Apple is the most valuable brand on the planet. We have already said it recently: eight of the ten best-selling mobiles in the world belong to Apple. A constant hegemony with no signs of changing. But you don’t have to go back to the distant past to verify that those in Cupertino were something much smaller just a decade ago, in 2010, to be exact.
As journalist James Eagle reports on his Twitter account, Apple has gone from a fighter with a high market value, but nothing to worry about rivals like Microsoft, to a wide lead. What has changed since?
Apple is worth almost twice as much as Google
The most valuable brands of this millennium (i.e. about 23 years old). My how the landscape has changed.#Branding #marketing pic.twitter.com/veGeci7HOe
— James Eagle (@JamesEagle17) March 28, 2023
The end of the graph shows, according to data collected by Interbrands, that Apple is worth almost 500 billion dollars (482,215,000,000), with an interannual growth of 18%, compared to the 278.29 billion from second place, occupied by Microsoft, followed by Amazon, and Google, with 251 billion. Much further behind are Samsung, Toyota, Coca-Cola, which have maintained strong hegemony for more than a decade, Mercedes-Benz, Disney and Nike in tenth place, with a value of $50 billion.
During these years, Apple marks its lowest point in 2001: 5,464 million dollars. A shadow next to its current value. In 2010, Apple was in full innovation and development of new products. Although it has already launched successful products such as the iPod and iPhone, 2010 was the year of change, with a clear orientation towards the tablet ecosystem. The iPad was that Trojan horse that slipped almost silently into the homes of half the world. And then the Apple TV would arrive, making even less noise, but with the same objective. Who? Associated services.
The death of Steve Jobs in 2011 marked a turning point for Apple. Jobs was a visionary and charismatic leader, but Tim Cook proved to be that effective and pragmatic leader needed. Cook focused on expanding the business globally, optimizing the supply chain and strengthening supplier relationships. Three strategies that have supported its overall value.
And three strategies that converge in the same sea: services. Apple has succeeded in diversifying its offer. The creation of platforms such as iCloud, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade has enabled the company to generate recurring and stable revenues, essential for growth and the establishment of a unified and coherent ecosystem. between devices and services. A key that gives us another: rely less on hardware sales but achieve financial independence to switch to this change for its own processors, the Apple Silicon. Without the M1, 2 and M3 chips and their Bionics, this new Apple is not understood.
They say, with some spite and some envy, that Apple’s customer base is known for its loyalty and willingness to pay high prices. That we are fanboys, without hot rags. The reality is that Apple has done their homework and given us reason to believe, as I would say Ted Lasso. Privacy and security enhancements when they were needed most and a clear prioritization of accessibility. Let’s not forget the development of many features and applications that enable people with hearing and visual impairments to use their devices effectively. We are talking about VoiceOver, Braille Display, Speak Screen and Live Listen. May no one be left behind, as my partner Miguel used to say.
Of course, on the other side we have Siri and the stiff competition sown by GPT and cognitive AIs. It’s a question of time. With WWDC 2023 fast approaching – and the uncertainty sown by Reality Pros floating around like a bumblebee – Apple still has plenty of challenges ahead. But it faces it with an enviable economic solvency. Unique in the world.
Pictures | Isra Fdez via DALL-E
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