Imagine the future of Apple in the next 10 years

In 2020, Forbes magazine ranked Apple as the world’s most valuable brand for the 10th year in a row. This is particularly impressive for a company focused solely on technology, an industry where everything changes at the speed of light. Apple became the largest company by market capitalization on the planet without even trying to be the biggest smartphone maker. Instead, they are the most popular. More than any other technology company, Apple always puts the user experience above everything else such as performance, memory or specifications.

The commitment to blending technology with art was established under late founder Steve Jobs and continues today, under current CEO Tim Cook. As long as Apple’s future management team is interested in the brand and expanding into new areas, “apple defect” continues its strong track record.

In an interview with Fast Company in 2015, Mr. Cook once said: “Things can change, core values ​​can’t.”

Apple’s innovations aren’t too groundbreaking, often applying excellent design prowess to consumer technology trends. For example, they didn’t invent the MP3 player or the smartphone, but still dominate these products through design, experience, and brand reputation.

The next 10 years, the Apple of 2030 will probably still retain the tradition of incrementally improving hardware and software, and introducing new products. The company will also develop a suite of subscription services for customers, which is both a challenge and an opportunity. Of course, a “blockbuster” is indispensable, no less than the 2007 iPhone.

iPhone and consumer devices

Either way, smartphones will still be the main gateway to our world, no matter which direction they change. 5G mobile network is just getting started and has a long way to go to perfection and for users to take full advantage of it. The 4G standard introduced in 2009 is still in use today, so there’s no reason why 5G won’t be used in 2030, before 6G arrives.

iPhone is Apple’s “golden egg”, although sales in recent years have increased and decreased unevenly. Some people think there will be another product other than the iPhone to take the new “super device” position. It could be smart glasses, allowing people to communicate, read books, browse the Internet through augmented reality screens instead of iPhone screens.

Rumors suggest Apple is working on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) glasses to launch in early 2022. The company has made a number of acquisitions related to this technology such as acquisitions. NEXTVR mid-May 2020. NEXTVR helps people watch sports, music and other entertainment events with VR headsets. The airline also signed cooperation agreements with major sports leagues and channels.

In addition to smart glasses, Apple is also said to be developing self-driving cars. However, the company’s Projet Titan project, although rumored for a long time, has not yet given a clear signal. Some people believe that Apple has abandoned the idea of ​​​​making a car and only focuses on self-driving car software. Even so, the company is constantly recruiting for car-related positions from other automakers. Analyst Ming Chi Kuo predicts Apple Car will be available around 2023-2025 and is the boldest and most ambitious project ever.

Besides fiction-filled projects, Apple still relies on traditional revenue sources: iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, laptop, desktop… After all, personal computers are still the main tools for people to work and learn. practice, especially in the context that Covid-19 is dramatically changing the way the world works.

Service is key

Since its birth in 2007, the iPhone has been constantly changing and becoming the most important electronic device in the world. Billionaire Warren Buffett once commented: “It is a product that is extremely, extremely valuable to the people who are building their lives around it. That’s true for an eight-year-old or an 80-year-old man.”

In other words, iPhone is not only a phone but also the best distribution platform in the world. It helps Apple make huge profits from selling iOS apps through the App Store (the company is collecting 30% commission/transaction). It seems that “apple defect” is becoming more and more like a service company, launching more services under its own brand. The company poured a lot of money and effort after a series of brand new services in the past year such as Apple TV+, credit card, Apple News+, Apple Arcade; not to mention pre-existing services like Apple Care, iCloud, Apple Music, Apple Pay.

These services are sure to grow even more over the next decade. In fiscal year 2019, services revenue reached $46.3 billion, while in 2010, the segment contributed only $5.2 billion to Apple. In the third quarter of fiscal 2021, Apple services grew 33% to a record high of $17.5 billion. Now, the service is second only to the iPhone in terms of importance to the company. The profit margin of services is even higher than that of hardware products (65.3% vs 30.3%).

Like many other tech giants, Apple will work to create a full service ecosystem for users in the next 10 years as the hardware business slows. It is possible that Apple will introduce other new services, while continuing to upgrade existing services. By 2030, Tim Cook’s company has the ability to enter every sector of entertainment, finance or consumer services. One or two acquisitions will help the company’s goals achieve faster. The service that contributes half of Apple’s revenue is possible.

As Apple devices become more and more important to our lives, it presents huge opportunities but also many risks. For example, if there is a mistake in financial services, it will take a long time for Apple to recover, similar to the slippage of the Wells Fargo banking brand in 2016. When it comes to producing movie and TV content, Will Apple catch up to Netflix with a slower start?

These are all problems that Apple faces as it looks to the future if it becomes a service-oriented company. However, as long as the company sticks to its principles, accepts mistakes, and constantly improves its products and services while maintaining its technological edge, Apple will still be the company many people expect in the future. next decade.