Evidence Collection and Analysis

Apple (Apple Inc., NASDAQ: AAPL, LSE: ACP), formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc. (Apple Computer, Inc.) is headquartered in Cupertino, California, the United States, the core business is the product of Electronic Science and Technology, with the global computer market share rate of 7.96%. Apple's Apple II personal computer revolution in the 1970s contributed to the subsequent Macintosh Relay sustainable development in the 1980s. The most famous product is produced the Apple II and Macintosh computers, the iPod digital music player and iTunes music store and the iPhone, it is known for its innovative and high-tech enterprises. In January 9, 2007, Apple Computer, Inc. changed its name to Apple.

Apple company specializes in the development, manufacture, sales of personal computers, servers, peripherals, computer software, online services and personal digital auxiliary equipment. It is the world's third largest PC supplier in 1995, ranking the top 11 when the World Information Technology Company, the world's largest software maker. In the year of 1994 and 1995 it was in the global multimedia market share topped the list.

The Apple computer company describes the results of the company like that: Apple computer company with the Apple II in 1970s ignited the personal computer revolution, it was the introduction of and reinvented the personal computer. Through its creative hardware, software, and Internet technology and equipment, Apple company is committed to create the best computer use its network bring to students, educators, creative experts and ordinary consumers around the world.

1. the external environment
a. the political and the legal influences
Apple's operating environment would be affected by the political and legal issues. With the advanced development in digital technology, the government began to deal with the piracy problems, began to enforce the law strictly, improve sentence, trying to reduce the piracy problem. Government regulated industries, through online music-competitive behavior in order to adjust all aspects of copyright law in the United States.

b. the global economic
The United States government cannot launch large-scale stimulus policy consistently, monetary policy will be more tightening. In Japan, companies are still reluctant to invest, deflation resurfaced again. Similarly, the euro union economy, while improving but is still weak. The high degree of exposure to Eastern Europe, which cause European banks continue to restrict lending, thereby suppress recovery, employment subsidies terminated finances will start deflation. Most new flourishing markets recover faster than developed economies, Asia is the leading pioneer. Global demand for Asian exports began to rise; China's economic growth accelerated, although the rapid credit growth that arise the concern, approximately China's economy will grow 9.5% this year. Eastern Europe, the prospect would be improved, but the countries' fiscal problems to expand, business and consumer confidence is still weak. Latin America has started to recover, the Middle East and Africa also improved.

b. Social culture
Public attitudes, as well as consumer behavior would also promote social changing. Social trends and the change in attitude can also affect the daily operations of the organization of work and leisure. Based on the cultural differences in the different area, people's moral values are different, Apple created the legal downloading of music, that is, can download music directly from the Internet, it can stimulate the sales of the Apple, for those who do not want to illegally download music, this kind of way can provide another service experience.

c. Technology
With the advancement of technology and the development of the Internet, which make life started to become more convenient. But with the conduct of high-tech technology, has gradually shock to some industrial. Apple in the block of music market, giving priority to create the AAC format kind which is different with other industry-standard MP3 format, this format is only available through Apple's iTunes player can be used, and restrict users to download its contents.

d. Popularity
The amount of the country's population, gender and age level would lead product development and sales to have different results, such as Apple's online music industry, launched ipod digital music player device, and combined with the iTunes player program, therefore the lifestyle of the youngs in associated with itsdigital products.

2. the organizational structure of the Company:
In fact, based on Apple's management functional structure, the company is organized by function.

This kind of organizational structure can effectively monitoring and operating other activities, reduce costs, and increase organizational operational flexibility. The Apple through decentralization of powers and responsibilities, as well as through a relatively stable hierarchy structure. Apple subordinate officers and employees are encouraged to take the initiative to promote the strength of the company (Apple's innovation, engineering excellence and marketing skills). In addition, decentralization may also improve the ability of the company's planning, decision-making and control process.

Operating structure:
Apple is to use the geographical structure to manage its business. Its main operating divisions are situated in the Americas, Europe, and Japan. In its retailing section, Americas section includes North and South America, parts of Europe, including European countries, as well as the Middle East and Africa. Its Japanese section only including Japan. Apple operates retail stores in the United States, and opened its first international store in Tokyo, Japan. Other operating areas include the Asia-Pacific areas, including Australia and Asia.

This structure allows the company to reduce the transportation costs. Apple can also use their skills (for example, in the marketing or the field of hardware / software / application development) in all the core functionality. However, this does not mean that is a purely geographical structure, because the retail business sector does not constitute a geographic area. So it is possible coordination of communication occur between the two segments of the market, for instance, the United States and Japan in the retail business
3. Apple how to look at the global market?
Apple itself is a high-tech market, the products always keep high level of quality, but due to the issue of cost, not all productions are in the United States, it also seek opportunities in other countries. The globalization of the market not only benefits Apple's production costs saving, but also increase the competitiveness in its domestic and international markets. Anyone are well aware, the only way is to make a profit is to decrease cost, Apple is to use low cost as a major competitive advantage, coupled with the innovation of products. It is the main reason of why Apple encouraging to release their products to overseas.

Apple's global sales of U.S. multinationals, resource materials and products. Apple's overseas operations, including the Americas, Europe and Asia markets, that Apple is actively developing overseas global operations and activities. Although the United States still remains the largest market of Apple. However, most of the company's net sales has been increased dramatically. In addition, Apple's R & D in the U.S. company's design department, and most of the raw materials from other countries abroad source. The final products assembled outside the United States, the Apple external suppliers in Taiwan, Korea, the Netherlands, China and the Czech Republic. Currently, the Apple products are assembled by third-party suppliers in Japan, Taiwan and China.

Apple’s International marketing mix
Apple's core product is the Power Mac computer and iBook laptop as well as iPod MP3 player and multimedia software iTunes online music store and iPhone mobile phones and iPad.

Promotion to promote Apple products mainly through television as to promote their products, and in addition to the use of television advertising, product placement publicity more often used. Jobs will also use the opportunity of the product launch will vigorously promote their latest products to the world's media coverage and publicity, to achieve the purpose of promoting
Apple's ingenious marketing tool and a compact supply chain, the user experience to create effective mobilization of its target customer base. Word of mouth marketing for Apple's full of mystery unlimited temptation in the lead consumers first wins. Apple only a year to develop the 1,2 product, but almost each have sought to maximize each technology, both to let people surprised, excited, and they know how to use it to become the strongest cornerstone of the success of word of mouth marketing. Apple's security work is done very well, but CEO Steve Jobs is very Mac-world annual conference for media and consumers to create conversation, sparked strongly about apple before each new product release. Apple's successful realization of a virtuous circle between culture, product, brand and reputation. In order to make more consumers as close as possible, and to expand consumer awareness of Apple products, Apple’s well designed retail stores (Apple Store) presented "digital hub" of life for the Apple fans. From the year of 2001, Steve launched plans to build the Apple Store, as of today, there are totally 285 Apple Store on the world. Apple Store is to create a comprehensive digital living space, in-store experience regional solution area-centric design. In order to achieve the fit of the life experience of products and customers, the store did not dazzling lights, loud music, or to sell products salesman, the customer can play with a variety of machines.
(4) pathway due to Apple's products and other enterprise software is not compatible to enter through the user's learning situation, Steve Jobs learned that if the company only rely on the U.S. market, which would make limited results, so he started to launch the retail channel around the world, in order to facilitate access to global markets, they need to understand the different culture, behavior and custom in the different areas. North America, Western Europe users are better acceptance of the Apple products, and the development of the ecosystem of Apple products in the mature markets would lead more perfect results, so Apple has obvious advantages in these markets. Users in North America and Western Europe because of the language and culture more similar, therefore they have better awareness and acceptance of the apple products. Many of its iphone users who come from the difference culture as well as national environment, Apple will inevitably easy to access the relatively small market and make its demand for adjustment. The price of Apple products are not inexpensive, will be in developing markets a wide range of obstacles. Apple from the U.S. market, and as a technical company, its global expansion process must be based on the degree of approximation market. Apple's management of its business is basically divided into the location-based operators mainly divided into the Americas, Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific, as well as a retail business alone. In accordance with Apple's practices, and its products are first to meet the demand in the United States, and then to Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia. Because groups and synergistic effects of the user base and ecosystem of third-party software, so Apple products to promote a night market, third-party developers the size and maturity of the group must be different.
Each operating system market share in the fourth quarter of 2009 (only for smartphones) The popularity of the Apple Music Store and App Store in various regional markets, monopoly retail stores worldwide coverage is still limited, so consumers around the world have the different levels of understanding of Apple products. Based on the statistics of professional evaluation platform for the Apple App Store in the usage regions. Compared to the most popular applications, the highest price that in the Western European market, an average of $ 3.86, the North American market is the cheapest, with an average price of $ 2.43, the Asia average selling price is $ 2.69. The game is the most popular type of proceedings in Australia and North American markets accounted for 51% and 39% of the program sold. Apple Store want to do a sale "lifestyle" shops, store location selection criteria. Concerned about Apple's retail strategy observers have pointed out that its store locations aspects involved in the region have registered the great number of Apple customers, demographics (age and average household income), and next to the main school and University students.
4. R & D
With the rapid technological advances in science and technology, Apple has been successful depends on its superior R & D capabilities, and the ability to ensure that their products continue to market the main reason. Therefore, the company is constantly developing new products and new technologies, and to enhance existing products in the hardware and peripheral products, system software, application software, network and communications software and solutions, Internet. In addition, Apple's management believes that the pace to maintain or increase innovation and product development is the best way of tackling the current economic recession and market conditions. Apple's research and development sectors constitute the most important core elements of the value chain. In fact, the current R & D tasks can effectively improve the development, increase the speed of product innovation.