It’s the world ready for Apple?

In 2000 Steve Jobs introduced a device to the market that was  able to play and hold all   your music. The reaction at first was negative many of Apple fan boys  were forecasting that this will be the next "Newton" (Failed attempt of Apple of conquer the PDA market)., but it’s a saying that goes " Give time to the time", This device well known for us today as the "IPod" which arguable is the most revolutionarily device of this century, as for today like one of my colleagues mentioned me: " IPod is Apple bread and butter".

IPod produce above 40% of Apple revenue, and the potential of  growing is unlimited it , but Apple hasn’t let the glory come to their head and has keep pushing for innovation, and like I mentioned in a another post, Steve’s guys work hard to get a good perception from the users, and the  whole society as market.  Last year we got in our hands the sweat , and slick device IPhone which merge a Smartphone and IPod in one. The reviews since day one has been outstanding, it seems like every person either has one or at least want one. 

The situation is very favorable right  now for Apple Inc, we remember as today how Apple was isolate it from the rest of the Tech market where everything was about PC. Today is not a secret the Apple is growing in exponential numbers.  Today Apple enjoy a "favorable" 8% of market share in the Operating System  world, which 8 years ago, was almost at 1%.

This amazing comeback of Apple has been produce by many factors, mainly of how they use ironically the PC platform as their gateway to the world. With ITunes which has perfectly blend the Pc world with the IPod.

We just have to look at this rough numbers published by Eweek Magazine:

• ITunes since April 2003 when it open to the world  until July 12 of 2004 sold 100 million songs.
• By July 18 2005 ITunes sold 500 million songs.
• Amazingly by July 31, 2007 it spike to 3 billion songs.

Apple has become the no.2 musical retailer behind Wall-Mart (at the time I am writing this post it became #1) , but more important with a different business model which lower the operation cost, since most activities are done in a online level.

Having said that,  they are  some issues that Apple most overcome :conquer the corporate market. This is the  key for them to move from been a successful company, to be one  of the most important companies in the world. Unlike many people believe, the "big" money  for the Tech world is in the corporate level. Corporations in USA spent 4 to 1 ratio when we compare with regular users, Apple is aware of that,  and is already making the first baby step in  the right direction, announcing  that IPhone will sync with Microsoft Exchange which controls must of the mail servers in the corporate world (70%).

Now they are many suggestions that come to my mind that Apple should go for, in order to capture a piece of the corporate market:

• They have to understand that they are hardware company more than a Software company. It’s even some experts that suggest that Apple should limit them self to make Macs and load Windows OS. (I will explain more about this in another post).
• Lower prices in order to maximize revenues. (it’s so many people around the world that will love a Mac, but it is  so overprice).
• Have more SKU models, as for now Apple just have 6 computer models.
• Should be more open to the open source community, since Apple OSX is a product of the open source community.
• Now that they are in their peak with those "MAC vs. PC", commercials, keep the same approach, but involve somehow advantages in a corporation environment.

Although I do not own the absolute true I just hope that Mr. Jobs will listen here and there, from us the  people that are asking for a affordable Mac for the day to day users.

Look who is asking for a Bailout!

I have been saying that we are sending the wrong message to America & the World, with all this “Bailout” to Auto Industry, and Finance System.  I claimed that it will  start an epidemy of “asking money disease”.

Now look who is asking for money!

Porn industry asking for $5 billion in bailout money?

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues: Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

“The take here is that everyone and their mother want to be bailed out from the banks to the big three,” said Owen Moogan, spokesman for Larry Flynt. “The porn industry has been hurt by the downturn like everyone else and they are going to ask for the $5 billion. Is it the most serious thing in the world? Is it going to make the lives of Americans better if it happens? It is not for them to determine.”

Francis said in a statement that “the US government should actively support the adult industry’s survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people.”

“We should be delivering [the request] by the end of today to our congressmen and [Secretary of the Treasury Henry] Paulson asking for this $5 billion dollar bailout,” he told CNN Wednesday.

Flynt and Francis concede the industry itself is in no financial danger — DVD sales have slipped over the past year, but Web traffic has continued to grow.

But the industry leaders said the issue is a nation in need. “People are too depressed to be sexually active,” Flynt said in the statement. “This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex.”

“With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind. It’s time for congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America. The only way they can do this is by supporting the adult industry and doing it quickly.”

So far, there has been no congressional reaction to the request.