business plan on macbook

Apple Business Essentials User Guide

• Intro to Apple Business Essentials
• Program requirements
• Get started
• Participate in beta features
• Choose a subscription plan and review repairs
• Configure settings, distribute apps, and apply Collections
• Enroll and manage devices
• Edit preferences
• Configure locations
• Manage plans
• Assign a plan
• Unassign a plan
• Employee plans and associated devices
• Add subscription payment information
• Review billing information
• How to cancel Apple Business Essentials
• Get support
• Intro to AppleCare+ for Business Essentials
• Support for AppleCare+ for Business Essentials
• Service for AppleCare+ for Business Essentials
• Provide feedback
• Link to new domains
• Disconnect federation from a domain
• Intro to federated authentication
• Use federated authentication with Google Workspace
• Use federated authentication with Microsoft Entra ID
• Use federated authentication with your identity provider
• Change a user’s domain information
• Transfer Apple services when federating
• Sync user accounts from Google Workspace
• Sync user accounts from Microsoft Entra ID
• Sync user accounts from your identity provider
• Get notified about user name conflicts
• Resolve Apple ID conflicts
• Resolve Google Workspace sync conflicts
• Resolve Microsoft Entra ID OIDC sync conflicts
• Resolve identity provider OIDC or SCIM sync conflicts
• Use Managed Apple IDs
• Customize user access to certain apps and services
• Use Sign in with Apple
• Intro to users and user groups
• Manually add users
• Manage existing users
• Add user groups
• Create or reset user passwords
• Intro to roles and privileges
• View and assign roles
• Add Content Managers to locations
• Add or reset verification phone numbers
• Intro to buying content
• Review content payment and billing information
• Select and buy content
• Configure app installation and removal
• Monitor app installation status and license tracking
• Learn about Custom Apps
• Transfer licenses
• Manage content tokens
• Migrate content tokens
• Invite VPP purchasers
• Plan for migration to Apps
• Device workflow
• Enrollment methods
• Manage device suppliers
• View device information
• Get device order progress reports
• Add devices from Apple Configurator
• Intro to MDM servers
• Link to a third-party MDM server
• Edit a third-party MDM server configuration
• Delete a third-party MDM server
• Review device assignments
• Assign, reassign, or unassign devices
• Assign a device that was serviced or replaced
• Turn off Activation Lock
• Release devices
• Sign users out of devices
• Locate, lock, and erase devices
• Intro to configuring settings
• AirDrop settings
• AirPlay settings
• AirPrint settings
• App Access settings
• Application Layer Firewall settings
• Certificate settings
• Content Caching settings
• Configure a Custom setting
• Data Management settings
• Energy Saver settings
• FileVault settings
• Gatekeeper settings
• iCloud settings
• Lock Screen settings
• Password and Screen Lock settings
• Software Update settings
• VPN settings
• Web Clip settings
• Web Filter settings
• Wi-Fi settings
• Edit a setting
• Intro to deploying packages
• Create a package
• Add more information to packages
• Create a package installer for an application
• Review the installation status of packages
• Apply Collections
• How to search
• View activity
• Read log files
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Find an AirPrint printer’s information
• Document revision history

Manage Apple Business Essentials plans

With Apple Business Essentials, you can add plans and assign them to users or devices, providing them with device management, iCloud storage, and AppleCare support. You can start using Apple Business Essentials, including a two month free trial, by selecting from employee or device plans, and mix and match plans based on the services you need for your organization. For example, if you want all your employees to have device management for a single device, and you want your sales team to have up to three devices and 2 TB of iCloud storage, you can create multiple plans and assign them to the corresponding users or user groups. Learn more about Apple Business Essentials .

Important: Services included with Apple Business Essentials are not supported with third-party MDM solutions.

Watch a video on choosing a subscription plan.

Employee plans

You can assign user groups and individual users to employee plans. Users then sign in with their Managed Apple ID on any of their devices in order to enroll their device and access iCloud storage provided by their assigned plan. After that, you can deliver apps and settings, view critical device details, and push device commands.

Users assigned to employee plans also automatically get the Apple Business Essentials app, which allows them to install apps assigned to them by their organization. See the Apple Support article About the Apple Business Essentials app .

You can customize employee plans by selecting:

The number of devices that can be enrolled: One device or up to three devices per user.

Cloud storage: Additional organization storage for your users.

50 GB for users with one device

200 GB or 2 TB for users with up to three devices

AppleCare support: 24/7 support for admins and users with an AppleCare+ for Business Essentials plan. Each plan with AppleCare+ for Business Essentials includes up to two repairs that refresh annually, but they’re not tied to any one device or user. You can apply them manually or automatically to any device associated with a plan with AppleCare+ for Business Essentials.

Note: Apple Business Essentials services are intended to be used together. Services such as iCloud storage aren’t intended to be used with a third-party MDM solution.

Device plans

Up to 1000 individual devices can be assigned to a device plan and provide the same device management functionality as an employee plan. Apps assigned to these devices are automatically installed. You can also add AppleCare+ for Business Essentials for 24/7 support and repair coverage.

You have the following options when adding devices:

Add the first 350 from your devices list that aren’t assigned to an MDM server.

Search by device type (Results are limited to 350 per search).

Search by serial numbers (separated by commas), which can be pasted in from a list.

Important: Devices associated with device plans must be added using Automated Device Enrollment. See Enrollment methods .

Add an employee plan

After you add a user to an employee plan, that user can enroll their devices. See Enroll your personal device .

In Apple Business Essentials, sign in with a user that has the role of Administrator.

Important: Only Administrators can create, view, edit, or remove plans.

If you selected up to three devices, select how much iCloud storage you want:

200 GB per employee

2 TB per employee

Optionally select AppleCare+ for Business Essentials to provide service and support to all users and their devices, associated with this plan.

Select Continue.

Select in the search field, select the user groups you want to add to the plan and select Add next to each one.

Note: You can also add individual users if they aren’t in a user group.

If this is the first plan you created, enter your organization’s credit card information.

If the credit card’s billing address matches that of your organization’s enrollment address in Apple Business Manager, you can select it.

If the billing address is different, deselect the organization’s address and enter the billing information associated with the credit card.

The credit card you use is validated by Apple before it’s saved. If you see an error, try entering the CVV code or zip code again, or try another card.

Select Continue, review the plan details, then do one of the following:

If this is the first plan you created, select Start Trial.

If you’ve already created other plans, select Add Plan.

The plan now appears in your subscription list.

Add a device plan

Select Device Plan.

Optionally select AppleCare+ for Business Essentials to provide service and support to devices associated with this plan.

Select in the search field, select the organization-owned devices you want to add to the plan, then select Add next to each one.

To add devices at the time of purchase, see Manage device suppliers .

If you want to approve the device for management, check “Approve recently added devices for management without manual review.” Otherwise, you’ll have to manually review and approve this device after it’s enrolled. See Enrollment methods .

View existing plan details

You can view plan details, such as license assignments and activity.

Select Overview to see details about the selected plan and the number of active licenses.

To view associated assignments, select Assigned under Users or User Groups to view who is assigned to a plan.

Change a plan

You can make changes to your plan.

Select Continue, review the plan details, then select Change Plan.

Remove a plan

When you remove a plan, all users or devices associated with that plan become unmanaged and users lose access to additional iCloud storage. See Device workflow .

If you still want to remove the plan, select “I understand that this cannot be undone,” then select Remove.

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The #1 Best Selling Online Business Plan Software for Mac

100% compatible with mac os and ios devices.

4.8/5 Google Reviews

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Some of our fans:

“ LivePlan earns the top spot on our list of best business plan software —and for good reason. LivePlan’s slick and interactive service provides a step-by-step business plan approach, a rich collection of cloud-based features, and online learning tools.”

Brooke Hayes

Software Reviewer at Business.org

Here’s how LivePlan makes it surprisingly simple to write a convincing business plan

You get a step-by-step process to follow

LivePlan asks you questions about your business, you plug in the answers. It’s as easy as that. You’ll get straight-forward instructions with examples on:

• Writing a pitch that grabs investors’ attention
• What to include in your marketing plan
• Every other essential piece of your business plan

“ LivePlan is incredibly simple and easy to use. The financial sales forecasting tool is very intuitive and makes writing a business plan more fun.”

Helga Douglas

Owner, Svala

All the financials are calculated for you

LivePlan tells you exactly what financial information you need to enter and then does all the calculations automatically using built-in formulas. So you end up with razor-accurate financial statements that include all the tables that a lender or investor expects to see.

“I have such a better clarity of thought because I can see the impact of marketing by using LivePlan versus just using a spreadsheet.”

Marc-Andre Seguin

JazzGuitarLessons.net

If you ever get stuck, we’ll help you out

Most LivePlan users are able to breeze through their first business plan. But if you ever have a question, there are 3 ways to get advice:

• Call a LivePlan expert at 1-888-498-6136.
• Chat with our advocacy team. Try it now.
• Browse 500+ sample plans & tutorial videos.

“It’s our road map, continually helping us stay on track. We wrote a business plan we can take to any investor , and it’s game on.”

Stacie Overman

Lavender Kisses Farm

LivePlan has helped over 1 million business owners build better businesses

It’s proven, companies that plan and track against their plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t. No matter your industry, location, or size — LivePlan helps you get your business off the ground and grow

“Trying to open a new business is very time-consuming, and since I was running another business while I was trying to set up Tailored, I didn’t have a lot of time.”

Owner & Founder, Tailored Coffee

“It wasn’t my intention to be an entrepreneur or a business person. My intention was to work with dogs. I kind of had to learn the rest of it in order to do what I wanted to do.”

Joanna Stanford

Founder, Trots Dogs

“That’s what it does for your business; [using LivePlan] has got us all talking and much more engaged about what we are and what we’re trying to do.”

Owner & Founder, Web Ninja

“Before LivePlan, I was making decisions that were poorly informed. Now I test everything through my business first, before I take it to my clients.”

Enae Jackson-Atkins

Owner & Founder, Esquire Accounting

Entrepreneurs & business owners love LivePlan

“I learned more about running my small business from a week of focused work in [LivePlan] than I have from any other single source. It has fundamentally changed the way I view my business ventures”

Capterra Review

“Using LivePlan is easy and there is so much assistance available. There are examples, templates, and videos explaining what to write. [...]. It does the math for you. It creates graphs and charts. It is amazing.”

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“LivePlan was a great help to design, work out, plan and strategically organize and think about all the ideas that go into developing a new project and business plan [...] Think about it like a coach guiding you through the process.”

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“I’ve been using LivePlan with Xero for a few months now and love it. It’s given me visibility about how we’re doing against Forecast like I’ve never had before...”

Rob Mackley

Xero App Store Review

“Before LivePlan, my team and I had no idea where or how to start [...] It helped us focus on and build every single area of our business strategy and recognize that some aspects of the company needed to be adjusted before we could launch.”

“LivePlan has eased my business planning processes and have provided me with easy access to credit from both banks and investors alike.”

“All businesses require solutions and tools [...] for control of expenses, spreadsheets were always the first option, but since the arrival of LivePlan, all work is easier and more automated.”

Trust Radius Review

“I didn’t have a business plan and using LivePlan helped give me an easy tool to build a strong business plan for myself and clients. My clients have gone on to enhance their plans and grow their businesses.”

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“LivePlan provides the balance between stating your vision, the framework to support it, and the numbers.”

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7 Best Business Plan Software for Startups in 2024

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Launching a new startup is an exciting yet challenging endeavor. Crafting a comprehensive business plan is a critical first step for any founder to outline their vision, objectives, and strategy. It acts as a roadmap to help guide important decisions and next steps as a company grows.

With so many options available, finding the right business planning tool can be daunting. The best software should be affordable, user-friendly, and offer a robust set of features to aid in financial modeling, strategic planning, and more.

In this review, we’ll explore some of the top business plan software solutions designed specifically for entrepreneurs. We’ll compare capabilities, ease of use, templates and resources, integrations, pricing, and more. Whether you’re looking to create an investor-ready plan or simply organize your strategy, choosing the right tool can help you get started on the right foot.

Our #1 Pick: LivePlan

Save time and create a professional business plan with intuitive tools and step-by-step guidance.

Unsure if LivePlan is right for you? Continue reading our comprehensive review below to learn more and explore your options.

Best Business Planning Tools

In this review, we’ll look at seven of the best business plan software platforms — discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more — so you can decide which one is right for your startup.

Best Business Plan Software for Startups 2024:

• LivePlan – Best Overall
• Bizplan – Easiest to Use
• Enloop – Best Automation Features
• PlanGuru – Best Financial Forecasting
• IdeaBuddy – Best for Idea Validation
• iPlanner – Best for Nonprofits
• Wise Business Plans – Best Professional Services

The following tools all have their own great features. Based on its affordable pricing and usability, LivePlan is our top business plan software choice for startups.

Try LivePlan today or continue reading to explore your options!

Best Business Plan Software: LivePlan

LivePlan is the overall best business plan tool, offering a large number of features at an affordable price.

1. LivePlan – $15/month to $30/month

We love LivePlan overall because it offers great value at an affordable cost. The software lets you quickly create a business plan from anywhere in the world using what is arguably the best business plan software available on the market. It does everything better than its competition and costs way less.

What’s more, the online “cloud-based” platform is easy to use and you are under no contract or obligation to keep paying for the service. Even better, if you decide to stop service for whatever reason, Palo Alto Software, the makers of LivePlan, will keep your account active and data preserved for at least a year should you decide to reactivate your account later.

• Create an unlimited number of business plans
• A forecast feature for those less mathematically inclined. Plug in data, and it will generate charts, graphs, figures, and even the profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statements
• 500+ business plan templates spanning all major industries
• Real-time financial data tracking
• Performance dashboards track sales and budgeting
• Create one-page pitch plans for potential investors
• Milestone scheduling feature — Some people will use it when working with others on their plan; it will let you assign milestones to people.
• Low-cost annual plans
• Affordable pay-as-you-go plans
• No cancellation fees
• Data saved for 12-months, even after cancellation
• Clean, modern platform
• Cloud-based; works on any business machine (Linus, Windows, Mac)
• Integrates with Quickbooks and Xero to import your data easily
• Knowledgeable customer support to get help with your plan
• No valuation capabilities
• Templates built on Palo Alto Software’s earlier software Business Plan Pro require some modifications to be used on LivePlan

Insider Information

Talking to the nice people at LivePlan we learned some inside information that we wanted to share with our readers.

Here’s what we learned:

• LivePlan has been used by contestants on ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank” to win over angel investors to help them get their ideas and businesses funded.
• Accountants use LivePlan as an added-value service to sell to their clients.
• Businesses continue using LivePlan because of a feature called “Dashboard” which lets you manually enter your actuals or pull actuals from Quickbooks online to do comparative forecasting and analysis.
• LivePlan helps with business continuity planning (BCP).
• LivePlan executives use LivePlan to make important business decisions.
• “Dashboard” does profit and loss, cash flow, and balance sheet reports and lets you compare and contrast your actuals from your forecasts to be able to show to investors.
• LivePlan lets you create business plans in 1/5th the time it takes using templates.

Customer Reviews

LivePlan receives great feedback from customers. LivePlan reviews average 4.5 stars out of 5 on GetApp. LivePlan is an easy company for us to recommend for the best business plan software.

2. Bizplan – $29/month, $249/year, $349 lifetime

Bizplan rates high on our list because they offer a lifetime plan that gets you “forever access” to their business plan software. As an added bonus, you also receive free access to Startup Courses and LaunchRock, a landing page builder.

• Easy, “fill-in-the-blanks” plan builder
• Publish your business plan online
• Unlimited business plans
• Bizplan takes care of the financials
• Cloud-based (use any browser on any computer)
• Options to add more graphics and photos
• Low-cost yearly plans
• Create unlimited business plans
• Xero to import your data easily
• Excellent and responsive customer support (email/chat/phone)
• Free access to Startup.com and LaunchRock.com
• Discount at Fundable.com (connect with lenders and investors)
• Can’t export in Word
• Doesn’t currently integrate with QuickBooks
• No free trial
• No third-party app integrations

Talking with BizPlan insiders, we learned that the premise behind BizPlan is to help startups easily create professional business plans to give them a leg-up with lenders and investors.

Here’s what else we learned:

• BizPlan’s does all your financial calculations for you.
• BizPlan strives to be an all-in-one solution for Startups needing funding.
• BizPlan is constantly making improvements to its software.

BizPlan receives great feedback from customers. BizPlan reviews average 4.4 stars out of 5 on GetApp. Still a relatively new option, BizPlan already has over 30,000 satisfied customers. As their platform grows, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them integrate even more valuable features. Keep a close eye on this one.

3. Enloop – Free to $39.95/month

If you’re looking to try before you buy, Enloop is a strong choice as one of the only business planning software tools with a free trial.

• User-friendly platform
• Compare your financials against your industry’s performance
• Bank ready financial statements (Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash flow)
• Lets multiple team members work on a business plan
• 36-Month detailed financial reports
• Sync date and text into your business plan
• Real-time performance rating
• Generated business plan Pass/Fail report
• Multiple currency formatting
• Seven-day free trial (no credit card required)
• Advanced financial ratios
• Financial projections
• Video tutorials to help you with the writing process
• No phone or chat support, just a “contact us” form.
• Three business plan limit per account
• Doesn’t integrate with QuickBooks or Xero
• No financial forecasts beyond 36-months
• No 30-day money-back guarantee

We learned that the premise behind Enloop is to make business planning easier for entrepreneurs. Enloop achieves this by making software simple to navigate through and takes risks off the table with their no credit card needed seven-day free trial. Their business plan creation software offers financial forecasting features for up to 36 months.

• Enloop utilizes 16 financial ratios to get your business ready for investors.
• Enloop offers some sample business plans that are easy to modify.
• Enloop’s performance score increases as you create your detailed plan.
• A new business or small businesses benefit the most from Enloop’s solutions.

Enloop receives fair feedback from customers. Enloop’s reviews average 3 stars out of 5 on PCMag. Enloop’s main complaint is its lack of instructional text for writing mission statements and other key sections. What they rank high on is their efficiency and the speed at which the software lets you write a business plan.

Even beyond the free version, Enloop Basic is just $9.95/month ($6/month when paid annually), so they’re one of the least expensive tools for writing a business plan.

4. PlanGuru – $99/month to $299/month

PlanGuru is a good option if you’re looking for considerably more robust software that offers quite a bit more. The most notable feature we like is the valuation tool, only present on the desktop version of the software. PlanGuru lets you calculate the valuation of your business using three different methods. No other business plan software offers this that we know of.

PlanGuru also offers budgeting, forecasting, and performance tools to help you put together a business plan. In the main, PlanGuru allows you to get a custom-tailored three financial statement budget model up and running out of QuickBooks or Xero in a matter of minutes. PlanGuru’s business plan writing software takes you through a setup process where it asks you questions such as:

• What’s the first month of your fiscal year?
• How many historical years do you want to import?

And, once you answer these questions, PlanGuru then generates a model for you that you can then populate with your historical data if you have it. Then you can go through PlanGuru’s 20+ projection methods.

Some financial data projection methods include:

• Expenses, like payroll, etc.
• Balance sheet items, like accounts receivable, accounts payable, crude expenses, prepaid expenses, loans, etc.

These are only a few of the features the business plan software offers. Here are some more.

• Budgeting/Forecasting Software
• Analytics Service for Financial Performance & KPIs
• Valuation calculations (desktop software only)
• Desktop and cloud-based options
• Free 14-day trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
• Great customer support and knowledgeable sales staff
• Lower-cost yearly plans offered
• Advanced financial calculations
• Business valuation calculations
• No contracts
• Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero
• Costlier than LivePlan and most other business plan software options
• Additional cost per user can add up quickly

The great thing about PlanGuru is that the only thing you have to worry about is the income statement and balance sheet projections because the cash flow statement is automatically generated.

Then once you have the cash flow statement, income statement, and balance sheet in place, you can then lock down the budget.

• PlanGuru’s desktop version has three different types of valuation methods that calculate the worth of your business.
• PlanGuru has some really nice reporting tools that pull together your financial statements into table formats, say, for the bank, line-by-line.
• PlanGuru also has some nice charts, graphs, scorecards, and some easily digestible reports that can help you visualize how your company is performing.
• Exports to Excel, PDF, and Word documents –and, there’s even a tool that lets you create customized reports.
• You can print your plan off too to show partners, lenders, and investors.
• PlanGuru now offers a cloud-based version of its software, though it will take some time to catch up to the rich features offered by the current desktop software version.
• With PlanGuru you also get free updates, bug fixes, and new releases as they become available.

Important Note: These tools are important because investors may want to see not only historical performance but also projections.

5. IdeaBuddy – Free to $35/month

IdeaBuddy makes our list because of what’s behind their approach. IdeaBuddy focuses on helping entrepreneurs develop their idea first, then share it, and then refine it into a plan. If you have a business idea and don’t know what to do next, IdeaBuddy could be what you’re looking for in a business plan software.

• Single-page business plan pitch (Idea plan)
• Clean modern design platform combined with great financial tools
• Marketing plan for selling and promoting your products
• Market overview plan where you create targeted customer profiles, identify your competition and calculate the market potential
• Business plan creation that includes forecasting performance and cash flow projections
• A proprietary algorithm calculates a final score for your idea providing recommendations for improvement after you complete “Story Mode”
• Idea Journal, that is an internal business plan for you to show potential investors
• A lifetime plan costs only $178
• Great for developing ideas
• Great for doing market research
• Pay-as-you-go plans offered
• Email-only customer service
• Software lag time issues
• Fewer software options than most other small business options

IdeaBuddy has some great features that are fantastic from idea conceptualization down to cost projections and the laying out of steps to take to start a business. We would have liked, however, to been given more KPIs that would notify us of tasks, help with idea validation, and help us measure other objectives to better monitor the health of our business. Another thing lacking was the design of the finished plan–it contained some noticeable structural issues.

IdeaBuddy has received some outstanding customer reviews on GetApp. IdeaBuddy has earned a 4.6-star rating out of 5 possible stars.

6. iPlanner – Starts at $55/year

iPlanner is a comprehensive business plan software that has been aiding entrepreneurs since 2007, providing a robust framework for developing business plans, models, and financial forecasts online.

• Unlimited Team Members & Collaboration
• A La Carte Pricing Model vs Packages
• Discounts for Serial Entrepreneurs & Business Coaches
• Solid amount of industry knowledge and experience.
• They’ve got two trademarked business planning services, Startup Framework™ and Strategy Designer™
• All of their business planning packages allow you to have unlimited collaborators and assign people three different roles: Project Owners, Advisors, and Viewers.
•  Their Startup Framework software has a business modeling section where you can design a business model canvas and strategize as much as you need before diving into your plan.
• Doesn’t have a month-to-month option for either of their services. Their Strategy Designer is payable only annually, while their Startup Framework is available for 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month payments.
• They don’t offer refunds
•  Their website is pretty old school and tough to navigate.
•  Unlike other business planning software, iPlanner doesn’t offer a free version or trial. However, you can take a tour of their Startup Framework software or view a demo of the Strategy Designer to get a feel for them.

iPlanner’s Business Planning Software

If a simple framework is all you’re looking for, iPlanner can help you out. They don’t have many bells and whistles, but at these price points, they offer a good value for nonprofits and corporations.

7. Wise Business Plans – Pricing by Request

Wise business plans website is a little confusing to navigate, and pricing is by request only, which can get frustrating. They do have a lot of options for different kinds of business plans for various types of business types, which makes them versatile. They also have business building and funding options as well. And, if you wish to establish business credit, they offer net-30 accounts that get reported to Equifax business.

• Claim to be the only business plan company to write for Fortune 100 and 500 companies
• Business formation services
• Business license searches
• EIN services
• Digital marketing services
• Business website design and branding
• Has a lot of helpful information
• Helpful options for forming your business
• Options to help after you start your business
• Helps small businesses establish business credit
• Not an actual business plan software
• Expensive by comparison
• Website is difficult to navigate
• Pricing is by request only
• Limited products and features
• Turnaround is one month
• Requires some work on your end

Business Plan Software Pros and Cons

• By using business plan software providers, you’ll be able to create a solid outline for your business. Although some of the options above are better than others, each will walk you through from start to finish.
• No matter how you look at it, business plan software is cost-effective. As long as you actually use the tool, you’ll generate significantly more value than you’re spending on monthly subscription fees.
• If you spend the time to create a solid plan, you’re much more likely to hold yourself accountable. Think of planning software like an accountability buddy for entrepreneurship.
• Your business plan tool will help set realistic financial goals, and most can also keep your bottom line in check by integrating your accounting software.
• Business planning software enables you to collaborate with partners, mentors and investors.
• Some of the business plan tools don’t offer support and can have slightly buggy features. That said, if you’re serious about writing a solid plan, go with a tool that’s constantly updated and well made.
• Although some business plan tools have a collaboration feature, none of them can review it when you’re done. All business planning tools lack a human touch.

How to Choose the Right Business Plan Software

With the array of business planning tools available, it can be daunting to select the right one for your needs. Here are some tips for choosing a business plan software solution:

• Consider your skill level – Opt for software like a wizard-guided template if you are less experienced in writing plans. Choose more advanced software with greater flexibility once you know what you are doing. Look for drag-and-drop tools to easily organize sections.
• Determine your budget – Prices range from free to several hundred dollars. Know how much you can spend before shopping.
• Compare features – Look for software with the specific tools you need, like financial projections, sample text, customizable templates, and more.
• Evaluate the financial tool capabilities – The software should provide extensive financial tools like forecasting, modeling, projections, and dashboards to streamline financial planning.
• Check reviews and ratings – Get feedback from other users about their experience with the software. High reviews indicate easier, more user-friendly software.

Which Is the Best Business Plan Software?

You know the unique requirements of your startup better than we do. These are all quality services that offer business planning software tools for entrepreneurs like you. Feel free to read over our full reviews if you’d like to know more about any of them or even visit the websites directly.

In general, we do prefer LivePlan because they have a huge library of business plan templates, and we love their convenient dashboard. They’re the planning software that is most likely to help you via customer support, continue updating their tool, and figure out ways to make your business experience better. Enjoy!

What is the purpose of a business plan?

The purpose of a business plan is to provide a structured outline and roadmap for a business’s goals, strategies, and operations. It serves as a guide for decision-making, resource allocation, and management. 

Furthermore, it can be a crucial tool for attracting investors, securing loans, and ensuring that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the business’s direction and objectives.

What does business plan software do?

Business plan software assists entrepreneurs and businesses in creating, organizing, and refining their business plans. It provides tools, templates, and guidance to streamline the planning process. 

Features often include financial forecasting, market analysis, visual aids like charts and graphs, collaboration capabilities, and even integration with other business tools. This software aims to simplify the task of creating a thorough and professional business plan.

How do you write a business plan?

To write a business plan, start by writing an executive summary that provides an overview of your business idea, products/services, market opportunity, and projected growth. Outline your company description, industry analysis, target customers, competitive advantage, marketing and sales plans, operations, management team, and financial projections.

How long should a business plan be?

The length can vary based on the complexity of the business, its stage, and its intended audience. In general, it might range from 15-50 pages. However, the key is to ensure that the plan is comprehensive yet concise. 

For many situations, especially when seeking investment, a more detailed one is preferable. Yet, for internal purposes or for businesses at very early stages, a shorter, more concise plan might suffice.

Are there business plan templates on Word?

Yes, Microsoft Word has business plan templates you can download and customize. The templates provide section headings, instructions, sample text, and tables to input your specific business information.

What is Palo Alto Software?

Palo Alto Software is a company that’s been around since the late 1980s. They created business management software for startups and existing businesses. The software has since been updated and rebranded as LivePlan and today happens to be one of the most sought-after business plan software available in the marketplace.

Individual Business Plan Reviews

Further Reading

• What Is a Business Plan? July 2, 2024
• Lean Startup Business Plan Guide July 2, 2024
• The 7 BIGGEST Business Plan Mistakes to Avoid July 10, 2024

Topics to Explore

• Startup Ideas
• Startup Basics
• Startup Leadership
• Startup Marketing
• Startup Funding

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Best business Mac of 2024: the top laptops, desktops, and more from Apple

The best business Mac options for your business

• How to choose
• How we test
• ▶ Best overall
• ▶ Best budget
• ▶ Best workstation
• ▶ Best MacBook
• ▶ Best MacBook Pro
• ▶ Best big-screen MacBook

1.  Quick list 2. How to choose 3. How we test 4. Top picks ▶ Best overall ▶ Best budget ▶ Best workstation ▶ Best MacBook ▶ Best MacBook Pro ▶ Best big-screen MacBook

Finding the best business Mac in a market where Apple merges professional and consumer features can be tricky. 

Apple's devices, known for their robust performance and sleek design, cater well to both business and personal use, and regular updates to the Mac and MacBook line-ups ensure that businesses have access to models with the latest enhancements and consistent pricing. 

We've tested all the best MacBook and Macs , and the best MacBook Pro laptops - so we know what to look out for when you want a professional-grade Apple device for seamless office workflows. In testing the best business Macs, our comparisons focus on performance specs, including GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, and connectivity, alongside factors like size, battery life, and cost, tailored to various business needs. 

For more professional computing, see our reviews of the best business computers and the best business laptops . 

The iMac with the M3 chip is the leading all-in-one for businesses, offering superior performance and a 24-inch 4.5K display in a sleek, lightweight design, despite minor issues like limited ports.

Read more below

The Mac mini, affordable and compact, delivers exceptional performance for business tasks with M2 or M2 Pro chips, providing a powerful yet budget-friendly option.

The Mac Studio, with M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, is a compact powerhouse ideal for demanding business applications, offering significant capability at a premium price.

The MacBook Air (M3, 2024) combines portability with powerful performance, featuring an enhanced design and 16-hour battery life, making it the top MacBook for business users.

The MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Max chip sets a new standard for business laptops with its high performance, versatile design, and premium pricing.

The MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) is the best choice for business users needing a large screen without losing portability, offering a spacious keyboard and superior sound in a sleek design.

The best business Mac: How to choose

When choosing the best business Mac for yourself, start with assessing the nature of your business, the kind of work you'll primarily do on the Mac, and whether you'll be on the road a lot. 

If your work mainly involves using office apps, email, web browsing, or data entry, an entry-level MacBook should work perfectly well. If you're in graphic design, video editing, architecture, or any other field that demands resource-intensive apps, then it's best to select a powerful Mac with an impressive processor and graphic capabilities. See our reviews for the best photo editing PCs and the best video editing PCs for more Apple Mac options. 

You'll want to select the RAM based on how much multitasking you do and how resource-heavy your apps are. Look out for the connectivity ports on the device, especially if you plan to hook your laptop up to an external display. 

For those who're on the road frequently, the laptop's size and weight are essential considerations. Lastly, check how much storage the laptop offers and whether your budget can accommodate all the features and upgrades you need.

Despite Apple laptops offering arguably the best screens you can get, we'd recommend investing in a decent second screen for serious work sessions. We've reviewed the best monitors for MacBook Pro , the best monitors for Mac Studio . and the best monitors for the Mac mini . 

The best business Mac: How we test

Our team of reviewers have tested a wide range of professional hardware, including the best video editing Macs and MacBooks , best business monitors , and the best business tablets . 

To test the best business Macs, we started by considering their specifications, like the GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, and dimensions. We evaluated the types of businesses they'd be suitable for and how well they ran resource-heavy apps and multitasked. 

We assessed the dimensions and weight of the products to see how much space they take up and whether they were light enough for easy carrying during travels. 

We also checked their connectivity ports, wireless connectivity features, battery life, and pricing, among other things. 

The best business Mac in 2024: our top picks

The best business mac in 2024.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of our picks for the best business Mac in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted. 

The best business Mac overall

1. Apple iMac 24-inch (M3)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The latest iMac, powered by the M3 chip, reigns supreme in the all-in-one computer market as the optimal choice for businesses. It significantly surpasses its M1 predecessor, combining stellar performance with a stunning 24-inch 4.5K display, making it the gold standard for AIO systems. 

Beyond its powerful internals, the iMac's design is both sleek and lightweight, perfect for professionals who value both power and space efficiency. It also offers customization through various color options, catering to businesses that prioritize a stylish workspace. 

Minor drawbacks like limited ports and peripheral design quirks do little to diminish its standing. With even the base model impressively equipped for business tasks, the iMac firmly establishes itself as the premier business computer, expertly balancing performance, design, and convenience.

Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch (M3) review

The best budget business Mac

2. Apple Mac mini, M2 (2023)

The Apple Mac mini stands out as the ideal budget-friendly Mac for businesses, boasting a compact design paired with remarkable power. 

Whether it's everyday office applications or more demanding video editing, the Mac mini, equipped with either the M2 or M2 Pro chips, excels in performance, rivaling even the MacBook Pro. 

Despite its lack of upgradeability, which might concern some, its out-of-the-box readiness and macOS integration make it hard to critique. Offering excellent value, with starting prices around $600/£600, the Mac mini provides an affordable yet powerful desktop solution for businesses looking for Apple's renowned performance without the hefty price tag.

Read our full Apple Mac mini, M2 (2023) review

The best Mac workstation for business

3. Apple Mac Studio

The Mac Studio, an upgrade from the Mac mini, is Apple's latest powerhouse, offering substantial capability in a compact form. 

With options for the Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, it handles intensive tasks effortlessly, from 3D rendering to managing large datasets, making it ideal for business applications requiring high memory, such as big data analysis and complex project management. 

While its high performance may be more than some need, for those seeking a robust Mac workstation for demanding business environments, the Mac Studio proves to be a valuable investment, despite its premium price.

Read the full Apple Mac Studio review

The best business MacBook

4. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)

The Apple MacBook Air (M3, 2024) is the best MacBook for business users, blending portability with powerful performance. Its refreshed design offers a sleek, modern look, enhanced by a larger, vibrant display within a thinner, lighter frame. 

The M3 chip ensures smooth operation, even with intensive multitasking, and the improved keyboard design facilitates comfortable document creation and email composition. 

Notably, its 16-hour battery life supports a full day's work or long flights without the need for recharging. 

Although slightly pricier than its predecessor, the enhancements in design, display, and performance justify the investment, making it an optimal laptop for professionals on the move.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

The best MacBook Pro overall

5. MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, 2023)

The MacBook Pro 14, featuring Apple's cutting-edge M3 chip, particularly in its high-end M3 Max form, redefines performance standards for business laptops. 

With configurations boasting enhanced CPU and GPU cores alongside up to 64GB of memory, it excels in demanding business environments, supporting advanced computational tasks with ease. 

Its design, including a fingerprint-resistant finish and a responsive keyboard, coupled with the macOS Sonoma, makes it highly versatile for professional use. 

Despite its premium pricing, the MacBook Pro 14 M3 series represents the pinnacle of business laptops, offering unmatched performance and utility.

Read the full MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, 2023) review

The best big-screen MacBook for business

6. Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M3)

For business users prioritizing screen size without sacrificing portability, the MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) is the ultimate choice. 

Despite its larger, heavier frame compared to the 13-inch model, it offers identical functionality and power with the M3 chip, enhanced by a more spacious keyboard and superior sound system with two additional speakers for an immersive experience. Its design remains sleek, incorporating recycled aluminum and a fingerprint-resistant finish. 

The significant advantage lies in the larger display, providing ample space for multitasking and detailed work, justifying the modest price increase for those valuing productivity on a larger screen. 

This model stands out in the 15-inch market for its blend of aesthetics, performance, and value, making it the best large-screen MacBook for business professionals seeking a balance between functionality and portability.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) review

• Whichever Apple product you decide is best for you, you could save on your purchase with our Apple discount codes .

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The Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac – Streamline Your Business Strategy!

• June 4, 2023

Table of Contents

In the world of business, having a well-drafted plan is critical. Business plan software helps users streamline their business strategy and create professional-grade plans that showcase their vision for their company. Business plan software is a powerful tool that can help entrepreneurs develop their ideas, pitch to investors, and track their progress. The right software can help simplify the business planning process, save time, and increase productivity.

However, with so many options available in the market, choosing the best business plan software for Mac can be a daunting task. In this post, we will introduce and compare the top 7 business plan software for Mac to help you make the right choice.

Video Tutorial:

What is business plan software.

Business plan software is an application that helps entrepreneurs create or improve their business plans. These plans typically detail a company’s overall strategy, goals, target market, competition, financial analysis, and more. Business plan software can help create professional-grade plans that showcase a company’s vision, mission, and goals. This software can help entrepreneurs get started with their business planning and provide guidance throughout the process.

Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac Recommendation 2023

1. liveplan.

LivePlan is an award-winning business planning software that offers a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the entire process. It features easy-to-use templates, interactive forecasting tools, and a wide variety of customizable charts and graphs. You can also integrate your financial data with accounting software such as QuickBooks. LivePlan offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, making it a risk-free option for entrepreneurs.

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– Easy to use templates – Interactive forecasting tools – Compatible with QuickBooks – Live technical support available

– No free trial – Relatively expensive compared to other options – Limited customization options

Enloop is another popular business plan software that uses machine learning to assess the viability of your business plan. It offers easy-to-use templates, financial forecasting tools, and automated text writing tools. It also provides industry-specific data, such as market trends and competitor analysis. Enloop offers a free version with limited features, and paid plans with higher-end features.

– Uses machine learning to improve business plans – Offers industry-specific data – Free version available – Automated text writing tools

– Limited customization options – Limited financial forecasting tools in the free version – No technical support available in the free version

Bizplan offers a variety of business planning tools, including financial forecasting, team collaboration, and custom branding options. It also offers funding advice, with a network of investors and VC firms available to interact with. Bizplan offers a free trial period with access to all features, and paid plans are available with additional features and support.

– Custom branding options – Funding advice and investor network – Free trial available – Live chat and phone support available

– Relatively expensive compared to other options – No free version available – Limited customization options on lower-tier plans

4. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software that uses a step-by-step process to guide you through the planning process. It offers financial forecasting tools, team collaboration, and customized reports. StratPad also provides access to a community forum, where you can interact with other entrepreneurs and receive feedback on your plan. StratPad offers a free trial period, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Community forum for feedback and collaboration – Customized reports – Free trial period available – Ability to export data to PDF or Excel

– Limited customization options – No 24/7 support available – No mobile app available

5. Business Plan Pro

Business Plan Pro offers a step-by-step wizard to guide users through the planning process. It provides industry-specific data, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. Business Plan Pro offers phone and email support, as well as a community forum for feedback and collaboration. A free trial is not available, but users can purchase the software with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

– Step-by-step planning process – Industry-specific data – Customizable reports – 60-day money-back guarantee

– No free trial available – Limited customization options – No mobile app available

6. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive financial forecasting tool that offers the ability to create detailed business plans. It also features a customizable dashboard that allows users to view data in real time and monitor their business performance. PlanGuru integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks and provides a free trial for users to test out the software’s features.

– Comprehensive financial forecasting tools – Customizable dashboard – Integrates with QuickBooks – Free trial available

– Limited business planning features – Limited customization options – Does not offer support for non-financial metrics

7. GoSmallBiz

GoSmallBiz is a cloud-based tool that offers business planning features, along with numerous other tools targeted towards small business owners. It features a step-by-step planning process, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. GoSmallBiz also provides access to a customer support team for help with any issues or questions. GoSmallBiz offers a 30-day free trial, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Step-by-step planning process – Numerous other tools for small business owners – Customizable reports – 30-day free trial

– Limited customization options – Relatively expensive compared to other options – No mobile app available

Comprehensive Comparison of Each Software

The table below provides a comprehensive comparison of each business plan software based on several evaluation criteria, including free trial, price, ease of use, and value for money.

Our Thoughts on Business Plan Software for Mac

Choosing the right business plan software depends on several factors, such as price, ease of use, and customization options. If you value simplicity and ease of use, LivePlan and Enloop may be good choices for you. If you’re looking for more advanced features and customization options, StratPad and PlanGuru may be better options. Finally, if you want access to a variety of other tools targeted towards small business owners, GoSmallBiz may be the right fit.

Overall, we recommend LivePlan for its user-friendly approach, interactive forecasting tools, and integration with QuickBooks. Additionally, LivePlan offers a money-back guarantee, making it a low-risk option for entrepreneurs.

FAQs About Business Plan Software

Q1: what should i include in my business plan.

A: A business plan typically includes an executive summary, company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, management and organization overview, product or service description, marketing and sales strategies, financial analysis, and funding request information.

Q2: How long does it take to create a business plan?

A: The length of time it takes to create a business plan varies depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the business, the amount of research required, and the availability of information. However, it typically takes several weeks to several months to complete a comprehensive business plan.

Q3: Can I use business plan software for a non-profit organization?

A: Yes, many business plan software options can be used for non-profit organizations, with some offering specific tools and templates tailored towards non-profits.

Q4: How much should a business plan cost?

A: The cost of a business plan can vary widely, with some plans costing as little as $10 and others costing several hundred dollars or more. The cost typically depends on the features and customization options offered by the software.

Q5: Can business plan software help me secure funding?

A: Yes, business plan software can help you create a comprehensive plan that showcases your business idea and financial projections to potential investors or lenders. However, securing funding is not guaranteed and ultimately depends on the viability and potential of your business idea.

In Conclusion

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Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Updated: May 4, 2024, 4:37pm

Table of Contents

Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.

While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.

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Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.

Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting. Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.

Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.

Download free template as .docx

Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.

1. Your Mission or Vision

Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.

• What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
• Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
• Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
• Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
• How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?

These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.

2. Offer and Value Proposition

This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.

As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.

For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

3. Audience and Ideal Customer

Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.

There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.

Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.

However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.

4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing

Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.

Revenue Streams

Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.

For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:

• Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
• Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
• Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
• E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
• Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
• Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs

Sales Channels

Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.

The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:

• Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
• E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
• Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
• Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location

Channels that support other income streams might include:

• Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
• Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
• E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
• Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
• Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress

Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.

However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations

This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.

Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:

• Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
• Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
• Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
• Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
• Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.

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6. Financial Forecasts

Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost Forecast

Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:

Gross Profit Projections

This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.

Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:

Bottom Line

Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.

Is there a template for a business plan?

You can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.

What does a simple business plan include?

A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.

How can I create a free business plan template?

Start with our free business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

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When you’re starting a business, developing a strong business plan will be one of the first steps you take. Your business plan will cover everything from a detailed explanation of your products or services and pricing model to at least three years of financial projections—plus much more. Therefore, whether you’re not sure how to get started or you’re just looking to make the process easier, you may want to turn to business plan software for help.

In this guide, we'll break down five of the best business plan software options—discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more—so you have all the information you need to decide which solution is right for your small business.

Looking for tools to help grow your business?

Tell us where you're at in your business journey, and we'll direct you to the experience that fits.

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The 5 best business plan software options

The right business plan software will make the process of writing your business plan much simpler. Like many business software solutions, however, there are a number of different business plan software options out there—each of which has a unique set of features, user experience, and price.

This being said, if you're looking for a place to start your search for the best business plan software, you can explore the five top options below:

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

1. LivePlan

Best overall business plan software.

If you want template-rich, modern-feeling business plan software, then LivePlan may be the right pick for you. LivePlan excels with their user interface, which feels updated and slick, and also offers intuitive, easy-to-use features and options.

Their step-by-step instruction will help you kick things off from the beginning, and you can take advantage of their online learning center to continue to gain business skills.

Affordable plans, including pay-as-you-go option

No long-term contracts or cancellation fee; 60-day money-back guarantee

Modern, intuitive interface; cloud-based, can be used on Mac, PC, as well as tablets

Ability to create unlimited plans in one account; over 500 customizable templates

Variety of business resources including video tutorials, step-by-step instruction, and general customer support

Limited integration options

Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections

Can be difficult to learn

Ability to create an unlimited number of business plans on one account

More than 500 business plan templates spanning various industries

Integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online

Real-time tracking of financial data with accounting integrations

Ability to export your business plan to Word or PDF

Expert advice and step-by-step instruction included

Performance dashboards for tracking against budgets and sales goals

Ability to create and export a one-page pitch executive summary

Annual plan: $15 per month, billed every 12 months

Six-month plan: $18 per month, billed every six months

Pay-as-you-go plan: $20 per month, billed once every month

2. GoSmallBiz

Best for multiple business management tools in one platform.

Next on our list of the best business plan software options is GoSmallBiz, which is much more than just a business plan software. With GoSmallBiz, you have access to business continuity planning software with features that cover creating a roadmap, working through business and legal forms, building a website, and more.

In this way, GoSmallBiz is great for startups or newer businesses looking to access multiple business management tools through one platform.

Unlimited business consultation and extensive library of online resources

Multiple business tools in one software

Website consultation analysis and business assessment

Industry-specific business plan templates with emphasis on financial projections and statements

Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives

Limited business plan features

Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word

Outdated interface

Industry-specific business plan templates with step-by-step building wizard

Ability to create financial statements and projections

Free website hosting and website builder

Customer relationship manager with integration with MailChimp

Digital marketing dashboard with social media and Google Analytics integrations

HR document builder

Corporate minutes writer

Business documents library

Business courses library

Unlimited business consultation

$39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation

Best for simple, fast business plan creation.

If you're looking for free business plan software, Enloop will be one of your closest options—they offer an all-inclusive seven-day free trial, no credit card required. Additionally, unlike some of the other options on our list, Enloop is strictly dedicated to business plan creation, including automated text writing, financial forecast comparisons, and a real-time performance score that tracks your progress.

This being said, if you'd prefer the most straightforward, fast, and simple way to write your business plan, Enloop will be a platform worth considering.

Simple and straightforward software, solely dedicated to business plan creation

Seven-day free trial

Automatic text generation available to streamline the writing process

Affordable plans with annual discount option

Limited additional educational resources

Only one template option

No integration options

Ability to create three business plans with customizable text, images, tables, charts, and over 100 currency symbols and formats

Includes automatic text generation for each plan section that you can then customize

Automatically generated financial statements

Includes financial performance comparison analysis (using three ratios with Detailed plan and 16 with Performance plan)

Real-time performance score to track your progress

Ability to invite users to edit (two with Detailed plan, five with Performance plan)

Pass/fail report and certificate to help you identify issues with your plan

Free plan: Seven-day free trial with no credit card required

Detailed plan: $19.95 per month or $11 per month, paid annually

Performance plan: $39.95 per month, or $24 per month, paid annually

Best for startups looking to acquire funding or find investors.

Part of the Startups.com suite, Bizplan gets top marks for their user interface—it’s intuitive, easy to use, and modern. You’ll work with a step-by-step business plan builder to get exactly what you’d like from your business plan. It may remind you of a modern website builder, since it has drag-and-drop tools to build templates.

Moreover, for one subscription fee, you have access to all of the tools in the Startups.com network, including self-guided courses, how-to guides, masterclass videos, and more. All in all, with a direct connection to Fundable, Bizplan is a top business plan software option for startups looking to acquire funding and find investors.

Subscription gives you access to all Startups.com tools

Lifetime access subscription option

User-friendly drag-and-drop business plan builder

Excellent educational resources

Connection to Fundable great for businesses looking for capital

No free trial

No templates based on industry

No mobile access

Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building

Financial command center to track all business financials in one place

Unlimited account collaborators

Ability to share business plan online with investors

Online resources including self-guided courses, masterclass videos, how-to guides, mentorship access

Unlimited software use for Fundable, Launchrock, and Startups.com

Monthly plan: $29 per month

Annual plan: $20.75 per month, billed at $249 per year

Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee

5. PlanGuru

Best for financial planning and budgeting.

Finally, for some of the strongest financial features among business plan software options, including budgeting and forecasting, you might check out PlanGuru. Whereas the other solutions we've reviewed were first and foremost focused on writing a business plan, PlanGuru is dedicated to business financial planning —providing the tools you need to create budgets, financial forecasts, reports, and more.

Therefore, if you need a software solution that can streamline the financial piece of your business planning processes, PlanGuru will certainly have the most to offer.

Extensive financial tools and detailed forecasting, budgeting, and reporting capabilities

Substantial library of resources

Cloud-based and desktop options

14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee

Expensive, especially for additional users

Only focuses on the financial aspect of business planning; no templates or tools for basic business plan writing

Difficult to use without prior financial knowledge

Cloud-based version of software, as well as locally installed Windows version (desktop version has a few more features)

Works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Excel

Budgeting and forecasting for up to 10 years

Over 20 standard forecasting methods

Formula builder to create custom methods

Ratios and KPIs

Dashboard and reporting tools

Help guides, video tutorials, knowledgebase, and live U.S.-based customer support

14-day free trial

$99 per month (additional users $29 per month)

$899 per year (additional users $299 per year)

What to look for in business plan software

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide, which, if any, of the best business plan software solutions on our list is right for your business.

So, if you're trying to figure out how to choose between the various options out there, it might be helpful to compare your top choices based on the following criteria:

Features: As we've seen different business plan software solutions offer different features. You'll want to look carefully at the feature list of any software and determine what features are most important for your business needs. Do you need an extensive library of templates with detailed customization? Would you prefer software that includes an online learning center for business skills? Are you looking for a solution that combines business plan writing with other tasks? It may be useful to list out your ideal feature set, so you can compare individual software plans to that list.

Price: Although you might be able to find some free business plan software options (or at the very least, free trials), in most cases, you'll need to pay a subscription fee to access the platform you choose. Therefore, you'll want to think about what your budget is for this business tool and what type of software is most cost-effective for your needs.

User experience: User experience can vary widely among different business plan software options. You’ll find some programs that are newer or have been recently updated. Others might have the kind of interfaces that felt new years ago but are now pretty out of date—and, subsequently, make them a little harder to use. The right user experience for your needs is genuinely a matter of opinion and comfort—nevertheless, it's worth testing thoroughly testing out a platform to ensure that it can truly work for you before investing in a monthly or annual subscription.

The bottom line

There's no doubt that properly crafting your business plan is important for the future growth and success of your small business. Luckily, the right business plan software should make the process much simpler.

This being said, whether you opt for one of the best business plan software options listed here, or another platform entirely, you'll want to take the time to compare multiple solutions and ensure you choose the one that's right for your business.

As we mentioned, it can be helpful to think about the features you're looking for, your budget, and your user-experience preferences ahead of time—that way, you'll have a set of criteria in mind as you explore different solutions.

Ultimately, perhaps the best thing you can do to find the right software is to actually test out the platforms themselves—either by using a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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How Apple Is Organized for Innovation

• Joel M. Podolny
• Morten T. Hansen

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, in 1997, it had a conventional structure for a company of its size and scope. It was divided into business units, each with its own P&L responsibilities. Believing that conventional management had stifled innovation, Jobs laid off the general managers of all the business units (in a single day), put the entire company under one P&L, and combined the disparate functional departments of the business units into one functional organization. Although such a structure is common for small entrepreneurial firms, Apple—remarkably—retains it today, even though the company is nearly 40 times as large in terms of revenue and far more complex than it was in 1997. In this article the authors discuss the innovation benefits and leadership challenges of Apple’s distinctive and ever-evolving organizational model in the belief that it may be useful for other companies competing in rapidly changing environments.

It’s about experts leading experts.

Idea in Brief

The challenge.

Major companies competing in many industries struggle to stay abreast of rapidly changing technologies.

One Major Cause

They are typically organized into business units, each with its own set of functions. Thus the key decision makers—the unit leaders—lack a deep understanding of all the domains that answer to them.

The Apple Model

The company is organized around functions, and expertise aligns with decision rights. Leaders are cross-functionally collaborative and deeply knowledgeable about details.

Apple is well-known for its innovations in hardware, software, and services. Thanks to them, it grew from some 8,000 employees and $7 billion in revenue in 1997, the year Steve Jobs returned, to 137,000 employees and $260 billion in revenue in 2019. Much less well-known are the organizational design and the associated leadership model that have played a crucial role in the company’s innovation success.

• Joel M. Podolny is the dean and vice president of Apple University in Cupertino, California. The former dean of the Yale School of Management, Podolny was a professor at Harvard Business School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
• MH Morten T. Hansen is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and a faculty member at Apple University, Apple. He is the author of Great at Work and Collaboration and coauthor of Great by Choice . He was named one of the top management thinkers in the world by the Thinkers50 in 2019. MortentHansen

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Apple Business Strategy: Plans that made it a Multi-Trillion dollar Company

The study was first published on September 27, 2021, and then updated on September 18, 2023.

This strategy teardown compiles the ideas, innovations, technological research, partnerships, and, most importantly, the strategies responsible for Apple’s growth to such heights.   Moving forward, let’s go through Apple’s expertise in various sections.

However, before we move forward, here is a small intro about Apple.

On Friday, June 30, 2023, Apple became the first company in history to reach a $3 trillion market valuation. It stays ahead by half a trillion dollars from the second most-valued company on the planet- Microsoft. Apple is now the most profitable technology corporation in the world. 

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple on the 1st of April 1976, bringing creativity to the table through their rendition of a personal computer. Apple is one of the world’s most popular and recognized labels. The company has experienced unparalleled revenue growth, from just $8 billion in 2004 to over $274B last year . This is more when compared to other technology giants out there today, such as Google ($181B) and Microsoft ($143B).

Apple’s growth could primarily be attributed to its business strategy. By combining its designing capabilities, hardware expertise, software prowess, and strategic acquisitions , the company has built an ecosystem that a user doesn’t want to leave. 

Vertical integration is another main reason that distinguishes Apple from the competition. It has reaped enormous benefits from the vertical model. It has always built, controlled, and manufactured all of its hardware and software. This inherent benefit assists the corporation in achieving a higher degree of synergy between its hardware and applications. Even the apps are tightly controlled to follow Apple policies. The company also increased its spending on the cost of sales and product R&D to $26,251 billion, which was less than 18% of its total expenditure.

“We have fierce competition at the developer side and the customer side. It’s so competitive, I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.

Apple’s business strategy consists of the following four elements:

• Focus on product design and functionality
• Strengthening Apple’s ecosystem
• Improving consumer service experience
• Reducing the business’s reliance on iPhone sales

As for the product and service categories, Apple Inc. includes iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories, and Services like iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Maps, etc.

This study explores Apple’s business strategy that will help you acquire some basic principles that could be applied to any kind of business, even yours. So, if you’d like the entire analysis in PDF form that you can download and save for later reading (or sharing with your friends), just fill out the form below, and we’ll deliver it right to your inbox.

Now, let’s dive deep into the reasons behind Apple’s success.

Table of Contents

History of Apple

These products and strategies helped apple win before the launch of the iphone..

While the iMac sparked Apple’s rebirth in 1998, the introduction of the iPod in Oct 2001 sent the company to the top of the world’s most valuable companies list. 

“With the iPod, Apple has invented a whole new category of digital music player that lets you put your entire music collection in your pocket and listen to it wherever you go,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.” We all know digital music players used to exist before the iPod, but as we know, Apple’s marketing is phenomenal at positioning its products.

The iPod was introduced as a part of Apple’s digital hub strategy . The iPod had unparalleled marketing and promotional exposure. Apple introduced a new kind of digital music player with the iPod, allowing users to carry their complete music library in their pocket and listen to it on the move.  

The device’s original edition was released with 5GB and 10GB capacities , beginning at just under £300. The iPod was a spectacular success, increasing Apple’s overall revenue from $1.9 billion in Q1 of 2000 to $3.2 billion in the same quarter of 2001. 

After dropping the price of the 5GB iPod to $299 in July 2002 and expanding compatibility to Windows, the iPod became the best-selling digital music player in history until smartphones came along. 

By 2004, it had established a strong market leadership position in the worldwide digital music player sector. Apple spent a lot of money advertising the iPod . The advertising, which featured shadows dancing to the rhythms of their iPods, could be found in print, on television, and on billboards. In a relatively short period, Apple established an iconic image for the iPod that drew both young and old people. The iPod period, which began in 2001, ended in 2014.   

With the introduction of iTunes in 2001, Apple opened up a vast new market sector in digital music, which it has now controlled for more than a decade. Customers worldwide flocked to iTunes because of the incredible value it provided, and music companies and artists benefited as well. Furthermore, Apple safeguarded recording companies by developing copyright protection that was not inconvenient for customers. While the company has dominated this blue ocean for more than a decade, as new online businesses entered the market, the issue for Apple has been to maintain its sights on the expanding mainstream market rather than competitive benchmarking or high-end niche marketing.

As iTunes’ success developed, so did its content offerings – one of the most important aspects of Apple’s digital domination was how it adapted what it learned from selling music to TV shows, movies, and, eventually, applications. The company created and employed a distribution strategy as well as a usage model to continue adding media to the three prongs of its ecosystem.  

Steve Jobs introduced the initial 15-inch MacBook Pro , Apple’s thinnest, quickest, and lightest notebook to date, in 2006. The MacBook was a tremendous hit with buyers, and it was one of the reasons that Mac sales were rising three times faster than PC sales.

The Apple TV , which debuted in March 2007, was praised for its attractive interface, painless setup, and overall ease of use – all of which marked a significant shift from prior network-based home entertainment systems. Almost a year later, the hardware remained the same, but a free software upgrade essentially gave the device a makeover. Apple subsequently reduced the price of the 40GB model to $229, while the 160GB model was reduced to $329. 

Apple’s award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, and professional apps continued to set the industry standard for innovation. It was also at the forefront of the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, as well as its innovative iPhone entry into the mobile phone industry. 

In 2007, Apple entered the mobile market with the iPhone , which was widely praised for its unique design, touch-screen capabilities, and lack of a conventional keyboard.  

Apple Market Cap as of June 2023 – source

Apple’s Product Strategies After the Launch of the iPhone

After the launch of the first-generation iPhone, the company’s product strategy was very clear, i.e., ‘ Design a high-end smartphone in which the user experience is more important than making a slew of features available.’  

The iPhone was not the first smartphone to have a mobile Web, email, and touch-screen user interface, but it was intended to have a better experience than most smartphones. Another strategy was to have superior technology, which included the mobile operating system and the thousands of mobile applications available via the App Store. 

Before the launch of the iPhone, the annual revenue of Apple — in the year 2006 — was $19.3 billion, which increased to $24.4 billion in 2007 and $37.4 billion in 2008. And since 2008, iPhones have been Apple’s main source of revenue.

The launch became one of the most anticipated technological product launches in Apple’s history, owing to the company’s masterful media build-up. After the launch of the iPhone on January 9, 2007, the share price of Apple’s stock boosted and doubled to a value of $179.40 on January 9, 2008. The iPhone was described as a mix between its iconic iPod music player and a mobile phone programmed to browse the Internet.

Apple Inc. used the strong reputation of the Apple brand and the success of the iPod to penetrate the competitive cell phone market, a move that may have posed a possible challenge to the company as other firms launched smartphones with strong music storage and playback capabilities.

During the iPhone’s two-year growth phase, Jobs launched a campaign to secure a wireless company as the iPhone’s exclusive carrier. Customers who purchased an iPhone were forced to sign a two-year wireless deal with AT&T Inc. to make calls or access the phone’s other capabilities. Apple had even struck agreements with Viacom, Disney, Google, and Yahoo, all of which were carefully chosen to add internet applications to the iPhone.

Apple chose a promotion and delivery policy in European countries that were similar to its strategy in the United States. In France, it offered France Telecom’s smartphone affiliate, Orange, to be the sole carrier. Even in the United Kingdom, Telefonica’s telecom division, O2, was chosen as the sole cellular provider for iPhone customers with a two-year contract.

Apple developed a clear overall marketing strategy for the iPhone and successfully managed every aspect of the iPhone’s launch. Despite some shortcomings and pitfalls, the company was able to create a one-of-a-kind package for tech-savvy buyers interested in a hybrid mobile phone-music player and make those customers aware of the device through well-managed marketing campaigns and positive advertising. Both of these efforts significantly increased Apple’s stock price and solidified its status as a pioneer in consumer electronic gadgetry.

After the launch of the iPhone, the company adopted the strategy of patenting everything it does. The vigorous patenting helped shield Apple from competitors working on related technologies. It also provided Apple with a legal arm for the future. 

One of Apple’s attorneys explained, “We basically tried to patent everything … And we tried to patent it as many different ways as we could, even the stuff we weren’t 100% sure would go in a product.”  

Apple, too, has been chasing and implementing its design patents, endangering the whole technology industry. It has adopted a policy of patenting any tiny recognizable bit of its merchandise, including design patents, which protect a product’s ornamental appearance rather than its usable components. 

Presently, out of the total revenue of Apple Inc., the maximum revenue is generated from the sales of the iPhone. The iPhone sales continue to be the most significant contributor to their total revenue, routinely averaging over 50%! We’ll discuss their annual revenue breakdown further down in this article.

Now that we have covered the strategic aspects, let’s examine the company’s financial information, growth and revenue numbers for the last few years, and projected growth going forward.  

What does Apple’s Financial Growth look like?

Growth projection and market-related factors.

Under a realistic growth profile, Apple’s revenue is expected to grow by 9.66% over 10 years. Capital expenditures are estimated to be valued at $11 billion from 2024 to 2026 and $9 billion from 2027 to 2031. Also, over the 10-year forecast period, Apple’s earnings per share (EPS) are expected to increase by 10.68% . 

Apple’s growth would continue over the next 10 years, and while substantial risks do exist, early warnings and evaluations may efficiently monitor them. 

The following are some of the market-related factors that influence Apple’s growth projections:

• Due to increased demand, the Mac and iPad will flourish in the coming decade.
• High customer satisfaction scores with Apple’s products, 82/100 (2020 survey by MBLM).
• The App Store gives several benefits to users, such as privacy, curated quality applications, protection from malware and malicious scams, etc.
• Home and Accessories, Wearables, and Services provide opportunities for several decades.
• The future launch of new products, namely the Apple Car, AR/VR headset, and AR smart glasses.
• Increased anticipation for future iPhone models.

Revenue of the Last 5 Years (in $ Billion)

Apple’s annual revenue in fiscal year 2022 was $394.32 Billion, an 8% growth over the previous year. It’s less impressive than the 33% jump from 2020 to 2021, but it’s a positive trend nonetheless. Here’s the breakdown of Apple’s revenue in the last five years across its most notable business lines.

Apple’s iPhone sales revenue grew by 7% from 2021 and approximately 40% compared to 2020. Mac and services, like Apple Music and Apple TV, saw higher growth in 2021-2022, up nearly 14% year-over-year. 

Between September 2021 and 2022, iPhone sales accounted for 52% of the company’s total revenue! The 3-year revenue breakdown below provides more details .

Revenue Breakdown (Section-Wise) of the Last 3 Years

The last three annual reports of Apple suggest that the iPhone category had the highest revenue amongst all the categories of Apple. The breakdown of revenue for the last 3 years is listed below:  

• Apple currently has 2 billion active devices globally.
• Apple’s net expenditures in 2022 were $295.5 billion, leaving them a hefty $99.8 billion profit.
• The company’s new iPhone models released during the fourth quarter of 2021 were a massive success.
• Mac sales netted approximately $5 billion more than fiscal year 2021. Their new Mac Studio with the Apple M1 Max chip may have attracted people looking for powerful desk workstation upgrades.
• iPad Pro sales decreased from 2021 to 2022, leading to a relatively small reduction in revenue. This is likely because no other iPad lineup was noticeably refreshed during this period with notable features, except for integrating the M1 chip. In addition, Apple had said during this period that it had faced supply issues with the ‌iPad‌, which may have impacted sales.

The corporation has been vigorously investing in research and development to ensure an increased revenue stream. Let’s now look at Apple’s R&D strategy and the tech areas in which the company is increasingly investing.  

What does Apple’s R&D investment strategy look like?

The tech giant has vigorously invested in research and development to ensure an increased revenue stream. We observed that Apple continuously increases its R&D budget each year, with 2022 closing in at $26.2 billion, increasing by about $4 billion from 2021.

How much has Apple invested in R&D in the Past 3 Years (in $ Billion)?

• In 2020, several patents revealed that Apple focuses on wearables, fitness, and health innovations. Various wearable patents indicated that the company could target AirPods with biometric sensors, Apple Watch with UV tracking, motion recognition for AR/VR applications, machine learning experiments to allow autonomous driving, and incorporation of various existing devices with a vehicle.
• In 2021, they launched several noteworthy products. Perhaps the most disruptive of them was AirTag. These item trackers have quickly become so popular that Apple sold 20 million units within eight months of launch! Now, analysts claim Apple is projected to sell 55 million AirTags by the end of this year.
• In 2022, they introduced the Apple Watch Ultra to their product line. It’s their flagship wearable device with several top-tier features like a titanium build, two times brighter display, and a dual-frequency GPS system, among other things. Driven by this model, the Apple Watch accounted for 34.1% of total smartwatch shipments in 2022 and 60% of the revenue for the global market.

Which Tech Areas is Apple focusing its R&D on?

Apple Inc. had invested in further expanding  its research and development centers globally. The company had invested over half a billion dollars in research development centers in China alone. The company also concentrated on R&D centers in the United Kingdom, owing to their increasing emphasis on creating unique innovations to underpin its product designs, including A-series processors, W-series wireless chips, unique manufacturing, materials experience, speech recognition, machine intelligence, and many more.

These are the key areas where the company focuses its innovation efforts the most.  

Apple invests heavily in developing new hardware for its products. Their most recent and notable advancement has been with their M-series processors for computers to supplement their excellent A-series mobile chips. These have smashed benchmarks worldwide, delivering chart-topping performance and power efficiencies never seen before. They make some of the best pro-grade displays , too.

Apple’s software development efforts include creating new operating systems for their products, new applications, and services. All their software products are designed and optimized for their ecosystem, allowing seamless inter-device connectivity. This interconnected approach to innovation can be seen throughout their designs, like on this expansive 358-page patent they filed for the first iPhone’s multi-touch capability .

Artificial Intelligence

Apple also invests in artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve its products and services. They’ve made numerous acquisitions to enhance their in-house AI capabilities, which we will discuss further in this article. Their advanced machine learning algorithms enable many features, ranging from FaceID’s fundamental security to fun AR Animojis on Facetime calls.

Healthcare Technology

Apple has been expanding its focus on healthcare , developing health-related features for its devices, such as the Apple Watch. Alongside regular customers, Apple wishes to be the go-to choice among doctors and healthcare professionals as well. They’ve partnered with healthcare providers like Geisinger and Ochsner to provide a seamless way for doctors and patients to connect. Their CEO, Tim Cook, has often made it clear that healthcare is one of Apple’s top priorities as a business sector.

Augmented/Virtual Reality

Spatial computing is one of Apple’s lesser-known yet rapidly developing departments. Our research suggests that Apple has been working on an AR and VR-capable wearable device for nearly 16 years!

“The products that are in R&D, there is quite a bit of investment in there for products and services that are not currently shipping or derivations of what is currently shipping…You can look at the growth rate and conclude that there’s a lot of stuff that we’re doing beyond the current products.”   – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.

Which Core Innovation Areas Is Apple Majorly Focusing on?

For the tenth year in a row, Forbes magazine ranked the company as the most valuable brand in the world in 2020. Apple took second place in 2023, around $2 billion shy of Amazon in brand value. Nonetheless, Apple has risen to become the world’s largest company by market capitalization, not by attempting to become the largest smartphone provider but by becoming the most beloved. Apple, more than any other tech company, has always prioritized the end-user experience over anything else, not just the speed, storage capacity, or other technical specifications of its products.

Apple’s innovations are often incremental, with the company adapting its design expertise to the most recent consumer tech trends . Apple did not invent the MP3 player or the smartphone, but it went on to dominate both devices by emphasizing design, user experience, and brand cachet. The company has aggressively increased the domains where the Apple experience is part of daily life during the last ten years. 

Apple guarantees that the universe of Apple-mediated behaviors continues to grow by encouraging app developers while strictly enforcing rules. By reinventing product form factor and function, from computing in a user’s pocket to managing home electronics to reminding the calorie count or parking spot — all of these experiences are connected, integrated, and packaged in a single accessible ecosystem of complimentary items. 

Moreover, Apple has focused on innovation outside the core by developing the infrastructure required to support this ecosystem safely and frictionlessly (Apple Pay secure payments or biometric facial recognition since the iPhone X). 

We have mentioned before that Apple vigorously patented everything it did. After looking at the wide array of domains on which Apple works, it becomes important to examine the kind of patent portfolio Apple has accumulated over the years. 

What does Apple Patent Portfolio look like?

A company’s patent portfolio provides us with another set of lenses to find the core areas it has been focusing on for quite some time and what it plans to launch next. Let’s take a deep dive. 

Source: Insights;Gate by GreyB

With 72000+ patents (24000+ patent families) in its entire portfolio, Apple is one of the top patent filing companies in the world. It has more than 55000 patents that are still active. 

Looking at the filing trend, you can see the year 2007 saw a sharp increase. It was the same year they launched the iPhone. One can conclude that the iPhone is one of the reasons Apple invested heavily in securing its technologies. 

The Apple vs Samsung lawsuit is still one of the largest patent infringement lawsuits that happened in the tech industry. And that further pushed the consumer electronic gadgetry pioneer to invest more in patents. (See the growth in 2012)

One of the reasons for this growth is Apple’s consideration to secure its tech in more countries. As Apple is gaining more and more global markets, it is securing its patents in more and more jurisdictions. 

The US is the home market for Apple, so, naturally, the company has the most patents in the US. China is a crucial market for smartphone makers now more than ever. China has become more patent aware thus most of the big companies are trying to secure more and more technologies/patents in the country. Apple being one of the biggest technology companies, it makes sense that it has secured thousands of patents in China. 

The huge portfolio of Apple is categorized into 16 different technologies that the company uses for its products/services or future products. 

As a smartphone manufacturer, Apple researches heavily in the Telecom sector, which is also crucial for companies, especially when 5G is on the doorstep. 

Another interesting figure is of Apple’s design patents. The company focuses greatly on the design part, and the patent count is proof of how valuable product designs are for Apple. 

Apple has stopped working on its Autonomous Vehicle , but in the AR/VR space, we had a long-awaited announcement in June 2023—their Vision Pro headset. We’ll discuss this in more detail in the upcoming sections.

Further, Apple also has researched AI-assistant, which you can learn about here .

Moving forward, let’s go through Apple’s expertise in various sections.

What are the products and services responsible for Apple’s growth?

Design and functionality.

Apple’s competitive advantages include software control, hardware control, retail strategy, product differentiation, and, most importantly, Steve Jobs’ strategic decision-making. Since its foundation, the company has introduced simple-to-use computers to the market so that people would not face any issues while using Apple goods. Apple used both horizontal and vertical integration. It depended on its designs and refused to let third-party access to its hardware. Apple employed superior software, which aided it in increasing its market share. The company also provided a comprehensive desktop solution with hardware, software, and other components. Apple has always used typical designs for its products. 

Apple has over 4,000 design patents in its portfolio, which is a big number.

Consumer Electronics

Apple Inc., a computing and consumer electronics giant, is one of the world’s most recognizable and famous brands, with hundreds of its retail shops. A globally leading consumer electronics developer with key products including the iPhone, which runs Apple’s IOS operating system, personal computers (Macs), and tablet computers (iPads), all of which utilize Apple’s exclusive operating systems. Other notable products include the Apple Watch, AirPod, Homepod smart speakers, Apple TV streaming device, Beats headphones, and iPod Touch music player.

The company’s product strategy results in extremely high-quality products. It’s known as the “great product” strategy. 

Apple refuses to join the bandwagon other gadget makers employ by maintaining high-quality standards. The “great product” strategy emphasizes quality over quantity as well. 

While other manufacturers’ strategies include releasing items one after the other quickly and having such a diverse product mix, Apple opted to stick to what it does well.  

Smartphones (iPhones)

Since 2008, the iPhone has been Apple’s most valuable product and its primary source of income. Although Apple has expanded its product range with the Watch, AirPods, and services, the iPhone still accounts for 50% of its income. The company’s extensive relations with China, particularly in the manufacturing sector, are one of the key bear arguments. 

Most of Apple’s products are manufactured in China. While Apple has been expanding production into other countries, recent estimates suggest that 95% of the total iPhone supply still comes from China. Apple also has manufacturing facilities and assembly lines in other countries, such as the United States, Ireland, and Brazil.

Three of the company’s aforementioned contract partners, all of whom are situated in Taiwan, made relocation news in the summer of 2020:

• Foxconn began producing the iPhone 11 in India in July 2020 and had invested $1 billion in the nation.
• Pegatron established a subsidiary in India. 

The demographic of iPhone users changes a little each year. Here are some of the latest statistics on iPhone users:

• 51% of iPhone users are female, while males make up the remaining 49%
• The  16 – 34 age group has the highest number of iPhone users
• 35% of iPhone owners also have an Apple Watch
• The  average income  of iPhone users in the US is  85,000 USD

Its main competitors in the worldwide smartphone industry are Samsung and Huawei, with the business following the other two with a share of 13.5 % in the most recent quarter. 

In the second quarter of 2023, Apple’s global market share for the iPhone was 17%, while Samsung’s, Xiaomi’s, and Oppo’s market shares were 20%, 12%, and 10%, respectively. The company sold 845.3 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2023, while Samsung sold 53.5 million handsets. Xiaomi and Oppo, respectively, sold 33.2 million and 28 million units.

Apple’s iPhone is the market leader due to excellent hardware and software integration and control over both sides of the equation. Any Android app will lag in terms of speed and performance when compared to an iPhone app.

In 2021, Apple spent an additional $45 million on Corning, which manufactures the glass used in the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. In May 2021, the company announced a $410 million grant to II-VI, which develops the technology for the iPhone’s Face ID and Portrait mode. 

With over 1 billion iPhones in use, Apple is the doorway to the most valuable clients in the mobile industry. In 2021, Apple has updated its iPhone software and allows consumers to choose whether they want to be followed for targeted adverts. 

Even though both iOS and Android have millions of apps in their app stores, developers still prefer the iPhone as the launch platform of choice for the latest new apps. Mario Run, for example, was released for iOS in December 2016 and Android in March 2017. Instagram for Android was released two years later for the iPhone.

The iPhone 15 lineup in 2023 builds upon the foundations set by the 14 series with additional features like USB-C replacing the lightning port, the dynamic island-inspired design on the 15 and 15 Plus, and the newer A17 Pro chip on the “Pro” models. Apple says the A17 Pro is the industry’s first chip to feature a 3-nanometer fabrication process.

And thankfully, the rumors about the USB ports being locked behind the MFi authentication layer were false. 

Smart Speakers (HomePod)

HomePod has experienced limited success in the Smart Speakers market. Apple trailed Amazon and Google in terms of unit sales . However , the release of the HomePod Mini has made significant advances, enabling Apple to double its share in the smart speaker market in 2021. According to survey results from Statista Consumer Insights, Amazon remains the clear market leader in the smart speaker segment in the United States. Apple took third place among the global smart speaker sellers as of Q1 2022.

Apple’s HomePod is the best-sounding wireless smart speaker today, and it can be operated by speech using the in-house virtual assistant, Siri. However, the HomePod is only worth considering if the owner possesses an iPhone and subscribes to Apple Music. In March 2021, Apple announced the discontinuation of the original Homepod after 4 years and indicated its focus on the mini Homepod it released last year.

Laptop & PC (MacBook and Mac)

Despite Apple’s shift in priority from PC to mobile, the Mac has remained a key component of the company’s product lineup. The company has maintained a core group of devices throughout the decade: the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, and iMac. Even after modifications and new models, its core has remained popular among many professional clients. 

In 2022, Apple had a 9.8% market share, following market leaders Lenovo, which had a 24.1% market share, HP Inc., which had a 19.4% market share, and Dell, which had a 17.5% market share.

When a customer purchases a Mac, that purchase is a philosophy as much as it is a piece of computer technology. The hardware and software are produced by the same corporation, and the laptops share an aesthetic sensibility with Apple phones and tablets. 

Macs are popular among music producers due to Apple’s high-end Logic Pro software and the user-friendly GarageBand program, both of which are free. Apple acquired Emagic, a music production software, on July 1, 2002, for $30 million as the foundation for these two apps.

In addition, other Apple-exclusive media software like Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator could convince photo and video editors to switch to Mac OS.

Apple Watch

Since its debut in 2015, Apple Watch has dominated the smartwatch industry, with a market share of 40% in Q4 2020 . 

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple Watch shipments increased by 19% between 2019 and 2020, reaching 33.9 million units in 2020. In Q4 2020, Apple Watch Series 6 and SE delivered 12.9 million devices. Further, markets such as India saw strong demand for Apple Watch Series 3 and 6 in 2020, with a growth of 144.3% in overall Apple wearable devices shipments. 

Apple dominated the market in 2022 with a 30% share, followed by Samsung at 10.1% and Huawei at 6.9%, among others.

The same trends are also reflected in  Q1 of 2023  when Apple is leading the market with a 26% share, and Samsung has a 9% share.

The Apple Watch is the greatest smartwatch on any platform in terms of appearance, message handling, activity tracking, app choices, and battery life. It is also water resistant to 50 meters, making it ideal for swimming and surfing. The Sleep app monitors the user’s sleeping habits and assists in creating a plan and bedtime routine to accomplish sleep goals. Apple is, in fact, making strides in the Healthcare sector with its Apple Watch.

Read Now: Apple in Healthcare: Top MedTech Acquisitions and How Can You Gain an Edge over it?

AirPod and AirPod Max

Apple’s AirPods have grown into a significant business for the company, with 114 million sold by 2020. A commodity that many saw as an expensive accessory has become common, with nearly every phone maker selling their own ‘hearable’ to compete with Apple. Apple was ahead of the pack in Q2 of 2022, holding 27.8% of the total market share. Samsung and Xiaomi followed up with 9.3% and 5.3% respectively.

Further, Apple released AirPod Max, Bluetooth over-ear headphones, in Dec 2020 with a price tag of $549. While Analysts estimated that AirPod Max won’t boost Apple sales because of a niche market, some expect that it could boost AirPod sales because of Apple’s Goldilocks strategy.

Cybart forecasts that Apple’s wearables segment, including the Watch, AirPods, and select Beats headphones, will generate $30 billion in revenue by 2021.

The five reasons why Apple built a strong wearables business are mentioned below:

• Early adopter: One of Apple’s guiding principles is to make technology more personal, and it began investing in wearables, including its silicon processors, in the early 2010s.
• Other corporations gambled on voice: Because few Large Tech businesses had Apple’s hardware competence, they bet big on voice (example: Amazon’s Echo) as the future computing paradigm. It appeared to be a bad gamble.
• Design expertise: People must desire to wear wearables, which requires design skills. Apple has a track record (and aptitude) for designing devices that consumers want to show off as much for its aesthetic as it does for its computational capabilities.
• Advantage of the supply chain: Wearable technology is built on top of smartphone components. Apple has capitalized on lessons learned and partnerships formed during the iPhone production process.
• Advantage of the ecosystem: Apple’s entry-level AirPods and Watch were around $200. Because the wearables effectively share computational power with the iPhone, it achieved these pricing thresholds.

According to Cybart, Apple’s wearables segment will likely reach $50 billion in the following year if present trends continue. 

Apple Silicon (Chipsets, Processors)

Apple announced that it would switch from Intel chipsets to its own Apple Silicon processors based on ARM in 2020. In keeping with this, the business released a new M1 processor and three products powered by it—the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini. A survey from market analysis firm TrendForce suggested that M1-powered Mac machines represented around 0.8% of overall laptop sales in 2020, months after the products became available for purchase. 

In terms of operating systems, Windows was the global leader in the laptop industry. However, due to the strong expansion of Chromebooks in 2020, Windows’ market share would fall below 80% for the first time in history. Windows is unlikely to regain lost market share immediately since its fall is predicted to continue. TrendForce predicts that the market shares of Windows, Chrome OS, and macOS will each settle at around 70-75%, 20-15%, and less than 10%, respectively. 

In 2020, Apple is anticipated to launch the first MacBook to utilize its silicon processor rather than Intel’s, allowing all its key product lines to run on the same architecture.

When considering Apple’s most notable purchases, two stand out:

• In 1997, NeXT Software was purchased for $404 million. The acquisition of Steve Jobs’ post-Apple venture, which featured the forerunner to iOS, returned Jobs to the firm he created.
• Beats for $3 billion in 2014: Apple’s largest acquisition was Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine’s headphone firm, which laid the framework for Apple Music.
• However, a third (and extremely significant) transaction set Apple’s mobile product roadmap: the $278 million acquisition of P.A. Semi in 2008.

According to tech analyst Ben Thompson, P.A., Semi gained the expertise and intellectual property (IP) “that would underpin (Apple’s) A-series of processors, which have powered every iPad and iPhone since 2010.” 

Apple introduced the Apple TV in March 2007. Much to everyone’s surprise, it was not an actual TV set but rather a box to offer services using the software. It was praised for its attractive interface, painless setup, and overall ease of use—all of which marked a significant shift from prior network-based home entertainment systems. 

The hardware remained the same almost a year later, but a free software upgrade essentially gave the device a makeover. Apple subsequently reduced the price of the 40GB model to $229, while the 160GB model was reduced to $329.

People still wonder why Apple never made an actual TV like Samsung or Sony. Even with enough expertise, there are multiple reasons why Apple didn’t enter the TV manufacturing business.

First, this industry’s margin is very thin, and Apple always focuses on making profits. Second, unlike smartphones or other consumer electronics, there isn’t much design to make it unique. You can find many identical TV designs from different companies. Third, Apple can provide a good user experience through its software, so it went for a box to provide better UX in any TV. 

Source: Apple

The box design remained the same throughout the years, but they made multiple changes to its remote. 

The iPod was one of Apple’s most successful products. It was a small device that let users listen to music on the go. However, it is now 2021, and despite having Apple Music on iPhones and even being accessible on Android and even smart TVs, Apple continues to offer the iPod Touch . One of the main reasons is that it is not an iPhone and is suitable for children. 

Further, iPod Touch uses iOS with the same inbuilt software. It’s basically an iPhone without cellular network connectivity. The user can play games, surf the internet using Wi-Fi, and can send messages using a web browser. 

Apple’s tactic is to prime iPod users to become iPhone users when they buy a smartphone. After using the iPod for two or three years, most users would want to choose an iPhone over other smartphone brands.

The iPod is part of the Apple ecosystem, which helps users stay in it even when they want to upgrade a device. 

AirTag, a compact and elegantly designed device that helps keep track of and find the stuff that matters most with Apple’s Find My app, was announced in April 2021 . AirTag, whether connected to a handbag, keys, backpack, or other objects, connects to the enormous, worldwide Find My network and can assist in recovering a misplaced item, keeping location data private and anonymous using end-to-end encryption. 

“We’re excited to bring this incredible new capability to iPhone users with the introduction of AirTag, leveraging the vast Find My network, to help them keep track of and find the important items in their lives.” – Kaiann Drance, Vice President of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing of Apple

Dongles link headphones to charging connections, computers to TVs or card readers, etc. Dongles are a major business nowadays since it’s difficult to conduct many routine computer chores without them. This is owing, in large part, to Apple, which, in 2016, eliminated the headphone jack from the iPhone range and shifted nearly completely to USB-C connectors on its Macs. The newest iPhone isn’t the only Apple gadget that requires an array of dongles to function properly. 

A dongle is necessary to connect a MacBook Air to an Ethernet wire. A dongle is also required if the user wants to add a second screen to the computer or import images from an SD card. A USB to USB-C adaptor is required even if users put a flash drive directly into the MacBook. 

This causes users to accept the dongle as an integral part of their lives, allowing Apple to establish a sizable market for dongles. Apple, Belkin, and other accessory firms have established a massive market for these dongles, which Facts and Factors estimates will be worth more than $25 billion by 2027.

It is unknown how much Apple’s revenue is from Dongles, but considering the user base’s preferences and Apple’s dongle prices, it could be more than a billion dollars. 

Now, let’s move on to the core of all these products- Software.

For over four decades, Apple has been a Silicon Valley trendsetter. Apple’s competitors have widely imitated the Apple II, Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Apple’s success may be attributed in large part to the company’s obsessive attention to the user experience. The iPod first debuted in 2001, followed by the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. Consequently, Apple earned about $40 billion in earnings in its fiscal year 2014. Apple is a design-focused corporation that prefers to create all aspects of a product — hardware, software, and internet services — in-house. 

Apple II computers were sold until 1993 when they were phased out in favor of Macintosh computers. Around 5 million Apple II computers were sold in total. The first Macintosh had significant limits. However, later versions were more powerful. In 1987, Apple introduced color to the Macintosh with the Macintosh II. The groundbreaking graphical interface of the Mac immediately drew several imitators. Apple debuted the iPod music player in 2001. More crucially, the iPod was compatible with iTunes, Apple’s jukebox software for the Mac, making it simple for users to transfer music from CDs to their iPods. Apple, too, capitalized on the iPhone’s popularity in 2010 by releasing the iPad, a tablet computer built on the same software. 

Operating Systems

Both Mac OS X and iOS originated from Darwin, an older Apple operating system based on BSD UNIX. iOS is a proprietary mobile operating system owned by Apple that can only be loaded on Apple devices. 

Apple’s iOS is a closed ecosystem, which implies that Apple creates both the operating system and the hardware, and no other corporation utilizes either of them to integrate with their services. It gives Apple an advantage over Android regarding hardware and software synchronization. In the case of Android, however, the hardware is manufactured by companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek (rather than Google), and the manufacturers create their own flavor that runs on top of Android. In addition, Apple allows users to offer 3D touch inputs with mini menu selections. The iOS devices are set up to detect pressure sensitivity on the screen and allow various input choices based on it. 

As of July 2023, Android occupies 70.9% of the mobile OS market, followed by Apple’s iOS at 28.36%.

The Mac OS was released in 1984 to power Apple’s Macintosh series of personal computers (PCs). The Macintosh heralded the age of graphical user interface (GUI) systems, inspiring Microsoft Corporation to create its own GUI, the Windows operating system.  

The interface is the most noticeable difference between the Windows and Mac operating systems. MacOS is perceived to be more basic, streamlined, and elegant, but Windows is considered to be more sophisticated and feature-rich, with more customization choices. 

The design styles for Mac and PC are vastly different. Whereas macOS has smooth edges and a consistent application across all apps, Windows has jagged edges and a UI that frequently changes across programs. As Apple has complete control over hardware and software, new security enhancements can be implemented on macOS. Similarly, Apple has a simple and comprehensive AppleCare service in place to assist consumers with any hardware issues. Newer Apple products have Touch ID functionality by default for system access, further protecting devices from fraudulent logins. 

Microsoft Windows had a  77.74% market share  for desktop operating systems (OS) as of July 2020. Apple’s macOS has grown in popularity over the years but is still a minor player in the desktop OS industry. Linux, the third most popular OS , has a tiny but constant market share. As of May 2021, OS X had a market share of 15.87% , while Windows had a market share of 73.54%, and Linux had a market share of 2.38%.

The WatchOS app experience differs from app experiences on other platforms in several ways. For example, because the Apple Watch is meant to be worn, the UI is tailored to wearers and provides a lightweight, responsive, and highly personalized experience. People commonly utilize the related experiences of a WatchOS app such as Apple complications, notifications, and Siri interactions — more than they use the app itself. 

The latest WatchOS 9 update reflects Apple’s goals in healthcare and personalization. Users can now see more information about their workouts on the screen. Turning the Digital Crown reveals metrics like Activity rings, Heart Rate Zones, Power, and Elevation. 

In healthcare, Apple has been at work for years, acquiring medtech startups and using its patented technology to strengthen its WatchOS ecosystem. For instance, most of the sleep-tracking technology on Apple Watch likely came from startups like Beddit, which Apple acquired in 2017. Through the acquisition, Apple also got rights to Beddit’s patents on crucial health features, such as a system for determining sleep quality and applying a pressure sensor .

Read More Here: Apple in Healthcare: top MedTech acquisitions and how can you gain an edge over it?

Apple devices are well-known for linking users to content. This sense of connection is anticipated from Apple TV, although it is not a product that the user can physically grasp or touch. Apple TV is a one-of-a-kind platform with unique specifications . TvOS apps can provide incredible experiences with great visual quality thanks to 4K resolution, Dolby Vision, and HDR10, as well as immersive sound thanks to Dolby Atmos. Furthermore, the Siri Remote provides access to three-axis gyro data, allowing users to build even more immersive gaming and interactive experiences.  

Tizen is the largest TV streaming platform globally among smart TVs in use, with a market share of around 13% as of the end of 2020, followed by LG’s WebOS with 6.4% market shares, Sony PlayStation, Roku TV OS, and Amazon’s Fire OS tied for third place. Apple TvOS had a market share of 2.7% as of 2020. 

Smart TV Streaming Device Market Share Worldwide As Of 2020 (%)

Apple’s machine learning teams are conducting cutting-edge research in machine learning and artificial intelligence . The team employs machine learning to educate their devices to comprehend the environment in the same way that humans do. Apple did a research study to investigate the feasibility of inferring accessibility for mobile apps from their display pixels.

Using a dataset of manually collected and annotated iPhone app screens, they trained a robust, quick, memory-efficient on-device model to recognize UI components. Due to this research, Apple launched the Screen Recognition function, which combines machine learning and computer vision to recognize and present material readable by VoiceOver for apps that would otherwise be inaccessible. 

Even in May 2021, Apple Inc. hired Samy Bengio , a former prominent Google AI scientist. The hiring will lead to the establishment of a new AI research team within Apple, led by John Giannandrea. Bengio pioneered the “deep learning” methods that underpin today’s AI systems for processing photos, audio, and other data types. 

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are now present in almost every aspect of the iPhone.

“I think that Apple has always stood for that intersection of creativity and technology. And I think that when you’re thinking about building smart experiences, having vertical integration, all the way down from the applications, to the frameworks, to the silicon, is really essential… I think it’s a journey, and I think that this is the future of the computing devices that we have, is that they are smart, and that, that smart sort of disappears.”  – John Giannandrea, Senior Vice President for Machine Learning and AI Strategy at Apple

Apple has made a practice of crediting machine learning with boosting specific functions in the iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad, but it seldom goes into much detail. 

Apple has taken a more subtle and astute approach to AI. In its June 2020 announcements for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, Apple hinted at various AI and ML-powered improvements and enhancements.

• The Apple Watch utilizes machine learning to identify motions and detect sleep. Users only need to wear the Apple Watch to bed, and it will track their sleep.
• The new handwashing functionality on the Apple Watch, which utilizes AI to detect when one is scrubbing the mitts and starts a countdown, is one of the greatest examples of Apple’s approach.
• One of the features in iOS that allow the iPhone to listen for things like doorbells, sirens, dogs barking, or babies crying is sound alerts. AI excels at picture recognition tasks, and recognizing both Chinese and English characters is an accurate model. 
• Apple HomeKit, a smart home solution, allows customers to use their smartphones to control and interact with connected gadgets. Users can utilize the HomeKit framework to provide a means for users to configure accessories and define actions to control them. Users may even bundle actions together and use Siri to initiate them.
• In iOS 14, Apple included a translation app. The app’s purpose is to provide translations from one language to another. Because of the inbuilt on-device machine learning, the Translate app works offline. The program includes various beneficial features while learning a new language and seeking to communicate with someone who speaks an anonymous language.
• Handwriting recognition is a difficult challenge for AI because the more natural a task is for humans, the more difficult it is for AI. In the most recent iPadOS update, when users draw anything with the Apple Pencil, the iPad can recognize their handwriting and, using Scribble, transform it into written text. It works in the same way that most machine learning does.

Artificial intelligence and its subset, machine learning, are being employed to improve the user experience in various Apple gadgets.

Comparison with Google, Amazon, Microsoft

Google paid $400 million for a DeepMind startup in 2014. This company provides various AI-powered solutions, ranging from picture and speech recognition to human simulation in video games. Google employs AI in various mundane tasks, including Gmail reply suggestions and sophisticated search algorithms. In addition, the business just released TensorFlow, a machine learning technology that is open to use by any developer. 

Google also has Google Assistant, which assists users in doing daily chores more effectively and timely. It is supported by a wide range of devices (Sonos speakers, Samsung smart TVs, and Philips Hue) and is one of the most extensively used AI solutions today. Duplex is an AI-powered voice that assists users in scheduling business appointments using Google Assistant. The most recent PAIR initiative from Google in AI is worth mentioning. PAIR is an acronym that stands for People + AI Research and attempts to make working with AI as pleasurable and helpful as possible.

When consumers think about Amazon in AI, the first thing that comes to mind is Alexa. This is another virtual assistant that can set alarms, send alerts, and communicate by speech and is supported by Amazon Echo Dot speakers. 

Amazon has lately launched the Alexa Shopping functionality. Customers may now use Alexa to place orders on Amazon. The assistant may add things to the basket, delete them, track their progress, and alert customers when they are delivered. Voice shopping reached $40 million by 2020; Amazon made a very smart move.

Microsoft Research AI is a Microsoft-founded organization dedicated to AI research and development. Since the corporation currently uses AI in its processes (Skype chatbots, data analysis, interaction with Cortana, and so on), it’s no surprise that it intends to increase its usage. 

In addition, Microsoft has been releasing AI-powered products through its Azure cloud computing service and working on AI integration into Office 365. By 2018, Microsoft had bought five artificial intelligence (AI) technology firms. Its most recent purchase was XOXCO, a software product design and development firm.

Apple has Siri, one of the world’s most popular virtual assistants. Siri was initially developed as an app and released on the Apple app store by Nuance Communications, Inc. in February 2010. Apple acquired it two months later, on April 27, 2010, for approximately $200 million. Siri was then introduced with the launch of iPhone 4S on October 4, 2011. 

It offers face recognition, which is entertaining to experiment with and improves security. Furthermore, Apple employs AI to identify fraud and improve battery usage, appearing to be an equal competitor.

Apple does not spend as heavily on AI as Google or Amazon. Second, it takes a fairly local approach, with its CreateML framework only operating on iOS devices, whereas most businesses train their ML models in the cloud. 

Since 2006, Google has invested over $3.9 billion in AI in disclosed transactions. Several organizations have invested money in acquiring AI startups up until 2018. Some of these businesses are Amazon ($871 M), Apple ($786 M), and Microsoft ($690 M). 

Acquisitions Related to AI

According to a report from GlobalData, Apple acquired around 25 artificial intelligence firms between 2016 to 2020. The various acquisitions that Apple made include: 

• Emotient (Jan 2016)

Emotient, a San Diego business developing artificial intelligence technology that scans facial expressions to determine emotions, was bought by Apple. Apple did not specify the details of the acquisition in the report.

• Flyby Media (Jan 2016)

Apple acquired Flyby Media, an augmented reality business that created technology that lets mobile phones “see” the world around them. Apple has been interested in virtual reality for several years. The purchase occurred shortly after Apple announced the hiring of a prominent AR/VR specialist, Doug Bowman. Apple may have been working on technology that will someday find its way to the iPhone, similar to Google’s Project Tango, which delivers computer vision to mobile devices.

• Gliimpse (August 2016)

Gliimpse, a health data firm, was purchased by Apple for around $200 million. Gliimpse allowed users to import their medical information into a single virtual environment. Apple’s incorporation of Gliimpse into its existing products appeared to be more evident, given that the business has been working on health-related software for some years now. It was simple to see how Gliimpse, with its structured data centered on individuals, would be useful in products such as HealthKit, ResearchKit, and CareKit. Thus opening a gateway for Apple in the healthcare sector .

• Turi (August 2016)

Apple purchased Turi, a machine learning and artificial intelligence business, for more than $200 million. The acquisition is part of Apple’s bigger push into artificial intelligence and machine learning. Apple’s ambitions for Turi’s technology are unknown, but the corporation has been expanding its Siri personal assistant and associated technologies to make a larger push into artificial intelligence.

• Tuplejump (September 2016)

Apple bought Tuplejump, a machine learning team based in India and the United States. The acquisition was motivated by Apple’s interest in FiloDB, an open-source project developed by Tuplejump to quickly apply machine learning ideas and analytics to enormous volumes of complicated data as it came in.

• RealFace (February 2017)

Apple has spent $2 million acquiring the Israeli company RealFace, a cybersecurity and machine learning business focusing on face recognition technologies. RealFace’s software employs exclusive IP in the realm of “frictionless face recognition,” which enables quick learning from facial traits.

• DeskConnect (March 2017)

DeskConnect, the start-up behind Workflow, was acquired by Apple. Workflow is similar to Automator, an Apple utility tool that comes with macOS Sierra but has no iOS counterpart. DeskConnect’s namesake cross-platform file-transfer tool was discontinued last month. Apple’s AirDrop, Handoff, and Universal Clipboard, among other services, were recommended by the firm.

• Lattice Data (May 2017)

Apple invested $200 million in acquiring Lattice Data, an AI firm. By acquiring Lattice Data, Apple was prepared to expand into machine learning and artificial intelligence. Around 20 engineers also joined Apple.

• SensoMotoric Instruments (June 2017)

SensoMotoric Instruments, a German provider of eye-tracking eyewear and systems, was acquired by Apple. SensoMotoric has created eye-tracking technology for virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift, which monitors the wearer’s gaze and aids in reducing motion sickness, a major side effect of VR. Apple revealed a prototype set of “smart glasses” that would link to an iPhone and show the wearer “pictures and other information.”

• Regaind (September 2017)

Regaind, a French firm, was bought by Apple. Regaind had been working on a machine vision API for analyzing photo content. Apple used this technique to improve the Memories tab in the Photos app. iOS builds albums depending on events, location, and other factors. Using Regaind, iOS may search for aesthetically similar photographs, display the best image as cover art, and generate a recap movie with the finest photographs. Apple has integrated Regaind technology with the new Face ID sensor in the iPhone X, for example, to enhance animoji facial expressions.

• Pop Up Archive (December 2017)

Pop Up Archive, an Oakland-based online platform focused on developing tools to transcribe, organize, and search audio recordings, was bought by Apple. Apple, the long-dominating hands-off curator of the podcast world, has bought a technology aimed at boosting the knowability and sortability of the hundreds of thousands of broadcasts delivered via its Apple Podcast platform.

• Spektral (October 2018)

Apple invested over $30 million in Spektral, a computer vision business in Denmark that has worked on segmentation technology. Spektral’s initial application may have been the rather outdated world of school photos and the most prominent contribution Spektral might make to Apple’s photographic industry.

• Asaii (October 2018)

Apple invested less than $100 million in Asaii, a music analytics start-up focused on discovering new and rising musicians. The acquisition comes as Spotify, Apple Songs’s major competitor, expands its reach beyond conventional popular performers and supports unsigned musicians, who may now submit their music straight to the service.

• Silk Labs (November 2018)

Silk Labs, a firm focused on developing on-device machine learning software, had been acquired by Apple. The purchase perfectly fit Apple’s privacy-focused approach to artificial intelligence. Apple followed a similar approach to AI development, distinguishing itself from competitors such as Google, which collects large volumes of user data and analyses it on the cloud.

• PullString (February 2019)

PullString was acquired by Apple for around $30 million. This acquisition is a big indication of Apple’s plan to make Siri creation easier for iOS developers. The acquisition also provides Apple with extensive domain experience in voice app development, voice app designer and developer requirements, and the complexities of both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

• Laserlike (March 2019)

Laserlike, a machine learning start-up, has been bought by Apple. Laserlike uses machine learning to collect massive amounts of data from the web and then give user-specific findings via an eponymous app. The transaction was made for an unknown purpose, according to Apple. Laserlike’s team may be trying to improve Siri’s long-struggling capacity to retrieve relevant information from the web.

• Lighthouse AI (March 2019)

Apple purchased Lighthouse’s patents for AI-powered home security cameras (eight patents and patent applications). Even the Lighthouse’s Co-Founders, along with about 20 employees, had joined Apple. Apple’s current emphasis on AI-driven home security systems is part of a broader tech industry embrace of so-called smart or connected homes, which include many AI-driven and machine-to-machine gadgets.

• Drive.ai (June 2019)

Apple bought Drive.ai in June 2019. Due to the agreement, hundreds of Drive.ai developers joined the tech giant’s top-secret Project Titan. Apple bought the company’s assets, including its self-driving vehicles.

• Spectral Edge (December 2019)

Apple invested an unknown sum in another UK start-up, Spectral Edge, in an apparent move to strengthen the iPhone camera. Spectral Edge created Phusion, a computer photography approach that employs infrared light that is invisible to the human eye to sharpen and restore color in smartphone images.

• Xnor.ai (January 2020)

Apple acquired Xnor.ai, a Seattle business specializing in low-power, edge-based artificial intelligence solutions, for around $200 million. According to the agreement, Xnor’s AI-enabled picture identification technologies might become standard capabilities in future iPhones and cameras.

• Voysis (April 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Voysis, an Irish artificial intelligence firm, in April 2020 for an undisclosed amount. Voysis’ technology, which includes a platform that adds vocal interactions to digital shops, might be used to improve the understanding of what consumers say by Apple’s Siri speech assistant.

• Inductiv Inc. (May 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Inductiv Inc., a machine-learning firm situated in Ontario, Canada. Inductiv created technology that employs artificial intelligence to automate the job of detecting and repairing data problems. This technology will be used by Apple in a variety of products and improve Siri data.

• Subverse Corp.(Scout FM) (September 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Subverse Corp. (Scout FM), a start-up that makes listening to podcasts more like tuning into radio stations, to strengthen its service in the face of increasing competition from Spotify. While other podcast applications, such as Apple’s, allow users to select an individual podcast to listen to, Scout FM established podcast stations on various themes. Scout FM was popular among Apple device owners and could be linked with CarPlay. This interface shows on compatible car screens when an iPhone is connected to Apple’s Siri digital assistant.

• Vilynx (October 2020)

Apple Inc. invested $50 million in acquiring the artificial intelligence and vision firm Vilynx Inc. Vilynx technology might be adapted to Siri and Apple’s general search operations.

Apple Services

Apple has been working on different services to increase revenue, especially since 2018, when iPhone sales have been declining. Apple knew this was bound to happen, so the company employed several tactics to boost its revenue. One is simply increasing the price. 

Apple iPhone, iPad, Watch, and MacBook average prices have seen growth, which has helped Apple consistently increase its revenue. But that tactic was a short-term plan, and Apple Couldn’t rely on it for the long term. That’s where Apple services come into the picture. 

Apple has introduced several services in the past 6 to 7 years, such as Apple Pay, App Store, Apple News+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Podcasts, Apple Fitness+, etc. 

Apple generated $53.7 Billion in 2020 through its services, which accounted for 19% of total revenue. Surely, the number will keep growing in the coming years as Apple has a solid user base and is making the services a part of its ecosystem, which will help in user experience. 

iMessage is Apple’s instant messaging service for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. iMessage, which debuted with iOS 5 in 2011, allows users to share messages, photographs, stickers, and other content between any Apple devices through the Internet. iMessage is exclusively available on Apple devices. That implies users won’t be able to send an iMessage to their Android contacts. Apple prioritizes privacy, which is why everything users transmit as an iMessage is encrypted from beginning to end. This implies that no one can intercept or read it except the person to whom it was sent, even Apple. In reality, even if they have a smartphone, they cannot force their way into a user’s iMessages. No, not without a user passcode. Apple has been chastised by the US government for this same reason since it cannot, even if it wanted to, expose iMessages. 

Apple’s FaceTime is a video chat application. FaceTime was built by Apple on an open standard, which implies that it may be utilized across a variety of platforms and that other manufacturers may exploit FaceTime’s protocol. But instead, FaceTime was only available to customers of Apple products until recently. With the release of iOS 15, FaceTime is coming out of the Apple closet. The software giant is making it possible for people with Android phones and Windows laptops to hop on FaceTime calls — no iPhone required (well not really tho).

Before you jump to search the FaceTime app on the Play Store , here’s the catch- you won’t find it. Users can join a FaceTime call on their Android and Windows devices using a link, so long as the person scheduling or starting the call has an Apple device and an Apple account. It now has a market share of less than 0.01%. Zoom is the market leader in this industry, with a 39.66% market share, followed by GoToWebinar with a 20.64% market share, and Cisco Webex with a 16.48% market share. 

Apple Maps and Google Maps have transformed the way we locate destinations, discover local businesses, and share directions with friends. Both serve the same objective, although their navigation tools and interfaces differ slightly . Google Maps, which debuted in 2005, has been the leading mobile mapping service since the smartphone’s inception. Apple acquired Placebase on July 7, 2009, to build its own Maps application for iPhone and iPad. This app didn’t come until 2012 and was stuck with technical challenges for years.

With the introduction of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, Apple gained a foothold. Apple Maps was upgraded to exclude third-party navigation data in favor of new data obtained exclusively by Apple. The new maps are significantly more precise and accurate, thanks to millions of miles driven in camera- and LiDAR-equipped automobiles, new high-resolution satellite photos, Apple staffers canvassing areas on foot with radar modules strapped to their backs, and plenty of aerial photography. 

Apple included routes for bicycles, routing for electric cars, congestion zones, and Guides for discovering the finest locations to visit in cities around the world in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. Apple Maps is only available on Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. It’s incorporated into all Apple-branded products, including Macs. It is not available on devices that are not part of the Apple ecosystem. 

According to the latest survey data from The Manifest in 2018, most smartphone owners use navigation applications, with the majority preferring Google Maps. It has a market share of 67% compared to 12% for Waze, 11% for Apple Maps, and 8% for MapQuest. 

Apple’s digital software distribution platform for iOS devices is known as the App Store. The App Store, which debuted in 2008, allows software developers to publish content designed exclusively for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Apps may also be downloaded for the Apple Watch through the iOS App Store. 

The App Store is more than just a shop; it is an innovative place dedicated to delivering incredible experiences. Much of it ensures that the firm’s applications adhere to the highest privacy, security, and content standards.  

As of the first quarter of 2021, Android users had a choice of 3.48 million apps, making Google Play the app store with the most available apps . With about 2.22 million iOS apps available, the Apple App Store stands second in the ranking. 

While the actual number of applications may vary since Apple and Google constantly delete low-quality material from their app stores, the number of applications has continuously increased over the years. 

Since 2008, the App Store has paid out more than $200 billion to developers.

According to mobile expert Horace Dediu, who provided even more current data, which are as follows: 

• $1.8 billion in App Store sales over the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve (+27% year on year)
• $540 million in App Store sales on January 1, 2021 (+40% year on year)
• 600 million: The number of iPhone users with an active subscription.

According to Apple, the App Store saw $643 billion in total commercial transactions in 2020, a 24% increase compared to 2019. At the present rate of growth, the indicated economic value might exceed $1 trillion within two years. 

Apple TV+ is Apple’s own TV and movie streaming service. It features award-winning shows, captivating dramas, ground-breaking documentaries, children’s entertainment, comedy, and more. Every month, new Apple Originals are added. The service is positioned as Apple’s direct competitor to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ and will exclusively offer original programming via the existing Apple TV app, which is available on various platforms. 

Apple TV+ is available on a monthly subscription and is accessible across several devices via the most recent version of the Apple TV app. It provides ad-free, unique programming that has either been green-lit or created in-house by Apple. 

A family membership to Apple TV+ costs £4.99 / $4.99 per month. Apple’s services package, which includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Fitness+, was launched in October 2020. Apple TV+ is accessible on iOS/iPadOS devices and the Mac via the Apple TV app.  

A survey was conducted in May 2020 with Apple’s reader at Android Authority, ‘Which streaming service would they pick if they could only pick one?’ From this survey, it was seen that Apple TV+ captured less than 1% of the total vote. The majority of consumers complained that the library was just too small, while it would work better as a second or third membership for people who can’t get enough content. 

Position in the Market Compared To Others

Apple TV+ was marketed as a unique curated stream of entertainment available exclusively through the Apple TV app. Despite Apple’s investments in new movies and programming for its streaming service Apple TV+, the platform is still considered to gain a large success. During the fourth quarter of 2020, it was reported that Apple TV+ has only a 3% market share in the United States, trailing competitors such as Netflix, Disney+, and even Peacock.

Apple TV+ was not the most popular streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2020. Apple TV+ trailed Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service launched in July 2019, with a 6% market share during the same period. Netflix maintained its 31% market share of streaming platforms in the United States, while Amazon Prime Video grew and drew close to 22%. Hulu came in second with 14%, followed by Disney+ with 13%, and HBO Max with 9%. 

In 2020, Apple had a terrible year because most productions were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple TV+’s catalog is extremely modest in comparison to its competitors because it only includes original movies and series. Apple extended the Apple TV+ trial term to members who had previously completed the one-year free trial in January 2021. 

Apple is in a unique position since it both creates original video content and distributes third-party video bundles. Apple’s aim to become the “bundler of bundles” looks to profit when power shifts from one or two corporations to many others. Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming video service, was priced at $4.99 per month, which was less than any other major provider. 

As additional competitors plan to launch their services with larger video libraries consisting of famous series and movies, the firm was obliged to keep the pricing low . Within a few months of its inception, the one-year free trial had propelled Apple TV+ to the top of the streaming services. 

Apple’s Plan to Increase Its Streaming Business

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, announced the debut of video streaming, news subscriptions, and a credit card in 2019. Apple made a calculated move to enter the video streaming market, which is a slight departure from the company’s core business, which has garnered its brand recognition.

Furthermore, since Apple has broadened its horizons in the services category, the launch of a video streaming service appeared to be an opportune decision since this sector has a lot of untapped development potential.

• Online video streaming might be considered a replacement for television. In the United States, video streaming services have already surpassed television in terms of household penetration, with 69% of homes using a video streaming service.
• Apple has the economies of scale to enter this market with relative ease. It has significant client loyalty and may be able to gain clients more readily as a result of its loyal client base. Furthermore, with the aid of its existing products, the firm may effortlessly pull in its existing consumers on video streaming services.

Apple TV+ is less expensive than the majority of its competitors. It costs $4.99 per month, which is less than half the price of a standard Netflix membership, and it is free for the first year for customers who buy Apple gadgets. Even now, Apple has been collecting older movies and episodes for its TV+ streaming service, intending to build a back library of material that can compete with the massive libraries offered on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. According to sources familiar with the topic, the company’s video-programming executives have received presentations from Hollywood studios about licensing older content for TV+ and have purchased several episodes and movies.

It is predicted that in the future the company might acquire Disney . If Apple is serious about becoming a large SVOD player, which they may not be, abandoning Apple TV+ and redirecting its programming to Disney’s established streaming portfolio makes sense. Disney is the only studio large enough to propel Apple into streaming dominance, and it just so happens to fit Apple’s family-friendly image and public values. 

“Apple can easily push the Disney streaming apps onto every phone and make certain offerings free for everyone in markets that are underserved.” – David Offenberg, Associate Professor of Entertainment Finance in LMU’s College of Business Administration

Apple had planned to introduce augmented reality material to Apple TV+ as it sought new methods to attract and keep members, as well as generate interest in AR technology. Even the ‘Bonus content’ has been one of the numerous ways in which Apple has attempted to increase the value of TV+ and keep consumers enrolled. Apple is planning to launch podcasts based on existing TV+ series. Apple is planning to release a headgear that combines augmented and virtual reality in 2022, with an emphasis on gaming, media consumption, and virtual meetings. 

Apple Music

Apple Music was launched in 2015 and is a music streaming service that offers access to over 70 million songs. Its fantastic features include the option to download favorite tracks and play them offline, real-time lyrics, listening across all of your favorite devices, new music customized specifically for its users, curated playlists from its editors, and many more. All of this is in addition to exclusive and unique material.

Apple Music also includes live radio stations and connectivity with Siri, allowing users to operate most of their devices with voice commands. The Apple Music service not only allows one to stream any tune from the iTunes collection on demand, but it also allows one to access all of the music in one location on all of the devices, whether purchased from iTunes, copied from a CD, or downloaded from the web. Individual plans cost £9.99 (US$9.99) per month. A Family subscription, which can accommodate up to six people, costs £14.99 or $14.99 per month, which is less than Spotify’s equivalent. The University Student plan, which costs £4.99/$4.99 a month, is the final option. 

This streaming service now supports lossless streaming quality up to 24-bit/192 kHz! This app is available even for Android OS users to download and get a subscription, starting at only $1.19 or ₹99 per month. University students can get it even cheaper with free Apple TV+, making it one of the world’s best and surprisingly affordable lossless music streaming services. It’s unlike Apple to open up its ecosystem to other players, but audiophiles certainly appreciate this move.

Acquisitions and Collaborations

• On August 1, 2014, Apple acquired Beats Music & Beats Electronics for $3 billion. 

“Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple. That’s why we have kept investing in music and are bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Beats Electronics began to employ Apple’s patented technology in various products following the acquisition, such as the W1 chip in select Bluetooth headphones. Apple shut down Beats Music at the end of the year in anticipation of the 2015 launch of Apple Music.  

• In Jan 2015, Apple purchased Semetric , a business that analyzes music data online. This agreement was reached to revitalize the development of iTunes and Beats Music. Apple’s interest in Semetric is most likely limited to the Musicmetric product, which might be used to reliably compute record label royalties for a music streaming service like Apple Music. After purchasing Beats for $3 billion last year, Apple wanted to extend its online music services with the acquisition. 
• Apple purchased technologies from cloud-based music platform Omnifone in November 2016 and employed at least a dozen (at least 16) former Omnifone workers. Omnifone provided “white-label” music services, which allowed businesses to provide their personalized music services to clients and subscribers. Many former Omnifone employees have gone on to work as software developers at Apple, presumably in areas such as iTunes and Apple Music. 
• In April 2021, Pinna, an on-demand audio entertainment service provider, announced collaborations with Apple . “Pinna is thrilled to be at the forefront of this exciting launch in collaboration with Apple.”, said Maggie McGuire, CEO of Pinna. Apple Podcast subscriptions will let them expand their worldwide reach even further, providing them with a unique ability to personalize channels to certain demographics and interests.    

Apple has joined a crowded, competitive field populated by banks and upstart fintech companies. During Apple’s 2018 quarterly earnings call, Tim Cook provided some insight into the company’s progress toward  becoming a financial player . 

Apple Pay transactions increased from the previous year to over 1 billion in 2018. Apple had been working on a credit card with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard. In 2019, Apple launched its Apple credit card in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard.

According to the firm, Apple customers were able to sign up for the new card using their iPhones in the summer of 2019. It revolves around Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payment and digital wallet service, which debuted in 2014. 

Even though Apple was late to the credit card industry, its marketing prowess and dedicated client base allowed the business to expand very swiftly. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, indicated that more than 70% of U.S. shops accept Apple Pay and that around 40 countries had joined by the end of 2019.

• The Apple Card is more likely to put branded credit card issuers under competitive pressure than Goldman’s rival banks. Apple may continue to provide additional financial products to its customers, notably bank accounts, which are a good complement to credit accounts.
• According to Gene Munster of Loup Ventures, Apple Pay is still active on around 25% of all iPhones in the United States. This would hasten the adoption of Apple’s payment method since, unlike Apple Pay, the card could be used everywhere.   
• Apple also paid around $100 million to acquire Mobeewave, a payments start-up. The startup provides near-field communications (NFC) technology, which allows smartphones to be used as payment terminals. This technology enables mobile payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. 

Apple Pay was launched in October 2014 and is an Apple Inc. mobile payment and digital wallet service that allows users to make payments in person, in iOS applications, and on the web using Safari. It is compatible with the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. 

Apple introduced person-to-person Apple Pay payments using the Messages app on the iPhone and Apple Watch in 2017. As of 2019, Apple Pay has surpassed Starbucks to become the most-used mobile payment platform in the United States.

In 2020, the Apple Card had around 3.1 million users in the United States. Apple Pay also allows customers to make one-tap purchases within applications that have implemented the Apple Pay API. It is available on the web on iOS 10 or macOS Sierra or later devices. 

Presently, Apple Pay is accepted by more than 85% of retailers in the U.S. Apple Pay is also available at a variety of locations other than regular retail outlets, such as colleges, ballparks, non-profit organizations, Bitcoin payment providers, and ATMs from Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo.

Apple Inc. announced Apple Card in August 2019 in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard. It is a credit card with Apple Pay branding that gives 2% cashback on Apple Pay transactions. In addition to cash benefits for Apple Pay transactions, the card provides financing alternatives for Apple devices.

Apple Card functions similarly to a traditional credit card, but it is deeply integrated into the Wallet app, providing real-time views of the most recent transactions, a comprehensive overview of spending organized by category, and payment options optimized to encourage minimal interest. 

Apple also provides 3% cashback when using the Apple Card with Apple Pay to make purchases at Uber, Uber Eats, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Nike, and Duane Reade. Apple also intends to offer 3% cashback rewards to additional shops and applications in the future.    

What are the Potential Future Products of Apple?

Ar/vr/mr devices.

Apple is developing a range of augmented and virtual reality products that will be powered by a new 3D sensor technology. They announced Vision Pro , a new extended reality headset, on June 5, 2023. Interestingly, they never used the terms “virtual reality” or “augmented reality” throughout their presentation and marketing material. Instead, they’re calling this their first “Spatial Computer.” We’re well familiar with Apple’s tendency to create unique names for everything in their catalog.

Interestingly, we noticed one of their recently granted patents on this technology was filed back on May 4, 2007. It indicates that Apple has been working on this headset idea since the same year they launched the first iPhone! Say what you will about their walled-garden ecosystem approach; their vision (no pun intended) and relentless spirit of innovation are truly commendable.

This headset doesn’t need external controllers. You can control it using eye movement, voice, and hand gestures! The product even supports 3D video capture, allowing users to record and store memories like never before. 

Through the VisionOS interface on its immersive dual 4K displays, Apple may be positioning this headset as a future replacement for smartphones and other handheld computing devices. Looking at the company’s track record of delivering seamless tech integrations into its ecosystem, we believe that the Vision Pro would be a natural extension of everyday tech for an Apple user. 

Apple acquired SensoMotoric Instruments in 2017. The German provider of dedicated computer vision applications, SensoMotoric Instruments’ tech, was used in ARKit and likely made its way to the Vision Pro. In the same year, Apple acquired VRvana, an augmented reality headset startup, for $30 million. A number of the startup’s employees had joined Apple in California. Their work and expertise would have made their way to Vision Pro.

The product isn’t set to launch until early 2024 in the US, but its featured claims seem revolutionary in this niche. Its asking price of $3499 is undoubtedly a steep jump for most consumers, and Apple is aware of that.  Financial Times  reports that Apple has reduced its production supply goal from 1 million in 2024 to 400,000. This product may take some time to pick up speed for all but the most tech-savvy  consumers and early adopters.

Apple Glass

Apple Glass is expected to operate on Starboard (or perhaps glassOS), a proprietary operating system revealed in iOS 13’s final version. The augmented reality framework appears several times in code and text documents, implying that Apple is testing activation and application. According to Bloomberg, Apple Glass will be available in 2023 at the earliest. Apple is getting closer to releasing a VR headset that will compete with the Oculus Rift 2. 

According to Scoble, Apple will most certainly release AR glasses next year , giving it a 2-3 year head start on all competitors.

Apple’s objective is to personalize computers. The Cupertino firm has everything in place to launch an AR product to the masses:

• Hardware manufacturing competence and a stable supply chain allow for seamless integration with iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches.
• It comes with its operating system, chip, and App Store.

Because every buyer of these AR glasses will almost certainly have an iPhone, Apple can provide a lightweight product at a reasonable price.

Apple’s foray into personal mobility appeared to have begun in 2014 , with the announcement of Project Titan. This project involves the company’s efforts to bring a Tesla-style electric vehicle to market before the end of the decade.

The Apple Car project has had many lead changes and hundreds of layoffs during its development, but it is currently led by John Giannandrea, Apple’s Chief of AI and machine learning. Giannandrea took over from Bob Mansfield after Mansfield departed in 2020. 

In December 2020, it was verified that Apple is still working on a car and now aims to produce a vehicle in three to six years. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, a car would not be launched until 2025 to 2027. Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, believes the automobile will be the company’s “next star product,” with Apple able to offer greater integration of hardware, software, and services than prospective competitors in the automotive business , thanks to Apple-designed processors made by TSMC.

“We’re focusing on autonomous systems. It’s a core technology that we view as very important. We are sort of seeing it as the mother of all AI projects. It’s probably one of the most difficult AI projects to actually work on.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Apple’s first car chassis might be built on Hyundai’s E-GMP electric vehicle (BEV) platform. The Apple Car will almost certainly be sold as an “extremely high-end” or “substantially higher” model than a regular electric car. Apple has been aiming for a game-changing design that might be employed in a future driverless car.

Apple is also working on a novel battery architecture that has the potential to “radically” lower battery costs while increasing vehicle range. The battery technology has been compared to “the first iPhone” and hailed as “next level.” Apple intends to use a novel “mono cell” design that bulks out the individual cells in the battery while freeing up room inside the battery pack by removing pouches and modules that carry battery components.

Apple is also developing a self-driving shuttle service known as ‘PAIL’ (Palo Alto to Infinite Loop). The shuttle service will transport staff between Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters. Apple is collaborating with Volkswagen and will put self-driving software in Volkswagen T6 Transporter vehicles that will act as staff shuttles. 

In 2019 and 2020, speculations circulated that the project had shifted once again and that Apple was still pursuing an Apple-branded car. However, many speculations in late 2020 indicated that Apple is still working on a full-fledged Apple-branded automobile. This is primarily aimed towards customers, with ambitions to collaborate with an established vehicle manufacturer.

Under the secret name “Project Titan,” Apple had hundreds of people working on the design of an electric minivan. Steve Zadesky, Apple’s VP of Product Design, is leading this project.

Apple bought Drive.ai , a self-driving car startup, in June 2019. For its self-driving vehicle project, Apple engaged many Drive.ai professionals in engineering and product design. According to Axios, Apple bought the company’s assets, including its self-driving cars. 

Drive.ai vans are customized Nissan NV200s that operate in a restricted region near major sites and sports venues. This acquisition was made primarily to improve the company’s autonomous vehicle development effort.   

According to Morgan Stanley analysts, Apple spent approximately $19 billion on research and development in 2020, which equates to almost one-fifth of the overall R&D investment across the automotive sector (about $100 billion). 

By May 2020, 700 employees were working on Apple AV Tech in the Bay Area. 

What does Apple M&A Landscape look like?

Apple is well-known for its strict secrecy, especially regarding new iPhone releases. Apple has completed around 100 mergers and acquisitions in the last six years, the majority of which were done in secret. Apple has rigorous nondisclosure agreements in place and urges acquired staff not to update their LinkedIn pages. 

The top 10 major acquisitions that Apple has made are mentioned below:

Apple’s Top 10 Acquisitions

Acquisition of beats.

The highest amount at which Apple did an acquisition on August 1, 2014, was at $3 billion for Beats Music & Beats Electronics. This acquisition includes buying both Beats Audio hardware and Beats Music. One of the main reasons for this acquisition was the talent and reputation that Apple looks for when creating new products and services. Another relevant reason is Apple wanted to modify and uplift its iTunes. Therefore, Apple began acquisition negotiations with Beats just four months after their Beats Music service first debuted. Even Apple was impressed by the amount of revenue that Beats generated from their headphones.  

Acquisition of Intel Smartphone Modem Business

In July 2019, the acquisition of Intel Smartphone Modem Business for $1 billion was Apple’s 2nd largest acquisition ever. In this deal, Apple had acquired the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business. This deal also included the transactions of intellectual property, equipment, and approximately 2,200 Intel employees joining Apple. The agreement aided Apple in acquiring a large portfolio of wireless patents from Intel. More than 17,000 wireless technology patents have been held by Apple, ranging from cellular network protocols to modem architecture and modem service. According to multiple reports, Apple intends to produce its modems for iPhones by 2022-2023, and this Intel contract will undoubtedly aid those efforts. 

Acquisition of Dialog Semiconductor

On October 11, 2018, Apple went under a deal to license IP, acquire assets and talent from Dialog Semiconductor to expand chipmaking in Europe at a deal of $600 million. The deal also involved more than 300 Dialog staff transitioning to Apple employees, becoming part of Apple’s hardware technologies team under Johny Srouji. In some cases, Apple will take over whole buildings formerly occupied by Dialog, and in others, they will co-locate in buildings where Dialog will continue to grow its own business.  

Acquisition of Anobit Technologies

In December 2011, Apple went under an acquisition with Anobit Technologies , an Israeli semiconductor startup. The deal was completed at approximately $500 million. The two main reasons for which this acquisition was made include the flash memory controllers of Anobit, which made a key component of all Apple’s leading products (from iPads and iPhones to MacBook Airs), and finally, the acquisition added a large team of chip engineers to the payroll. Flash memory has been a crucial piece of Apple’s technology puzzle.  

Acquisition of Texture

In March 2018, Apple acquired Texture , a digital magazine service by Next Issue Media LLC, for $485 million. The service provided subscribers with unrestricted access to their favorite titles for a single monthly subscription fee. 

“We’re excited Texture will join Apple, along with an impressive catalog of magazines from many of the world’s leading publishers. We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users.”  – Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services 

Acquisition of Shazam

On September 24, 2018, Apple acquired Shazam to have more opportunities to explore and experience music. The deal was finalized at $400 million. 

“Apple and Shazam have a long history together. Shazam was one of the first apps available when we launched the App Store and has become a favorite app for music fans everywhere. With a shared love of music and innovation, we are thrilled to bring our teams together to provide users even more great ways to discover, experience, and enjoy music.” – Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music 

In May 2018, Apple revealed that Apple Music had reached 50 million users.  

Acquisition of Next Software

Back in 1996, Apple acquired Next Software at a deal of $400 million. Apple paid approximately $350 million in cash and stock for the privately held Next to purchase that company’s shares and an additional $50 million to cover its debts. 

Since its technology was agile, Apple hoped that Next’s object-oriented, Java-enabled open software platform would greatly boost its Internet and intranet status. It also aimed to capitalize on Next’s enterprise role. 

“This is a complementary arrangement, and the pieces fit together better than any other alternative we looked at, and it will launch a new round of technology.”  – Gilbert Amelio, Former Chairman and CEO at Apple

Acquisition of PrimeSense

In 2013, Apple acquired PrimeSense , an Israeli-based pioneer in 3D sensor technology. The deal was completed at approximately $360 million. PrimeSense’s system could potentially be used in a variety of Cupertino devices. This acquisition was Apple’s second purchase of an Israeli company, as it bought Anobit in January 2012. Apple did not disclose the intentions behind the purchase of PrimeSense.   

Acquisition of AuthenTec

In 2012, Apple bought AuthenTec , a developer of fingerprint sensor technology, for approximately $356 million. The fingerprint technology used in mobile phones in Japan to authenticate mobile payments would help Apple bring those services to markets such as the United States. 

Apple also acquired the right to pay the company to license certain patents totaling as much as $115 million. AuthenTec’s authentication features would be integrated into Apple’s iPads and iPhones and potentially used as security measures for other features, such as non-mobile computer systems or cloud-based networks or services.  

Acquisition of PA Semi

In 2008, Apple acquired PA Semi , a chip designer, for approximately $278 million. This acquisition was a strategic move by Apple, as it aimed to continue to differentiate its next-generation handheld products amongst a growing fleet of competitors. Even the power savings offered by P.A. Semi’s designs may have been amongst the firm’s most compelling assets in Apple’s eyes. 

Now, let’s move forward to Apple’s top 5 Market regions besides the US.

What are Apple’s Top 5 Markets besides the US by Revenue?

Apple’s top markets besides the US by revenue include the regions from Europe, Greater China, Japan, and the rest of Asia Pacific. America’s high income is partly attributable to Apple’s good performance in its home market, the United States. Apple has by far the greatest market share among smartphone suppliers in the United States. 

Even though overseas sales account for a greater portion of Apple’s overall income, the United States still accounts for around 40% of Apple’s net sales.

During the years 2020 and Q1 2021, the annual revenue of Apple is divided into several regions, such as the U.S., Europe, Greater China, Japan, and the rest of Asia Pacific. The new iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, now in their 14th iteration, continue to contribute to the success of Apple’s trademark product, helping push for year-on-year iPhone sales increase despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Apple gained 28% of the European market in the first quarter of 2020, making it the company’s greatest first quarter of the fiscal period. Even in China during the year 2020, Apple captured a market share of approximately 10.5% . In Q4 2020, Apple was the only brand that showed positive year-on-year growth in the China market that year. 

The following table shows the annual revenue:

Source: Statista

What does Apple’s Investment Landscape look like?

With the accelerating pace of technological change, investing in startups has become a key part of Apple’s corporate strategies. By doing so, they also tend to closely monitor their smaller brethren. Given below are the top 5 investments made by Apple.

Top 5 Investments Made by Apple

Apple has made several investments in startup companies globally. Amongst them, the top 5 investments include:

• In May 2016, Apple announced it had invested in a Chinese ride-hailing service, Didi Chuxing . Apple invested around $1 billion to help Apple understand the critical Chinese market. The investment gave Apple a stake in two burgeoning waves of technology: the sharing economy and car technology. Even Apple has been trying to reinvigorate sales in China, where it has come under greater pressure from regulators. 

“From a Didi point of view, we see that one, it is a great investment. Two, we think that there are some strategic things that the companies can do together over time. And three, we think that we’ll learn a lot about the business and the Chinese market beyond what we currently know.”  – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple 

• Even in June 2016, Apple and other firms backed unicorn Didi Chuxing Technology , which raised $4.5 billion in a fundraising drive to oppose Uber’s assault on the Chinese market. 
• On March 31, 2021, Apple invested $50 million  in UnitedMasters, a music distribution and data analytics company. The platform aims to democratize the music industry by allowing budding musicians to earn money and get distribution across various music platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic engagement with Apple, which will open up many new prospects for UnitedMasters artists.

“Steve Stoute and UnitedMasters provide creators with more opportunities to advance their careers and bring their music to the world.”   – Eddy Cue, Apple Executive

• In March 2016, Apple, together with Blackboard, Dropbox, Udemy, and other companies, invested around $2.3 million in Volley Labs , a learning technology firm. Volley’s primary goal is to provide technology that assists students, particularly those enrolled in advanced high school or college curricula, in understanding the content they are learning by surfacing relevant, machine-curated explanations from the web via their mobile devices. The Volley’s funders’ ultimate goal is to spare students from spending too much time “processing” material and redirect their time and energy to meaningful learning. 
• On November 21, 2015, Apple invested in God-i , a startup specializing in wearable devices, in the seed round. However, Apple exited from further investments in God-i.  
• On February 25, 2019, Apple and other investors  invested  $21 million in FreightWaves during a Series B funding. FreightWaves is a data and content forum that delivers near-real-time statistics to industry players.  

Apart from investing in smaller companies and startups, collaboration is another strategy opted by Industry giants such as Apple. Let’s look at the top 10 partnerships and collaborations Apple has made over the past years.

Top 10 Partnerships/Collaborations Made by Apple

The various top partnerships and collaborations that were made by Apple are mentioned below:

• In September 2020, Singapore’s government and Apple announced a collaboration on the health initiative LumiHealth, which would use Apple Watch. LumiHealth, developed in partnership with a team of physicians and public health professionals, encourages the use of technology and behavioral insights. Singaporeans might use their Apple Watch and iPhone to stay healthy and complete wellness challenges.

“Singapore has one of the world’s leading healthcare systems, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them to incorporate Apple Watch and LumiHealth into their holistic approach to well-being” – Jeff Williams, COO of Apple 

• In April 2020, Google and Apple announced a partnership initiative to use Bluetooth technology to help governments and health organizations reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. With user privacy and security at the forefront of the design, both organizations would offer APIs in May that would allow Android and iOS devices to communicate with public health applications. Users could download these official apps from their respective app stores. 
• In October 2017, Apple and GE launched a collaboration to deliver powerful industrial applications that would provide predictive data and analytics from Predix, GE’s industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform, to iPhone and iPad. The corporations announced the release of a new Predix software development kit (SDK) for iOS, providing developers with the tools they require to build their own powerful industrial IoT apps. 

“Together, Apple and GE are fundamentally changing how the industrial world works by combining GE’s Predix platform with the power and simplicity of iPhone and iPad.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple  

• In August 2017, Apple and Accenture announced a collaboration to help businesses revolutionize the way employees interact with consumers by developing new business solutions for iOS. Accenture Digital Studios would establish a dedicated iOS practice in key locations worldwide. The two firms would provide a new set of tools and services, including IoT, to assist businesses in unlocking new income sources, increasing efficiency, improving customer experience, and lowering expenses.  
• In September 2016, Apple and Nike unveiled the Apple Watch Nike+, the latest product of their long-standing collaboration. Apple Watch Nike+ has been the ideal running tool, combining exclusive Nike Sport Bands with the Apple Watch Series 2, including GPS, a two-times brighter display, 50-meter water resistance, a strong dual-core CPU, and watchOS 3.

“Apple Watch Nike+ takes performance tracking to a whole new level and we can’t wait to bring it to the world’s largest community of runners.”   – Jeff Williams, COO of Apple 

• In May 2016, Apple and SAP announced a collaboration to reimagine the mobile work experience for corporate clients of all sizes by combining powerful native apps for the iPhone and iPad with the better capabilities of the SAP HANA platform. 

“As the leader in enterprise software and with 76% of business transactions touching an SAP system, SAP is the ideal partner to help us truly transform how businesses around the world are run on iPhone and iPad. Through the new SDK, we’re empowering SAP’s more than 2.5 million developers to build powerful native apps that fully leverage SAP HANA Cloud Platform and tap into the incredible capabilities that only iOS devices can deliver.”  – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple 

• In 2016, Apple and Deloitte announced a collaboration to assist organizations to accelerate business transformation on iPhone and iPad. They would also collaborate on the creation of EnterpriseNext, a new service offering from Deloitte Consulting designed to help clients fully leverage the iOS ecosystem of hardware, software, and services in the workplace.

“Our dedicated Apple practice will give global businesses the expertise and resources they need to empower their mobile workforce to take advantage of the powerful ecosystem iOS, iPhone, and iPad offer, and help them achieve their ambitions while driving efficiency and productivity.”  – Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global 

• In August 2015, Apple announced a partnership with Cisco to build a fast lane for iOS business customers by optimizing Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps and integrating iPhone with Cisco corporate settings to offer unique collaboration on iPhone and iPad. 

“iPhone and iPad have become essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done. Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximize the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple  

• In July 2014, Apple and IBM announced an exclusive collaboration combining each company’s strengths to improve workplace mobility by integrating IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities into iPhone and iPad. The collaboration would improve the integration of Apple’s machine learning framework, Core ML, with IBM Watson, resulting in strong insights that become deeper with time and use. The alliance would include exclusive IBM cloud services optimized for iOS, such as device management, security, analytics, and mobile integration.  
• In 2013, Square partnered with Apple to offer the new Square Stand, a point-of-sale system through Apple’s extensive retail network. The Square Stand is an iPad accessory that can connect to various devices, including cash registers, barcode scanners, and printers. In addition, the gadget has a built-in credit card reader. In 2016, the company announced a new collaboration allowing consumers to connect money saved on Square’s virtual card, Square Cash, to their Apple Wallet.  

Future Outlook

Apple has been doing more than good for a long time and has been saying since the company launched the iPhone. 

For the 10th consecutive year, Forbes magazine ranked Apple as the most valuable brand in the world in 2020. Apple’s great track record should continue as long as future management takes care of the brand and pushes it into new sectors. Apple’s breakthroughs are often incremental, with the company adapting its design prowess to the most recent consumer tech trends.

Looking ahead to ten years, the Apple of 2030 should continue to progressively enhance its hardware products while also introducing new ones such as Apple automobiles, AR/VR headsets, AR smart glasses, and so on. Apple will also broaden its brand to provide a suite of packaged consumer offerings.

In 2020, Apple executed an AR-related acquisition, acquiring NEXTVR for around $100 million. This decision was made considering AR’s future growth and vast applications and how Apple can take advantage of them. 

“When I think about that in different fields, whether it’s health, whether it’s education, whether it’s gaming, whether it’s retail, I’m already seeing AR take off in some of these areas with the use of the phone,” said Tim Cook on a podcast . “And I think the promise is even greater in the future.”  

Aside from possible smart eyewear, Apple is said to be working on self-driving automobiles. Besides these new, futuristic initiatives, Apple is projected to continue selling many iPhones, Apple Watches, iPad tablets, laptops, and desktops even ten years from now. By 2030, it’s feasible that Apple will have a version of almost every form of entertainment, financial, or other consumer service.

Apple announced an acceleration of its US investments, with plans to make additional contributions totaling more than $430 billion and create 20,000 new jobs throughout the country over the next five years, beginning in April 2021. Apple has increased its investment by 20% over the next five years, boosting American innovation and delivering economic benefits in every state. Tens of billions of dollars will be invested in next-generation semiconductor research and 5G innovation throughout nine US states.

“At this moment of recovery and rebuilding, Apple is doubling down on our commitment to US innovation and manufacturing with a generational investment reaching communities across all 50 states.” – Tim Cook , Apple CEO.

It is becoming undebatable that Apple has amassed enormous status and reputation worldwide. The capacity of Apple to retain and satisfy users inside its ecosystem is at the heart of its sustained success. In a realistic scenario, the future growth of Apple from 2022 to 2031 is depicted below:

• In this scenario, iPhone revenue will be moderately higher at the end of the 10 years than in 2021.
• By 2031, the Mac will grow only by 5%, the iPad by 8%, Wearables, Home, and Accessories by 20%, and Services by 15%. One new product introduction, Product X, will generate $10 billion in revenue by 2031.

Over 10 years, sales growth is 9.66%, a reasonable rate for a company of this size. The iPhone growth narrative is far from done, and a couple more upgrade cycles may drive a revival in growth over the following two decades. Even if App Store fees are reduced to 0%, Apple’s management will find another way to monetize service offerings. 

Authored By: Vipin Singh, Market Research

Next Read: Amazon Business Strategy: Insights of its operation and investment plan to become the top Fortune 500 company

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2024 North Carolina Apple Festival schedule, road closures, parking plans announced

by Kelly Doty

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The city of Hendersonville announced plans for the 2024 North Carolina Apple Festival. The Labor Day weekend tradition kicks off at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, downtown, with an opening ceremony at 2:15 p.m. in front of the Historic Henderson County Courthouse.

Main Street will be closed for the duration of the festival, with closures starting on Thursday, Aug. 29. City leaders say no parking will be allowed on Main Street after 2 p.m. between Caswell and Allen and no parking from Allen to 7th Avenue after 3 p.m.

Main Street will be closed until Monday, Sept. 2, following the King Apple Parade and festival cleanup.

'I WISH IT COULD GO ON FOREVER,' 77TH ANNUAL NC APPLE FEST COMES TO A CLOSE

Organizers say the festival will operate from 10 a.m. -10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, the food court area and a limited amount of crafters and vendors will operate from 10 a.m. -5 p.m., with a break at 2:30 p.m. for the King Apple Parade.

See the schedule of events by day at the links below:

Attendees are encouraged to leave non-service animals at home. Drones are also not allowed to fly in the festival area.

Festival attendees can find parking in the city surface lots and the parking deck on 5th Avenue West. City officials say the parking deck will operate under a $10 daily flat-rate fee for the festival's duration. To help with traffic flow, the parking deck gate at Church Street will be entrance only, and the 5th Avenue parking deck gate will be exit only.

Handicapped parking will be available at the City Hall parking lot at 160 6th Avenue East throughout the Labor Day weekend.

City officials warn that many privately-owned parking lots in Hendersonville charge for parking, and visitors should follow all posted signage to prevent being towed.

More information on city-managed parking can found at hvlnc.gov/parking .

The King Apple Parade

The finale of the North Carolina Apple Festival -- The King Apple Parade -- takes place Monday, Sep. 2, in downtown Hendersonville at 2:30 p.m.

The parade viewing area extends along Main Street from 5 points to Kanuga/Caswell.

GALLERY: KING APPLE PARADE 2016

City officials advise street closures beyond the Main Street festival area will happen to accommodate the parade route and staging areas. The staging area will be on Oakland Street from Asheville Hwy to 6th Avenue West and along Bearcat Blvd in front of Hendersonville High School. The southbound lane of Asheville Hwy will also be used for staging after 1:30 p.m. when the detour route begins.

See more information for parade participants and spectators at ncapplefestival.org/parade-hendersonville .

Hendersonville Farmers Market

During the festival, the Hendersonville Farmers Market is scheduled to take place 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, along Maple Street beside the Historic Train Depot.

More information can be found at hendersonvillenc.gov .

Government services

City of Hendersonville government offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2, for Labor Day. City officials say garbage, recycling and brush collection will not take place on Monday, and affected customers will have their debris picked up the following Monday, Sept. 9.

For water/sewer issues occurring on Sept. 2, please use the afterhours number at 828-891- 7779.

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Apple Business Model

Apple Business Model focuses primarily on selling its products and offering services through subscriptions. Sales of Apple products like the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook make up a large percentage of Apple’s revenue, while its services include Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, iCloud+, and Apple Arcade, although a small percentage of its revenue, net them a whopping average of $13 billion per quarter.

Apple has surpassed the trillion-dollar market cap mark through its business model, making it the first company to ever manage such a feat.

A brief history of Apple:

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, two college dropouts, founded Apple on April 1, 1976, using Jobs’ garage as their main office. They aimed to revolutionize the way people saw computers. They wanted to make computers small enough to fit in people’s homes and offices. In effect, their first product, the Apple 1 — a hand-built computer —, included only functional hardware modules like CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips , and excluded features like monitors, keyboards, and other Human Interface Devices.

On their second product, the Apple II, expansion slots were included for attaching floppy disk drives and other components and Human Interface Devices. This second product increased their sales from $7.8 million in 1978 to $118 million in 1980 (when they went public).

A few years later, in 1983, Wozniak left the company, and Jobs followed suit in 1985, after hiring PepsiCo’s John Sculley as president . He was ousted after the growing friction between him and Sculley resulted in him organizing a ‘coup’ to remove Sculley. This coup backfired, however.

Steve Jobs founded his NeXT software company soon afterward, after buying Pixar from George Lucas. However, his departure was short-lived, and in 1997 Apple bought his company. This was done to bring him back to the company in order to save their declining market shares. The changes he implemented after coming back saved the company from impending doom, and in 2007, they launched one of their most successful product, the iPhone.

They have launched other successful products and services since then, which helped them become the first company ever to cross the trillion-dollar mark, this was in 2018. In 2020, they doubled their market cap by doubling down on their highly successful business model .

Who Owns Apple:

According to 2021 shareholder data, Apple’s major shareholders included corporations like  The Vanguard Group (7.68%), BlackRock, Inc. (6.47%), Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (5.56%), and private investors like Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, Artur Levinson, Jeff Williams, Al Gore, Dave Adams, and Andrea Jung.

Apple’s mission statement:

Apple’s Mission Statement is: “To bring the best user experience to customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.” – Bstrategyhub

How Apple makes money

Apple leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating systems, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers with products and solutions with innovative design, superior ease of use, and seamless integration — 10-K 2017 .

Apple makes money by designing, manufacturing, and selling smartphones, tablets, personal computers, wearables, and accessories. Their main products include iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, Apple Watch, AirPods, and the Apple TV. They also generate revenue by offering subscription services like their iCloud cloud services, Apple TV+ subscriptions, Apple Arcade, and iTunes. The company recently announced its plans to start hardware subscription services for its products.

Furthermore, Apple makes money when the users of its products pay fees for the extension of their warranties. In addition to their products, they also sell compatible third-party accessories and apps.

As a passive revenue source, Apple also makes money through in-app purchases on iPhones, and app sales on their App Store — they take a 30% cut from every transaction.

Their largest and most profitable revenue source is the sales of their products, however, their subscription services generate the highest gross margins in comparison to product sales.

Apple’s Business Model Canvas

Let’s take a look at the Apple  Business Model Canvas  below:

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Apple’s Customer Segments

Apple’s customer segments consist of:

• Product Buyers: These include people that buy their products for their high-end performances and people who use them as their primary devices regardless of performance. A section of their customers also buys their products because of the brand name;  
• Service Subscribers (most service subscribers overlap as product buyers): These include subscribers of Apple Arcade — their games’ subscription service —, Apple TV+, iCloud+, and their warranty extension services.
• App Developers (and music producers) : Anyone that would like to sell their apps and music to the Apple user base and monetize through app store or iTunes.

Apple’s Value Propositions

Apple’s value propositions consist of:

• Premium High-end Products (with a focus on privacy): Apple offers its customers carefully crafted products with a focus on performance, stability, and privacy, a number of its customers have stayed around because of this.
• An ecosystem of interconnected services : Apple’s line-up of services (and products) are well integrated with each other, offering users hassle-free inter-use of their products and services.
• Access to iPhone/iPad user base : one of the richest user bases in the world that are willing to spend much more than Google Android user base.

Apple’s Channels

Apple’s channels consist of:

• Apple Stores
• Third-party Stores
• Telecom Companies (Apple’s iPhones are typically bundled with a mobile plan to reduce costs by offering monthly repayment packages)

Apple’s Customer Relationships

Apple’s customer relationships consist of:

• Social Media
• Customer Service
• Operating Systems
• Loyal Community

Apple’s Revenue Streams

Apple’s revenue streams consist of:

• Sale of Products
• Subscription Services
• App Store and in-app purchase percentage cuts
• Licensing Fees
• Cloud Services

Apple’s Key Resources

Apple’s key resources consist of:

• Brand Name and Recognition
• Management Team

Apple’s Key Activities

Apple’s key activities consist of:

• Design & Manufacturing
• Marketing & Sales

Apple’s Key Partners

Apple’s key partners consist of:

• Hardware Suppliers , such as Qualcomm, Samsung, Cisco, etc.;
• Software Providers : cloud service providers, such as Google and Amazon; 
• Investors/Shareholders
• Telecom Companies

Apple’s Cost Structure

Apple’s cost structure consists of:

• Manufacturing & Distribution
• Platforms Maintenance Fees
• Payment Processing Fees
• Management & Administration

Apple’s Competitors

• Samsung : One of Apple’s main competitors in the smartphone space, Samsung holds a whopping 20% share of the global smartphone market. Samsung’s entrance into the market with its Samsung Galaxy and Note series has negatively influenced the sales of iPhones globally, however, they are not the only company that has contributed to this, others include Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo.
• Dell : Dell Technologies (DVMT) is a company that makes desktop and mobile computing devices, including laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Dell’s biggest competitor is Apple; the two companies have a long history of competing against one another. In fact, in 2004 Dell released a product to compete with Apple’s iPod music player: Dell DJ.
• HP : Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), established in 1939, is known as the founding company of Silicon Valley as well as for making affordable consumer computers. HP has expanded its presence in recent years to include computers for a broader range of consumers around the globe. Apple Inc. is a leading competitor for HP outside the United States.

Apple’s SWOT Analysis

Below, there is a detailed SWOT Analysis of Apple:

Apple’s Strengths

• Pricing Strategy : Apple’s high prices makes it possible for the company to sell a small number of products and still rake in a large amount of revenue;
• Subscription Services : The company’s subscription services and the principles of the subscription business model enables Apple to have a predictable chunk of revenue;
• Performance : Apple’s insistence on rolling out its products with high-performance processors has cemented its name as a go-to company for high-quality products;
• Brand Recognition : Their popularity and fame as a goto company for quality products and services has helped them increase and maintain their market cap;
• Loyal Community : Apple’s community of loyal customers allows them to have customer feedback aimed at improving the quality of their products and services. This community also enables Apple to have a somewhat stable revenue proposition.

Apple’s Weaknesses

• Pricing Strategy : Apple’s prices make it a luxury company in developing countries, thus driving away most middle-class and lower-class potential customers;

Apple’s Opportunities

• Products and Pricing Strategy : Although being partially implemented, the design and manufacturing of products aimed at middle-class and lower-class consumers will enable Apple to increase its already high revenue and market cap.

Apple’s Threats

• Market Trends : As a result of Apple’s yearly release of products, the market trend is a big factor that determines the revenue yield of its new line-up of devices. Because most customers already have recent versions of their products or do not have plans of purchasing new ones, Apple’s yearly revenue yield at new product launches seems to be reducing year by year, and will most likely continue;
• Competition : Competitors like Samsung are already affecting Apple’s customer base via their offering of flexible and customizable OS in their products. The arrival of better competitors aimed at the high and middle classes of developed countries will most likely affect Apple’s user base.

-> Read More About Apple’s SWOT Analysis .

Through the success of its application, Apple’s business model is worth considering for new entrants into the tech space. However, do not expect overnight success since Apple experienced its fair share of challenges even with its implementation of its business model. Apple’s combination of the subscription business model and their product sales was a major factor that determined their huge revenue growth and as such, if you are to adopt the Apple business model, do not overlook the subscription business model .

Who is Daniel Pereira ?

I love understanding strategy and innovation using the business model canvas tool so much that I decided to share my analysis by creating a website focused on this topic.

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Why Opening a Roth Account May Be a Good Move, No Matter Your Age

These savings accounts, which are often pitched to young investors, can be a good investment option for older and retired workers.

By Martha C. White

At 72, Janice Campbell might not seem like your average investor in a Roth account. Those investment vehicles — funded with after-tax dollars instead of the pretax contributions that go into most individual retirement accounts and 401(k)s — are typically recommended for younger workers.

Taxes are paid on the money before it is contributed to the account. For those just starting out their careers and earning entry-level wages, the appeal is paying taxes at a lower rate than they are likely to be at in another 20 or 30 years. This money grows, tax-free, until retirement, at which point withdrawals also are tax-free.

But Ms. Campbell, a retired tech worker who is still active and healthy, frequently hiking trails around her Arizona home, is concerned about how her health could change in the coming years and whether she might face the expense of long-term care.

“I think it’s important at our age not to put the burden on our children or grandchildren,” Ms. Campbell said. So, at the recommendation of her financial adviser, she recently decided to change her investment mix and is converting a portion of her retirement savings into a Roth I.R.A.

“Chances are, I won’t need that money until later and it can just grow,” she said.

Advisers like Andrea Clark, who works with Ms. Campbell, say that contributing or converting funds into a Roth account can yield significant tax- and estate-planning benefits for older workers and retirees.

Ms. Clark, owner and founder of the Table Financial Planning, based in Fountain Hills, Ariz., said a Roth account offered the flexibility of having a tax-free bucket of funds that they could dip into for large or unplanned expenses.

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Need a Business Plan Template? Here Is Apple's 1981 Plan for the Mac. If you want to write a business plan, Apple's plans for the Macintosh can help.

By Matthew McCreary Jun 11, 2018

Business plans are often composed of four parts. There is typically an executive summary, a marketing plan, a management team description and a breakdown of company finances. When Apple's Joanna Hoffman created the preliminary business plan for the original Macintosh in 1981 (available in full here ), she added one more part: open issues.

If you're looking for a business plan template you can use to outline your product or service, you probably can't find a better business to emulate than Apple. Here is a breakdown of what Apple covered in its 29-page document.

Related: How to Create a Marketing Plan

1. Apple Product Overview

The point of an executive summary is to succinctly describe a large amount of material without making people read too much. The quicker you can get others to understand your offering's value, the better off you'll be. Hoffman summarizes the Mac's unique value with just four charts and two paragraphs.

The Mac's premise was simple -- most companies sold computers in four price brackets:

• $500 or less
• $501 to $1,500
• $1,500 to $3,000
• $3,000 to $5,000 (or more)

However, the first two brackets were reserved for handheld or low-performing devices. With the Macintosh, Apple planned to create a computer in the second bracket while still maintaining high-quality hardware and software.

Here's what Hoffman wrote in the Mac's executive summary: "I currently know of no products being developed by competition for Band 2 (unfortunately this doesn't mean there arn't [sic] any!). One would expect serious business customers will move up to Band 4 and the job of Macintosh and VLC is to migrate the remaining Band 3 customers to Band 2, leaving Band 3 manufacturers out in the cold!!"

In other words, Hoffman was unaware of any high-functioning computers being sold in the second price bracket -- from $500 to $1,500 -- where Apple planned to position its Macintosh. Most brands sold computers instead for somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000, which Apple considered the third bracket. Its plan was to create an accessible, affordable computer for less than $1,500 (the Mac) and an ultra-powerful option for more than $3,000 (the LISA).

That way, users had their choice of computers and Apple avoided direct competition with other computers in the same price range.

Related: How to Write a Business Plan

2. Macintosh Markets and Software Ranking

Hoffman opened the second section of the Mac's business plan with a simple, but important, statement: "The advantage of a product line is that each individual product does not have to do everything."

The Macintosh did not need to have identical capabilities to its other offerings, like the powerful-but-expensive LISA, because those who preferred more functionality could simply buy the LISA instead.

That's why Apple played up the Mac's differences in its marketing plans. In mock posters, Apple labeled the Mac as "LISA's little brother."

You can see how Apple chose to emphasize Mac's differences from LISA in the famous 1984 Super Bowl commercial, three years after Apple created its preliminary business plan. In an interview with Bloomberg , Lee Clow (one of the creatives on the ad) explains how the ad was meant to show that computers were finally accessible to everyone, and not just for Big Brother or the elite.

In its business plan, Apple also broke down how the lower cost and accessibility could affect three marketplaces:

• For the office: "Every day, more managers rely on computers to help perform their functions effectively and efficiently. MAC makes it possible for any manager to experience the automated office with minimum investment of time and money. MAC will be a rewarding first computer experience."
• For education: "As Word Processors are replacing typewriters in the real world, students need to learn word processing, not just typing. MAC will help the students of the '80s learn the tools of the '80s and prepare Computer Literate students for colleges and employment."
• For the home: "The family Macintosh facilitates management of personal finances and records, makes it possible to take advantage of convenient services such as home banking and home shopping. MAC also provides Entertainment and Education for every member of the family."

Look at the language in these statements -- you see words like "any" and "every." You see that Apple means to help "the students of the '80s" -- not some students or most , but all of them. In each case, Apple positioned the Mac to be available to more people than ever before.

Related: Outline of a Sample Business Plan

3. Macintosh Organization, Staffing and Budget

Some companies choose to separate the Staffing and Budget sections, but Apple chose to combine them in its Mac business plan. In large part, this is because Apple's staffing decisions affected its budget so heavily.

In July of 1981, when Hoffman wrote and Steve Jobs approved the preliminary Mac business plan, there were 28 employees working on the project. By December, the company estimated there would be 63. As a result, a large portion of the Macintosh operating expenses were tied up in paychecks.

In this section of its business plan, Apple also broke down the cost of making a Macintosh ($397), how much it would cost to distribute the products, and the potential operating profit.

Apple broke down the operating profit for a variety of different price points, from offering the Macintosh for $995 all the way up to its projected price point of $1495. That way, it could understand how much it should sell the Macs for in order to make the maximum profit and stay in the black.

Related: Sample Business Plans

4. Open Issues

Apple's preliminary business plan hadn't solved every potential problem the Macintosh would face. However, in its final section, the company did lay out the major challenges ahead. They were:

• "Europe has not been given much consideration yet."
• "We are designing our packaging to accept a door-less disk drive only. ... Should we be taking this risk?"
• "Who will manufacture Macintosh?"
• "Is our schedule realistic?"
• "How do we get PCS to feel a 'part' of the Macintosh?"

Note the fourth issue in particular. Apple wondered whether its 1982 release date was overly optimistic. Given that the Macintosh was actually released two years later, in 1984, clearly there was cause for concern. But, Apple's business plan allowed for the company to foresee that and react accordingly.

Related: Use These 5 Steps to Create a Marketing Plan

The Apple Macintosh business plan template

Apple's early business plan helped organize its efforts for the Macintosh, and the Macintosh has helped revolutionize the computer industry.

That isn't to say everything went exactly according to plan. The first part of the Macintosh business plan was an overview of the product, or an executive summary. It explained how the Macintosh would be more affordable than any of its competitors. In the second part of the business plan, which explained the company's marketing plans, you can see how Apple planned to market the Macintosh as a computer for the people. This idea was then clearly executed in its 1984 Super Bowl ad.

However, due to the marketing costs, Apple ended up selling the Macintosh for $2,495 -- well over its intended price. The third section of the business plan broke down the company's organization, staffing plans and budget, placing Jobs at the top of the Macintosh's organization chart. However, just a year after the first Macintosh was released, Jobs resigned from Apple and started NeXT.

Those were massive setbacks, but life happens. Apple and Joanna Hoffman knew that when they put together the business plan, and that's why the fourth and final section asked questions that Macintosh needed to address before its launch.

When you're writing your own business plan, you don't have to do everything Apple did. You probably shouldn't, in fact. But, you can use this plan as a template to organize your thoughts. You can even use it as inspiration to admit you don't know everything. Clearly, not even Apple knew the future.

Entrepreneur Staff

Associate Editor, Contributed Content

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