Google Inc. research paper

Just like any other company, Apple Inc. has its strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats. Its strengths lie in its ability to establish and maintain a competitive advantage via their successful vertical and horizontal integration and impressive growth rates and cash flows. Vertical integration has helped in maintaining a loyal customer base since it has made it possible for Apple Inc. to have control over its customer’s experiences with their products (Apple Inc. MarketLine Company Profile). Another strength portrayed by this company is that of maintaining high average selling prices (ASPs) within the industry. This serves as strength since most of its competitors have shown a diminishing nature in their pricing strategies for their products and services. Its sole weakness, however, is its relatively high dependence on the iPhone and iPad products. For instance, these products had accounted for about three-quarters of the company’s total revenue by the end of the 2014 financial year. This serves as a risk since the failure of either of these product lines in the market serves as a hindrance to the growth of this company (Apple Inc. MarketLine Company Profile).

The company enjoys certain opportunities, especially those of growth in the near future. Such opportunities are brought about by Apple Pay, the expected growth in the smartphone market as well as that of tablets and the increased use of the company’s products in the enterprise markets. The company’s threats include the possible impact that the reduction of smartphone subsidies could have on Apple’s shipments, the negative impact of their high pricing on their growth rate and the highly challenging and competitive market the company is situated in.