I.

Apple Inc. is an American ​multinational​ ​technology company​ headquartered in ​ Apple Park

Way​, ​Cupertino​, ​California​, ​U.S.​ , that designs, develops, and sells ​consumer electronics​, ​computer software​, and
online service. The company's ​hardware​ products include the ​iPhone​ smartphone, the ​iPad​ tablet computer,
the ​Mac​ personal computer, the ​iPod​ portable media player, the ​Apple Watch​ smartwatch, the ​Apple TV​ digital
media player, and the ​HomePod​ smart speaker. Apple's software includes the ​macOS​ and ​iOS​ operating systems,
the ​iTunes​ media player, the ​Safari​ web browser, and as well as professional applications like ​Final Cut
Pro​, ​Logic Pro​, and ​Xcode​. ​Apple was founded by ​Steve Jobs​, ​Steve Wozniak​, and ​Ronald Wayne​ in April 1976.​ It
was incorporated as ​Apple Computer, Inc.​ in January 1977, and sales of its computers, including the ​Apple II​, saw
significant momentum and revenue growth for the company. Apple ​went public​ in 1980 to instant financial success.
Over the next few years, Apple shipped new computers featuring innovative ​graphical user interfaces​, such as the
original Macintosh in 1984, and Apple's marketing commercials for its products received widespread critical acclaim.
Within a few years, Apple was the technology that everyone wanted to own, the iPod came along in November of 2001
and then iPhone came in 2007, which took Apple from a major player to the company everyone was trying to emulate.
Overnight, the iPhone reinvented cell phone technology, and it was yet another crushing victory for Steve Jobs. Led by
legendary CEO Steve Jobs, the company's market cap value has gone from $4.8 billion back in the year 2000 to $312.6
billion today, an increase of about 6,413 percent in the past 11 years. In January 2007, Jobs announced that Apple
Computer, Inc. would be renamed Apple Inc. to reflect its shifted focus toward consumer electronics. 9 The Company
sells to consumers, small and mid-sized businesses and education, enterprise and government customers.​nApple Inc. has
pioneered its way through the computer industry—not once, but multiple times throughout its existence. It believes in
pushing the limits of creativity in order to produce interesting and valuable products for society. After more than 30
years, it is undeniable that Apple "has had a profound impact on technology, innovating and influencing not only how we
use computers but the activities for which what we use them."
II.

The company is operating around 100 production lines around the clock, has 200,000 workers dedicated
to production of the iPhone 6 and ​iPhone 6 Plus​ – and is manufacturing 540,000 units a day, so
3,780,000 units in a week and 113,400,000 units in a month.

III.

1. Technology challenge​. Judging from the features of iPhone 4S, Apple’s radical
innovation machine seems to be running out of steam. The new phone is a marginal
rather than a radical improvement over its predecessor, both in terms of its physical
attributes and technological capabilities.

2. Leadership challenge​. The company is in the middle of a leadership transition that casts
a cloud of uncertainty over its future. It will be difficult for Apple to thrive without Steve
Jobs, as he was a leader with a strong vision, a man who knew the technology, the
market, and the art, and he could combine altogether in blockbuster products; and he had
the charisma to develop and spread the message to Apple followers, creating efficient and
effective WOM and buzz campaigns.

3. Economy​ ​challenge​. Though Apple enjoys a strong brand among consumers that makes demand
for its products inelastic, its sales are sensitive to an impeding down turn, especially in Europe.
Ben Lovejoy
- Sep. 17th 2014 5:39
ps://9to5mac.com/2014/09/17/iphone-6-production-by-the-numbers-100-production-lines-200k-workers-540k-ph
ones-a-day/
https://www.cnbc.com/id/43298889​ ​Apple's Amazing Growth: Stock Up 3,000 Percent in Past Decade​ ​Giovanny
Moreano​ ​Published 11:44 AM ET Tue, 7 June 2011

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/industry-spotlight-steve-jobs-38936​ ​ ​PAUL SUGGETT​ ​February 25, 2018

tps://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2011/10/05/apples-four-challenges/#60021bd9149e

Panos Mourdoukoutas​ Oct 5, 2011,