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Apple Computer - no other company name in the Silicon Valley evokes the same kind of loyalty from its customers. Apple Computer has built its business upon loyal customers who clamor to possess the latest and greatest from this innovative technology giant. ...
Apple was founded by Steve Wozniak, a Hewlett-Packard engineer, and Steve Jobs, a fellow computer enthusiast and college dropout from Los Altos. They met in the mid 1970s at the “Homebrew Computer Club” in Palo Alto, and eventually came together to build the Apple I computer system on April 1, 1975. A local computer dealer saw the homemade system sitting on plywood and ordered 100 of them, providing that Wozniak and Jobs build the systems themselves. With the influx of initial capital, approximately 200 Apple I systems were built, each selling for $666. ... In 1977, the fledgling company built the new Apple II system. ...
In the late 1970s, Apple was working on a new platform called LISA, which stood for “Local Integrated Software Architecture. ... Fortunately, for Jobs, Wozniak, and Apple, they were on the verge of the biggest success of their careers. In 1979, while Apple was still developing the LISA line; Jobs visited Xerox’s PARC facility in Palo Alto. ... This led to the formation of a new project at Apple called Macintosh under new CEO John Scully. Although the product was successful, the relationship between Jobs and Scully came to a head and in 1985; Jobs quit Apple to pursue other interests. ... After several CEOs and several marketing missteps, Apple relinquished its once glorious position in the market to Intel, Dell, and Microsoft. However, with Jobs’ return in 1996 came the innovative fire that once led Apple to the forefront of the computer industry.
Since the personal computer industry is characterized by rapid technological advances, Apple’s ability to compete successfully is heavily dependent upon its ability to ensure a continuing and timely flow of competitive products and technology to the marketplace. ... As a result, Apple continues to invest in Research and Development and skilled personnel besides the short-term and long-term investments in assets. Apple’s research and development expenditures, before any changes for purchased in-process research and development, totaled $471 million in the year 2003, $446 million in 2002 and $430 million in 2001 (SEC).
As of September 27, 2003, Apple’s cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments portfolio totaled $4. ... Apple’s short-term investment portfolio consists primarily of investments in U. ... Apple’s U. ... corporate securities consist primarily of commercial paper, certificates of deposit, time deposits and corporate debt securities. Foreign securities consist primarily of foreign commercial paper, certificates of deposit and time deposits with foreign institutions, most of which are denominated in U. ... Occasionally Apple sells short-term investments prior to their stated maturities to recognize a gain.
In January 2002, Apple invested $200 million in Earthlink, an Internet service provider (ISP). With this investment, EarthLink and Apple entered into a multi-year agreement to deliver ISP service to Macintosh users in the United States.
Approximate Word count = 2493
Approximate Pages = 10
(250 words per page double spaced)
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