriented business carries out market research in


order to identify customers needs and desires, before
they produce the product.

Is Apple Market-Oriented Or Product-Oriented?


Apple Inc. is both product oriented and market oriented. It can
be labeled as product oriented because it focuses on the
quality of its products and uses innovation to break into new
market segments. Apple makes sure that the products have a
competitive advantage over all the other similar products in the
market.

It is also termed as a market-oriented business since it makes


extensive use of market research, to continuously develop and
improve its products as well as coming up with new products
like the Apple Watch.

The Market Segment Apple Aim At


Usually, a business would study the market and identify the
segments that it will specifically target. On the other hand,
Apple does things differently.
In the beginning, Apple was a product-oriented company, which
meant that it developed the product first, and then found the
market for it.

However, it did not take long for Apple to become established


as a global market meaning that market segmentation is no
longer a priority, because Apples target market is now the
global market.
Apple aims its products for anyone in the world who is looking
for great quality and high innovation. Apple stores and outlets
are found in major areas of the world, supporting the fact that
Apple is targeting customers globally.

Marketing Objectives Of Apple


The companys marketing objectives include several points
which are to:

Increase product awareness among the target audience by


30 percent in one year.

Inform target audience about features and benefits of our


product and its competitive advantage, leading to a 10
percent increase in sales in one year.

Decrease or remove potential customers' resistance to


buying our product, leading to a 20 percent increase in
sales which will be made in six months or less.

Provide new and user-friendly software as well as high


quality products for the customers.

How Are Apple Innovative?


During the last few years, Apple have been one of the
leaders in new patent filings, have impacted the health industry
with new tools and platforms for medical researchers and
patients, and have made contributions to material science and
manufacturing processes.
For Apple, product innovation goes beyond adding new features
or creating new hardware. All the pieces work smoothly and
logically together hardware, software, services and even
support.

However, Apple arent always innovative. They avoid adding


features that add complexity or impacts user experience.
Compared to Android phones, the iPhone is more rigid and
less flexible but generally easier to use.

The Type Of Products Apple Sell


Hardware

Mac computers (i.e. iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook, MacPro,


MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro)

iPod portable digital media players (i.e. iPod Shuffle, iPod


Nano, and iPod Touch)

iPhone smartphones, as follows:

o First generation iPhone

o iPhone 3G

o iPhone 4

o iPhone 5

o iPhone 5S

o iPhone 5C

o iPhone 6s

o iPhone 6s Plus

iPad tablets, evolving as follows:

o iPad (iPad first generation, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4)


o iPad Mini (iPad Mini first generation, iPad
Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4)

o iPad Air (iPad Air first generation, iPad Air


2)

o iPad Pro

Apple Watch Smart Watch

Apple TV

Computer accessories

Software

Operating systems (OS X and iOS)

iTunes (media player)

Safari (web browser)

Creativity and productivity suites (iWork and iLife)

Services

iTunes Music Store

App Store (for Mac and iOS)

iCloud

Apple SIM (SIM card service for iPad

Apple Brand Logo & Image


The original Apple logo was designed in 1976, featuring Isaac
Newton sitting under the apple tree.

Then came the Apple logo, which today is one of the most
famous logos in the world. The logo was inspired by the
computer term byte.
The rainbow Apple logo was designed and used in 1977 till
1998. The coloured stripes were designed to indicate rebellion.

Later on in 1988 came the monochrome apple logo, which


symbolized the mystery of identity.

A few years later, the aqua stylised logo was designed and
used on all Apple software from 2001 till 2007.

Last but definitely not least, since 2007 till today is


the Apple logo which is used on all hardware.

Apple Branding Strategy


Apple focuses on emotions. Mainly, evolving
around a persons lifestyle, imagination,
passion, hopes, dreams, aspiration, and
empowering people through technology. The Apple
brand emphasizes on making peoples life easier.

Apple Brand Loyalty


Apple has created brand loyalty that many other brands aspire
to. It is the kind of brand loyalty that has people waiting
anxiously for new product announcements. There are 3 main
characteristics that Apple have used to score this level of brand
loyalty, which are: brand-loyalty, happy & engaged employees,
as well as great customer service.

Apples Type Of Ownership

At first, in 1976 Apple was a partnership. However, on January


3, 1977, Apple was incorporated and became a public
multinational corporation.
A corporation is a separate legal entity from the person or
people forming it.

There are many advantages to this type of ownership:


It is a separate legal unit.
Offers limited liability to shareholders.
No restriction on the buying, selling or transferring of
shares.
Continuity of the business if one of the shareholders die.
No limit to the number of shareholders.

But there are also disadvantages:


Legal formalities are complicated and rime-consuming.
Selling shares to the public can be expensive.
Can often become difficult to control & manage if the
business grows.
Original owners may lose control over the company.

Other Types Of Ownership

Sole Trader

Advantages:
Few legal regulations.
Complete control over business.
Freedom to choose own holidays.
Close contact with customers.
Able to keep all profits.
Complete secrecy.

Disadvantages:
No one to discuss business matters with.
Unable to benefit from limited liability.
Business is not a separate legal unit.
Business likely to remain small.
If owner is ill, no one will control the business.
Lack of continuity if the owner dies.
Partnership
Advantages:
More capital invested in business.
Responsibilities and decision-making is hared.
Increased motivation to work.
Someone there to take care of the business if other
partner(s) is ill or on holiday.

Disadvantages:
Partners dont have limited liability if the business failed,
creditors would force partners to sell their own property &
belongings.
Lack of continuity if 1 partner dies.
Disagreements can occur between partners.

Private Limited Companies

Advantages:
Shares can be sold to a large number of people.
All shareholders have limited liability.
Owners are able to keep control over the company.
Business will continue if 1 shareholder dies.

Disadvantages:
Many legal formalities like: The Memorandum of
Association.
Shares cannot be sold or transferred without the
agreement of ALL shareholders.
The accounts of the company are less secret.
Company cannot offer its shares to the public.

Some Definitions
Sole Trader: A business owned by one person.
Partnership: A business owned by 2 or more people.
Limited liability: Liability of shareholders is only limited to the
amount they invested.
Unlimited liability: Owners of the business can be held
responsible for the debts of the business, and liability is not
limited to the investment made in the business.
Unincorporated business: Do not have a separate legal entity.
Incorporated business: Have separate legal entity.
Shareholders: Owners of a limited company who buy shares.
Why Is Apple A Public Limited
Company/Corporation?
Apples type of ownership is the most suitable, since public
limited companies are ideal for well-known and very large
business, and Apple is a global multinational company.

Apple Competitors In Computers


Microsoft
Toshiba
Dell
HP
IBM
Acer
Lenovo

Apple Competitors In Smartphones


Samsung
HTC
Microsoft
Sony

Apple Competitors In iPads:


Sony
Samsung
Dell
HP
HTC
Market Research
It is the process of gathering, analysing, and interpreting
information about a market. It helps in finding quantitative or
qualitative information.

Primary Research
It is the collection of original data through direct contact with
potential customers and existing customers. It is also known as
field research. There are many primary research methods like:
questionnaires, interviews, observation and focus groups.

o Questionnaires

o ADVANTAGES:
Detailed information about the product or service.
Cheap & easy to use method.
Opinions of customers easily obtained.

o DISADVANTAGES:
Answer can sometimes be inaccurate.
Time-consuming method for customers.
Analysing answers also takes time.

o Interviews

o ADVANTAGES:
Detailed information can be gathered.
Interviewer able to explain questions.
Face to face method.

o DISADVANTAGES:
Time-consuming method.
Expensive method.
Answers can sometimes be inaccurate.
o Focus Groups

o ADVANTAGES:
Provides detailed information.

o DISADVANTAGES:
Time-consuming method.
Can be expensive.
Can be biased.

o Observation

o ADVANTAGES:
Inexpensive method.

o DISADVANTAGES:
Information gathered will be really simple, basic and ineffective.

Secondary Research
It is information that is already collected, and can be used by
others. It is known as desk research. Internal sources include:
Sales department, Finance department, Customer Service desk,
and pricing data. There are also external sources like:
newspapers, the internet, market research agencies, and
government statistics.

Benefits of Secondary Research


Saves a lot of time.
Is cheap, inexpensive & saves money.
Extensive data collected which covers a variety of issues.

Drawbacks of Secondary Research


Inaccuracy of data.
May not be specific.
Information & peoples opinions change from time to time
data can be sometimes outdated.

Primary Research Objectives For Apple


The targets of my research are to study the likes and dislikes of
the Consumers to see what their thoughts and desires, to know
the market competition and find out reliable information about
the competitors strategies, to determine a proper price that
will attract consumers, and to explore new markets for the
iPhone and maintain existing ones.

Suitable Primary Research Methods


A good way to get peoples opinions is to offer customer
satisfaction cards at all Apple stores and Reseller stores. Also, a
method that mostly works would be sending out an electronic
questionnaire to peoples emails, where people can rate
products and services out of 5, as well as leave a comment or
recommendation. Moreover, since people today live hectic busy
lives, a great strategy would be to phone all past customers
and ask them about what they look for in a smart phone and
what theyd like to be featured.

Apples Target Market


Apple target their products at young children, teenagers,
college & university students, business people, and last but not
least adults. So in other words, Apples targets people aged
between 9-35, which mainly includes the youth population.
Despite this, the customer satisfaction cards and the
questionnaires have to be bubbling with creativity - full of
colours and patterns that will attract the youth not just some
dull background. This way, people will actually give out some
helpful opinions and useful information, which will come in
handy for Apple.

Using The Research Effectively


After the Apples marketing department is done with the
research, it will need to share this information with the other
departments. In my opinion, the most productive way to deliver
this information within the business is via an email AND a
meeting. Both will need to be done, since in meetings the
information cannot be recorded and will be easily forgotten,
however sometimes emails are not delivered for connectivity
and server reasons.

How This Market Research Will Influence My


Marketing Mix
Apples mission statement includes thinking differently and
continuously innovating. With this information, designers have
to react to market forces and include features in their designing
that have been identified by iPhone customers and potential
customers. This can have an influence on introducing new
technologies to meet those needs or adapting existing
technologies so that products have unique features that would
satisfy the needs and wants of the youth population. Also, the
finance department will also need to react to peoples needs
concerning the price, in order to fill their requirements.

Secondary Market Research For Apple

WHAT DO PEOPLE LOOK FOR IN A SMARTPHONE?


A more durable device that wouldnt break easily.
Improved battery life.
Better voice recognition.
Not too big and not too small (around 4 to 5 inches).
Big Storage.
High screen resolution & quality.
A decent camera.
A new good design.
Accessories & useful gadgets that come with it.

IMPACT OF SMARTPHONES ON THE WORLD:


40% of revenue is credited to the Apple iPhone.
80% of the population in the world has a smartphone.
10,000 people applied to work at Apples Manhattan Store
last year.
51% of Moms are addicted to smartphones.
Most 2-5 year olds can work a smartphone than tie their
own shoe.
13-17 year olds send & receive 3705 texts in a month.
Smartphones are the most stolen property today.
48% of Americans would buy a new smartphone.
27% of Americans would buy a laptop.
25% of Americans would buy tablets/ iPads.
Bibliography For Secondary Market Research

www.strategyr.com
www.forbes.com
www.gadgetreview.com
www.mashable.com
www.cleverism.com

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