Apple Stock Drop: Company Going Strong Regardless of Decline and Competition

Impact

Apple stocks are declining and the sales of the Google Nexus and Amazon Kindle are rising. Is Apple set to see a flat-line anytime soon as a result of market saturation and competition? I doubt it, and here's why.

On October 5th, 2011, Steve Paul Jobs passed away after a brutal battle with pancreatic cancer. Known to be charismatic and intuitive, he was the chairman, co-founder, and CEO of Apple Inc. Upon news of his passing, thousands of Apple fans and users gathered outside of Apple stores across the country and held Apple-lit vigils. They held up the blaring screens of their iPhones, iPads, iPods, and even MacBooks in combination with candles, flowers, and Apples. It was all done in memory of a man who had such a major impact in a realm of technology that has rejuvenated the market to soaring heights.

Fast forward to 2013. Tim Cook, the successor to Jobs, was last seen in the audience of President Obama’s State of the Union address. He was a guest of First Lady, Michelle Obama. CNN's camera zoomed to Cook’s face in the audience when Obama said that starting this year, Apple would start making Macs in America again, thus helping pioneer job growth within the United States. 

Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, attended the 2012 address. Rumors of an Apple watch are spreading like wildfire, and if executed properly, the company could experience a whole new wave of popularity to an item that has waned in popularity the last few years. But Apple’s rising-star isn’t going unchecked.

As earlier stated, competitors such as Google, Microsoft, PCs, and Android have all been notable in their advances to bring Apple Inc. some friction, whether by operating system, mobile device, applications, tablets, or their very own stores. Regardless, it was Apple that often broke the mold and forced the rest of the world to think quick on their toes in order to bring latest and best to their consumers. 

Apple products have come a long way from their humble beginnings in the 70s. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were college dropouts when they first introduced the Apple in California. Their productions were of the basement dweller variety, not quite yet diffusing into the mainstream.

More production of Apple computers followed, but sales were low and fell underdog to other PCs in the 90s. In 1985, Jobs left Apple, yet returned in 1996 when his startup was bought out by Apple.

The iMac G3 computer was released but what really brought the company to fame was the 2001 introduction of the iPod. It was only a matter of time before computer side of the equation would smoothly streamline its way in, ultimately built to be more compatible with pretty much anything. 

More than half of homes within the U.S. own at least one Apple product, according to CNBC's All America Economic Survey. Jay Campbell of Hart Research Associates said that the Apple model of selling products is brilliant due to the fact if someone owns one product, they are more likely to buy another. Case in point, the same study stated that the average home owned three Apple products. While I would never claim myself to be an Apple fangirl in any any sense, I will share the fact that making the move from a PC to MacBook Pro has been well worth the pricey investment.

Before, I was obstinate and believed that the hype surrounding Apple simply wasn't worth it. But after the nth virus burn and crash of my last PC, I knew I needed a change — especially as a college student whose life depends on a working computer to be there for me through thick and thin.

I finally gave in and went to the dark side of all the hipsters gathered in cafés, their eyes glued to high-resolution screens with the tell-tale glow of a partially bitten Apple logo centered on the back of the latest model.

Ever since, I've experienced no more viruses, no more blue screens of death, and no more difficulties, and I've had the product for two years. Another friend of mine owns an older model of a MacBook from 2007, and it still runs as if fresh out of the box for him. The innovation, longevity, and popularity will keep Apple products as a forerunner in the tech world for years to come. 

At this point it appears that the sky is truly the limit.