Yesterday Apple became the world's most valuable company, an even more impressive achievement on such a bloody day in the markets. The mighty oil giant Exxon was finally unseated as king of the corporate hill. It was not so very long ago that Apple was being crowned "world's most valuable tech company", having overtaken Microsoft. That was surreal enough. We've travelled a long, long way from Apple's near-demise in 1997, just before founder and current CEO Steve Jobs returned to the helm after years in the wilderness.
A fairytale second-coming that seems stranger than fiction, with a big dose of pathos thrown in: Steve Jobs' serious health problems in recent years have been cause for genuine, personal concern to millions of Apple acolytes.
Like many in the publishing world, I was weaned on and wedded to Apple. But then, under the influence of a Windows XP-loving girlfriend and fed up waiting for a delayed PowerBook update, I defected to the dark side for some years. My hardcore Apple evangelist friend Matt never forgave my treachery, and stupidity. (Well, maybe now you can Matt ?) Finally, I came to my senses and returned to the fold, where I remain.
It seems entirely appropriate, indeed somewhat belated, that the world's biggest company, here in the twenty-first century, is not just a computer firm but a consumer-focused computer firm. Congratulations Apple for coming back from the dead and sticking it so magnificently to your now Pygmy-rival Dell, whose leader will forever have to eat his infamous words.
Congratulations also to Steve Jobs for battling on and staying alive, long may he be around. In addition to being an inspirational corporate leader, Jobs also delivered one of the most moving and inspiring commencement speeches ever given.
as you say a fantastic commen speech and lessons for us all.
ReplyDeleteBut it is interesting that with the riots in the uk that apple becomes the world's most valuable company-what does that show about society's values?
Well, see my other post on the UK riots. But I agree it's a tricky one. On the one hand Apple is an upmarket brand, it's stores are almost like fashion boutiques. I've always been somewhat ambivalent about this aspect of the company, with it's GAP-style advertising and overtly yuppie lifestyle aspirations. No question that you will fork out a lot of money if you want Apple stuff, especially accessories.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the iPad does represent a new, more mass-market price bracket. Of course price has nothing to do with value for money, which I believe Apple offers in abundance. How many times have I made the false economy of going too hastily for a cheaper non-Apple product, only to repent at leisure ?
I believe technology is the medium, not the message. It's what it allows us to do that we should be focusing on. And in that respect I think it's much more appropriate that a company like Apple is the biggest in the world rather than an oil company like Exxon. Commodities are not per se creative or communicative, which is why I find them uninteresting. I note btw that Exxon today regained it's number one position over Apple. Could be an interesting back and forth for a while.
Regarding the link between Apple and teenage thugs looting and burning, I do concede that today's world of saturated advertising and media has created a Frankenstein's monster in the form of a generation or two of people who can no longer behave according to the golden rule of adulthood, the thing that separates us from bawling infants: delayed gratification. I want it, and I want it now ! is the mantra for too many people who, through shockingly poor education have almost no hope of affording this kind of stuff even if they did delay their purchase. Undoubtedly, it's a huge social problem.
PS: don't forget that when we talk aout "the biggest company in the world" we are basing it on stock market valuations. In this respect, Apple is "big" because it's profits are big, whereas in fact it's market share is often still quite small - in contrast to Microsoft which during it's heyday dominated in both profits and market share. Thus Apple's position as top dog company doesn't mean it's products have suddenly penetrated every household - far from it.
ReplyDeletePPS: re. any link between "unaffordable" Apple products and looting: as I've mentioned before on this blog, Apple in Brazil remains stratospherically expensive, an absolute luxury and beyond the wildest dreams of most Brazilians. That's why they may not have running battles with looters here but instead they have an unending class war which ends up being much more deadly.
ReplyDelete- Steve Jobs reportedly rejected the idea of placing an Apple Store in Rio de Janeiro, citing "super crazy" tax policies as a reason for keeping business out of Brazil, according to MacMagazine Brazil.
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