People are sensitive about their phones. Want proof? Tell an Apple smartphone user to buy an Android phone, and you’ll be met with the same facial expression as hearing someone say they don’t know how to play Spades.  It’s not that 3.3 billion Android users don’t exist. It’s just that Apple has made such a name for itself that the average Apple user is chasing that brand even more than they’re chasing the actual phone. Competitors get dismissed quickly. Even though the average salary for an iPhone worker is $10 an hour, that same phone (ex. iPhone 15 Pro) they made has a price tag of $558.

Are Apple Products On The Decline?

Last year, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple’s total net sales were $383.3 billion and its net income was $97 billion, a small decrease of 2.79% from $394.3 billion in 2022. While that may be alarming to founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, inflation and unemployment (6.3 million in 2023, up from 5.9 million at the end of 2022) also made people more careful about how they spent their money. Could they wait a little while for a new Apple product? More than likely.

But Jobs and Wozniak could (sorta) breathe a sigh of relief if they saw late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s iPhone prank. In the video, passersby were told that they would be getting a new iPhone if they agreed to turn over their prior phone. They all agreed and immediately “gushed” over how much more responsive, how clearer the photos are and easy to navigate this phone was. The truth? Kimmel’s team just cleaned their original phones and put a new case on it. Even an Apple sales employee didn’t realize he was holding his own phone. This was a primary example of how this billion-dollar business has managed to use its marketing and branding to hold onto a loyal base. While they may laugh at the prank, they still left with an Apple phone anyway.

How Many Products Does Apple Have?

Although the iPhones may be the most popular product, Apple’s net worth isn’t just from this alone. Apple’s market capitalization was at an astronomical level of $2.94 trillion in December 2021. While going from trillions to billions in the past couple of years made investors’ heads turn, that hasn’t stopped Apple from growing its brand. In fact, Apple owns approximately 125 companies with a net worth of $8 billion, including:

  • Hardware: Apple TVs, Apple watches, iPads, iPhones, Macs 
  • Software: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS
  • Services: AppleCare, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Apple TV+, iCloud

Then there’s all of the digital options in the Apple Store, the App Store and accessories that require a specific tool, which Apple users can rent from the company’s Self Service Repair website.

Does Apple Give Back To The Community?

Everything affiliated with Apple doesn’t always cost hundreds of dollars. To fight against ageism, against racial equality and justice, and reforming the criminal justice system, Apple’s education program is looking at all of these groups. In one of many examples, since July 2021, Apple has teamed up with BGCSM and Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) to support the Code to Career program. Students between the ages of 16 to 18 can present their app prototypes to judges and Michigan legislators by the end of the program. Apple also has programs to guide teachers into learning to code so they can teach their own students. The brand works with partners that reach learners in over 100 countries and regions.