On 24-Apr-2012, Apple posted its quarterly results:-
$39.2 billion in revenue and $11.6 billion in pure, unadulterated profit with 35.1 million iPhone sold alongside 11.8 million iPads.
$39.2 billion in revenue and $11.6 billion in pure, unadulterated profit with 35.1 million iPhone sold alongside 11.8 million iPads.
If in case it doesn't ring out loud for you, let me quote it one by one
- $39.2 billion in revenue
- $11.6 billion in pure, unadulterated profit
- with 35.1 million iPhone sold
- alongside 11.8 million iPads
and all of this for a quarter - which is 3 months.
WOW !!!
The organization for which I work posted its quarterly results and it crossed 10 Bn in revenue for the year, full year. And, it is Revenue not the profits. I know how hard it is to even get these numbers and how much successful this is in the IT delivery sector of India. But all of this pales away in comparison with the numbers posted above by apple - 11.6 billion in PROFIT, for 3 month period. Wow. I keep saying this word. Wow.
Just to put things in perspective, less than 15 years ago, Apple was barely 100 days away from declaring as bankrupt. And, to come from that place to be the most successful company in the world, is a no mean feat. Many would have already told a tonne about this but here is my 2 cents.
Apple, is apple, coz it is apple. Simple.
When I look back at what apple had done as a company, only few points I observe. They are doing only what they want. May be sometimes, what they probably can. And, they are doing what they want, the way they want. And, it is the doing it best. But never what they find it as convenient. Apple, could have done so many more business and other things but no, they didn't choose to do all of them and decided to do only what they want and thanks to that, they are now the most profitable organization in the world.
The Mac was never really a market leader in terms of share, but they still made it as best as they can do. The iPod was never existing but they made what they wanted to do and made it best. If apple, when pushed to bankruptcy 15 years ago, had thought to target the bigger market share than mac or building on mac, they would have recovered too, may be, coz they open themselves to larger pie. But, they didn't do that. They build what they believed to be best. This is a key lesson to all organization in the world, do what you want to do, well, you will eventually be successful. Never focus on short term growths and results. Build a long lasting pipeline and focus on long term and sometimes, at the cost of short term coz it is long term results that matter.
I do foresee issus, troubles and other things with apple on few of its spheres of operations and other things. I don't know if they will remain the most profitable organization in the world for another 10-15 years, but I can see that they are in right position to do so, not by their size of revenue but by their focus and products.
Build the best products; earn the most money !!! Apple.
