Apple's Death Knell - Not Ready To Sound Just Yet

Many pundits are willing to on record as saying that, with the death of founder Steve Jobs, Apple, Inc. has lost its drive, its ability to innovate, and is doomed to a slow, certain death. 

That is simply not so.

It is true that Apple’s profits have stagnated and they have not released any new products in the last three years, since the advent of the iPad.  It is also true that the company and the new CEO have struggled with the perceptions of many, that their latest releases have only been “window dressing,” simple changes to previous ideas.  Where is the innovation that made Apple what it is?  Where is the spark, the “eye of the tiger,” the drive that took the company from relative obscurity to being the second-most profitable company in the world?

It’s still there.  You just have to look a little deeper to see it.

Apple’s Potential

Apple has, over the last few years, poised itself to enter several new technology markets and create new uses and applications for its products.  From automobiles to applications, Apple has its fingers in so many pies that the possibilities are endless.

Let’s start with apps.  Apple’s App store had total revenue of 5.2 billion dollars in 2012.  This is more than three times Google’s app store (1.5 billion) and more than five times all others combined (about 1 billion).  This is a tremendous amount of market share, and any app which tries to be “not-Apple” is facing an uphill battle against a giant; consequently, Apple has access to a huge pool of innovators in all of the application designers.

How about cars?  Recently, several major car companies have announced that they will be using Apple’s operating system in their vehicles.  Consider the potential of that – Apple products (such as voice-activated Siri and the newly announced iTunes Radio) can be linked to the car’s operating system itself, allowing for easy use of these products and later ones.  When you think of how much time people spend in their car, the possibilities are clear.

Inside Apple

Many critics decry Apple’s recent changes, such as the fact that iOS 7.0 looks a lot like Windows/Android devices and less like classical Apple, as being indicative of deep problems in the organization.  In fact, these are symptoms of a management that is learning how to be independent in ways that Steve Jobs would not allow.  Gone are the “pool-table” interfaces and such of Apple products, returning to the familiarity of older systems. 

Employees are now visiting conferences and professional development, getting opportunities to think outside of their current positions and “stretch” their potential.  The new CEO has shown a willingness to respond to and work with outside interests, including the federal government, which is something that Jobs actively spurned. 

Part of Jobs’ legacy Is Apple University.  This school is dedicated to teaching employees “How to be Apple,” trying to teach the mindset behind the greatness and innovation of the company.  This system institutionalizes the creativity and fire that made the company great and turns it into a corporate culture.

Conclusion

Apple is a company that has built itself into a giant, and that giant is now resting on top of a hill.  Given just the right push, that giant will roll downhill, crushing all obstacles in its way and changing the landscape forever; if that push doesn’t come, the giant will never move, will rot and die in place until nothing remains.  If Apple can leverage its position into new innovation, then it will control the next digital revolution.

Featured images:

• License: Creative Commons image source 
• License: Creative Commons image source 

Donna writes about technology trend in creative and entertainment space at Edictive. She worked at Apple a decade ago, and has many stories to share about the tech giant.