11 Apple Innovation Ideas for Change

11 Innovation Ideas To Change Apple

"The most important thing to Apple is to make the best products in the world that enrich customers’ lives. That’s our high-order bid. That means that we aren’t interested in revenue for revenue’s sake. We could put the Apple brand on a lot of things and sell a lot more stuff, but that’s not what we’re here for. We want to make only the best products." Apple CEO Tim Cook (during the Apple earnings call on January 23, 2013)

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is one of the top 20 innovators of the Innovation Index. 

Apple stock got hammered after the earnings, and many analysts are predicting rough seas in the quarter ahead. Some are even questioning CEO Tim Cook's vision and strategy. ( Check my earlier article: Why is Apple getting killed? )

Here are my 11 Innovation Ideas that could Change Apple:

1. Real new innovations - Apple needs to go back to the drawing board and create breakthrough products. Not just basic product refreshes, and adding couple of minor features here and there. Something original. Something Big like the original Macintosh, the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad! Something that is an industry first! Real new innovations will drive new business for Apple.

2. One new product each quarter - this is key to getting the excitement going and get people going back to Apple stores. This is also important to keep the competition in check. Apple has to shorten the product refresh cycles and provide new products in consumers hands every quarter. These could be a new iPad, a new iPhone, a new iMac, a new MacBook .... something new which is substantial. Today's consumers want new technology every quarter, and don't want to wait a whole year for a refresh.

3. Smartphones for all - all meaning for all hands and of all sizes... 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 inch - both length and width! Apple needs to do this fast. Take a look at Samsung. One of the key reasons it is winning is because they introduced cool smartphones of all sizes. Every month that Apple doesn't provide bigger smartphones is lost opportunity, lost revenue, and perhaps lost customer for life. It's quite simple! Make bigger smartphones, and stop the bleeding. Apple did this with the iPod already when it made different types of iPods. Why can't they do this with the iPhone?

4. Pre-Announcements - Apple needs to begin pre-announcing products or at least begin sharing what's coming up in the pipeline openly. Not all consumers want the latest products, and hence pre-announcements won't stall the sales. Pre-announcements only keep the buzz going, and get people flocking back to the stores.

5. Apple TV ads - Why stop showing the ads? Only ad we recently see is the iPhone ad. What happened to the Mac vs PC ads and the Mac guy? Apple needs more ads and should take its marketing into overdrive mode. Samsung has been killing Apple with an advertising juggernaut. Apple used to do the same to the PC. Apple needs to build a new ad machine and really go after the competition.

6. China market - enough said! China mobile partnership will be a great start. Sooner Apple sets base in China and begins expanding R&D and operations, better the market share growth in China! China market can and will open up new opportunities for the next five years. Further, the knowledge gained from marketing and selling to the Chinese consumer will be instrumental for all emerging markets.

7. Teenagers market - Is Apple losing a grip on this market? More teenagers are walking around nowadays with Androids. They used to die by Apple products earlier. Now, Apple seems to have lost the edge here, thanks in large part to the Samsung marketing machine. This is Apple's market to lose. Can they afford to?

8. Corporate market - Where is Apple's corporate channel strategy? There is so much money to be made by selling to big companies all the Macbooks, iPads, iMacs, support subscriptions, and much more. When will Apple embrace the corporations with open arms, and really go after them? 

9. Colleges market - Just like teenagers, college students, teachers and administrators have been in awe with Apple for many years. However, is there an opening made by Google with the Chromebooks and Android tablets, and Microsoft with Windows 8 and Surface? Apple needs to become more aggressive here.

10. Smart TV anyone - Is 2013 the year that Apple finally rolls out the much anticipated Smart TV? What would Apple call this new TV? The name "iTV" is taken already. How about just "Next TV" or "TV Plus"? This is the blockbuster innovation everyone is looking out for. Will this change the way we watch TV?

11. X-Factor - Apple users. How can Apple woo and wow them again and again? Is Apple reaching out to their users? What stories is Apple sharing about them? Can Apple promote their customers more so? Can Apple create and participate in local community events, and really get involved with their customers?  

These are just my thoughts and ideas on changing Apple. What are yours? 

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References:
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Apple Grows Tablet Market Share

"Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:: AAPL) continues its success story with the iPad 2, as it has emerged as the leading tablet maker in the second quarter of 2011 in terms of global shipments. Research firm IDC confirmed that 9.3 million units of Apple’s iPad 2 being shipped during the quarter, netting a 68.3% market share worldwide, up from 65.7% in the previous quarter."

Bottomline: Apple iPad sales will explode in the third quarter. IDC estimates at least 62 million in tablet shipments in 2011. With Apple gaining 70% market share, this means at least 45 million iPads will be sold in 2011. Apple has sold little over 14 millions iPads through the first two quarters. This means, another 31 million iPads will be sold in the last two quarters. Recently, Apple has upped its local TV iPad 2 advertisements, and is poised to sell significant numbers of iPad 2 at home in the US, and worldwide! Apple will also announce the iPad later in the 4th quarter, along with the shipment of iPhone 5. Finally, Apple iCloud is also rolling out in the 4th quarter. All eyes on Apple to deliver another home run out of the ball park!

How does Apple, the #1 innovative company in the world, innovate and create game-changing innovations such as the iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and more? What is Apple's secret recipe for innovation success?


Download Apple's Innovation Strategy, and learn how Apple became the #1 innovator through:

• Creativity and Innovation
• Innovation in Products
• Innovation in Business Model
• Innovation in Customer Experience
• Innovation and Leadership
• Steve Jobs Visionary Leadership
Revised in 2011! Steve Jobs interview

Download Apple's Innovation Strategy and Learn how Steve Jobs made Apple the #1 Innovative company in the world.

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References:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Apple-Leads-Tablet-zacks-76625781.html

Nike and Apple iPod working out at a Gym near you

In iPod - Apple's Best Innovation, I had talked about the growing and successful partnership between Nike and Apple:
One innovation that Apple created with another Top 20 Innovator of The Innovation Index, Nike, is Nike Plus or Nike + iPod. Apple calls it the "ultimate synthesis of sport and music: a pair of Nike+ shoes, an iPod nano, and the Nike + iPod Sport Kit." Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) are two of the Top 20 Innovators of The Innovation Index.

Nike and Apple announced another key innovation today in their quest to get more customers to use Nike + iPod as they work out in the Gym. The partnership that began with customers using Nike shoes and iPods for running and running clubs is culminating in the Gym. After all, according to Nike, runners have logged in close to 50 million miles on Nike shoes with iPod, making it the world's largest running club.

Nike and Apple are working with major gym equipment manufacturers such as Life Fitness, Precor, Star Trac and Technogym to make their cardio equipment Nike + iPod compatible so health club members can easily track workouts on cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and stair climbers. Nike + iPod users will simply plug in their iPod nano into the equipment at the start of their workout to automatically record their progress. Users can then connect their iPod with their computer to upload the workout to www.nikeplus.com.
At participating gyms, including 24 Hour Fitness nationwide and Virgin Active Health Clubs internationally, members will soon be able to use Nike + iPod to track their workout and log their data on www.nikeplus.com.
-- Nike + iPod will allow gym members to track progress, set goals and make challenges on www.nikeplus.com.
-- By using the www.nikeplus.com coaching tools, personal trainers now have the ability to help clients chart their progress.
-- When gym users connect their iPod nano to their computer, their workout data is sent to www.nikeplus.com through iTunes. This workout data is converted to "CardioMiles" so that users of cardio equipment can easily set goals and participate in challenges with runners and with users of other cardio equipment.
Nike + Sport Music has also been extremely popular on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) offering a wide range of playlists perfectly suited for your favorite sport.

Bottomline:

1. This expansion of the partnership between Nike and Apple will create 5% to 10% more iPod nano sales in 2009 when most gyms would have deployed the new equipment.
2. It remains to be seen on whether Apple will also make this compatible with the latest iPod touch, although this makes strategic sense. Most new iPod buyers will buy iPod touch. If Apple makes the gym equipments compatible with the iPod touch, expect 1% to 5% more sales of iPod touch in 2009.
3. Apple will see modest incremental sale of sport music on the iTunes Store - in the range of 1% to 5%.
4. Nike will see a solid upside in the Nike + iPod shoes in 2009, large enough to impact the topline revenue.

References:
Nike and Apple Press Release

The Innovation Index Reports:
Invest in The Innovation Index - Innovation Index Fund tracks The Innovation Index
The Innovation Index closes 2007 at 66% - 2007 Annual Report on the Innovation Index
Top 50 Innovative Companies in the world - 2007 Report on Top 50 Innovative Companies
Annual Report - Chapter One - Total Innovation Activity - 2006 Annual Report One
Annual Report - Chapter Two - The Top Innovator - 2006 Annual Report Two
Annual Report - Chapter Three - The Innovation Insights - 2006 Annual Report Insights
Innovation and Stock Performance Correlation - The Innovation Index and Stock Performance

Disclaimer: Innovation Index Group, Inc. invests in Apple and Top Innovators of The Innovation Index.