If u bought an Apple product in 2011 - Thank You

[KmH]

Apple has reported 46 billion in revenue and profits of 13 billion for 2011. That is 13,000 millions in profit.

That means that out of every $3.54 people spent on Apple products last year $1.00 was profit.

[TPF Sponsor]

[GeorgieGirl]

Great products so far!

[2WheelPhoto]

Great business model.

I bought an apple Mac and can see why they are so successful.

What I regret not buying is apple stock years back but I was a hater!

[o hey tyler]

Keith, after all of your grammar and spelling hounding, as well as capitalization... Did you just type out the name of your post with the use of "u" in lieu of "you?"

Never thought I'd see the day!

[480sparky]

So we should Occupy Apple Headquarters now?

[2WheelPhoto]

So we should Occupy Apple Headquarters now?

Only if you want Apple to give hand-outs

[Derrel]

Apple has reported 46 billion in revenue and profits of 13 billion for 2011. That is 13,000 millions in profit.

That means that out of every $3.54 people spent on Apple products last year $1.00 was profit.

We know you don't like Apple products, Keith. But the rest of the world does. They make good products, and they make software that actually FUNCTIONS with the products. A bit more information, from the New York Times: Last year, Apple sold 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads, and 59 million other Apple products. Apparently, a lot of people seem to like Apple products.

Apple employs, "43,000 people in the United States, and 20,000 overseas." "Last year Apple's American workforce grew by 8,000 people."

As the NYT wrote, "Apple has become one of the best-known, most admired and most imitated companies on earth, in part through an unrelenting mastery of global operations. Last year, it earned over $400,000 in profit per employee, more than Goldman Sachs, Exxon Mobil or Google."

Apple is a company that has added billions of dollars' of value to the American economy. Apple has been the driving force behind a lot of innovation, over decades: the GUI and the mouse (Xerox, who had no idea what to do with it), "icons", desktop publishing, computer video compression, CD-ROM drives in every Apple computer sold; taking USB from a blah nothing feature Win-Tel computer makers offered as an option, to putting USB ports and buses on every Macintosh sold; getting computer-illiterate older Americans into their very first-ever computer--with at first, the original iMac. Apple's iPod dominates the portable music player landscape. It was Apple acting in concert with the RIAA and the record companies and the movie studios that made it finally possible to buy music on-line and to buy movies on-line.

Apple's on-line iTunes Store revolutionized music buying, and brought millions of dollars in profits to record companies whose old products went from being stores in vaults to HOT-selling, valuable commodities!

There are very few companies as successful as Apple. Apple is a leading company in several different industry segments. That is what happens when a company builds really,really good products that people actually WANT TO BUY. And which do not break down all the time, or become outdated or worn out in two years.

[unpopular]

So we should Occupy Apple Headquarters now?

Only if you want Apple to give hand-outs

to Cupertino then!! Who's with me?

[analog.universe]

Apple has a significant record of labor abuses overseas, environmental violations, child labor, etc etc... It's easy to profit when you exploit your employees.

[2WheelPhoto]

Apple has a significant record of labor abuses overseas, environmental violations, child labor, etc etc... It's easy to profit when you exploit your employees.

hmmmm

And all the other American and foreign companies we buy that manufacture abroad from are innocent? Just sayn', the children in Viet Nam that made my Lucky Brand Jeans may find it better in China for that company that makes parts for Apple.

[unpopular]

i am unconvinced dell or anyone else would be much better, and it's a much more complex issue than the gut reaction.

[analog.universe]

No, they're not alone by any means... doesn't make it excusable..

[2WheelPhoto]

Yeah, its TOUGH to be on top #1.....the media are all over you because the story sells so well.

[unpopular]

No, they're not alone by any means... doesn't make it excusable..

So then Western companies take their business to factories that have more acceptable practices - what happens to the factory workers when those contracts go elsewhere?

The truth is our "sacred way of life" is permitted by cheap labor, domestic or otherwise.

[2WheelPhoto]

Either Apple made them straighten up or they're out of work and someone else is in work.

If i recall it correctly, the labor problems were an Apple Supplier named Foxcon (spelling), who makes stuff for many companies? I doubt Apple micromanages its suppliers but i'm sure the heat is on if the stuff end up in Apple products. Either way, I bet research will show that Apple had the problem fixed long before this thread.