KHWAJA MOINUDDIN CHISHTI LANGUAGE

UNIVERSITY LUCKNOW

SYNOPSIS REPORT
ON
APPLE COMPANY: PLANNING

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the award of Degree of
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Prof. (Dr.) Syed Haider Ali Sania Zaidi

Head of Department MBA 1st Sem.
KMCLU, Lucknow
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am highly obliged to Prof. (Dr.) Syed Haider Ali, for granting me permission to carry out
my synopsis report on " APPLE COMPANY: PLANNING” Heartfelt thanks to my Course
director for his guidance. I simply feel myself blessed being provided with an academic
director like him. Last but not the least I would like thank my family and friends for their
support without which this report would not have been successful.
Abstract
Apple Inc. is one of the world's most successful and most recognizable companies. Over
its 30-year existence, the company had seen a lot of changes in the computer industry. What
would the future hold for the computer giant in a rapidly changing world? How should the
company allocate resources between its more traditional offerings (computers) and its
newer products (iPods, iPhones, Apple TV, etc.) in order to maintain and improve its market
position. Also, how should Apple's unique retail strategy be used to support the company's
product decisions, and by capitalizing on new and emerging trends thus further maintaining
its competitive advantage. Apple Inc is an innovative multinational company in the world,
which has revolutionized and facilitated the development of the personal electronics
devices and the media industries. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and his friend
Zwynak. They wanted to make computers small so people could put them in their homes
or offices. Apple is an American company that manufactures personal computers and
accessories. It was the first company, a successful personal computer company, and began
expanding and developing it to include manufacturing phones Portable, Bluetooth headsets,
and many other products from Apple. This organization is headquartered in California.
INTRODUCTION
Apple Inc, founded in California on Jan. 3, 1977 as Apple Computer, Inc, with its present
name adopted on Jan. 11, 2007, is a technological company that primarily operates in the
computer hardware industry, and its primary SIC is radio & TV communications
equipment. Apple launched its first product ‘Apple 1 computer’ in 1976. Since then, Apple
has grown exponentially in terms of products and services. Apple is benefiting from
continued momentum in the Services segment, driven by a robust performance of App
Store, Apple Music, video, and cloud services. Moreover, demand remains healthy for
Apple’s product portfolio including iPad, iMac, and Wearables. Apple’s short-term
prospects are bright, driven by new iPhones that support 5G, revamped iPad and Mac line-
up of devices, health-focused Apple Watch 6, and robust growth in the Services business.
By looking at a solid balance sheet and strong cash flow statement, Apple’s ability to
generate profit is above the average level in the industry. However, increasing scrutiny and
legal issues have brought impact on the company performance. Following the Yiran
Meng’s Valuation on Apple Inc and based on the results generated by the valuation models
and financial indicators, the recommendation for the customers is to buy or hold shares of
Apple. In addition, the author also suggests that the company should consider the increase
of dividends when there is a shortage of good investment opportunities.

Analysts of the MarketLine research report, believes that Apple’s distribution channels,
R&D, and revenue growth are the major strengths of the company, whereas lawsuit and
declining profitability remain as concerns. Smartphones market in North America, strategic
initiatives, stores expansion, new product launches, and strategic acquisitions are likely to
offer growth opportunities for the company. However, foreign exchange risks, intense
competition, dependence on network providers, and technological changes could impact its
business operations.

It has been seen that the careful selection of employees and strong brand image are also the
advantages for Apple. Apple releases products at an incredibly fast pace and their fans are
there on every step of the way to purchase each new product even going as far as camping
outside of retail outlets to ensure that they can purchase the latest item. Regarding the
weakness, it has been seen that Apple’s higher price than other smart phones cause
decreasing presence in the market for middle-class consumers.
FIRM BACKGROUND
Apple Computer, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, software,
networking solutions, and peripherals, including a line of portable digital music players.
Apple's product family includes the Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers,
the iPod digital music player, the Mac OS X operating system, the iTunes Music Store, the
Xserve G5 server, and Xserve RAID storage products. The product brands include iPhone,
iPad, Mac, iCloud, Air Pods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Apple Beats, Home Pod, iPod touch,
AppleCare, iPad OS, and MacOS. Apple sells and delivers digital content and applications
through Apple Store, App Store, Mac App Store, TV App Store, Watch App Store, and
Apple Music. The company’s business operations span the US, Europe, the Middle East,
and Asia-Pacific. Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, California, the US. The markets for
the Company’s products and services are highly competitive and are characterized by
aggressive price competition and resulting downward pressure on gross margins, frequent
introduction of new products and services, short product life cycles, evolving industry
standards, continual improvement in the product price, and performance characteristics,
rapid adoption of technological advancements by competitors, and price sensitivity on the
part of consumers and businesses. Many of the Company’s competitors seek to compete
primarily through aggressive pricing and very low-cost structures, and by emulating the
Company’s products and infringing on its intellectual property. Here are Apple’s major
competitors: Acer Incorporated, Alphabet Inc, BlackBerry Ltd, CSG Systems International
Inc, Dell Technologies Inc, Fujitsu Limited, HP Inc., International Business, Machines
Corporation, LG Electronics, Inc., Line Corp, Logitech International SA, Microsoft Corp,
NetApp Inc, PC Connection Inc, Rogers Communications Inc, Samsung Electronics Co
Ltd., Sony Corporation, Synchronoss Technologies Inc, and Toshiba Corporation.
Fig:1 Apple Revenue by Product Line
PLANNING
Planning is the continuous process of making present entrepreneurial decisions
systematically and with best possible knowledge their futurity, organising systematically
the efforts needed to carry out these decisions and measuring the results of these decisions
against the expectation through organised systematic feedback. By Peter Drucker

Planning is a continuous process and the primary function of management. Planning in

management is all about outlining a future course of action in order to achieve
organizational objectives. Today we have shared short notes on what is planning,
objectives, and the importance of planning in management. Planning is deciding in advance
what to do, how to do and who is to do it. Planning bridges the gap between where we are,
where we want to go. It makes possible things to occur, which would not otherwise occur.

PLANNING PROCESS
The planning function of management is one of the most crucial ones. It involves setting
the goals of the company and then managing the resources to achieve such goals. As you
can imagine it is a systematic process involving eight well-thought-out steps. Let us look
at the planning process.

Fig:2 STEPS IN PLANNING

Apple Product Roadmap 2023–24: Over 15 New Devices
in Development
Apple is working on at least a dozen new devices set to launch between late 2023 and early
2024, according to an updated product roadmap shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple is planning
to launch two Apple Watch Series 9 models and a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra
alongside the iPhone 15 lineup this fall.
Substantial updates to the Mac lineup will launch starting later this year or in early 2024,
encompassing new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 Pro and M3 Max
chips, a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip, two new MacBook Air models,
and new 24-inch iMac models. In addition, Apple is said to be "conducting early work" on
an all-new iMac model with a display larger than 30 inches in size.
Gurman reiterated that an updated iPad Air to replace the current M1-based device and two
new iPad Pro models with OLED displays are on the way for 2024. Third-generation Air
Pods Pro, a refreshed Apple TV with improved specifications, and other "home equipment"
such as smart displays are also in early development. A new generation of Apple's Vision
Pro headset is unlikely to arrive until 2025.
Related Roundups: iPad Pro, MacBook Air, Apple TV, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple
Vision Pro, iPad Air , Air Pods Pro, MacBook Pro 13", MacBook Pro 14 & 16" , Apple
Watch Ultra 2
Tags: HomeKit Guide, Bloomberg, Mark Gurman, 2023 iMac Pro Guide, M3, OLED iPad
Pro Guide, Apple Watch Series 9 Guide
Buyer's Guide: 11" iPad Pro (Caution), 13" MacBook Air (Don't Buy), Apple TV
(Neutral), Apple Watch (Buy Now), 12.9" iPad Pro (Caution), iPad Air (Don't
Buy), AirPods Pro (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Pro (Don't Buy), 14" & 16" MacBook Pro
(Neutral), Apple Watch Ultra (Buy Now), 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now)
Related Forums: iPad, MacBook Air, Apple TV and Home Theater, Apple Vision
Pro, AirPods, MacBook Pro, Apple Watch
Apple Company: Planning
According to Theo Himamm,” Planning is a specific course of action to be taken in the
future. It is also a definition of what needs to be done, and how to do it, as it is by allocating
responsibility when implementing actions to specific individuals or units. After that, the
success of these measures is measured by comparing the actual results with the revised
goals and plans. Accordingly.” Apple is committed to providing the best free personal
experience for different groups of people, such as students, teachers, creative professionals,
and consumers around the world. It also plans to build an important brand for customers by
educating them about the company and its products because Apple believes that it is
important to build a strong relationship between the company and customers to gain
confidence with its customers, as it offers many free workshops for people with a different
level of experience to know more new Apple products and also There are three types of
training available in these workshops, personal training, group training, open training, and
Apple is keen to outperform its competitors by providing a better environment and technical
experience for customers. Also, employees are given the freedom to improve products if
they find any problems in them after using the device.

Apple Business Strategy: Plans that made it a multi-

Trillion-dollar Company
This strategy teardown compiles the ideas, innovations, technological research,
partnerships, and, most importantly, the strategies responsible for Apple’s growth to such
heights. However, before we move forward, here is a small intro about Apple.
On Friday, June 30, 2023, Apple became the first company in history to reach a $3 trillion
market valuation. It stays ahead by half a trillion dollars from the second most-valued
company on the planet- Microsoft. Apple is now the most profitable technology corporation
in the world.
Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple on the 1st of April 1976,
bringing creativity to the table through their rendition of a personal computer. Apple is one
of the world’s most popular and recognized labels. The company has experienced
unparalleled revenue growth, from just $8 billion in 2004 to over $274B last year. This is
more when compared to other technology giants out there today, such as Google ($181B)
and Microsoft ($143B).
Apple’s growth could primarily be attributed to its business strategy. By combining its
designing capabilities, hardware expertise, software prowess, and strategic acquisitions, the
company has built an ecosystem that a user does not want to leave.
Vertical integration is another main reason that distinguishes Apple from the competition.
It has reaped enormous benefits from the vertical model. It has always built, controlled, and
manufactured all its hardware and software. This inherent benefit assists the corporation in
achieving a higher degree of synergy between its hardware and applications. Even the apps
are tightly controlled to follow Apple policies. The company also increased its spending on
the cost of sales and product R&D to $26,251 billion, which was less than 18% of its total
expenditure.

“We have fierce competition at the developer side and the customer side. It is
so competitive; I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the
smartphone business.”
– Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.
Apple’s business strategy consists of the following four elements:
 Focus on product design and functionality
 Strengthening Apple’s ecosystem
 Improving consumer service experience
 Reducing the business’s reliance on iPhone sales
As for the product and service categories, Apple Inc. includes iPhone, Mac, iPad,
Wearables, Home and Accessories, and Services like iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Maps,
etc.

PLANNING OF APPLE COMPANY AND THEIR

STRATEGIES

Founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, has influenced more than just computerized design gadget.
With his management system, he has leaded both himself and his company to a successful
company. This part will focus in the management planning of Apple Inc. that has made
them a most valuable and respectful company in the whole world.

1.Focus on customer and client experience

Apple innovated their new products by learning from their customer’s complain and
experience. Before they plan to market their new product, first they study the errors on their
previous products first. They focus on the reparation of the errors and as a result, the new
product is better than the previous one and they will reach their yearly aim because they
have targeted based on the surveys of the customer’s criticism and complaint. As an
example, Apple discovered that a lot of customers complained when they buy an album of
an artist because they frequently lost their physical albums. Therefore, Steve Jobs invented
the electronic album which is easier for the customer to keep their song data in the computer
and can bring them everywhere without feeling afraid of losing the album. Another example
is before they made iPhone 4, they made a survey about the customer’s satisfaction of using
iPhone 3Gs, and they fixed the errors of iPhone 3Gs and as a result, four million units of
iPhone 4 were sold in the first three days of launching, which was on October 2011.

2. Make a curiosity feeling among the customer

Before the product was launched, there is lot of teasers of the new Apple products. The
product teasers make the customer’s feeling of curiosity getting obviously bigger and
bigger. With this planning strategy, they can make an amount of target on how many will
their new product will be launched in order to not wasting the number of products in a
period of productions. As an example, when Steve Jobs wanted to launce iPad, he
advertised the teaser of the iPad with the feature that can replace the computer. From the
teaser, they can listen to the customer’s opinion about it. Therefore, they can predict the
amount of iPad produced in the first batch of production.
3. Build a strong vision
Apple, Inc. has a company vision: “To make a contribution to the world by making tools
for the mind that advance humankind”. With this vision, they can set goals and track their
progress based on this vision. Also, when they manufacture a product, they produced it
based on this vision because when the customer knows their vision, customers will think
of Apple product when they want a gadget, which are smart and reliable to do human’s job.
As an example, MacBook. MacBook is an invention of Steve Jobs which is really, amazing.
It really helps people in every aspect, starting from businesses, educations, even in musical
industry. They invented the computerized multi-tasking system that the human being has
never imagined before. It really works for people because usually people do more than a
job when they use a computer and sometimes it feels guilty when they open too many
programs and it will look messy. With multitasking, every person can do many jobs in a
time because the program was organized neatly and easier to use for every person with
different types of jobs.
CONCLUSION
The main conclusion that can be drawn is we found to be the most interesting about Apple
is how they are very innovative and early adapters. Apple is usually the first company to
come out with a new product line before anyone else. This is very risky but it seems to be
working to Apples advantage. Planning is all about setting goals and determining the best
way to achieve them. Apple has always been a master of this. From the launch of the first
Apple computer in 1976 to the unveiling of the iPhone in 2023, Apple's leaders have always
had a clear vision of where they want the company to go.