Recently, I received an email containing a link to a very interesting graphic which was co-produced by the nice lady who sent it to me. I would like you to take a look at it yourselves and I will comment about it down below. It is a long graphic, so please stay tuned for the comments afterwards. Here is a link to the image as well.

First of all, I’d like to point out that all the information stated in the graphic is correct and fully backed. Even so, after this was written, Apple stock has continued to decline and has lost 25% of it’s maximum stock which was just over $700. Now, it’s struggling above $500. Of course, this news does hurt us Apple fans. We don’t like to see Apple’s value go down at all. However, despite it’s great loss, does it make Apple any less Apple? Do we care if Apple turns out to lose all of it’s value. As long as Apple stays alive, we Apple users and followers and fans don’t care because we truly believe in Apple. We believe in it’s technology and it’s mission, because we are followers and leaders of that mission. We believe in Apple. Even so, we have not lost all. Apple, to my belief, is still the most valuable public company in the world. If it isn’t because of it’s current roller coaster ride, then maybe it’s second or even third but it’s still in the top 5 and it still beats Microsoft, by double. Also, it is interesting to note, Apple hasn’t really had a huge product launch since the original iPad nearly three years ago. We’ve had five major product releases from Apple since Steve came back 10 years ago. In 1998, you had the iMac. It revolutionized Apple and brought it back to profitability. Three years later, in 2001, the iPod was introduced and it changed the way we listened to music forever. Six years later, and after much success, Apple introduced the iPhone, it completely revolutionized the way we communicate to others. In 2008, Apple released the App Store. It completely revolutionized mobile devices forever. Finally, in 2010, Apple introduced the new iPad, it changed the way we do computing. Since it’s release, desktop sales have decreased by whole percentage marks. So, we have had five major product releases in 1998, 2001, 2007, 2008 (these two go hand in hand), and in 2010. It actually could be shortened down to a 3 year gap, a 6 year gap, and a 3 year gap. I think that if Apple wants to avoid a big plateau, it needs to get it’s hands into something really big. We are now approaching three years since a new major product line and we all know what happened after Apple dipped it’s hand into too many product lines but I think that if they go after a market so whole-heartedly with a determination to really make a difference in it, they can escape their plateau and they can reach the stars and not let it be their dead man’s peak because that’s not what I think they are at right now. I may be a bit too optimistic but I think Apple will pull through this. Jobs planned ahead of his death who would take over and what would be done. I believe he left behind plans for a long while. Apple, in my opinion, is in a rut, a big speed bump. Apple has done this before. It, in my opinion, will continue to succeed for a long time. What could be one of those things that push it out of the rut? An iTV, or perhaps a Google Glass inspired iGlasses (yes, pun intended). Who knows? All we know is that Apple has it up their sleeve and their R&D team is hard at work to provide it as quickly as possible while still working to perfection. Also, the new executive team change, despite others’ opinions, I feel is for the better. Now, the Mac and iOS teams can work together instead of working against each other like Jobs and the Mac team did against the Lisa team in the past or how Sony has been run in the past. Companies work best when their product teams work together because it allows a steady flow of ideas and the new management team allows that to happen instead of seeing a repeat of the time of Jobs’ exile. Apple is not done, it isn’t finished, it’s only been getting started and even though their key leader Jobs is gone, they are going to continue the job. So to answer the question peak or plateau? In my opinion, Apple has hit a big plateau, just as we do when we lose weight. Some of us stop eating right and exercising and go into a downhill spiral but some continue to work hard and do good because we know it’s right. Apple is like one of those people that keep going. They will prosper forward. It is my wish that Apple will have a great year in 2013 and reverse the negative path it’s going. Thank you for reading and thank you to the person who emailed it to me. If you would like to see the URL where the graphic is located at, please visit http://www.onlinebusinessdegree.org/2012/12/03/has-apple-peaked/. The folks at Online Business Degree and those who created the graphic, including the lovely lady who sent it to me, appreciate you checking it out.

Thanks for reading,

Joe

Source: http://www.onlinebusinessdegree.org/2012/12/03/has-apple-peaked/