Ch. 11 - Developing and Managing Products

For millions of Americans consumers, Apple undoubtedly holds the title of the most innovative company of the 21st century. For that reason, Fast Company, has rated and ranked Apple as one of the most innovative companies based on "the ability to buck tradition in the interest of reaching more people, building a better business, and spurring mass-market appeal for unusual or highly technical products or services." Innovation always has been Apple's top priority. As such, the word innovation is often times associated with Apple. In order for Apple to sustain growth and increase revenues and profits it has to constantly introduce new innovative products in the market. One of the greatest innovations of Apple was the release of the iPhone in 2007. It is a Smartphone designed to run Apple's mobile operating system. Apple, 6 years later, still continues to fascinate its consumers with their most recent innovative releases of seventh-generation iPhones, the iPhone 5C and the iPhone 5S on September 10, 2013. The new products feature new designs such as the plastic case of the Iphone 5C, the fingerprint reader, an improved camera sensor and a dual-tone flash. These are surprising, cutting-edge and truly useful enhancements that didn't exist before. With the immediate positive feedback and reviews like “With the 5c, Apple achieves an unprecedented level of synergy between hardware and software.” and “With the iPhone 5C Apple may well have created what will prove to be the most popular smartphone in the world” Apple was able to sell a record-breaking nine million new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models, just three days after their launch. As Apple's products continue to be perceived as unprecedentedly innovative, Apple will continue to hold the lead among the most admired companies worldwide.