苹果公司全方位介绍英文

1、IntroductionofAppleInc.1.CompanyproInc.(formerlyAppleComputer,Inc.)isanAmericanmultinationalcorporationthatdesignsandsellsconsumerelectronics,computersoftware,andpersonalcomputers.Thecompanysbest-knownhardwareproductsaretheMacintoshlineofcomputers,theiPod,theiPhoneandtheiPad(ApplecallsitscomputersMa

2、cintoshesorMacs,anditcallsitslaptopsMacBooks.TheirpopularlineofmobilemusicplayersarecallediPodsandasmartphonetheyhavereleasediscalledtheiPhone.).ItssoftwareincludestheOSXandiOSoperatingsystem;theiTunesmediabrowser;andtheiLifeandiWorkcreativityandproductionsuites.Appleistheworldsthird-largestmobileph

3、onemakerafterSamsungandNokia.EstablishedonApril1,1976inCupertino,California,andincorporatedJanuary3,1977,thecompanywasnamedAppleComputer,Inc.foritsfirst30years.ThewordComputerwasremovedfromitsnameonJanuary9,2007,asitstraditionalfocusonpersonalcomputersshiftedtowardsconsumerelectronics.AsofJuly2011,A

4、pplehas364retailstoresinthirteencountriesaswellastheonlineAppleStoreandiTunesStore.Itisthelargestpublicly-tradedcorporationintheworldbymarketcapitalization,withanestimatedvalueofUS$626billionasofSeptember2012.TheApplemarketcapislargerthanthatofGoogleandMicrosoftcombined.AsofSeptember24,2011,thecompa

5、nyhad60,400permanentfull-timeemployeesand2,900temporaryfull-timeemployeesworldwide;itsworldwideannualrevenuein2010totaled$65billion,growingto$108billionin2011.FortunemagazinenamedApplethemostadmiredcompanyintheUnitedStatesin2008,andintheworldfrom2008to2012.However,thecompanyhasreceivedwidespreadcrit

6、icismforitscontractorslaborpractices,andforApplesownenvironmentalandbusinesspractices.AppletoppedlistoftheWorldsMostPowerfulBrandsonOctober2,2012.CurrentproductsiPadOnJanuary27,2010,Appleintroducedtheirmuch-anticipatedmediatablet,theiPadrunningamodifiedversionofiOS.Itoffersmulti-touchinteractionwith

7、multimediaformatsincludingnewspapers,magazines,ebooks,textbooks,photos,movies,TVshowsvideos,music,wordprocessingdocuments,spreadsheets,videogames,andmostexistingiPhoneapps.ItalsoincludesamobileversionofSafariforwebbrowsing,aswellasaccesstotheAppStore,iTunesLibrary,iBookstore,contacts,andnotepad.Cont

8、entisdownloadableviaWi-Fiandoptional3Gserviceorsyncedthroughtheuserscomputer.AT&TwasinitiallythesoleUSproviderof3GwirelessaccessfortheiPad.OnMarch2,2011,AppleintroducedanupdatediPadmodelwhichhadafasterprocessorandtwocamerasonthefrontandbackrespectively.TheiPad2alsoaddedsupportforoptional3Gservicepro

9、videdbyVerizoninadditiontotheexistingofferingbyAT&T.However,theavailabilityoftheiPad2hasbeenlimitedasaresultofthedevastatingearthquakeandensuingtsunamiinJapaninMarch2011.OnMarch7,2012,AppleintroducedthethirdgenerationiPad(dubbedthenewiPadbyApple).Thethird-generationiPadaddedLTEservicefromAT&TorVeriz

10、onandanupgradedprocessor,theA5X.ItalsoaddedtheRetinadisplay(2048by1536resolution),originallyimplementedontheiPhone4andiPhone4S.Thedimensionsandformfactorremainedrelativelyunchanged,withthenewiPadbeingafractionthickerandheavierthanthepreviousversion,andminorpositioningchanges.Sincethetabletlaunchedin

11、2010,iPadusershavedownloaded3billionapps,whilethetotalAppStoredownloadsisuptoover25billiondownloads.iPodThecurrentiPodfamily,featuringtheiPodShuffle,iPodNano,iPodClassic,andiPodTouchOnOctober23,2001,AppleintroducedtheiPoddigitalmusicplayer.Ithasevolvedtoincludevariousmodelstargetingthewantsofdiffere

12、ntusers.TheiPodisthemarketleaderinportablemusicplayersbyasignificantmargin,withmorethan220millionunitsshippedasofSeptember2009update.ApplehaspartneredwithNiketooffertheNike+iPodSportsKitenablingrunnerstosynchronizeandmonitortheirrunswithiTunesandtheNike+website.ApplecurrentlysellsfourvariantsoftheiP

13、od.?iPodShuffle,ultraportabledigitalaudioplayerfirstintroducedin2005,currentlyavailableina2GBmodel.?iPodNano,portablemediaplayerfirstintroducedin2005,currentlyavailablein8and16GBmodels.ThelatestgenerationhasaFMradio,apedometer,andanewmulti-touchinterfacethatreplacedthetraditionaliPodclickwheel.?iPod

14、Classic(previouslynamediPodfrom2001to2007),portablemediaplayerfirstintroducedin2001,currentlyavailableina160GBmodel.?iPodTouch,portablemediaplayerthatrunsiOS,firstintroducedinSeptember2007aftertheiPhonewentonsale.Currentlyavailablein8,32,and64GBmodels.ThelatestgenerationfeaturestheAppleA4processor,a

15、RetinaDisplay,anddualcamerasonthefrontandback.ThebackcameraallowsforHDvideorecordingat720p.iPhoneOnOctober4,2011,AppleunveiledtheiPhone4S,whichwasreleasedintheUnitedStates,Canada,Australia,UnitedKingdom,France,Germany,andJapanonOctober14,2011,withothercountriessettofollowlaterintheyear.Thiswasthefir

16、stiPhonemodeltofeaturetheAppleA5chip,aswellasthefirstofferedontheSprintnetwork(joiningAT&TandVerizonWirelessastheUnitedStatescarriersofferingiPhonemodels).OnOctober19,2011,AppleannouncedanagreementwithCSpireWirelesstoselltheiPhone4Swiththatcarrierinthenearfuture,markingthefirsttimetheiPhonewasoffici

17、allysupportedonaregionalcarriersnetwork.AnothernotablefeatureoftheiPhone4SwasSirivoiceassistanttechnology,whichApplehadacquiredin2010,aswellasotherfeatures,includinganupdated8megapixelcamerawithnewoptics.Applesold4millioniPhone4Sphonesinthefirstthreedaysafteritsrelease,whichmadeitnotonlythebestiPhon

18、elaunchinAppleshistory,butthemostsuccessfullaunchofanymobilephoneever.OnWednesdaySeptember12,2012,ApplessixtheditioniPhone,theiPhone5wasannounced.Itfeaturedabiggerscreen,4GLTEconnectivity,andanewAppleA6chipamongmanyotherimprovements.ApplesoldtwomillioniPhonesinthefirsttwentyfourhoursofpreordering.Ap

19、pleTVAtthe2007Macworldconference,JobsdemonstratedtheAppleTV,(previouslyknownastheiTV),aset-topvideodeviceintendedtobridgethesaleofcontentfromiTuneswithhigh-definitiontelevisions.ThedevicelinksuptoausersTVandsyncs,eitherviaWi-Fiorawirednetwork,withonecomputersiTuneslibraryandstreamsfromanadditionalfo

20、ur.TheAppleTVoriginallyincorporateda40GBharddriveforstorage,includesoutputsforHDMIandcomponentvideo,andplaysvideoatamaximumresolutionof720p.OnMay31,2007a160GBdrivewasreleasedalongsidetheexisting40GBmodelandonJanuary15,2008asoftwareupdatewasreleased,whichallowedmediatobepurchaseddirectlyfromtheAppleT

21、V.InSeptember2009,Applediscontinuedtheoriginal40GBAppleTVandnowcontinuestoproduceandsellthe160GBAppleTV.OnSeptember1,2010,alongsidethereleaseofthenewlineofiPoddevicesfortheyear,ApplereleasedacompletelyredesignedAppleTV.Thenewdeviceis1/4thesize,runsquieter,andreplacestheneedforaharddrivewithmediastre

22、amingfromanyiTuneslibraryonthenetworkalongwith8GBofflashmemorytocachemediadownloaded.ApplewiththeAppleTVhasaddedanotherdevicetoitsportfoliothatrunsonitsA4processoralongwiththeiPadandtheiPhone.ThememoryincludedinthedeviceisthehalfoftheiPhone4at256MB;thesameastheiPad,iPhone3GS,iPodtouch3G,andiPodtouch

23、4G.IthasHDMIoutastheonlyvideooutsource.FeaturesincludeaccesstotheiTunesStoretorentmoviesandTVshows(purchasinghasbeendiscontinued),streamingfrominternetvideosources,includingYouTubeandNetflix,andmediastreamingfromaniTuneslibrary.Applealsoreducedthepriceofthedeviceto$99.Athirdgenerationofthedevicewasi

24、ntroducedatanAppleeventonMarch7,2012,withnewfeaturessuchashigherresolution(1080p)andanewuserinterface.MarketingAppleaficionadoswaitinlinearoundanAppleretailstoreinanticipationofanewproduct.ThisbranchislocatedonFifthAvenueinNewYorkCity,withaglasscubehousingacylindricalelevatorandaspiralstaircasethatl

25、eadintothesubterraneanstore.Applebrandandbrandcommunity.Applesbrandsloyaltyisconsideredunusualforanyproduct.Atonetime,Appleevangelistswereactivelyengagedbythecompany,butthiswasafterthephenomenonwasalreadyfirmlyestablished.AppleevangelistGuyKawasakihascalledthebrandfanaticismsomethingthatwasstumbledu

26、porf.Applehas,however,supportedthecontinuingexisteneeofanetworkofMacUserGroupsinmostmajorandmanyminorcentersofpopulationwhereMaccomputersareavailable.MacuserswouldmeetattheEuropeanAppleExpoandtheSanFranciscoMacworldConference&ExpotradeshowswhereAppletraditionallyintroducednewproductseachyeartotheind

27、ustryandpublicuntilApplepulledoutofbothevents.Whiletheconferencescontinue,Appledoesnothaveofficialrepresentationthere.Macdevelopers,inturn,continuetogatherattheannualAppleWorldwideDevelopersConference.AppleStoreopeningscandrawcrowdsofthousands,withsomewaitinginlineasmuchasadaybeforetheopeningorflyin

28、ginfromothercountriesfortheevent.TheNewYorkCityFifthAvenueCube”storehadalineaslongashalfamile;afewMacfanstooktheopportunityofthesettingtoproposemarriage.TheGinzaopeninginTokyowasestimatedinthethousandswithalineexceedingeightcityblocks.JohnSculleytoldTheGuardiannewspaperin1997:Peopletalkabouttechnolo

29、gy,butApplewasamarketingcompany.Itwasthemarketingcompanyofthedecade”Researchin2002byNetRatingsindicatesthattheaverageAppleconsumerwasusuallymoreaffluentandbettereducatedthanotherPCcompanyconsumers.TheresearchindicatedthatthiscorrelationcouldstemfromthefactthatonaverageAppleIductsaremoreexpensivethan

30、otherPCproducts.NameAccordingtoSteveJobs,ApplewassonamedbecauseJobswascomingbackfromanapplefarm,andhewasonafruitariandiet.HethoughtthenamewasfUn,spiritedandnotintimidating”.LogosTheoriginallogowithIsaacNewtonunderanappletreeTherainbowbitten”logo,usedfromlate1976to1998Themonochromelogo,usedsince1998A

31、pplesfirstlogo,designedbyRonWayne,depictsSirIsaacNewtonsittingunderanappletree.Almostimmediately,though,thiswasreplacedbyRobJanoffsrainbowApple”，thenow-familiarrainbow-coloredsilhouetteofanapplewithabitetakenoutofit.JanoffpresentedJobswithseveraldifferentmonochromaticthemesforthebitten”logo,andJobsi

32、mmediatelytookalikingtoit.WhileJobslikedthelogo,heinsisteditbeincolortohumanizethecompany.TheApplelogowasdesignedwithabitesothatitwouldnotberecognizedasanotherfruit.Thecoloredstripeswereconceivedtomakethelogomoreaccessible,andtorepresentthefacttheAppleIIcouldgenerategraphicsincolor.Thislogoisoftener

33、roneouslyreferredtoasatributetoAlanTuring,withthebitemarkarefereneetohismethodofsuicide.BoththedesignerofthelogoandthecompanydenythatthereisanyhomagetoTuringinthedesignofthelogo.In1998,withtheroll-outofthenewiMac,Applediscontinuedtherainbowthemeandbegantousemonochromaticthemes,nearlyidenticalinshape

34、toitspreviousrainbowincarnation,onvariousproducts,packagingandadvertising.AnAqua-themedversionofthemonochromelogowasusedfrom2001-2003,andaGlass-themedversionhasbeenusedsince2003.SteveJobsandSteveWozniakwereBeatlesfans,butAppleInc.hadtrademarkissueswithAppleCorpsLtd.,amultimediacompanystartedbyTheBea

35、tlesin1967,involvingtheirnameandlogo.Thisresultedinaseriesoflawsuitsandtensionbetweenthetwocompanies.Theseissuesendedwithsettlingoftheirmostrecentlawsuitin2007.SlogansApplesfirstslogan,ByteintoanApple”，wascoinedinthelate1970s.From1997-2002,AppleusedthesloganThinkDifferent”inadvertisingcampaigns.Alth

36、oughthesloganhasbeenretired,itisstillcloselyassociatedwithApple.Applealsohasslogansforspecificproductlinesforexample,iThink,thereforeiMac”wasusedin1998topromotetheiMac,andSayhellotoiPhone”hasbeenusediniPhoneadvertisements.Hello”wasalsousedtointroducetheoriginalMacintosh,Newton,iMac(hello(again)”)，an

37、diPod.AdvertisingSincetheintroductionoftheMacintoshin1984withthe1984SuperBowlcommercialtothemoremodernGetaMacadverts,Applehasbeenrecognizedinthepastforitseffortstowardseffectiveadvertisingandmarketingforitsproducts,thoughitsadvertisinghasbeencriticizedfortheclaimsofsomemorerecentcampaigns,particular

38、ly2005PowerMacadsandiPhoneadsinBritain.Applesproductcommercialsgainedfameforlaunchingmusiciansintostardomasaresultoftheireye-poppinggraphicsandcatchytunes.First,thecompanypopularizedCanadiansingerFeists1234”songinitsadcampaign.Later,AppleusedthesongNewSoulbyFrench-Israelisinger-songwriterYaelNa?mtop

39、romotetheMacBookAir.Thedebutsingleshottothetopofthechartsandsoldhundredsofthousandsofcopiesinaspanofweeks.CorporateaffairsDuringtheMacsearlyhistoryApplegenerallyrefusedtoadoptprevailingindustrystandardsforhardware,insteadcreatingtheirown.Thistrendwaslargelyreversedinthelate1990sbeginningwithApplesad

40、optionofthePCIbusinthe7500/8500/9500PowerMacs.ApplehassinceadoptedUSB,AGP,HyperTransport,Wi-Fi,andotherindustrystandardsinitscomputersandwasinsomecasesaleaderintheadoptionofstandardssuchasUSB.FireWireisanApple-originatedstandardthathasseenwidespreadindustryadoptionafteritwasstandardizedasIEEE1394.Ev

41、ersincethefirstAppleStoreopened,Applehassoldthirdpartyaccessories.Forinstanee,atonepointNikonandCanondigitalcamerasweresoldinsidethestore.Adobe,oneofApplesoldestsoftwarepartners,alsosellsitsMac-compatiblesoftware,asdoesMicrosoft,whosellsMicrosoftOfficefortheMac.BooksfromJohnWiley&Sons,whopublishesth

42、eForDummiesseriesofinstructionalbooks,areanotableexception,however.ThepublisherslineofbookswerebannedfromAppleStoresin2005becauseSteveJobsdisagreedwiththeirdecisiontopublishanunauthorizedJobsbiography,iCon.AfterthelaunchoftheiBookstore,Applestoppedsellingphysicalbooks,bothonlineandattheAppleRetailSt

43、ores.4.1HeadquartersAppleInc.sworldcorporateheadquartersarelocatedinthemiddleofSiliconValley,at1InfiniteLoop,Cupertino,California.ThisApplecampushassixbuildingsthattotal850,000squarefeet(79,000m2)andwasbuiltin1993bySobratoDevelopmentCos.Applecreatedsubsidiariesinlow-taxplacessuchasIreland,theNetherl

44、ands,LuxembourgandtheBritishVirginIslandstocutthetaxesitpaysaroundtheworld.AccordingtotheNewYorkTimes,Applewasamongthefirsttechcompaniestodesignateoverseassalespeopleinhigh-taxcountriesinamannerthatallowedthecompanytosellonbehalfoflow-taxsubsidiariesonothercontinents,sidesteppingincometaxes.Applewas

45、apioneerofanaccountingtechniqueknownastheDoubleIrishWithaDutchSandwich,”whichreducestaxesbyroutingprofitsthroughIrishsubsidiariesandtheNetherlandsandthentotheCaribbean.In2006,Appleannounceditsintentiontobuildasecondcampuson50acres(200,000m2)assembledfromvariouscontiguousplots(eastofNWolfeRoadbetween

46、PruneridgeAvenueandVallcoParkway).Lateracquisitionsincreasedthisto175acres.Thenewcampus,alsoinCupertino,willbeabout1mile(1.6km)eastofthecurrentcampus.ThenewcampusbuildingwillbedesignedbyNormanFoster.OnJune7,2011,SteveJobsgaveapresentationtoCupertinoCityCouncil,detailingthearchitecturaldesignofthenew

47、buildinganditsenvirons.Thenewcampusisplannedtohouseupto13,000employeesinonecentralfour-storiedcircularbuilding(withacafefor3,000sittingpeopleintegrated)surroundedbyextensiveIandscape(withparkingmainlyundergroundandtherestcentralizedinaparkingstructure).Therewillbeadditionalbuildingssuchasanauditoriu

48、m,R&Dfacilities,afitnesscenterandadedicatedgeneratingplantasprimarysourceofelectricity(poweredbynaturalgasandothermoreenvironmentallysoundmeans).4.2CorporatecultureApplewasoneofseveralhighlysuccessfulcompaniesfoundedinthe1970sthatbuckedthetraditionalnotionsofwhatacorporatecultureshouldlooklikeinorga

49、nizationalhierarchy(flatversustall,casualversusformalattire,etc.).OtherhighlysuccessfulfirmswithsimilarculturalaspectsfromthesameperiodincludeSouthwestAirlinesandMicrosoft.Originally,thecompanystoodinoppositiontostaidcompetitorslikeIBMbydefault,thankstotheinfluenceofitsfounders;SteveJobsoftenwalkeda

50、roundtheofficebarefootevenafterApplewasaFortune500company.Bythetimeofthe1984”TVad,thistraithadbecomeakeywaythecompanyattemptedtodifferentiateitselffromitscompetitors.Asthecompanyhasgrownandbeenledbyaseriesofchiefexecutives,eachwithhisownideaofwhatAppleshouldbe,someofitsoriginalcharacterhasarguablybe

51、enlost,butApplestillhasareputationforfosteringindividualityandexcellencethatreliablydrawstalentedpeopleintoitsemploy,especiallyafterJobsreturn.Torecognizethebestofitsemployees,ApplecreatedtheAppleFellowsprogram,awardingindividualswhomadeextraordinarytechnicalorleadershipcontributionstopersonalcomput

52、ingwhileatthecompany.TheAppleFellowshiphassofarbeenawardedtoafewindividualsincludingBillAtkinson,SteveCapps,RodHolt,AlanKay,GuyKawasaki,AlAlcorn,DonNorman,RichPage,andSteveWozniak.NumerousemployeesofApplehavecitedthatprojectswithoutJobsinvolvementoftentakeIongerthanprojectswithhisinvolvement.Another

53、presentstheimageofJobswanderingthehallwithaflamethrowerinhand,askingrandompeopledoyouworkonMobileMe?”.AtApple,employeesarespecialistswhoarenotexposedtofunctionsoutsidetheirareaofexpertise.Jobssawthisasameansofhavingbest-in-classemployeesineveryrole.Forinstance,RonJohnsonwhowasSeniorVicePresidentofRetailOperationsuntilNovember1,2011,wasresponsibleforsiteselection,in-storeservice,andstorelayout,yethehadnocontroloftheinventoryinhisstores(whi