Essay About Steven Jobs And Apple Inc.

Apple Case Study
COMPANY HISTORY
AND FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs founded Apple
Computer in 1976 when they began selling a
crudely designed personal computer called the
Despite the effects of ongoing poor economic
conditions in the United States,
Apple Inc. celebrated record quarterly
revenues and unit sales of computers during its
third quarter of 2010. In addition, the companys
newly released iPad tablet computer had sold
3.3 million units between its April 3, 2010, launch
and the June 26, 2010, quarter end. The company
also sold 8.4 million iPhones during the quarter.
Most of the smartphone units sold during the
third quarter of 2010 were iPhone 3GS models
since the new iPhone 4 launched only four days
prior to the close of the quarter. Although there
had been some criticism of the antenna design of
the iPhone 4, more than 3 million iPhone 4 units
had been purchased by July 16, 2010, with only
1.7 percent being returned by dissatisfied customers.
By comparison, the iPhone 3GS had a 6 percent
return rate.
Apples chief operating officer, Tim Cook,
commented to the Wall Street Journal that the
company was selling iPads and iPhones “as fast
as we can make them” and was “working around
the clock to try to get supply and demand in
balance.” 1 Some analysts were projecting that
Apple would sell nearly 12 million iPad tablet
computers by year-end 2010. However, others
were concerned that once Apple aficionados had
purchased an iPad to complement their iPhone,
iPod,