Is Apple dying?

Apple Inc.: Is Apple a dying company?

Lately, as I accepted Apple's job offer, my friends around me couldn't understand my decision. They thought:

Apple has passed its prime; why would you waste your time and energy on a company that’s going downhill?

Since Steve Jobs' death, Apple doesn’t even know how to innovate anymore.

After the iPhone, Apple will never have another chance to lead the tech industry.

Will Apple's stock ever be $700 again?

Given that I haven't started work yet and don't have any access to insider information, I will talk about why I want to join Apple and my understanding of this company's vision. However, once I start working, I will immediately enter ninja stealth mode. So, this content may be the only message you can get from me.

Unlike other companies, Apple particularly focuses on developing products that delight consumers. For this reason, customers are willing to pay more than market price for its devices, and they believe that a good experience is worth it. In this regard, Apple differs from other companies in much the same way Noma (the restaurant rated as the best in the world) differs from McDonald's; people go to McDonald's because it offers cheap and decent food. But at Noma, it provides a top-tier culinary experience. I chose Apple because I hope to develop products and operating procedures over the next ten years that will elevate the standards of the business community.

Thanks to aluminum and glass alloy casings, the iPad can be highly recycled. In Mac OS, most accessibility features are rarely used by people; and 100% of recyclable energy is located in the data centers. Are these practices necessary? Maybe not, but Apple believes it’s the right thing to do. Additionally, because many people like to put covers on their i-series mobile devices, Apple launched its own accessories.

However, the real reason I ultimately accepted this job was because my interviewer (my future boss) was willing to give me an opportunity to showcase my passion and high level of expertise rather than overemphasizing related experience. He said that at Apple, nothing is unchangeable (except for the industrial design team's vision); everyone is the owner of this company, and you have the right to decide which parts or supply chains need innovation. In fact, almost all Apple employees I've met have the same strong professionalism as Jobs.

A week before starting work, I suddenly realized that Apple's future does not depend on its ability to invent new products, but on creating a platform for its top 10,000 developers to reach and serve customers. Undoubtedly, the content and services created by millions of developers will be far better and more numerous than those provided by any independently operated company; therefore, only by satisfying more developers can this company possibly stay ahead of its competitors. As long as Apple continues to create hardware and software environments that please consumers and prioritize the ease of app development and delivery, its future will certainly be bright. As you know, software and media piracy is a very thorny issue in Asia, so a closed application system like iOS naturally becomes a rare channel for software and media companies to profit. In the long term, international app stores will also spur global talent innovation.

The next blockbuster products will come from platforms that allow developers to touch our lives: iTV might allow people to play with various apps in the living room, iWatch could be equipped with biometric sensors to measure blood sugar, hydration, and stress; voice recognition-enabled iPhones, iPads, or iPod Touches might let people enjoy various entertainment activities in the car. Using certain apps, your car will automatically schedule gas refills when necessary and help you plan your routine for the coming week. If I stay at Apple longer, I will bring apps and robotics into the kitchen to help people manage their groceries and easily cook healthy meals.

Although I currently have no insights into how to boost Apple's stock price, by 2014 or later, this company might regain capital market favor due to the release of another blockbuster product; all investors need to do is wait patiently. Apple indeed has the potential for long-term growth, but success often requires flawless execution.