• What is the Best Business Plan Software for Mac?

What is the Best Business Plan Software for Mac

  • Startup Culture
  • Business Skills

Last Updated: July 25, 2023 By TRUiC Team

Truth is, not all business plan software tools out there are Mac-friendly, it just so happens that our absolute favorite here at Startup Savant is 100% compatible with Mac, iPhone, or pretty much any other device - LivePlan ! In terms of value, features and pricing - they're heard to beat.

That said, let's dive a little deeper into the 5 reasons Mac users adore LivePlan. Come on, it'll be fun, adventurous, and this article might just be the catalyst you've been searching for. Enjoy!

Recommended: You can also check out our review of the  best business planning software.

Exclusive Bonus : If you'd like to try LivePlan yourself, here's an exclusive 50% off LivePlan promo code  offered to our readers. You'll have 60 days of risk free planning with their 100% money back guarantee. Enjoy!

#1) Presentation-Ready Business Plans

Whether you're out to organize ideas better, show them to potential partners, or to have a chance at funding from credit unions, investors and lenders, LivePlan guides you to presentation-ready plans. Clean. Concise. Beautiful. Well-formatted and fully customizable.

LivePlan Business Plan for Mac

#2) User-Friendly and Modern Interface

It's hard not to love their software's interface, especially if you're nowhere near a number cruncher. No savvy required to look pretty. All you need is the data, or information, and LivePlan will take care of the rest.

Business Plan Software for Mac

#3) A Scoreboard to Monitor Progress

The LivePlan Scoreboard is a dashboard where you can view and keep tabs on your brand's evolution. It highlights important info that's easy to digest and discern. Stay aware and generate progress reports with a couple clicks.

LivePlan Reviews and Scoreboard

#4) 500+ Templates

Nearly all of the business plan software provides give you templates to customize. However, LivePlan is unique because you get 500+ that've been tried and tested by real startups and entrepreneurs like you. LivePlan's been collecting them through the generous contributions of their users. This way you'll never have to start from scratch.

LivePlan Business Plan Examples

#5) Create Powerful Market Data

Along with your pitch, core objectives, and financials...no one does market data presentation quite like LivePlan. The screenshot below doesn't do them justice by any means. If you love seeing raw data transform into beautiful graphs and charts that make everything easier to grasp and act on, then LivePlan will definitely tickle your fancy.

Best Business Plan Software for Mac

What Your Business Plan Could Look Like

Below is the example they provide on their site. It's minimalist and more of an executive summary. Our business plan is 20 pages long but just as lovely, although we went with a more dramatic template with dark red.

LivePlan Business Plan Pitch

LivePlan Pricing Structure

LivePlan Discount Pricing

LivePlan offers a single straightforward plan and you can go monthly or invest once a year. Regular price for the monthly subscription is $19.95, but with our 50% off discount (in the big link at the end of this article), you’ll pay only $9.95 for the first month.

Do keep in mind though that the annual subscription saves you 40% and drops the price per month to a mere $11 and change. Oh, and don't forget their 100% money back guarantee.

Ready To Make Your Move?

So at the end of the day, since you're very interested in planning software for your Mac, there's no reason not to head on over to LivePlan , sign up, take the leap, make your move, and see what's in store. I myself am one of the over 350,000 entrepreneurs who've used LivePlan and I can honestly say it's solid software (cloud-based too). Thanks so much for stopping by and reading. Here's to the big wonderfully successful and transformative years ahead of you.

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The Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac – Streamline Your Business Strategy!

  • June 4, 2023

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In the world of business, having a well-drafted plan is critical. Business plan software helps users streamline their business strategy and create professional-grade plans that showcase their vision for their company. Business plan software is a powerful tool that can help entrepreneurs develop their ideas, pitch to investors, and track their progress. The right software can help simplify the business planning process, save time, and increase productivity.

However, with so many options available in the market, choosing the best business plan software for Mac can be a daunting task. In this post, we will introduce and compare the top 7 business plan software for Mac to help you make the right choice.

Video Tutorial:

What is business plan software.

Business plan software is an application that helps entrepreneurs create or improve their business plans. These plans typically detail a company’s overall strategy, goals, target market, competition, financial analysis, and more. Business plan software can help create professional-grade plans that showcase a company’s vision, mission, and goals. This software can help entrepreneurs get started with their business planning and provide guidance throughout the process.

Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac Recommendation 2023

1. liveplan.

LivePlan is an award-winning business planning software that offers a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the entire process. It features easy-to-use templates, interactive forecasting tools, and a wide variety of customizable charts and graphs. You can also integrate your financial data with accounting software such as QuickBooks. LivePlan offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, making it a risk-free option for entrepreneurs.

Download Link

– Easy to use templates – Interactive forecasting tools – Compatible with QuickBooks – Live technical support available

– No free trial – Relatively expensive compared to other options – Limited customization options

Enloop is another popular business plan software that uses machine learning to assess the viability of your business plan. It offers easy-to-use templates, financial forecasting tools, and automated text writing tools. It also provides industry-specific data, such as market trends and competitor analysis. Enloop offers a free version with limited features, and paid plans with higher-end features.

– Uses machine learning to improve business plans – Offers industry-specific data – Free version available – Automated text writing tools

– Limited customization options – Limited financial forecasting tools in the free version – No technical support available in the free version

Bizplan offers a variety of business planning tools, including financial forecasting, team collaboration, and custom branding options. It also offers funding advice, with a network of investors and VC firms available to interact with. Bizplan offers a free trial period with access to all features, and paid plans are available with additional features and support.

– Custom branding options – Funding advice and investor network – Free trial available – Live chat and phone support available

– Relatively expensive compared to other options – No free version available – Limited customization options on lower-tier plans

4. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software that uses a step-by-step process to guide you through the planning process. It offers financial forecasting tools, team collaboration, and customized reports. StratPad also provides access to a community forum, where you can interact with other entrepreneurs and receive feedback on your plan. StratPad offers a free trial period, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Community forum for feedback and collaboration – Customized reports – Free trial period available – Ability to export data to PDF or Excel

– Limited customization options – No 24/7 support available – No mobile app available

5. Business Plan Pro

Business Plan Pro offers a step-by-step wizard to guide users through the planning process. It provides industry-specific data, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. Business Plan Pro offers phone and email support, as well as a community forum for feedback and collaboration. A free trial is not available, but users can purchase the software with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

– Step-by-step planning process – Industry-specific data – Customizable reports – 60-day money-back guarantee

– No free trial available – Limited customization options – No mobile app available

6. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive financial forecasting tool that offers the ability to create detailed business plans. It also features a customizable dashboard that allows users to view data in real time and monitor their business performance. PlanGuru integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks and provides a free trial for users to test out the software’s features.

– Comprehensive financial forecasting tools – Customizable dashboard – Integrates with QuickBooks – Free trial available

– Limited business planning features – Limited customization options – Does not offer support for non-financial metrics

7. GoSmallBiz

GoSmallBiz is a cloud-based tool that offers business planning features, along with numerous other tools targeted towards small business owners. It features a step-by-step planning process, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. GoSmallBiz also provides access to a customer support team for help with any issues or questions. GoSmallBiz offers a 30-day free trial, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Step-by-step planning process – Numerous other tools for small business owners – Customizable reports – 30-day free trial

– Limited customization options – Relatively expensive compared to other options – No mobile app available

Comprehensive Comparison of Each Software

The table below provides a comprehensive comparison of each business plan software based on several evaluation criteria, including free trial, price, ease of use, and value for money.

Our Thoughts on Business Plan Software for Mac

Choosing the right business plan software depends on several factors, such as price, ease of use, and customization options. If you value simplicity and ease of use, LivePlan and Enloop may be good choices for you. If you’re looking for more advanced features and customization options, StratPad and PlanGuru may be better options. Finally, if you want access to a variety of other tools targeted towards small business owners, GoSmallBiz may be the right fit.

Overall, we recommend LivePlan for its user-friendly approach, interactive forecasting tools, and integration with QuickBooks. Additionally, LivePlan offers a money-back guarantee, making it a low-risk option for entrepreneurs.

FAQs About Business Plan Software

Q1: what should i include in my business plan.

A: A business plan typically includes an executive summary, company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, management and organization overview, product or service description, marketing and sales strategies, financial analysis, and funding request information.

Q2: How long does it take to create a business plan?

A: The length of time it takes to create a business plan varies depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the business, the amount of research required, and the availability of information. However, it typically takes several weeks to several months to complete a comprehensive business plan.

Q3: Can I use business plan software for a non-profit organization?

A: Yes, many business plan software options can be used for non-profit organizations, with some offering specific tools and templates tailored towards non-profits.

Q4: How much should a business plan cost?

A: The cost of a business plan can vary widely, with some plans costing as little as $10 and others costing several hundred dollars or more. The cost typically depends on the features and customization options offered by the software.

Q5: Can business plan software help me secure funding?

A: Yes, business plan software can help you create a comprehensive plan that showcases your business idea and financial projections to potential investors or lenders. However, securing funding is not guaranteed and ultimately depends on the viability and potential of your business idea.

In Conclusion

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7+ Best Business Plan Software For Mac (2023 Guide)

Best Business Plan Software For Mac

Want to jump in and know my recommendation for the Best Business Plan Software For Mac? I recommend that you go for Wise Business Plans , LivePlan or Upmetrics .

Businesses in the 21st century are increasingly turning to software solutions.

This is because they have an easier time finding a solution and getting it done quickly.

There are many innovative and collaborative platform that can be used to help entrepreneurs create their business plan.

These software solutions can be found on the market today and we are going to take a closer look at them in the sections that follows:

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which may result in a little commission for me at no incremental expense to you. However, these are the best blogging training and tools to help you generate money this year.

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What Is The Best Business Plan Software For Mac?

Here Is A List Of My Top Rated Business Plan Software.

1.Wise Business Plans.   

wise business plans home page screenshot

Wise Business Plans is a modern business planning platform that is dedicated to help entrepreneurs and leaders Plan, Build and Fund their business planning needs.

With their professional MBA qualified writers and prioritize features, they will assist you in writing custom business plans in a multitude of business industries with a compiled research on 400 industries.

WSP is well organized from the time line to the finalization of your business project. 

Pricing Plans .

wise business plans pricing packs screenshot

There are 3 pricing packs in here and they are as follows:

LLC is for $348 plus state fee, File in 5-7 business days.

Corporation cost $488 plus state fee, File in 5-7 business days.

Non-profit goes for $548 plus state fee, File in 5-7 business days. 

Try Wise Business Plans .

2.LivePlan.

live plan home page screenshot

LivePlan has well over 500 built-in sample templates and has got you covered. Regardless of your little or medium-sized business, LivePlan can assist you along the way to acquire the right leads. Their software includes industry benchmarks and makes it easier for them to make a tough and realistic forecast for your business.

live plan prices screenshot

Two price plans exist here and they are:

Standard goes for $15 a month and its best for anyone who needs a professional business plan.

Premium is for $30 a month and its best for businesses that also need financial tools to help them operate and grow.

Try LivePlan .

  3.UpMetrics. 

upmetrics official home page screenshot

UpMetrics is a cloud-based strategic planning software built for entrepreneurs that care about where their time and energy goes in planning and building strategies.

With their team of over 15+ thinkers and prioritize features, step by step instructions, makers, and storytellers around the world, they aim at providing a balanced perspective by creating unique and delightful products to meet your business needs.

upmetrics pricing packages screenshot

There are four pricing packages in here to help you with your business planning processes and they are:

Free demo cost $0 and it’s good foreveryone to learn how upmetrics features works.

Solo sells at $9 it’s good for best for solopreneurs and freelancers trying to build their brands.

Team goes for $14 it’s best for small teams looking to scale their businesses.

Premium is for $48 it’s perfect for incubators, large organizations and business consultants.

Try UpMetrics .

4.GoSmallBiz.  

gosmalbiz official home page screenshot

GoSmallBiz is the best business performance management software that is capable of handling your managerial and legal tasks.

They are good at handling human resource management, tax payments and marketing for small businesses that want to carry out their administrative duties with ease.

Price Packs .

gosmallbiz prices screenshot

There are 3 price packs inside this business planning software if you are looking for their services and they are as follows:

Go sells at $199 a year.

Guide is for $49 per month.

Grow cost $39 per month.

Try GoSmallBiz .

bizplan official home page screenshot

If you are interested in the success of your business, creating a professional business plan and growing your businesses, then your best option is to go try Bizplan .

Bizplan as a cloud based tool has automated business plan generator or templates that prompts you with the most relevant questions you need to answer to best communicate your idea.

This will save you lots of time in writing a business plan and more time building your business.

bizplan pricing plans screenshot

There are three pricing plans inside this cloud based tool when looking for their services and includes unlimited business plans, collaborators, and all features on Bizplan.

Monthly goes for $29 per month. 

Annual cost $20.75 monthly. 

Life-time access is for $349.

Try Bizplan .

6.Enloop.   

enloop home page screenshot

Enloop is the best when looking to make your business planning easy and collaborative as much as possible.

With this cloud based software, you get to put together a thorough business plan with text and automatically generated full financial projections and your plans are kept safely on the internet so you may access them at any time and make changes.

enloop pricing plans screenshot

Enloop as a cloud based tool offers three price packages here to help in business planning and they are as follows:

7-day is a free business plan software for $0 and a seven day free trial.

Detailed cost $19.95 per month.

Performance is for $39.95 per month.

Try Enloop .

7.PlanBuildr.   

planbuildr official home page screenshot

PlanBuildr is modern business planning platform and happens to be one of the easiest business planning software that guides you through a tried-and-true, patented process to quickly and easily build professional business plans in any chosen field.

Additionally, you also get online support and find answers to your most frequent queries.

Try PlanBuildr .

8.PlanGuru.   

planguru official home page screenshot

When it comes to increasing your business profits, daily tasks, making better decisions and accomplishing your goals, PlanGuru is a cloud based tool and its definitely your best option when it comes to business planning.

PlanGuru can help you drive better decision making through time-tested processes.

planguru prices screenshot

There are 2 main plans for their services and they are:

PlanGuru app goes for $99 Per Month (USD) and $899 for annual subscription.

PlanGuru desktop cost $99 Per Month and $899 for annual subscription.

Try PlanGuru .

What Is A Business Plan Software?

A business plan software is a user friendly software or automated business plan generator that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners in their business planning processes.

It helps them to create, edit, manage and share their plans with other people. Business plan software also help to automate the process of writing the plans.

There are many options available in the market for this type of software.

Some of them are free while others charge a monthly or annual fee.

The best option for you depends on what you want from your tool and your budget.

How Do I Create a Proposal with a Business Plan Software for Mac.

There are a lot of software that can help in creating business plans. Most of them are complex and expensive to use.

The 7 steps below will help you create your own proposal with a business plan software for Mac.

Download The Software.

Install the software., create your first project., edit your project., generate a proposal template from scratch or from one of the templates provided by the software., export your document to any format required by your customer., share your document with anyone..

Downloading the business plan software for mac is easy. There are two ways you can do this.

First, you can download the software from the website of a company that offers it. Second, you can install it on your own computer.

Both ways require that you have an internet connection and are running a mac operating system.

I will take you through the 5 steps on installing the business plan software for mac.

We recommend that you follow these steps in order:

  • Download and install Xcode from the App Store.
  • Download Business Plan Pro from our website.
  • Open Business Plan Pro and sign in.
  • Create your account by clicking on “Sign Up” button.
  • The registration process will take a few minutes. Once it’s done, click “Activate” button in order to activate your license.

To create your first project with business plan software for mac, you will need to start with a few key steps.

First, you will need to create a business plan template that suits your needs.

Next, you will need to fill out the template and add information about your business. Finally, you will need to customize the template so that it reflects your company’s unique needs and goals.

When creating your first project with business plan software for mac, it is important to consider all aspects of the venture before making any decisions about what type of template or design would work best for the project.

The software comes with an editor that makes it easy to make changes and update the content.

The editor is also helpful in keeping track of all the changes made throughout the writing process.

It’s important for you to edit your project before submitting it. If you don’t, there is a good chance that your project will be rejected or ignored by potential investors or partners.

Editing will help ensure that you have everything organized and presentable so that potential investors can easily understand what they are getting into when they invest in the company.

It is not easy to start a business. It requires a lot of planning, time, and effort. However, you can take the help of the software to make it easier for you.

The templates provided by these software are customizable so that you can personalize them according to your needs.

You also get access to a wide range of professional templates that will help you create your own unique proposal.

The software also provides an easy-to-use interface that will help you generate proposals in no time and without any hassle.

With the rise of globalization, businesses are increasingly looking for ways to expand their reach.

One of the most effective ways to do this is through exporting your document to any format required by your customer.

These software packages make it easy for you to export your document in a variety of formats – including PDF, DOCX, XLSX, and more.

They also offer other features that make it easier for you to manage and share documents with your customers.

You can export your document to any format required by your customer with business plan software for mac.

The way you export your document is very easy. All you need to do is click on the Export button and select the format of your choice.

This software will help you make a professional presentation that is in line with the requirements of your customers and they will be impressed by the quality of the content.

This tool is a one-stop solution for business plan authors. It allows users to create and share their document with anyone they choose.

It also has a built-in editor, so you don’t have to worry about editing it yourself.

It’s the easiest way to share your business plan with potential investors or partners, and it’s also the best way to make sure that your document is error-free.

To share your document with anyone, just click the “Share” button in the top-left corner of the screen.

This will open up a menu where you can give access to your document to others.

What Are The Top 3 Determining Factors In Choosing The Best Business Plan Software For Your Needs.

There are many factors that determine which business plan software is right for you. These include the size of your company, your industry, and the type of plan you need.

Your future is more important than your today. Make some money and secure your future here with my affiliate link:

In order to help you make a decision, here are the top three factors that determine which business plan software is right for you:

The 3 Main Factors That Determine The Best Bps For You Are:

Functionality., ease of use..

Budget is a factor in choosing the best software for your needs. Some of the software charge a high price for the features they provide, while others are free or offer a limited number of features.

If you have a limited budget and need to get your business plan done quickly, you should consider using one of these free tools.

It provides a plethora of templates, guides and worksheets to help businesses develop their business plans.

The software comes with a variety of features that will help you create the best business plan for your needs.

All the features include; the ability to manage your budget, customization options and track progress over time.

The best business plan software will have the functionalities that you need for your team and company.

The software should be able to meet all of your needs and provide you with the tools needed to succeed in your venture.

Business plan software is a complex product that requires a lot of time and effort to learn.

Even if you are not the most tech-savvy person, it can still be difficult to navigate through the features and options available in different business plan software.

Ease of use is a factor in choosing the best business plan software for your needs.

It should be easy for you to understand how the product works and what it does, without having to spend hours researching about it online.

The best software should make your life easier by providing tools that help you create content faster, as well as by providing templates that can be used by anyone with basic knowledge of Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

FAQ On Business Plan Software Solutions.

Here I will commonly asked questions.

What Are Balance Sheets?

Balance sheets are a financial statement that lists the assets, liabilities, and owner equity of an individual company or other economic unit at a particular date.

The balance sheet is one of the three major financial statements (the other two being the income statement and cash flow statement). It is used to measure the performance of an organization on a specific date.

What Is An Investor Ready Business Plan?

An investor ready business plan is a comprehensive document that can be used to gain funding from investors.

Executive Summery On Best Business Plan Software For Mac.

Business performance management software is going to help in the future to set strategy that will be easy to use and will provide assistance in business plan creation.

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The software has been designed as an online interface that can be accessed from any device.

It provides all the necessary tools for business plans like budgeting, forecasting and financial forecasting.

Businesses are using these tools to create their own business plan with ease.

They just need to fill up a form with information about their products and services, company profile, financials, etc.

These tools can generate a comprehensive plan for them.

Hence, this is going to be a great way to achieve better results using these tools.

RECAP: My #1 recommended best online business plan software for mac are Wise Business Plans , LivePlan or Upmetric .

What do you think about business plan creation and which of these innovative and collaborative platform will you try out?

Do leave a comment about my post in the comment box below.

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The #1 Best Selling Online Business Plan Software for Mac

Fill-in-the-blanks simplicity. Real sample business plans to inspire you. See how it works »

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Mandie O. Lucky Dog Daycare

“LivePlan is incredibly easy to use. LivePlan’s web-based nature allows me to log in anywhere (for me it was with my MacBook Pro or iPad).”

Some of our fans:

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Here's How LivePlan Makes it Surprisingly Simple to Write a Convincing Business Plan

Step-by-step process

You get a step-by-step process to follow

  • Ways to write a pitch that grabs investors' attention
  • What to include in your marketing plan
  • Every other essential piece of your business plan

“LivePlan saved me a lot of time because the software does so much of the work for you. All you have to do is answer questions and plug in numbers.”

Brian Sung, Eugene, OR Owner of Tailored Coffee

All the financials are calculated for you

LivePlan tells you exactly what kind of financial information you need to enter and then it does all the calculations automatically using built-in formulas. So you end up with razor-accurate financial statements that include all the tables that a lender or investor expects to see.

Financials Graph

“Most people are intimidated by the financials, but LivePlan made planning simple, saved me so much time and just knowing that the calculations are correct makes this tool worth every penny!”

Brandie Slaton

Brandie Slaton, Merced, CA Noelle Notals LLC

If you ever get stuck, we'll help you out

Most LivePlan users are able to breeze through their first business plan. But if you ever have a question, there are 3 ways to get advice:

  • Call a LivePlan expert at 1-888-498-6136
  • Start a chat with our advocacy team. Click here to try it .
  • Or refer to more than 550 sample plans and tutorial videos built into LivePlan

Customer Advocacy Team

“LivePlan was user friendly, supportive and provided meaningful guidance all while remaining very flexible.”

Freja Nelson

Freja Nelson, Oregon Freja Foods

Get a Polished Business Plan That Will Impress Lenders

Once your plan is done, you can:

  • Customize the look of your plan using 10 beautiful document themes
  • Download your plan as a PDF or Word doc so you share it easily
  • Print out your plan to get a clean, professional document

See inside a completed plan »

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Join over 1 million entrepreneurs who found success with LivePlan

35-day money back guarantee. Start planning for $20 per month.

“LivePlan is incredibly simple and easy to use. The financial sales forecasting tool is very intuitive and makes writing a business plan more fun.”

Helga Douglas

Helga Douglas Owner, Svala

LivePlan Also Gives You Tools to Help Your New Business Succeed

Access Essential Business & Legal Form Templates

Access Essential Business & Legal Form Templates

Search our library of hundreds of legal forms that cover credit applications, contractor agreements, employee contracts and more.

Get Insights That Will Help Your Company Grow

Get Insights That Will Help Your Company Grow

Are you charging enough? Will you meet your revenue goals? LivePlan's forecasting tool can answer these type of questions at a glance.

See How You Stack Up Against Competitors

See How You Stack Up Against Competitors

Plug in your industry and where you're located, and LivePlan will tell you how you're doing compared to businesses just like yours.

You Might Be Surprised By What New Business Owners Have Achieved with LivePlan

E'a williams, be fit tri wellness, chicago, il.

“Once the investor saw the plan, he believed in it. The interface was fresh and lively. The program gave wonderful examples of what should be in the different sections. I was able to take bits and pieces of those examples, but when I finished each section it sounded like I had written it. “I could just plug in information without having to do any of the math. That saved a lot of work. It made it very easy to get the business plan done. Once the investor saw my business plan on LivePlan, he immediately got back to me and said, ‘I'm in.’”

Mandie O'Neill

Lucky dog daycare, eugene or.

“LivePlan made an overwhelming task easy. LivePlan is incredibly easy to use. LivePlan's web-based nature allows me to log in anywhere (for me it was with my Mac Book Pro or iPad). At times writing a business plan can be a overwhelming task, especially when it comes to formatting and layout. LivePlan has made it easy to focus on putting your business ideas and goals on paper instead of fussing with all the other pesky stuff. I really liked how each section is defined and gives examples of what a quality business plan should look like.”

Rachid Tajiouti

Rachid Tajiouti

Olive oil usa, llc, new york, ny.

“I've raised $3M so far with LivePlan! I needed to write a business plan for my investors. I was going nuts trying to create charts and properly format them. Then a friend recommended LivePlan! The financials were so easy to use and I liked knowing the calculations were all correct. It helped me create a precise plan to confidently share with investors, and I've raised $3M so far!”

Our customers give LivePlan 5 out of 5 stars

Software is professional and user-friendly. Highly recommend to any Entrepreneur. Would not be where I am today without LivePlan.

Mar. 15, 2024

I've been using LivePlan to help me write top-tier business plans over the last 2 years. A prominent business plan writing company referred me to this site to help me produce the best business plans, to collaboratively support their clients. I've consistently had the best customer service, whether by email or live chat. Rapid responses that are helpful and this is one of the "hand-down" best platforms if you're looking for high-quality products and services - and AMAZING customer service. The price of the plan subscription is a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the results I've had with business plans created through LivePlan. Thank you for the products and services here that help me present well

Feb. 29, 2024

I've used Liveplan for two projects and I have been happy with both experiences. I've needed support twice and both experiences were quickly resolved using the chat function. I'd highly recommend Liveplan to anyone wanting to get serious about new projects. They have great customer support, and it can be a vital tool to anyone wanting to build something from the ground up.

Feb. 20, 2024

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LivePlan helps put your ideas and beliefs on paper in a professional & organized manner. It guides you through planning, organizing, and monitoring your plan.

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I didn't only get value for the money paid but also got the best customer service experience as well. And of course, I'm sticking to LivePlan forever.

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LivePlan was a lifesaver when starting our business! It helped us make a business plan and financial projections to show others, and everyone was blown away.

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Jan. 27, 2022

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12 Best Project Management Software for Mac OS

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Project management software is the teamwork bone of many businesses in the meantime. The business environment has never been more competitive, pushing companies to become as efficient and productive as possible.

This is where Project Management software comes in. It helps businesses be the best they could be – productivity and efficiency-wise.

Windows PCs have always been the dominating breed of computers in the workplace, but this is not true anymore, and with the widespread use of Macs in the business world, we have seen great choices that work with Mac users.

In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best project management software for Mac users, and without wasting any more time, let’s get right into it:

Best Project Management Software for Mac Users

  • BaseCamp 
  • Trello 

Daylite 

Merlin project, fasttrack .

Table of Contents

ClickUp

ClickUp  is a Mac project management software that offers tons of features to help freelancers and project managers across industries manage their work efficiently and all in one place.

Start by creating a solid structure and organizing your projects using ClickUp’s robust Hierarchy to ensure every task or action item has a designated place. The levels of Hierarchy in ClickUp allow freelancers to get an overview of their work while also giving them the freedom to manage client work and categorize tasks accordingly. 

Project managers can streamline client communication by using guest and public sharing options in ClickUp. Collaborate more efficiently by inviting guests to your Workspace and adding them to specific Folders, List, and tasks. 

To add more flexibility to your workflow, ClickUp gives you the power to assign tasks using Custom Fields, Custom Statuses, and tags. These customizable features help provide the much-needed clarity and visibility required when managing multiple client projects simultaneously.

ClickUp also offers ready-to-use and customizable templates for every use case to help you get ahead  and  keep your processes consistent for every client.

Best of all, ClickUp offers a customizable Dashboard for time tracking widgets and allows you to export and send reports to clients. If you wish to maximize ClickUp, integrate it with other work tools, including time tracking apps to help you keep track of time spent on client projects and additional billable hours. 

ClickUp offers native integrations with Slack, G Suite, Dropbox, and many more tools, as well as over 1,000+ integrations through Zapier.

ClickUp Pricing: 

  • Free Forever Plan
  • Unlimited Plan- $5 per member/ per month
  • Business Plan- $9 per member/ per month
  • Enterprise Plan- Contact Sales 

Get 20% off when you signup using this  link .

teamwork

As you can guess by its name, Teamwork is one of the best free project management software for Mac devices focused on making team collaboration more streamlined to the point where it becomes effortless.

Teamwork  offers excellent project management features, including time tracking, billing, estimates, milestones, notifications, task boards, and more.

It is suitable for businesses of all sizes, whether large or small, and can bring all your workspaces and teams to one place for easier management.

The ability to track time and log billable and non-billable hours is handy; users can track and log time on each task individually. In addition, setting task status and adding labels, reminders, and tags is easy, and the ability to import tasks right from excel is super convenient.

A project manager can also create multiple tasks and link them to milestones and/or the Teamwork Calendar. In addition, the Task Board allows users to exchange ideas in chat or comments, and managers can control who gets the notifications.

What makes Teamwork great for Mac users is that it’s free for up to five users and the Email integration with Gmail. Teamwork integrates with Basecamp, Trello, Slack, YouTube, and more.

TeamWork offers many features, but this does affect its usability at times. It also has a bit of a learning curve and is not as easy to use as possible.

Teamwork Pricing:

  • Free: Costs nothing – offers up to 5 users, 100MB of file space, and two active projects.
  • Pro: Costs $10/user/month (billed annually).
  • Premium: Costs $18/user/month (billed annually).
  • Enterprise: Custom quotes – Offer more security, unlimited projects, a dedicated customer success manager for onboarding and training, and better branding control.

Wrike

Wrike is an online project management solution that helps project managers to manage their projects. The solution offers excellent benefits to any business as it operates as an all-in-one hub for all your project management needs.

Wrike offers excellent collaboration tools for businesses of all sizes, such as the 3-Pane project view that allows the project manager to view all the critical data at a glance and get clear visibility of all of their projects’ operations.

Tags and folders enable users to view and share project data comfortably and more organized. In addition, you can engage your team more using Wrike’s activity stream, and your team members will also be able to view each other’s activity progress in real time for a smoother workflow.

Wrike offers 400+ pre-built native integrations with popular file management tools from Adobe Creative Cloud, Google, and Dropbox. Users can also integrate with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo. In addition, Wrike offers many helpful tools for Mac users. But all of this comes with a pretty steep learning curve.

Other features include Gantt charts, custom fields, custom reports, critical paths, custom calendars, Task prioritization, workload management, email integration, resource management, and interactive timelines (Gantt Chart).

Wrike Pricing:

Wrike offers a Free trial for 14-day.

  • Professional: $9.80user/month
  • Business: $24.80user/month
  • Enterprise: For large teams

URL: https://www.wrike.com/

Basecamp

Basecamp is more of an online collaboration tool than a project management solution. It’s available to download as an application for Mac computers. It is also known as an application for mobile devices running Android and iOS.

Basecamp has become one of the most popular choices for remote collaboration, thanks to setup ease. It uses various valuable features across devices, available integrations with 3rd party applications and systems, and excellent pricing.

Basecamp allows you to do everything in one place, from sharing ideas and proposals to generating automated reports. So Basecamp is much more than a project management tool.

Its simplicity makes Basecamp one of the best choices for small to mid-sized teams, and the interface is easy to navigate by anyone without experience in project management.

The 24/7 technical assistant and the large user community also mean you will easily find answers and solutions.

Basecamp got weak points such as no Gantt charts or resource management tools, higher pricing, especially for small teams, and a confusing interface.

Basecamp Pricing:

  • Personal plan: Free
  • Business plan: $99/month flat

Basecamp offers a Free 30-day trial.

URL :  https://basecamp.com/

Trello

We’ve mentioned Trello many times as one of the market’s best project and task management applications . Trello uses an intuitive setup of boards, lists, and cards. As a result, the solution is one of the most intuitive PM tools you can find.

Trello is available for free for personal use and small teams and has a reasonable pricing scheme that makes it a good option for  startups  and  small businesses .

Trello is better for executing your projects than project planning, as you can easily assign, prioritize, and set deadlines for tasks.

Trello’s dashboard is straightforward, and the project management tool offers excellent integration with other third-party apps and services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, MailChimp, Salesforce, and more.

Team members can easily share ideas, comments, notes, and project files. Trello is also one of the most fun-to-use apps on this list, and its excellent mobile applications allow users to work and stay on top of their business regardless of where they are.

Trello Pricing:

  • Standard plan: $5 Per user per month billed annually ($6 billed monthly)
  • Premium plan: $10 Per user per month billed annually ($12.50 billed monthly)
  • Enterprise plan: $17.50 Per user per month billed annually ($210.00 annual price per user)

URL:  https://trello.com/en

Daylite project management

Daylite is an all-in-one solution that offers a package of project planning, project management, and customer relationship management. The project management software was initially designed for Apple products, working great on Mac computers.

The User Interface feels very familiar to anyone who has been using Apple products for a while and feels intuitive and fast. It helps businesses use the software to become more client-focused by automating and tracking their tasks to save time and energy on more essential matters.

Daylite offers good customizability options that allow users to create their pipelines and approval processes for new projects. It also offers some task management functionality to help you with day-to-day operations.

Daylite Pricing:

  • $39.99 USD per month, per seat or $399.99 billed yearly

Daylite offers a Free trial for 30-day.

URL :   https://www.marketcircle.com

Merlin Project 8

Merlin Project 8 is a professional project management software for Mac that lets users plan their projects easily on their Mac, iPad & iPhone. Users can generate reports, build a work plan breakdown, and more.

Merlin is intuitive, especially for those familiar with the Apple ecosystem, but the simple layout doesn’t compromise its features.

The project management tool also doubles as a good document management system, allowing users to upload and share files. Users can also create custom reports to get the exact information they need to make their decision-making process more efficient.

Merlin also offers beautiful and functional network diagrams using the Activity on Node format, lists of all resources involved in projects, Gantt Charts with the critical path, and a time-based display of resource utilization.

In addition, Merlin Project offers Kanban and native support for current macOS, iPadOS, iOS, and also Apple Silicon Macs. Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud are supported for cloud backup and also for collaborative teamwork on projects.

Merlin Pricing:

  • US$169.99 / year per user or $16.99 per month per seat.

You can test the project management software for up to 30 days free of charge and without restriction.

URL :  https://www.projectwizards.net/en

Monday-com

Monday.com, as the name would indicate, is another project management software that’s cloud-based but does offer a clean and straightforward Mac application. In addition, the solution features an uncluttered dashboard that allows users to view and monitor all team members’ activities.

Monday.com is ideal for remote and mid-to-large-sized teams benefitting from task tracking. It helps businesses build cross-functional teams by enabling all groups to view what the other team members are currently working on. This way, everyone is kept in the loop and done from a single, easy-to-navigate, and simple-to-understand dashboard.

Monday.com allows users to add tasks, projects, to-do lists, and goals in the dashboard. You can assign tasks, add deadlines, and track their progress directly through the same dashboard. That means that users can plan their workload more efficiently to get better results.

It also includes helpful integrations to link Slack, Zapier, Jira, Mailchimp, Shopify, Bitbucket, Google Calendar, etc.

Monday’s most vital features are its communication and collaboration tools

However, you should note that you only get real-time visibility and accessibility when using the cloud version of the solution, not the Mac one. In the end, it depends on your preferences.

Monday Pricing:

  • Free: up to 2 seats
  • Basic: $10 per seat per month
  • Standard: $12 per seat per month
  • Pro: $20 per seat per month

URL :  https://monday.com/

Microsoft Project

MS Project is a portfolio & project management software available as an on-premise option for Windows and Mac and cloud-based software.

As a Microsoft product Project benefits from being supported by the Microsoft ecosystem. There are lots of companies providing support and training courses for Project users .

Project management tool MS Project offers integrated project planning tools that help users overview and keep their projects organized and on the planned track.

Users can also use the solution to manage their projects and programs efficiently. It enables users to choose reasonable deadlines, choose and provide the resources, empower their project teams, and collaborate with various other parties (professionals, teams, clients, and even enterprises).

The project management software also includes pulldown menus, Gantt charts, schedule management, task management, business intelligence, timesheets, reports, and integrations with other apps and services to further extend the solution’s functionality.

MS Project Pricing:

  • 1st plan: $10.00 OR USD$10.00user/month
  • 2nd plan: $30.00 OR USD$30.00user/month
  • 3rd plan: $55.00 OR USD$55.00user/month

URL :  https://products.office.com/en/project/project-and-portfolio-management-software

SEE ALSO:  10 Benefits of Using Project Management Software

FastTrack Schedule is a project management software and scheduling solution that is intuitive, easy to use, and results-focused. The solution aims to increase the productivity of businesses by helping them manage their projects more efficiently to complete more projects with better quality in less time.

FastTrack Schedule is available for devices running Windows, Mac OS, and iOS. The dashboard is straightforward and gives better visibility to team members.

It allows businesses to merge their projects into a single massive schedule, which means users can create master plans for their projects, monitor them, and track them all from a single screen.

The application comes with an extensive collection of pre-designed templates, and it even allows you to create schedules using Excel spreadsheets, Microsoft Project files, or other applications.

Having one extensive schedule also has another significant advantage; it gives users the chance to notice and identify any scheduling conflicts and make changes to ensure the workflow stays smooth to ensure efficiency.

Similarly, FastTrack allows you to maximize other resources you might have in your business, such as money usage, team members’ activity, and more. That ensures you never give a project too much or too few resources to be completed.

FastTrack Pricing:

Pricing starts from $399 per license.

FastTrack offers a Free trial for 21-day.

URL:  http://www.aecsoftware.com/

Scoro

Scoro is a cloud-based project management software solution that works well with Mac devices. The solution is ideal for small and mid-sized businesses and comes with project management modules, work management, financial management, and CRM.

Scoro streamlines your processes across your project teams and operations for a seamless workflow. This setup is more commonly used in enterprises but rarely in small businesses, but Scoro brings this power to the small businesses to give them a competitive edge.

The solution features include a real-time KPI dashboard, shared team calendar, contact management, pre-designed quoting & invoicing templates, sub-tasks, deadlines, time tracking, and more.

Unfortunately, Scoro doesn’t offer a free plan, but they provide a free trial on their paid plans so you can test out the solution and its features to see if it’s a good fit before making a decision.

Scoro Pricing:

  • Essential $28 per user/ month Minimum 5 users
  • Standard $42 per user/ month Minimum 5 users
  • Pro $71 per user/ month Minimum 5 users

URL :  https://www.scoro.com/project-management-software/

OmniPlan

OmniPlan is a beautifully designed Mac project management software for small and mid-sized businesses. The simple solution has powerful features that make project management accessible for busy managers and business owners.

The simple drag-n-drop functionality allows users to drag and drop team members into tasks and easily set estimated times for completion. In addition, the beautiful Gantt Charts make the data more accessible and faster to understand.

OmniPlan’s filtering options allow managers to narrow their task lists by resource, priority, claims, date, and more. That helps tremendously when managers get overwhelmed with all the information on their projects and keep things organized.

The violation resolution features enable the software to flag the task to grab the project manager’s attention if something goes wrong, such as going over the estimated time.

OmniPlan Pricing:

Pricing starts from $19.99 per month OR $199.99 yearly.

URL: https://www.omnigroup.com/omniplan/

Mac Project Management Software FAQs

Local or cloud .

There are two different Mac project management software options for deployment: Local-based (such as with an App installed on the device) or Cloud-hosted (which can be accessed from any device with an internet connection).

These two have some pros and cons.

Why use a Local Solution? 

  • You don’t need an extra browser tab.
  • Some have more robust features (as in Microsoft Project) than their cloud-based counterparts.
  • Data is stored locally.

Why use a cloud-based solution? 

  • Collaboration & Remote Work
  • No installation or Maintenance is Required.

For the last couple of years has been towards the latter, and for obvious reasons. You can view data and work remotely, collaborate and share project files, notes, ideas, and more with anyone. You don’t need to worry about Hardware problems because someone else takes care of all this stuff for you.

Now, you know Mac’s best project management software solutions to manage your projects.

Final Words

When deciding on the perfect project management solution, looking for the right price tag is essential. First, you should recognize two or three options that best fit the bill for what you need to advance in project management. Next, you should give these project management tools a test drive by using a free version or signing up for a trial. Finally, scale how each software fits within your project management process, and then decide.

We hope you enjoyed this article. If so, you might enjoy these resources:

  • 11 Best Project Management Software for Freelancers
  • 11 Best Project Management Software for Nonprofits
  • 13 Best Marketing Project Management Tools
  • Best 21 Remote Work Tools and Software to Manage Your Team

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13 Best Project Management Tools for Startups

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Great blog wonderful information you have shared thanks for the detailed informative content.

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Free Mac Excel Project Management and Accounting Templates

By Kate Eby | April 16, 2019

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In this article, you’ll find the top Excel templates for a variety of use cases – from project management to budgeting — compatible with all Mac operating systems. Manage your projects, track budgets and deadlines, and plan schedules effectively with these helpful, preformatted templates in Microsoft Excel.

Included on this page, you'll find a variety of templates for many use cases, such as a Gantt Chart template , a project planning template , a business budget template , and more.

Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Organize, track, and manage your projects and timelines with this easy-to-use Gantt chart template. Input project tasks, start and end dates, and durations to create a high-level overview of your timelines and ensure that you meet all of your deadlines and are able to appropriately allocate resources.

Download Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Excel  | Smartsheet

For more information on creating a Gantt chart in Excel on a Mac, visit this article for step-by-step instructions and an instructional video. For more general information on Gantt charts, like specific use cases, the features of a Gantt chart, and the benefits in implementing one in your next project, visit this article .

Agile Project With Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Agile Project with Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Track your project details, group specific tasks into sprints, and view project progress with this Agile project plan template. Gain a high-level overview of your project with the included Gantt chart, which allows you to view task start and end dates, durations, and people assigned to each phase of the project.

Download Agile Project with Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Project Planning Template for Mac

Project Planning Template for Mac

Document all your project details, from tasks to durations to percentage of tasks completed, with this comprehensive project planning template for Mac. Manage and track projects, both large and small, and ensure that all stakeholders and team members are kept up to date on project progress. House all necessary project information within this project plan to keep details in context and to keep projects moving.

Download Project Planning Template for Mac

Project Timeline Template for Mac

Project Timeline Template for Mac

Easily track projects of all sizes with a timeline that displays tasks and milestones for each project phase. Use this template to create a weekly, monthly, and annual timeline in order to quickly identify dependencies and get an overview of the entire project. You can also use this template as a tool for project planning, scheduling, and tracking.

Download Project Timeline Template for Mac

Inventory Tracker Template for Mac

Inventory Tracker Template for Mac

Leverage this template in your next project to view inventory by item name, description, or ID number, track the total quantity and value of your current inventory, set reorder dates, and identify discontinued items. Customize the columns based on how you want to track your inventory, and the totals will automatically calculate.

Download Inventory Tracker Template for Mac

Sign-Up Sheet Template for Mac

Sign Up Sheet Template for Mac

Use this generic sign-up sheet for a variety of uses, from classes and meetings to social events and club get-togethers. Record attendance by participant name, signature, email address, and more to log attendance and times in and out. Edit the template as needed to capture all necessary information for your event.

‌ Download Sign-Up Sheet Template for Mac — Excel

Timesheet Template for Mac

Timesheet Template for Mac

Manage employee hours and ensure you are awarding them with the appropriate pay rates with this timesheet template for Mac. With space to document daily and weekly hours, income earned, vacation days and rates, and overtime hours, you can accurately track each employees’ pay rates. Simply insert the data into the correct cells, and your totals will automatically calculate.

Download Timesheet Template for Mac

To-Do List Template for Mac

To Do List Template for Mac

This basic to-do list template can be customized to be a daily, weekly, or monthly to-do list based on your desired time frame. Write out your individual tasks for the allotted time period, update the status of each task, set priority levels, assign due dates and owners, and add notes to manage additional details.

Download To-Do List Template for Mac

Monthly Calendar Template for Mac

2024 Monthly Calendar Template for Mac

Use this calendar template to schedule, plan, and track important dates or tasks on a monthly cadence. Easily plan for events of all types and sizes, track against deadlines, and view both previous and upcoming months for even easier planning efforts. This is a classic calendar-style template in a landscape format.

Download Monthly Calendar Template for Mac for 2024 - Excel

Weekly Calendar Template for Mac

Weekly Calendar Template for Mac

This weekly calendar template makes it easy to plan for events, tasks, and deadlines for the upcoming week. Visualize your schedule and plan accordingly by noting all events directly on the calendar. With space to add additional notes or comments, you’ll also be able to effectively plan for the week ahead. This calendar also includes all U.S holidays.

‌ Download Weekly Calendar Template for Mac — Excel

Daily Planner Template for Mac

Daily Planner Template for Mac

Use this daily planner template to track appointments, important events, and upcoming deadlines to keep yourself on schedule. With sections for prioritized tasks and notes, this daily planner template can help you stay organized throughout a busy day. This free, printable template allows you to create your own planner and customize it to match your needs.

Download Daily Planner Template for Mac

Timeline Template for Mac

Timeline Template for Mac

Use this timeline template to assist your strategic planning process by highlighting goals and tasks over a set time period. You can use the template to facilitate discussions around key points or to create a summary timeline of a larger strategic plan. Simply edit the task section to meet the needs of your business or organization.

‌ Download Timeline Template for Mac — Excel

Business Budget Template for Mac

Business Budget Template for Mac

Track monthly income against expenses to ensure you remain within your budget with this simple business budget template. Choose either a services- or goods-based business and manage expenses as they come in. This template can help you gain a closer look at where company funds are both made and spent via categories that identify where the most money is going or coming from.

Download Business Budget Template for Mac

Personal Budget Tracker Template for Mac

Personal Budget Tracker Template for Mac

List personal income, expenses, and savings goals in this detailed budget tracker template, which allows you to plan for the future and set overall budgeting goals. With space to detail all of your expenses, from rent to car payments, you can view how they stack up against the money you’re bringing in every month.

Download Personal Budget Tracker Template for Mac

Balance Sheet Template for Mac

Balance Sheet Template for Mac

Gain a quick snapshot of your company’s financial position at any given moment with this comprehensive balance sheet template. Use the template to summarize the company’s assets, liabilities, and equity, and give investors an idea of the health of the company.

Download Balance Sheet Template for Mac

Monthly Budget Calculator Template for Mac

Monthly Budget Calculator Template for Mac

Divide your monthly expenses into separate categories, like housing and transportation, and compare it to your average income to see how much you can save and spend on a monthly basis. The calculator will do all the work for you: Simply add in your payments and income, and the total will automtically calculate to give you an overview of how well you’re sticking to your budget.

‌ Download Monthly Budget Calculator Template for Mac — Excel

Invoice Template for Mac

Invoice Template for Mac

Use this template to document service descriptions and calculate totals to accurately bill a client or customer. This detailed template includes space to add a service description, quantity of hours, pay rates, and sales tax, so the heavy lifting is done for you. Simply input your data and send the invoice to the designated recipient.

Download Invoice Template for Mac

Expense Report Template for Mac

Expense Report Template for Mac

Efficiently document your expenses with this detailed expense report template, which allows you to track the data, type, and total amount for each expense. Categorize your expenses with customizable columns, and watch the total reimbursement amount calculate for you with preformatted formulas.

Download Expense Report Template for Mac

Receipt Tracker Template for Mac

Receipt Tracker Template for Mac

Stay on top of your expenses with this complete receipt tracker template. Simply fill in the details from your receipt, including a description, the category of expense, the total amount, and any additional sales tax. Use this template to keep all your receipt details organized and tracked, so you’re never surprised by expenses again.

‌ Download Receipt Tracker Template for Mac — Excel

Income Statement Template for Mac

Income Statement Template for Mac

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Apple Business Strategy: Plans that made it a Multi-Trillion dollar Company

Apple Business Strategy: Plans that made it a Multi-Trillion dollar Company

The study was first published on September 27, 2021, and then updated on September 18, 2023.

This strategy teardown compiles the ideas, innovations, technological research, partnerships, and, most importantly, the strategies responsible for Apple’s growth to such heights.  

However, before we move forward, here is a small intro about Apple.

On Friday, June 30, 2023, Apple became the first company in history to reach a $3 trillion market valuation. It stays ahead by half a trillion dollars from the second most-valued company on the planet- Microsoft. Apple is now the most profitable technology corporation in the world. 

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple on the 1st of April 1976, bringing creativity to the table through their rendition of a personal computer. Apple is one of the world’s most popular and recognized labels. The company has experienced unparalleled revenue growth, from just $8 billion in 2004 to over $274B last year . This is more when compared to other technology giants out there today, such as Google ($181B) and Microsoft ($143B).

Apple’s growth could primarily be attributed to its business strategy. By combining its designing capabilities, hardware expertise, software prowess, and strategic acquisitions , the company has built an ecosystem that a user doesn’t want to leave. 

Vertical integration is another main reason that distinguishes Apple from the competition. It has reaped enormous benefits from the vertical model. It has always built, controlled, and manufactured all of its hardware and software. This inherent benefit assists the corporation in achieving a higher degree of synergy between its hardware and applications. Even the apps are tightly controlled to follow Apple policies. The company also increased its spending on the cost of sales and product R&D to $26,251 billion, which was less than 18% of its total expenditure.

“We have fierce competition at the developer side and the customer side. It’s so competitive, I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.

Apple’s business strategy consists of the following four elements:

  • Focus on product design and functionality
  • Strengthening Apple’s ecosystem
  • Improving consumer service experience
  • Reducing the business’s reliance on iPhone sales

As for the product and service categories, Apple Inc. includes iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories, and Services like iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Maps, etc.

This study explores Apple’s business strategy that will help you acquire some basic principles that could be applied to any kind of business, even yours. So, if you’d like the entire analysis in PDF form that you can download and save for later reading (or sharing with your friends), just fill out the form below, and we’ll deliver it right to your inbox.

Now, let’s dive deep into the reasons behind Apple’s success.

Table of Contents

History of Apple

These products and strategies helped apple win before the launch of the iphone..

While the iMac sparked Apple’s rebirth in 1998, the introduction of the iPod in Oct 2001 sent the company to the top of the world’s most valuable companies list. 

“With the iPod, Apple has invented a whole new category of digital music player that lets you put your entire music collection in your pocket and listen to it wherever you go,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.” We all know digital music players used to exist before the iPod, but as we know, Apple’s marketing is phenomenal at positioning its products.

The iPod was introduced as a part of Apple’s digital hub strategy . The iPod had unparalleled marketing and promotional exposure. Apple introduced a new kind of digital music player with the iPod, allowing users to carry their complete music library in their pocket and listen to it on the move.  

The device’s original edition was released with 5GB and 10GB capacities , beginning at just under £300. The iPod was a spectacular success, increasing Apple’s overall revenue from $1.9 billion in Q1 of 2000 to $3.2 billion in the same quarter of 2001. 

After dropping the price of the 5GB iPod to $299 in July 2002 and expanding compatibility to Windows, the iPod became the best-selling digital music player in history until smartphones came along. 

By 2004, it had established a strong market leadership position in the worldwide digital music player sector. Apple spent a lot of money advertising the iPod . The advertising, which featured shadows dancing to the rhythms of their iPods, could be found in print, on television, and on billboards. In a relatively short period, Apple established an iconic image for the iPod that drew both young and old people. The iPod period, which began in 2001, ended in 2014.   

With the introduction of iTunes in 2001, Apple opened up a vast new market sector in digital music, which it has now controlled for more than a decade. Customers worldwide flocked to iTunes because of the incredible value it provided, and music companies and artists benefited as well. Furthermore, Apple safeguarded recording companies by developing copyright protection that was not inconvenient for customers. While the company has dominated this blue ocean for more than a decade, as new online businesses entered the market, the issue for Apple has been to maintain its sights on the expanding mainstream market rather than competitive benchmarking or high-end niche marketing.

As iTunes’ success developed, so did its content offerings – one of the most important aspects of Apple’s digital domination was how it adapted what it learned from selling music to TV shows, movies, and, eventually, applications. The company created and employed a distribution strategy as well as a usage model to continue adding media to the three prongs of its ecosystem.  

Steve Jobs introduced the initial 15-inch MacBook Pro , Apple’s thinnest, quickest, and lightest notebook to date, in 2006. The MacBook was a tremendous hit with buyers, and it was one of the reasons that Mac sales were rising three times faster than PC sales.

The Apple TV , which debuted in March 2007, was praised for its attractive interface, painless setup, and overall ease of use – all of which marked a significant shift from prior network-based home entertainment systems. Almost a year later, the hardware remained the same, but a free software upgrade essentially gave the device a makeover. Apple subsequently reduced the price of the 40GB model to $229, while the 160GB model was reduced to $329. 

Apple’s award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, and professional apps continued to set the industry standard for innovation. It was also at the forefront of the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, as well as its innovative iPhone entry into the mobile phone industry. 

In 2007, Apple entered the mobile market with the iPhone , which was widely praised for its unique design, touch-screen capabilities, and lack of a conventional keyboard.  

Apple market cap from 2000 till 2023

Apple Market Cap as of June 2023 – source

Apple’s Product Strategies After the Launch of the iPhone

After the launch of the first-generation iPhone, the company’s product strategy was very clear, i.e., ‘ Design a high-end smartphone in which the user experience is more important than making a slew of features available.’  

The iPhone was not the first smartphone to have a mobile Web, email, and touch-screen user interface, but it was intended to have a better experience than most smartphones. Another strategy was to have superior technology, which included the mobile operating system and the thousands of mobile applications available via the App Store. 

Before the launch of the iPhone, the annual revenue of Apple — in the year 2006 — was $19.3 billion, which increased to $24.4 billion in 2007 and $37.4 billion in 2008. And since 2008, iPhones have been Apple’s main source of revenue.

The launch became one of the most anticipated technological product launches in Apple’s history, owing to the company’s masterful media build-up. After the launch of the iPhone on January 9, 2007, the share price of Apple’s stock boosted and doubled to a value of $179.40 on January 9, 2008. The iPhone was described as a mix between its iconic iPod music player and a mobile phone programmed to browse the Internet.

Apple Inc. used the strong reputation of the Apple brand and the success of the iPod to penetrate the competitive cell phone market, a move that may have posed a possible challenge to the company as other firms launched smartphones with strong music storage and playback capabilities.

During the iPhone’s two-year growth phase, Jobs launched a campaign to secure a wireless company as the iPhone’s exclusive carrier. Customers who purchased an iPhone were forced to sign a two-year wireless deal with AT&T Inc. to make calls or access the phone’s other capabilities. Apple had even struck agreements with Viacom, Disney, Google, and Yahoo, all of which were carefully chosen to add internet applications to the iPhone.

Apple chose a promotion and delivery policy in European countries that were similar to its strategy in the United States. In France, it offered France Telecom’s smartphone affiliate, Orange, to be the sole carrier. Even in the United Kingdom, Telefonica’s telecom division, O2, was chosen as the sole cellular provider for iPhone customers with a two-year contract.

Apple developed a clear overall marketing strategy for the iPhone and successfully managed every aspect of the iPhone’s launch. Despite some shortcomings and pitfalls, the company was able to create a one-of-a-kind package for tech-savvy buyers interested in a hybrid mobile phone-music player and make those customers aware of the device through well-managed marketing campaigns and positive advertising. Both of these efforts significantly increased Apple’s stock price and solidified its status as a pioneer in consumer electronic gadgetry.

After the launch of the iPhone, the company adopted the strategy of patenting everything it does. The vigorous patenting helped shield Apple from competitors working on related technologies. It also provided Apple with a legal arm for the future. 

One of Apple’s attorneys explained, “We basically tried to patent everything … And we tried to patent it as many different ways as we could, even the stuff we weren’t 100% sure would go in a product.”  

Apple, too, has been chasing and implementing its design patents, endangering the whole technology industry. It has adopted a policy of patenting any tiny recognizable bit of its merchandise, including design patents, which protect a product’s ornamental appearance rather than its usable components. 

Presently, out of the total revenue of Apple Inc., the maximum revenue is generated from the sales of the iPhone. The iPhone sales continue to be the most significant contributor to their total revenue, routinely averaging over 50%! We’ll discuss their annual revenue breakdown further down in this article.

Now that we have covered the strategic aspects let’s look at the company’s financial information, growth and revenue numbers for the last few years, and its projected growth going forward.  

What does Apple’s Financial Growth look like?

Growth projection and market-related factors.

The revenue of Apple is expected to grow by 9.66% over 10 years under a realistic growth profile. Capital expenditure is estimated to be valued at $11 billion from 2024 to 2026 and $9 billion from 2027 to 2031. Also, over the 10-year forecast period, Apple’s earnings per share (EPS) is expected to increase by 10.68% . 

Apple Revenue Forecast 2023 - 2031

Growth would continue for Apple over the next 10 years, and while substantial risks do exist, they may be efficiently monitored by early warnings and evaluations. 

The following are some of the market-related factors that influence Apple’s growth projections:

  • Due to increased demand, the Mac and iPad will flourish in the coming decade.
  • High customer satisfaction scores with Apple’s products, 82/100 (2020 survey by MBLM).
  • The App Store gives several benefits to users, such as privacy, curated quality applications, protection from malware and malicious scams, etc.
  • Home and Accessories, Wearables, and Services provide opportunities for several decades.
  • The future launch of new products, namely the Apple Car, AR/VR headset, and AR smart glasses.
  • Increased anticipation for future iPhone models.

Revenue of the Last 5 Years (in $ Billion)

Apple’s annual revenue in fiscal year 2022 was $394.32 Billion, an 8% growth over the previous year. It’s less impressive than the 33% jump from 2020 to 2021, but a positive trend regardless. Here’s the breakdown of Apple’s revenue in the last five years across their most notable business lines.

apples-revenue-over-the-last-five-years

Apple’s iPhone sales revenue grew by 7% from 2021 and approximately 40% compared to 2020. Mac and services, like Apple Music and Apple TV, saw higher growth in 2021-2022, up nearly 14% year-over-year. 

Between September 2021 and 2022, iPhone sales accounted for a whopping 52% of the company’s total revenue! You can find more details in the 3-year revenue breakdown below.

Revenue Breakdown (Section-Wise) of the Last 3 Years

The last three annual reports of Apple suggest that the iPhone category had the highest revenue amongst all the categories of Apple. The breakdown of revenue for the last 3 years is listed below:  

  • Apple currently has 2 billion active devices globally.
  • Apple’s net expenditures in 2022 were $295.5 billion, leaving them a hefty $99.8 billion profit.
  • The company’s new iPhone models released during the fourth quarter of 2021 were a massive success.
  • Mac sales netted approximately $5 billion more than fiscal year 2021. Their new Mac Studio with the Apple M1 Max chip may have attracted people looking for powerful desk workstation upgrades.
  • iPad Pro sales decreased from 2021 to 2022, leading to a relatively small reduction in revenue. This is likely because no other iPad lineup was noticeably refreshed during this period with notable features, except for integrating the M1 chip. In addition, Apple had said during this period that it had faced supply issues with the ‌iPad‌, which may have impacted sales.

The corporation has been vigorously investing in Research and Development, ensuring an increased revenue stream. Let’s now have a look at the R&D strategy of Apple and the tech areas in which the company is increasingly investing.  

What does Apple’s R&D investment strategy look like?

The tech giant has vigorously invested in Research and Development, ensuring an increased revenue stream. We observed that Apple continuously increases its R&D budget each year, with 2022 closing in at $26.2 billion, increasing by about $4 billion from 2021.

How much has Apple invested in R&D in the Past 3 Years (in $ Billion)?

apples-rd-investment-in-past-3-yrs-new-2023

  • In 2020, several patents revealed that Apple focuses on wearables, fitness, and health innovations. Various wearable patents indicated that the company could target AirPods with biometric sensors, Apple Watch with UV tracking, motion recognition for AR/VR applications, machine learning experiments to allow autonomous driving, and incorporation of various existing devices with a vehicle.
  • In 2021, they launched several noteworthy products. Perhaps the most disruptive of them was AirTag. These item trackers have quickly become so popular that Apple sold 20 million units within eight months of launch! Now, analysts claim Apple is projected to sell 55 million AirTags by the end of this year.
  • In 2022, they introduced the Apple Watch Ultra to their product line. It’s their flagship wearable device with several top-tier features like a titanium build, two times brighter display, and a dual-frequency GPS system, among other things. Driven by this model, the Apple Watch accounted for 34.1% of total smartwatch shipments in 2022 and 60% of the revenue for the global market.

Which Tech Areas is Apple focusing its R&D on?

Apple Inc. had invested in further expanding  its research and development centers globally. The company had invested over half a billion dollars in research development centers in China alone. The company also concentrated on R&D centers in the United Kingdom, owing to their increasing emphasis on creating unique innovations to underpin its product designs, including A-series processors, W-series wireless chips, unique manufacturing, materials experience, speech recognition, machine intelligence, and many more.

These are the key areas where the company focuses its innovation efforts the most.  

Apple invests heavily in developing new hardware for its products. Their most recent and notable advancement has been with their M-series processors for computers to supplement their excellent A-series mobile chips. These have smashed benchmarks worldwide, delivering chart-topping performance and power efficiencies never seen before. They make some of the best pro-grade displays , too.

Apple’s software development efforts include creating new operating systems for their products, new applications, and services. All their software products are designed and optimized for their ecosystem, allowing seamless inter-device connectivity. This interconnected approach to innovation can be seen throughout their designs, like on this expansive 358-page patent they filed for the first iPhone’s multi-touch capability .

Artificial Intelligence

Apple also invests in artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve its products and services. They’ve made numerous acquisitions to enhance their in-house AI capabilities, which we will discuss further in this article. Their advanced machine learning algorithms enable many features, ranging from FaceID’s fundamental security to fun AR Animojis on Facetime calls.

Healthcare Technology

Apple has been expanding its focus on healthcare , developing health-related features for its devices, such as the Apple Watch. Alongside regular customers, Apple wishes to be the go-to choice among doctors and healthcare professionals as well. They’ve partnered with healthcare providers like Geisinger and Ochsner to provide a seamless way for doctors and patients to connect. Their CEO, Tim Cook, has often made it clear that healthcare is one of Apple’s top priorities as a business sector.

Augmented/Virtual Reality

Spatial computing is one of Apple’s lesser-known yet rapidly developing departments. Our research suggests that Apple has been working on an AR and VR-capable wearable device for nearly 16 years!

“The products that are in R&D, there is quite a bit of investment in there for products and services that are not currently shipping or derivations of what is currently shipping…You can look at the growth rate and conclude that there’s a lot of stuff that we’re doing beyond the current products.”   – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.

Which Core Innovation Areas Is Apple Majorly Focusing on?

For the tenth year in a row, Forbes magazine ranked the company as the most valuable brand in the world in 2020. Apple took second place in 2023, around $2 billion shy of Amazon in brand value. Nonetheless, Apple has risen to become the world’s largest company by market capitalization, not by attempting to become the largest smartphone provider but by becoming the most beloved. Apple, more than any other tech company, has always prioritized the end-user experience over anything else, not just the speed, storage capacity, or other technical specifications of its products.

Apple’s innovations are often incremental, with the company adapting its design expertise to the most recent consumer tech trends. Apple did not invent the MP3 player or the smartphone, but it went on to dominate both devices by emphasizing design, user experience, and brand cachet. The company has aggressively increased the domains where the Apple experience is part of daily life during the last ten years. 

Apple guarantees that the universe of Apple-mediated behaviors continues to grow by encouraging app developers while strictly enforcing rules. By reinventing product form factor and function, from computing in a user’s pocket to managing home electronics to reminding the calorie count or parking spot — all of these experiences are connected, integrated, and packaged in a single accessible ecosystem of complimentary items. 

Moreover, Apple has focused on innovation outside the core by developing the infrastructure required to support this ecosystem safely and frictionlessly (Apple Pay secure payments or biometric facial recognition since the iPhone X). 

We have mentioned before that Apple vigorously patented everything it did. After looking at the wide array of domains on which Apple works, it becomes important to examine the kind of patent portfolio Apple has accumulated over the years. 

What does Apple Patent Portfolio look like?

A company’s patent portfolio provides us with another set of lenses to find the core areas it has been focusing on for quite some time and what it plans to launch next. Let’s take a deep dive. 

apples-patent-portfolio

Source: Insights;Gate by GreyB

With 72000+ patents (24000+ patent families) in its entire portfolio, Apple is one of the top patent filing companies in the world. It has more than 55000 patents that are still active. 

Looking at the filing trend, you can see the year 2007 saw a sharp increase. It was the same year they launched the iPhone. One can conclude that the iPhone is one of the reasons Apple invested heavily in securing its technologies. 

Apple Patent Filing Trend

The Apple vs Samsung lawsuit is still one of the largest patent infringement lawsuits that happened in the tech industry. And that further pushed the consumer electronic gadgetry pioneer to invest more in patents. (See the growth in 2012)

One of the reasons for this growth is Apple’s consideration to secure its tech in more countries. As Apple is gaining more and more global markets, it is securing its patents in more and more jurisdictions. 

Apple patent filing worldwide

The US is the home market for Apple, so, naturally, the company has the most patents in the US. China is a crucial market for smartphone makers now more than ever. China has become more patent aware thus most of the big companies are trying to secure more and more technologies/patents in the country. Apple being one of the biggest technology companies, it makes sense that it has secured thousands of patents in China. 

Apple technology areas

The huge portfolio of Apple is categorized into 16 different technologies that the company uses for its products/services or future products. 

Being a smartphone manufacturer makes Apple research heavily in the Telecom sector, which is also crucial for companies, especially when 5G is on the doorstep. 

Another interesting figure is of Apple’s design patents. The company focuses greatly on the design part, and the patent count is proof of how valuable product designs are for Apple. 

Apple hasn’t made any public announcements yet on their Autonomous Vehicle front, but the AR/VR space is where we had a long-awaited announcement in June 2023 – their Vision Pro headset. We’ll discuss this in more detail in the upcoming sections.

Moving forward, let’s go through Apple’s expertise in various sections.

What are the products and services responsible for Apple’s growth?

Design and functionality.

Apple’s competitive advantages include software control, hardware control, retail strategy, product differentiation, and, most importantly, Steve Jobs’ strategic decision-making. Since its foundation, the company has introduced simple-to-use computers to the market so that people would not face any issues while using Apple goods. Apple used both horizontal and vertical integration. It depended on its designs and refused to let third-party access to its hardware. Apple employed superior software, which aided it in increasing its market share. The company also provided a comprehensive desktop solution with hardware, software, and other components. Apple has always used typical designs for its products. 

Apple has over 4,000 design patents in its portfolio, which is a big number.

Consumer Electronics

Apple Inc., a computing and consumer electronics giant, is one of the world’s most recognizable and famous brands, with hundreds of its retail shops. A globally leading consumer electronics developer with key products including the iPhone, which runs Apple’s IOS operating system, personal computers (Macs), and tablet computers (iPads), all of which utilize Apple’s exclusive operating systems. Other notable products include the Apple Watch, AirPod, Homepod smart speakers, Apple TV streaming device, Beats headphones, and iPod Touch music player.

The company’s product strategy results in extremely high-quality products. It’s known as the “great product” strategy. 

Apple refuses to join the bandwagon other gadget makers employ by maintaining high-quality standards. The “great product” strategy emphasizes quality over quantity as well. 

While other manufacturers’ strategies include releasing items one after the other quickly and having such a diverse product mix, Apple opted to stick to what it does well.  

Smartphones (iPhones)

Since 2008, the iPhone has been Apple’s most valuable product and its primary source of income. Although Apple has expanded its product range with the Watch, AirPods, and services, the iPhone still accounts for 50% of its income. The company’s extensive relations with China, particularly in the manufacturing sector, are one of the key bear arguments. 

Most of Apple’s products are manufactured in China. While Apple has been expanding production into other countries, recent estimates suggest that 95% of the total iPhone supply still comes from China. Apple also has manufacturing facilities and assembly lines in other countries, such as the United States, Ireland, and Brazil.

Three of the company’s aforementioned contract partners, all of whom are situated in Taiwan, made relocation news in the summer of 2020:

  • Foxconn began producing the iPhone 11 in India in July 2020 and had invested $1 billion in the nation.
  • Pegatron established a subsidiary in India. 

The demographic of iPhone users changes a little each year. Here are some of the latest statistics on iPhone users:

  • 51% of iPhone users are female, while males make up the remaining 49%
  • The  16 – 34 age group has the highest number of iPhone users
  • 35% of iPhone owners also have an Apple Watch
  • The  average income  of iPhone users in the US is  85,000 USD

Its main competitors in the worldwide smartphone industry are Samsung and Huawei, with the business following the other two with a share of 13.5 % in the most recent quarter. 

In the second quarter of 2023, Apple’s global market share for the iPhone was 17%, while Samsung’s, Xiaomi’s, and Oppo’s market shares were 20%, 12%, and 10%, respectively. The company sold 845.3 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2023, while Samsung sold 53.5 million handsets. Xiaomi and Oppo, respectively, sold 33.2 million and 28 million units.

Smartphone market share global Q2 2023

Apple’s iPhone is the market leader due to excellent hardware and software integration and control over both sides of the equation. Any Android app will lag in terms of speed and performance when compared to an iPhone app.

In 2021, Apple spent an additional $45 million on Corning, which manufactures the glass used in the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. In May 2021, the company announced a $410 million grant to II-VI, which develops the technology for the iPhone’s Face ID and Portrait mode. 

With over 1 billion iPhones in use, Apple is the doorway to the most valuable clients in the mobile industry. In 2021, Apple has updated its iPhone software and allows consumers to choose whether they want to be followed for targeted adverts. 

Even though both iOS and Android have millions of apps in their app stores, developers still prefer the iPhone as the launch platform of choice for the latest new apps. Mario Run, for example, was released for iOS in December 2016 and Android in March 2017. Instagram for Android was released two years later for the iPhone.

The iPhone 15 lineup in 2023 builds upon the foundations set by the 14 series with additional features like USB-C replacing the lightning port, the dynamic island-inspired design on the 15 and 15 Plus, and the newer A17 Pro chip on the “Pro” models. Apple says the A17 Pro is the industry’s first chip to feature a 3-nanometer fabrication process.

And thankfully, the rumors about the USB ports being locked behind the MFi authentication layer were false. 

Smart Speakers (HomePod)

smart-speaker-sales-in-q1-of-2022

HomePod has experienced limited success in the Smart Speakers market. Apple trailed Amazon and Google in terms of unit sales . However , the release of the HomePod Mini has made significant advances, enabling Apple to double its share in the smart speaker market in 2021. According to survey results from Statista Consumer Insights, Amazon remains the clear market leader in the smart speaker segment in the United States. Apple took third place among the global smart speaker sellers as of Q1 2022.

Apple’s HomePod is the best-sounding wireless smart speaker today, and it can be operated by speech using the in-house virtual assistant, Siri. However, the HomePod is only worth considering if the owner possesses an iPhone and subscribes to Apple Music. In March 2021, Apple announced the discontinuation of the original Homepod after 4 years and indicated its focus on the mini Homepod it released last year.

Laptop & PC (MacBook and Mac)

Despite Apple’s shift in priority from PC to mobile, the Mac has remained a key component of the company’s product lineup. The company has maintained a core group of devices throughout the decade: the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, and iMac. Even after modifications and new models, its core has remained popular among many professional clients. 

business plan mac os

In 2022, Apple had a 9.8% market share, following market leaders Lenovo, which had a 24.1% market share, HP Inc., which had a 19.4% market share, and Dell, which had a 17.5% market share.

When a customer purchases a Mac, that purchase is a philosophy as much as it is a piece of computer technology. The hardware and software are produced by the same corporation, and the laptops share an aesthetic sensibility with Apple phones and tablets. 

Macs are popular among music producers due to Apple’s high-end Logic Pro software and the user-friendly GarageBand program, both of which are free. Apple acquired Emagic, a music production software, on July 1, 2002, for $30 million as the foundation for these two apps.

In addition, other Apple-exclusive media software like Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator could convince photo and video editors to switch to Mac OS.

Apple Watch

Since its debut in 2015, Apple Watch has dominated the smartwatch industry, with a market share of 40% in Q4 2020 . 

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple Watch shipments increased by 19% between 2019 and 2020, reaching 33.9 million units in 2020. In Q4 2020, Apple Watch Series 6 and SE delivered 12.9 million devices. Further, markets such as India saw strong demand for Apple Watch Series 3 and 6 in 2020, with a growth of 144.3% in overall Apple wearable devices shipments. 

Apple dominated the market in 2022 with a 30% share, followed by Samsung at 10.1% and Huawei at 6.9%, among others.

SmartWatch Market Share in 2022

The same trends are also reflected in Q1 of 2023 , where Apple is leading the market with a 26% share and Samsung at 9%.

The Apple Watch is the greatest smartwatch on any platform in terms of appearance, message handling, activity tracking, app choices, and battery life. The Apple Watch is water resistant to 50 meters, making it ideal for swimming and surfing. The Sleep app monitors the user’s sleeping habits and assists in creating a plan and bedtime routine to accomplish sleep goals.  Apple is, in fact, making strides in the Healthcare sector with its Apple watch.

Read Now: Apple in Healthcare: Top MedTech Acquisitions and How Can You Gain an Edge over it?

AirPod and AirPod Max

Apple’s AirPods have grown into a significant business for the company, with 114 million sold by 2020. A commodity that many saw as an expensive accessory has become common, with nearly every phone maker selling their own ‘hearable’ to compete with Apple. Apple was ahead of the pack in Q2 of 2022, holding 27.8% of the total market share. Samsung and Xiaomi followed up with 9.3% and 5.3% respectively.

market-share-of-true-wireless-earphones-in-q2-2022

Further, Apple released AirPod Max, Bluetooth over-ear headphones, in Dec 2020 with a price tag of $549. While Analysts estimated that AirPod Max won’t boost Apple sales because of a niche market, some expect that it could boost AirPod sales because of Apple’s Goldilocks strategy.

Cybart forecasts that Apple’s wearables segment will generate $30 billion in revenue by 2021, including the Watch, AirPods, and select Beats headphones.

The five reasons why Apple built a strong wearables business are mentioned below:

  • Early adopter: One of Apple’s guiding principles is to make technology more personal, and it began investing in wearables, including its silicon processors, in the early 2010s.
  • Other corporations gambled on voice: Because few Large Tech businesses had Apple’s hardware competence, they bet big on voice (example: Amazon’s Echo) as the future computing paradigm. It appeared to be a bad gamble.
  • Design expertise: People must desire to wear wearables, which requires design skills. Apple has a track record (and aptitude) for designing devices that consumers want to show off as much for its aesthetic as it does for its computational capabilities.
  • Advantage of the supply chain: Wearable technology is built on top of smartphone components. Apple has been able to capitalize on lessons learned and partnerships formed through the iPhone production process.
  • Advantage of the ecosystem: Apple’s entry-level AirPods and Watch were around $200. Because the wearables effectively share computational power with the iPhone, it achieved these pricing thresholds.

According to Cybart, Apple’s wearables segment will likely reach $50 billion in the following year if present trends continue. 

Apple Silicon (Chipsets, Processors)

Apple announced that it would switch from Intel chipsets to its own Apple Silicon processors based on ARM in 2020. In keeping with this, the business released a new M1 processor as well as three products powered by it — the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini. A survey from market analysis firm TrendForce suggested that M1-powered Mac machines represented around 0.8% of overall laptop sales in 2020, months after the products became available for purchase. 

In terms of operating systems, Windows was the global leader in the laptop industry. However, due to the strong expansion of Chromebooks in 2020, Windows’ market share would fall below 80% for the first time in history. Windows is unlikely to regain lost market share immediately since its fall is predicted to continue. TrendForce predicts that the market shares of Windows, Chrome OS, and macOS will each settle at around 70-75%, 20-15%, and less than 10%, respectively. 

In 2020, Apple is anticipated to launch the first MacBook to utilize its silicon processor rather than Intel’s, allowing all its key product lines to run on the same architecture.

When considering Apple’s most notable purchases, two stand out:

  • In 1997, NeXT Software was purchased for $404 million. The acquisition of Steve Jobs’ post-Apple venture, which featured the forerunner to iOS, returned Jobs to the firm he created.
  • Beats for $3 billion in 2014: Apple’s largest acquisition was Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine’s headphone firm, which laid the framework for Apple Music.
  • However, a third (and extremely significant) transaction set Apple’s mobile product roadmap: the $278 million acquisition of P.A. Semi in 2008.

According to tech analyst Ben Thompson, P.A., Semi gained the expertise and intellectual property (IP) “that would underpin (Apple’s) A-series of processors, which have powered every iPad and iPhone since 2010.” 

Apple introduced the Apple TV in March 2007. And much to everyone’s surprise, it was not an actual TV set but rather a box to offer services using the software. It was praised for its attractive interface, painless setup, and overall ease of use – all of which marked a significant shift from prior network-based home entertainment systems. 

The hardware remained the same almost a year later, but a free software upgrade essentially gave the device a makeover. Apple subsequently reduced the price of the 40GB model to $229, while the 160GB model was reduced to $329.

People still wonder why Apple never made an actual TV like Samsung or Sony. There are multiple reasons why Apple didn’t enter the TV manufacturing business even with enough expertise.

First, this industry’s margin is very thin, and Apple always focuses on making profits. Second, unlike smartphones or other consumer electronics, there isn’t much design to make it unique. You can find many identical TV designs from different companies. Third, Apple can provide a good user experience through its software, so it went for a box to provide better UX in any TV. 

appletv

Source: Apple

The box design remained the same throughout the years, but they made multiple changes to its remote. 

The iPod was one of the most successful products ever created by Apple. It was a little device that let users listen to music on the go. However, it is now 2021, and despite having Apple Music on iPhones and even being accessible on Android and even smart TVs, Apple continues to offer the iPod Touch . One of the main reasons is that it is not an iPhone and is suitable for children. 

ipod

Further, iPod Touch uses iOS with the same inbuilt software. It’s basically an iPhone without cellular network connectivity. The user can play games, surf the internet using Wi-Fi, and can send messages using a web browser. 

It is Apple’s tactic to prime the iPod users to turn into iPhone users when they choose to buy a smartphone. By using the iPod for 2 or 3 years, most users would want to choose an iPhone over other smartphone brands.

As the iPod is a part of the Apple ecosystem, it helps users remain in it even when they want to upgrade a device. 

AirTag, a compact and elegantly designed device that helps keep track of and find the stuff that matters most with Apple’s Find My app, was announced in April 2021 . AirTag, whether connected to a handbag, keys, backpack, or other objects, connects to the enormous, worldwide Find My network and can assist in recovering a misplaced item, keeping location data private and anonymous using end-to-end encryption. 

“We’re excited to bring this incredible new capability to iPhone users with the introduction of AirTag, leveraging the vast Find My network, to help them keep track of and find the important items in their lives.” – Kaiann Drance, Vice President of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing of Apple

Dongles link headphones to charging connections, computers to TVs or card readers, etc. Dongles are a major business nowadays since it’s difficult to conduct many routine computer chores without them. This is owing, in large part, to Apple, which, in 2016, eliminated the headphone jack from the iPhone range and shifted nearly completely to USB-C connectors on its Macs. The newest iPhone isn’t the only Apple gadget that requires an array of dongles to function properly. 

A dongle is necessary to connect a MacBook Air to an Ethernet wire. A dongle is also required if the user wants to add a second screen to the computer or import images from an SD card. A USB to USB-C adaptor is required even if users put a flash drive directly into the MacBook. 

This causes users to accept the dongle as an integral part of their lives, allowing Apple to establish a sizable market for dongles. Apple, Belkin, and other accessory firms have established a massive market for these dongles, which Facts and Factors estimates will be worth more than $25 billion by 2027.

It is unknown how much Apple’s revenue is from Dongles, but considering the user base’s preferences and Apple’s dongle prices, it could be more than a billion dollars. 

Now, let’s move on to the core of all these products- Software.

For over four decades, Apple has been a Silicon Valley trendsetter. Apple’s competitors have widely imitated the Apple II, Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Apple’s success may be attributed in large part to the company’s obsessive attention to the user experience. The iPod first debuted in 2001, followed by the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. Consequently, Apple earned about $40 billion in earnings in its fiscal year 2014. Apple is a design-focused corporation that prefers to create all aspects of a product — hardware, software, and internet services — in-house. 

Apple II computers were sold until 1993, when they were phased out in favor of Macintosh computers. Around 5 million Apple II computers were sold in total. The first Macintosh had significant limits. However, later versions were more powerful. In 1987, Apple introduced color to the Macintosh with the Macintosh II. The groundbreaking graphical interface of the Mac immediately drew several imitators. Apple debuted the iPod music player in 2001. More crucially, the iPod was compatible with iTunes, Apple’s jukebox software for the Mac, making it simple for users to transfer music from CDs to their iPods. Apple, too, capitalized on the iPhone’s popularity in 2010 by releasing the iPad, a tablet computer built on the same software. 

Operating Systems

Both Mac OS X and iOS originated from Darwin, an older Apple operating system based on BSD UNIX. iOS is a proprietary mobile operating system owned by Apple that can only be loaded on Apple devices. 

Apple’s iOS is a closed ecosystem, which implies that Apple creates both the operating system and the hardware, and no other corporation utilizes either of them to integrate with their services. It gives Apple an advantage over Android regarding hardware and software synchronization. In the case of Android, however, the hardware is manufactured by companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek (rather than Google), and the manufacturers create their own flavor that runs on top of Android. In addition, Apple allows users to offer 3D touch inputs with mini menu selections. The iOS devices are set up to detect pressure sensitivity on the screen and allow various input choices based on it. 

As of July 2023, Android occupies 70.9% of the mobile OS market, followed by Apple’s iOS at 28.36%.

The Mac OS was released in 1984 to power Apple’s Macintosh series of personal computers (PCs). The Macintosh heralded the age of graphical user interface (GUI) systems, inspiring Microsoft Corporation to create its own GUI, the Windows operating system.  

The interface is the most noticeable variation between Windows and Mac operating systems. macOS is perceived to be more basic, streamlined, and elegant, but Windows is considered to be more sophisticated and feature-rich, with more customization choices. 

The design styles for Mac and PC are vastly different. Whereas macOS has smooth edges and a consistent application across all apps, Windows has jagged edges and a UI that frequently changes across programs. As Apple has complete control over hardware and software, new security enhancements can be implemented on macOS. Similarly, Apple has a simple and comprehensive AppleCare service in place to assist consumers with any hardware issues. Newer Apple products have Touch ID functionality by default for system access, further protecting devices from fraudulent logins. 

Microsoft Windows has a 77.74% market share for desktop operating systems (OS) as of July 2020. Apple’s macOS has grown in popularity over the years but is still a minor player in the desktop OS industry. Linux, the third most popular desktop operating system, has a tiny but constant market share. As of May 2021, OS X had a market share of 15.87% , while Windows had a market share of 73.54%, and Linux had a market share of 2.38%.

The WatchOS app experience differs from app experiences on other platforms in several ways. For example, because the Apple Watch is meant to be worn, the UI is tailored to wearers and provides a lightweight, responsive, and highly personalized experience. People commonly utilize the related experiences of a WatchOS app such as Apple complications, notifications, and Siri interactions — more than they use the app itself. 

The latest WatchOS 9 update reflects Apple’s goals in healthcare and personalization. Users can now see more information about their workouts on the screen. Turning the Digital Crown reveals metrics like Activity rings, Heart Rate Zones, Power, and Elevation. 

In healthcare, Apple has been at work for years, acquiring medtech startups and using its patented technology to strengthen its WatchOS ecosystem. For instance, most of the sleep-tracking technology on Apple Watch likely came from startups like Beddit, which Apple acquired in 2017. Through the acquisition, Apple also got rights to Beddit’s patents on crucial health features, such as a system for determining sleep quality and applying a pressure sensor .

Read More Here: Apple in Healthcare: top MedTech acquisitions and how can you gain an edge over it?

Apple devices are well-known for linking users to content. This sense of connection is anticipated from Apple TV, although it is not a product that the user can physically grasp or touch. Apple TV is a one-of-a-kind platform with unique specifications . TvOS apps can provide incredible experiences with great visual quality thanks to 4K resolution, Dolby Vision, and HDR10, as well as immersive sound thanks to Dolby Atmos. Furthermore, the Siri Remote provides access to three-axis gyro data, allowing users to build even more immersive gaming and interactive experiences.  

Tizen is the largest TV streaming platform globally among smart TVs in use, with a market share of around 13% as of the end of 2020, followed by LG’s WebOS with 6.4% market shares, Sony PlayStation, Roku TV OS, and Amazon’s Fire OS tied for third place. Apple TvOS had a market share of 2.7% as of 2020. 

Smart TV Streaming Device Market Share Worldwide As Of 2020 (%)

smart-tv-streaming-device-market-share-worldwide-as-of-2020

Apple’s machine learning teams are conducting cutting-edge research in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The team employs machine learning to educate their devices to comprehend the environment in the same way that humans do. Apple did a research study to investigate the feasibility of inferring accessibility for mobile apps from their display pixels.

Using a dataset of manually collected and annotated iPhone app screens, they trained a robust, quick, memory-efficient on-device model to recognize UI components. Due to this research, Apple launched the Screen Recognition function, which combines machine learning and computer vision to recognize and present material readable by VoiceOver for apps that would otherwise be inaccessible. 

Even in May 2021, Apple Inc. hired Samy Bengio , a former prominent Google AI scientist. The hiring will lead to the establishment of a new AI research team within Apple, led by John Giannandrea. Bengio pioneered the “deep learning” methods that underpin today’s AI systems for processing photos, audio, and other data types. 

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are now present in almost every aspect of the iPhone.

“I think that Apple has always stood for that intersection of creativity and technology. And I think that when you’re thinking about building smart experiences, having vertical integration, all the way down from the applications, to the frameworks, to the silicon, is really essential… I think it’s a journey, and I think that this is the future of the computing devices that we have, is that they are smart, and that, that smart sort of disappears.”  – John Giannandrea, Senior Vice President for Machine Learning and AI Strategy at Apple

Apple has made a practice of crediting machine learning with boosting specific functions in the iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad, but it seldom goes into much detail. 

Apple has taken a more subtle and astute approach to AI. Apple hinted at various AI and ML-powered improvements and enhancements in its June 2020 announcements for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

  • The Apple Watch utilizes machine learning to identify motions and detect sleep. Users only need to wear the Apple Watch to bed, and it will track their sleep.
  • The new handwashing functionality on the Apple Watch, which utilizes AI to detect when one is scrubbing the mitts and starts a countdown, is one of the greatest examples of Apple’s approach.
  • One of the features in iOS that allow the iPhone to listen for things like doorbells, sirens, dogs barking, or babies crying is sound alerts. AI excels at picture recognition tasks, and recognizing both Chinese and English characters is an accurate model. 
  • Apple HomeKit, a smart home solution, allows customers to use their smartphones to control and interact with connected gadgets. Users can utilize the HomeKit framework to provide a means for users to configure accessories and define actions to control them. Users may even bundle actions together and use Siri to initiate them.
  • In iOS 14, Apple included a translation app. The app’s purpose is to provide translations from one language to another. Because of the inbuilt on-device machine learning, the Translate app works offline. The program includes various beneficial features while learning a new language and seeking to communicate with someone who speaks an anonymous language.
  • Handwriting recognition is a difficult challenge for AI because the more natural a task is for humans, the more difficult it is for AI. In the most recent iPadOS update, when users draw anything with the Apple Pencil, the iPad can recognize their handwriting and, using Scribble, transform it into written text. It works in the same way that most machine learning does.

Artificial intelligence and its subset, machine learning, are being employed to improve the user experience in various Apple gadgets.

Comparison with Google, Amazon, Microsoft

Google paid $400 million for a DeepMind startup in 2014. This company provides various AI-powered solutions, ranging from picture and speech recognition to human simulation in video games. Google employs AI in various mundane tasks, including Gmail reply suggestions and sophisticated search algorithms. In addition, the business just released TensorFlow, a machine learning technology that is open to use by any developer. 

Google also has Google Assistant, which assists users in doing daily chores more effectively and timely. It is supported by a wide range of devices (Sonos speakers, Samsung smart TVs, and Philips Hue) and is one of the most extensively used AI solutions today. Duplex is an AI-powered voice that assists users in scheduling business appointments using Google Assistant. The most recent PAIR initiative from Google in AI is worth mentioning. PAIR is an acronym that stands for People + AI Research and attempts to make working with AI as pleasurable and helpful as possible.

When consumers think about Amazon in AI, the first thing that comes to mind is Alexa. This is another virtual assistant that can set alarms, send alerts, and communicate by speech and is supported by Amazon Echo Dot speakers. 

Amazon has lately launched the Alexa Shopping functionality. Customers may now use Alexa to place orders on Amazon. The assistant may add things to the basket, delete them, track their progress, and alert customers when they are delivered. Voice shopping reached $40 million by 2020; Amazon made a very smart move.

Microsoft Research AI is a Microsoft-founded organization dedicated to AI research and development. Since the corporation currently uses AI in its processes (Skype chatbots, data analysis, interaction with Cortana, and so on), it’s no surprise that it further intends to increase the usage of AI. 

Aside from that, Microsoft has been releasing AI-powered products through its Azure cloud computing service and working on AI integration into Office 365. By 2018, Microsoft bought five artificial intelligence (AI) technology firms. Microsoft’s most recent purchase was XOXCO, a software product design and development firm.

Apple has Siri, one of the world’s most popular virtual assistants. Siri was initially developed as an app and released on the Apple app store by Nuance Communications, Inc. in February 2010. Apple acquired it two months later, on April 27, 2010, for approximately $200 million. Siri was then introduced with the launch of iPhone 4S on October 4, 2011. 

It offers face recognition, which is entertaining to experiment with and improves security. Furthermore, Apple employs AI to identify fraud and improve battery usage, appearing to be an equal competitor.

Apple does not spend as heavily on AI as Google or Amazon. Second, it takes a fairly local approach, with its CreateML framework only operating on iOS devices, whereas most businesses train their ML models in the cloud. 

investment-made-by-companies-in-artificial-intelligence-in-2018

Since 2006, Google has invested over $3.9 billion in AI in disclosed transactions. There have been several organizations that have invested money in acquiring AI startups up till 2018. Some of these businesses are Amazon ($871 M), Apple ($786 M), and Microsoft ($690 M). 

Acquisitions Related to AI

According to a report from GlobalData, Apple acquired around 25 artificial intelligence firms between 2016 to 2020. The various acquisitions that Apple made include: 

  • Emotient (Jan 2016)

Emotient, a San Diego business developing artificial intelligence technology that scans facial expressions to determine emotions, was bought by Apple. Apple did not specify the details of the acquisition in the report.

  • Flyby Media (Jan 2016)

Apple acquired Flyby Media, an augmented reality business that created technology that lets mobile phones “see” the world around them. Apple has been interested in virtual reality for several years. The purchase occurred shortly after Apple announced the hiring of a prominent AR/VR specialist, Doug Bowman. Apple may have been working on technology that will someday find its way to the iPhone, similar to Google’s Project Tango, which delivers computer vision to mobile devices.

  • Gliimpse (August 2016)

Gliimpse, a health data firm, was purchased by Apple for around $200 million. Gliimpse allowed users to import their medical information into a single virtual environment. Apple’s incorporation of Gliimpse into its existing products appeared to be more evident, given that the business has been working on health-related software for some years now. It was simple to see how Gliimpse, with its structured data centered on individuals, would be useful in products such as HealthKit, ResearchKit, and CareKit. Thus opening a gateway for Apple in the healthcare sector .

  • Turi (August 2016)

Turi, a machine learning and artificial intelligence business, was purchased by Apple for more than $200 million. The acquisition is part of Apple’s bigger push into artificial intelligence and machine learning. Apple’s ambitions for Turi’s technology are unknown, but the corporation has been expanding its Siri personal assistant and associated technologies to make a larger push into artificial intelligence.

  • Tuplejump (September 2016)

Tuplejump, a machine learning team based in India and the United States, was bought by Apple. The acquisition was motivated by Apple’s interest in “FiloDB,” an open-source project developed by Tuplejump to quickly apply machine learning ideas and analytics to enormous volumes of complicated data as it came in.

  • RealFace (February 2017)

Apple has spent $2 million acquiring the Israeli company RealFace, a cybersecurity and machine learning business focusing on face recognition technologies. RealFace’s software employs exclusive IP in the realm of “frictionless face recognition,” which enables quick learning from facial traits.

  • DeskConnect (March 2017)

DeskConnect, the start-up behind Workflow, was acquired by Apple. Workflow is similar to Automator, an Apple utility tool that comes with macOS Sierra but has no iOS counterpart. DeskConnect’s namesake cross-platform file-transfer tool was discontinued last month. Apple’s AirDrop, Handoff, and Universal Clipboard, among other services, were recommended by the firm.

  • Lattice Data (May 2017)

Apple invested $200 million in acquiring Lattice Data, an AI firm. By acquiring Lattice Data, Apple was prepared to expand into machine learning and artificial intelligence. Around 20 engineers also joined Apple.

  • SensoMotoric Instruments (June 2017)

SensoMotoric Instruments, a German provider of eye-tracking eyewear and systems, was acquired by Apple. SensoMotoric has created eye-tracking technology for virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift, which monitors the wearer’s gaze and aids in the reduction of motion sickness, a major side effect of VR. Apple revealed a prototype set of “smart glasses” that would link to an iPhone and show the wearer “pictures and other information.”

  • Regaind (September 2017)

Regaind, a French firm, was bought by Apple. Regaind had been working on a machine vision API for analyzing photo content. Apple used this technique to improve the Memories tab in the Photos app. iOS builds albums depending on events, location, and other factors. Using Regaind, iOS may search for aesthetically similar photographs, display the best image as cover art, and generate a recap movie with the finest photographs. Apple has integrated Regaind technology with the new Face ID sensor in the iPhone X, for example, to enhance animoji facial expressions.

  • Pop Up Archive (December 2017)

Pop Up Archive, an Oakland-based online platform focused on developing tools to transcribe, organize, and search audio recordings, was bought by Apple. Apple, the long-dominating hands-off curator of the podcast world, has bought a technology aimed at boosting the knowability and sortability of the hundreds of thousands of broadcasts delivered via its Apple Podcast platform.

  • Spektral (October 2018)

Apple invested over $30 million in Spektral, a computer vision business in Denmark that has worked on segmentation technology. Spektral’s initial application may have been the rather outdated world of school photos and the most prominent contribution Spektral might make to Apple’s photographic industry.

  • Asaii (October 2018)

Apple invested less than $100 million in Asaii, a music analytics start-up focused on discovering new and rising musicians. The acquisition comes as Spotify, Apple Songs’s major competitor, expands its reach beyond conventional popular performers and supports unsigned musicians, who may now submit their music straight to the service.

  • Silk Labs (November 2018)

Silk Labs, a firm focused on developing on-device machine learning software, had been acquired by Apple. The purchase perfectly fit Apple’s privacy-focused approach to artificial intelligence. Apple followed a similar approach to AI development, distinguishing itself from competitors such as Google, which collects large volumes of user data and analyses it on the cloud.

  • PullString (February 2019)

PullString was acquired by Apple for around $30 million. It is a big indication of Apple’s plan to make Siri creation easier for iOS developers. The acquisition also provides Apple with extensive domain experience in the areas of voice app development, voice app designer and developer requirements, and the complexities of both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

  • Laserlike (March 2019)

Laserlike, a machine learning start-up, has been bought by Apple. Laserlike uses machine learning to collect massive amounts of data from the web and then give user-specific findings via an eponymous app. The transaction was made for an unknown purpose, according to Apple. Laserlike’s team may be trying to improve Siri’s long-struggling capacity to retrieve relevant information from the web.

  • Lighthouse AI (March 2019)

Apple purchased Lighthouse’s patents for AI-powered home security cameras (eight patents and patent applications). Even the Lighthouse’s Co-Founders, along with about 20 employees, had joined Apple. Apple’s current emphasis on AI-driven home security systems is part of a broader tech industry embrace of so-called smart or connected homes, which include a large number of AI-driven and machine-to-machine gadgets.

  • Drive.ai (June 2019)

Apple bought Drive.ai in June 2019. As a consequence of the agreement, hundreds of Drive.ai developers joined the tech giant’s top-secret Project Titan. Apple bought the company’s assets, including its self-driving vehicles.

  • Spectral Edge (December 2019)

Apple invested an unknown sum in another UK start-up, Spectral Edge, in an apparent move to strengthen the iPhone camera. Spectral Edge created Phusion, a computer photography approach that employs infrared light that is invisible to the human eye to sharpen and restore color in smartphone images.

  • Xnor.ai (January 2020)

Apple acquired Xnor.ai, a Seattle business specializing in low-power, edge-based artificial intelligence solutions. The transaction was completed for around $200 million. According to the agreement, Xnor’s AI-enabled picture identification technologies might become standard capabilities in future iPhones and cameras.

  • Voysis (April 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Voysis, an Irish artificial intelligence firm, in April 2020 for an undisclosed amount. Voysis’ technology, which includes a platform that adds vocal interactions to digital shops, might be used to improve the understanding of what consumers say by Apple’s Siri speech assistant.

  • Inductiv Inc. (May 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Inductiv Inc., a machine-learning firm situated in Ontario, Canada. Inductiv created technology that employs artificial intelligence to automate the job of detecting and repairing data problems. This technology will be used by Apple in a variety of products and improve Siri data.

  • Subverse Corp.(Scout FM) (September 2020)

Apple Inc. acquired Subverse Corp. (Scout FM), a start-up that makes listening to podcasts more like tuning into radio stations, to strengthen its service in the face of increasing competition from Spotify. While other podcast applications, such as Apple’s, allow users to select an individual podcast to listen to, Scout FM established podcast stations on various themes. Scout FM was popular among Apple device owners and could be linked with CarPlay. This interface shows on compatible car screens when an iPhone is connected, and Apple’s Siri digital assistant.

  • Vilynx (October 2020)

Apple Inc. invested $50 million in acquiring the artificial intelligence and vision firm Vilynx Inc. Vilynx technology might be adapted to Siri and Apple’s general search operations.

Apple Services

Apple has been working on different services to increase revenue, especially when iPhone sales are declining since 2018. Apple knew that it was bound to happen, so the company made several tactics to boost its revenue. One is simply to increase the price. 

Apple iPhone, iPad, Watch, and Macbook average prices have seen growth that helped Apple consistently increase its revenue. But that tactic was a short-term plan and Apple Couldn’t rely on it for the long term. That’s where Apple services come into the picture. 

Apple has introduced several services in the past 6 to 7 years, such as Apple Pay, App Store, Apple News+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Podcasts, Apple Fitness+, etc. 

Apple generated $53.7 Billion in 2020 through its services, which accounted for 19% of total revenue. Surely, the number will keep growing in the coming years as Apple has a solid user base and is making the services a part of their ecosystem, which will help in user experience. 

iMessage is Apple’s instant messaging service for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. iMessage, which debuted with iOS 5 in 2011, allows users to share messages, photographs, stickers, and other content between any Apple devices through the Internet. iMessage is exclusively available on Apple devices. That implies users won’t be able to send an iMessage to their Android contacts. Apple prioritizes privacy, which is why everything users transmit as an iMessage is encrypted from beginning to end. This implies that no one can intercept or read it except the person to whom it was sent, even Apple. In reality, even if they have a smartphone, they cannot force their way into a user’s iMessages. No, not without a user passcode. Apple has been chastised by the US government for this same reason, since it cannot, even if it wanted to, expose iMessages. 

Apple’s FaceTime is a video chat application. FaceTime was built by Apple on an open standard, which implies that it may be utilized across a variety of platforms and that other manufacturers may exploit FaceTime’s protocol. But instead, FaceTime was only available to customers of Apple products until recently. With the release of iOS 15, FaceTime is coming out of the Apple closet. The software giant is making it possible for people who have Android phones and Windows laptops to hop on FaceTime calls — no iPhone required (well not really tho).

Before you jump to search the FaceTime app on the play store, here’s the catch- you won’t find it. Users will be able to join a FaceTime call on their Android and Windows devices using a link, so long as the person scheduling or starting the call has an Apple device and an Apple account. It now has a market share of less than 0.01%. Zoom is the market leader in this industry, with a 39.66% market share followed by GoToWebinar with a 20.64% market share, and Cisco Webex with a 16.48% market share. 

Apple Maps and Google Maps have transformed the way we locate destinations, discover local businesses, and share directions with friends. Both serve the same objective, although their navigation tools and interfaces differ slightly . Google Maps, which debuted in 2005, has been the leading mobile mapping service since the smartphone’s inception. Apple acquired Placebase on July 7, 2009, to build its own Maps application for iPhone and iPad. This app didn’t come until 2012 and was stuck with technical challenges for years.

With the introduction of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, Apple gained a foothold. Apple Maps was upgraded to exclude third-party navigation data in favor of new data obtained exclusively by Apple. The new maps are significantly more precise and accurate, thanks to millions of miles driven in camera- and LiDAR-equipped automobiles, new high-resolution satellite photos, Apple staffers canvassing areas on foot with radar modules strapped to their backs, and plenty of aerial photography. 

Apple included routes for bicycles, routing for electric cars, congestion zones, and Guides for discovering the finest locations to visit in cities around the world in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. Apple Maps is only available on Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. It’s incorporated into all Apple-branded products, including Macs. It is not available on devices that are not part of the Apple ecosystem. 

market-share-of-navigation-app-in-2018

According to the latest survey data from The Manifest in 2018, the majority of smartphone owners use navigation applications, with the majority preferring Google Maps. It has a market share of 67% compared to 12% for Waze, 11% for Apple Maps, and 8% for MapQuest. 

Apple’s digital software distribution platform for iOS devices is known as the App Store. The App Store, which debuted in 2008, allows software developers to publish content designed exclusively for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Apps may also be downloaded for the Apple Watch through the iOS App Store. 

The App Store is more than just a shop; it is an innovative place dedicated to delivering incredible experiences. A large part of it is ensuring that the applications the firm provides adhere to the highest privacy, security, and content standards.  

Android users have a choice of 3.48 million apps as of the first quarter of 2021, making Google Play the app store with the most available apps . With about 2.22 million iOS apps available, the Apple App Store stands second in the ranking. 

While the actual number of applications may vary since Apple and Google constantly delete low-quality material from their app stores, the number of applications has continuously increased over the years. 

Since 2008, the App Store has paid out more than $200 billion to developers.

According to mobile expert Horace Dediu, who provided even more current data which are as follows: 

  • $1.8 billion in App Store sales over the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve (+27% year on year)
  • $540 million in App Store sales on January 1, 2021 (+40% year on year)
  • 600 million: The number of iPhone users with an active subscription.

According to Apple, the App Store saw $643 billion in total commercial transactions in 2020, a 24% increase compared to 2019. At the present rate of growth, the indicated economic value might exceed $1 trillion within two years. 

Apple TV+ is Apple’s own TV and movie streaming service. It features award-winning shows, captivating dramas, ground-breaking documentaries, children’s entertainment, comedy, and more. Every month, new Apple Originals are added. The service is positioned as Apple’s direct competitor to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, and will exclusively offer original programming via the existing Apple TV app, which is available on various platforms. 

It is available on a monthly subscription basis and is accessible across several devices via the most recent version of the Apple TV app. Apple TV+ provides ad-free, unique programming that has either been green-lit or created in-house by Apple. 

A family membership to Apple TV+ costs £4.99 / $4.99 per month. Apple’s services package, which includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Fitness+, was launched in October 2020. Apple TV+ is accessible on iOS/iPadOS devices and the Mac via the Apple TV app.  

A survey was conducted in May 2020, with Apple’s reader at Android Authority, ‘Which streaming service would they pick if they could only pick one?’ From this survey, it was seen that Apple TV+ captured less than 1% of the total vote. The majority of consumers complained that the library was just too small, while it would work better as a second or third membership for people who can’t get enough content. 

Position in the Market Compared To Others

Apple TV+ was marketed as a unique curated stream of entertainment available exclusively through the Apple TV app. Despite Apple’s investments in new movies and programming for its streaming service Apple TV+, the platform is still considered to gain a large success. During the fourth quarter of 2020, it was reported that Apple TV+ has only a 3% market share in the United States, trailing competitors such as Netflix, Disney+, and even Peacock.

Apple TV+ was not the most popular streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2020. Apple TV+ trailed Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service launched in July 2019, which had a 6% market share during the same period. Netflix maintained its 31% market share of streaming platforms in the United States, while Amazon Prime Video grew and drew close to 22%. Hulu came in second with 14%, followed by Disney+ with 13%, and HBO Max with 9%. 

In 2020, Apple had a terrible year because most productions were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple TV+’s catalog is extremely modest in comparison to its competitors because it only includes original movies and series. Apple extended the Apple TV+ trial term to members who had previously completed the one-year free trial in January 2021. 

Apple is in a unique position since it both creates original video content and distributes third-party video bundles. Apple’s aim to become the “bundler of bundles” looks to profit when power shifts from one or two corporations to a lot of others.  Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming video service, was priced at $4.99 per month, which was less than any other major provider. 

As additional competitors plan to launch their services with larger video libraries consisting of famous series and movies, the firm was obliged to keep the pricing low . Within a few months of its inception, the one-year free trial had propelled Apple TV+ to the top of the streaming services. 

Apple’s Plan to Increase Its Streaming Business

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, announced the debut of video streaming, news subscriptions, and a credit card in 2019. Apple took a calculated move to join the video streaming sector. The choice to enter the video streaming market is a little departure from the company’s core business, which has garnered its brand recognition.

Furthermore, since Apple has broadened its horizons in the services category, the launch of a video streaming service appeared to be an opportune decision, since this sector has a lot of untapped development potential.

  • Online video streaming might be thought of as a replacement for television. In the United States, video streaming services have already surpassed television in terms of household penetration, with 69% of homes using a video streaming service.
  • Apple has the economies of scale to enter this market with relative ease. It has significant client loyalty and may be able to gain clients more readily as a result of its loyal client base. Furthermore, with the aid of its existing products, the firm may be able to effortlessly pull in its existing consumers on video streaming services.

Apple TV+ is less expensive than the majority of its competitors. It costs $4.99 per month, which is less than half the price of a standard Netflix membership, and it is free for the first year for customers who buy Apple gadgets. Even now, Apple has been collecting older movies and episodes for its TV+ streaming service, intending to build a back library of material that can compete with the massive libraries offered on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. According to sources familiar with the topic, the company’s video-programming executives have received presentations from Hollywood studios about licensing older content for TV+ and have purchased several episodes and movies.

It is predicted that in the future the company might acquire Disney . If Apple is serious about becoming a large SVOD player, which they may not be, abandoning Apple TV+ and redirecting its programming to Disney’s established streaming portfolio makes sense. Disney is the only studio large enough to propel Apple into streaming dominance, and it just so happens to fit Apple’s family-friendly image and public values. 

“Apple can easily push the Disney streaming apps onto every phone and make certain offerings free for everyone in markets that are underserved.” – David Offenberg, Associate Professor of Entertainment Finance in LMU’s College of Business Administration

Apple had planned to introduce augmented reality material to Apple TV+ , as it sought new methods to attract and keep members, as well as generate interest in AR technology. Even the ‘Bonus content’ has been one of the numerous ways in which Apple has attempted to increase the value of TV+ and keep consumers enrolled. Apple is planning to launch podcasts based on existing TV+ series. Apple is planning to release a headgear that combines augmented and virtual reality in 2022, with an emphasis on gaming, media consumption, and virtual meetings. 

Apple Music

Apple Music was launched in 2015 and is a music streaming service that offers access to over 70 million songs. Its fantastic features include the option to download favorite tracks and play them offline, real-time lyrics, listening across all of your favorite devices, new music customized specifically for its users, curated playlists from their editors, and many more. All of this is in addition to exclusive and unique material.

business plan mac os

Apple Music also includes live radio stations and connectivity with Siri, allowing users to operate most of their devices with voice commands. The Apple Music service not only allows one to stream any tune from the iTunes collection on demand, but it also allows one to access all of the music in one location on all of the devices, whether purchased from iTunes, copied from a CD, or downloaded from the web. Individual plans cost £9.99 (US$9.99) per month. A Family subscription, which can accommodate up to six people, costs £14.99 or $14.99 per month, which is less than Spotify’s equivalent. The University Student plan, which costs £4.99/$4.99 a month, is the final option. 

This streaming service now supports lossless streaming quality up to 24-bit/192 kHz! This app is available even for Android OS users to download and get a subscription, starting at only $1.19 or ₹99 per month. University students can get it even cheaper with free Apple TV+, making it one of the world’s best and surprisingly affordable lossless music streaming services. It’s unlike Apple to open up its ecosystem to other players, but audiophiles certainly appreciate this move.

Acquisitions and Collaborations

  • On August 1, 2014, Apple acquired Beats Music & Beats Electronics for $3 billion. 
“Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple. That’s why we have kept investing in music and are bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Beats Electronics began to employ Apple’s patented technology in various products following the acquisition, such as the W1 chip in select Bluetooth headphones. Apple shut down Beats Music at the end of the year in anticipation of the 2015 launch of Apple Music.  

  • In Jan 2015, Apple purchased Semetric , a business that analyzes music data online. This agreement was reached to revitalize the development of iTunes and Beats Music. Apple’s interest in Semetric is most likely limited to the Musicmetric product, which might be used to reliably compute record label royalties for a music streaming service like Apple Music. After purchasing Beats for $3 billion last year, Apple expressed a desire to extend its online music services with the acquisition. 
  • Apple purchased technologies from cloud-based music platform Omnifone in November 2016 and employed at least a dozen (at least 16) former Omnifone workers. Omnifone provided “white-label” music services, which allowed businesses to provide their personalized music services to clients and subscribers. Many former Omnifone employees have gone on to work as software developers at Apple, presumably in areas such as iTunes and Apple Music. 
  • In April 2021, Pinna, an on-demand audio entertainment service provider, announced collaborations with Apple . “Pinna is thrilled to be on the forefront of this exciting launch in collaboration with Apple.”, said Maggie McGuire, CEO of Pinna. Apple Podcasts Subscriptions will let them expand their worldwide reach even further, providing them with a unique ability to personalize channels to certain demographics and interests.    

Apple has joined a crowded, competitive field populated by banks and upstart fintech companies. Tim Cook provided some insight into the company’s progress toward becoming a financial player during the company’s quarterly earnings call in 2018. 

Apple Pay transactions increased from the previous year to over 1 billion in 2018. Apple had been working on a credit card with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard. In 2019, Apple launched its Apple credit card in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard.

According to the firm, Apple customers were able to sign up for the new card using their iPhones in the summer of 2019. It revolves around Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payment and digital wallet service, which debuted in 2014. 

Even though Apple was late to the credit card industry, its marketing prowess and dedicated client base allowed the business to expand very swiftly. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, indicated that more than 70% of U.S. shops accept Apple Pay and that around 40 countries had joined by the end of 2019.

  • The Apple Card is more likely to put branded credit card issuers under competitive pressure than Goldman’s rival banks. Apple may continue to provide additional financial products to its customers, notably bank accounts, which are a good complement to credit accounts.
  • According to Gene Munster of Loup Ventures, Apple Pay is still active on around 25% of all iPhones in the United States. This would hasten the adoption of Apple’s payment method since, unlike Apple Pay, the card could be used everywhere.   
  • Apple also paid around $100 million for acquiring Mobeewave, a payments start-up. The payment startup provides near-field communications (NFC) technology, which allows smartphones to be used as payment terminals. The technology enables mobile payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. 

Apple Pay was launched in October 2014 and is an Apple Inc. mobile payment and digital wallet service that allows users to make payments in person, in iOS applications, and on the web using Safari. It is compatible with the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. 

Apple introduced person-to-person Apple Pay payments using the Messages app on the iPhone and Apple Watch in 2017. Apple Pay has surpassed Starbucks to become the most used mobile payment platform in the United States as of 2019.

In 2020, the Apple Card had around 3.1 million users in the United States. Apple Pay also allows customers to make one-tap purchases within applications that have implemented the Apple Pay API, and it is available on the web on iOS 10 or macOS Sierra or later devices. 

Presently, Apple Pay is accepted by more than 85% of retailers in the U.S. Apple Pay is also available at a variety of locations other than regular retail outlets, such as colleges, ballparks, non-profit organizations, Bitcoin payment providers, and ATMs from Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo.

Apple Inc. announced Apple Card in August 2019 in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard. It is a credit card with Apple Pay branding that gives 2% cashback on Apple Pay transactions. In addition to cash benefits for Apple Pay transactions, the card provides financing alternatives for Apple devices.

Apple Card functions similarly to a traditional credit card, but it is deeply integrated into the Wallet app, providing real-time views of the most recent transactions as well as a comprehensive overview of spending organized by category, as well as payment options optimized to encourage minimal interest. 

Apple also provides 3% cashback when using the Apple Card with Apple Pay to make purchases at Uber, Uber Eats, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Nike, and Duane Reade. Apple also intends to offer 3% cashback rewards to additional shops and applications in the future.    

What are the Potential Future Products of Apple?

Ar/vr/mr devices.

Apple is developing a range of augmented and virtual reality products that will be powered by a new 3D sensor technology. They announced Vision Pro , a new extended reality headset, on June 5, 2023. Interestingly, they never used the terms “virtual reality” or “augmented reality” throughout their presentation and marketing material. Instead, they’re calling this their first “Spatial Computer.” We’re well familiar with Apple’s tendency to create unique names for everything in their catalog.

Interestingly, we noticed one of their recently granted patents on this technology was filed back on May 4, 2007. It indicates that Apple has been working on this headset idea since the same year they launched the first iPhone! Say what you will about their walled-garden ecosystem approach; their vision (no pun intended) and relentless spirit of innovation are truly commendable.

This headset won’t need any external controllers whatsoever. You just use eye movement, voice, and hand gestures! The product even supports 3D video capture, allowing users to record and store memories like never before. 

Through the VisionOS interface on its immersive dual 4K displays, Apple may be positioning this headset as a future replacement for smartphones and other handheld computing devices. Looking at the company’s track record of delivering seamless tech integrations into its ecosystem, we believe that the Vision Pro would be a natural extension of everyday tech for an Apple user. 

Apple acquired SensoMotoric Instruments in 2017. They were a German provider of dedicated computer vision applications. Their tech was used in ARKit and likely made its way to the Vision Pro. In the same year, they acquired VRvana, an augmented reality headset startup, for $30 million. A number of the startup’s employees had joined Apple in California. Their work and expertise would have made its way to the Vision Pro.

The product isn’t set to launch until early 2024 in the US, but their featured claims seem revolutionary in this niche. Its asking price of $3499 is undoubtedly a steep jump for most consumers, and Apple is aware of that. Financial Times reports that Apple has reduced its production supply goal from 1 Million in 2024 to 400,000. This product may take some time to pick up speed for all but the most tech-savvy of consumers and early adopters.

Apple Glass

Apple Glass is expected to operate on Starboard (or perhaps glassOS), a proprietary operating system revealed in iOS 13’s final version. The augmented reality framework appears several times in code and text documents, implying that Apple is testing activation and application. According to Bloomberg, Apple Glass will be available in 2023 at the earliest. Apple is getting closer to releasing a VR headset that will compete with the Oculus Rift 2. 

According to Scoble, Apple will most certainly release AR glasses next year , giving it a 2-3 year head start on all competitors.

Apple’s objective is to personalize computers. The Cupertino firm has everything in place to launch an AR product to the masses:

  • Hardware manufacturing competence and a stable supply chain allow for seamless integration with an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch.
  • It comes with its operating system, chip, and App Store.

Because every buyer of these AR glasses will almost certainly have an iPhone, Apple can provide a lightweight product at a reasonable price.

Apple’s foray into personal mobility appeared to have begun in 2014 , with the announcement of something named Project Titan. This project is about the company’s efforts to bring a Tesla-style electric vehicle to market before the end of the decade.

The Apple Car project has had many lead changes and hundreds of layoffs during its development, but it is presently led by John Giannandrea, Apple’s Chief of AI and machine learning, who took over from Bob Mansfield after Mansfield departed in 2020. 

It was verified in December 2020 that Apple is still working on a car and now aims to produce a vehicle in three to six years. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an Analyst at Apple, a car would not be launched until 2025 to 2027. Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, believes the automobile will be the company’s “next star product,” with Apple able to offer greater integration of hardware, software, and services than prospective competitors in the automotive business, thanks to Apple-designed processors made by TSMC.

“We’re focusing on autonomous systems. It’s a core technology that we view as very important. We are sort of seeing it as the mother of all AI projects. It’s probably one of the most difficult AI projects to actually work on.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

The first car chassis of Apple might be built on Hyundai’s E-GMP electric vehicle (BEV) platform. The Apple Car will almost certainly be sold as an “extremely high-end” or “substantially higher” model than a regular electric car. Apple has been aiming for a game-changing design that might be employed in a future driverless car.

Apple is also working on a novel battery architecture that has the potential to “radically” lower battery costs while increasing vehicle range. The battery technology has been compared to “the first iPhone” and hailed as “next level.” Apple intends to use a novel “mono cell” design that bulks out the individual cells in the battery while freeing up room inside the battery pack by removing pouches and modules that carry battery components.

Apple is also developing a self-driving shuttle service known as ‘PAIL’ (Palo Alto to Infinite Loop). The shuttle service will transport staff between Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters. Apple is collaborating with Volkswagen and will put self-driving software in Volkswagen T6 Transporter vehicles that will act as staff shuttles. 

In 2019 and 2020, speculations circulated that the project had shifted once again and that Apple was still pursuing an Apple-branded car. However, many speculations in late 2020 indicated that Apple is still working on a full-fledged Apple-branded automobile. This is primarily aimed towards customers, with ambitions to collaborate with an established vehicle manufacturer.

Under the secret name “Project Titan,” Apple had hundreds of people working on the design of a minivan electric car. This project is being led by Steve Zadesky, Apple VP of Product Design.

Apple bought Drive.ai , a self-driving car startup, in June 2019. For its self-driving vehicle project, Apple engaged many Drive.ai professionals in engineering and product design. According to Axios, Apple bought the company’s assets, including its self-driving cars. 

Drive.ai vans are customized Nissan NV200s that operate in a restricted region near major sites and sports venues. This acquisition was made primarily to improve the company’s autonomous vehicle development effort.   

According to Morgan Stanley analysts, Apple spent approximately $19 billion on research and development in 2020, which equates to almost one-fifth of the overall R&D investment across the automotive sector (about $100 billion). 

By May 2020, 700 employees were working on Apple AV Tech in the Bay Area. 

What does Apple M&A Landscape look like?

Apple is well-known for its strict secrecy, especially when it comes to new iPhone releases. Apple has completed around 100 mergers and acquisitions in the last six years, the majority of which was done in secret. Apple has rigorous nondisclosure agreements in place and urges acquired staff not to update their LinkedIn pages. 

The top 10 major acquisitions that Apple has made are mentioned below:

Apple’s Top 10 Acquisitions

Acquisition of beats.

The highest amount at which Apple did an acquisition on August 1, 2014, was at $3 billion, for Beats Music & Beats Electronics. This acquisition includes buying both Beats Audio hardware and Beats Music. One of the main reasons for this acquisition was the talent and reputation that Apple looks for when creating new products and services. Another relevant reason is Apple wanted to modify and uplift its iTunes. Therefore, Apple began acquisition negotiations with Beats just four months after their Beats Music service first debuted. Even Apple was impressed by the amount of revenue that Beats generated from their headphones.  

Acquisition of Intel Smartphone Modem Business

In July 2019, the acquisition of Intel Smartphone Modem Business for $1 billion was Apple’s 2nd largest acquisition ever. In this deal, Apple had acquired the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business. This deal also included the transactions of intellectual property, equipment, and approximately 2,200 Intel employees joining Apple. The agreement aided Apple in acquiring a large portfolio of wireless patents from Intel. More than 17,000 wireless technology patents have been held by Apple, ranging from cellular network protocols to modem architecture and modem service. According to multiple reports, Apple intends to produce its modems for iPhones by 2022-2023, and this Intel contract will undoubtedly aid those efforts. 

Acquisition of Dialog Semiconductor

On October 11, 2018, Apple went under a deal to license IP, acquire assets and talent from Dialog Semiconductor to expand chipmaking in Europe at a deal of $600 million. The deal also involved more than 300 Dialog staff transitioning to Apple employees, becoming part of Apple’s hardware technologies team under Johny Srouji. In some cases, Apple will take over whole buildings formerly occupied by Dialog, and in others, they will co-locate in buildings where Dialog will continue to grow its own business.  

Acquisition of Anobit Technologies

In December 2011, Apple went under an acquisition with Anobit Technologies , an Israeli semiconductor startup. The deal was completed at approximately $500 million. The main two reasons for which this acquisition was made include the flash memory controllers of Anobit made a key component of all Apple’s leading products (from iPads and iPhones to MacBook Airs) and finally the acquisition added a large team of chip engineers to payroll. Flash memory has been a crucial piece of Apple’s technology puzzle.  

Acquisition of Texture

In March 2018, Apple acquired Texture , a digital magazine service by Next Issue Media LLC. The deal was done for $485 million, and it provided subscribers with unrestricted access to their favorite titles with a single monthly subscription fee. 

“We’re excited Texture will join Apple, along with an impressive catalog of magazines from many of the world’s leading publishers. We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users.”  – Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services 

Acquisition of Shazam

On September 24, 2018, Apple acquired Shazam to have more opportunities to explore and experience music. The deal was finalized at $400 million. 

“Apple and Shazam have a long history together. Shazam was one of the first apps available when we launched the App Store and has become a favorite app for music fans everywhere. With a shared love of music and innovation, we are thrilled to bring our teams together to provide users even more great ways to discover, experience, and enjoy music.” – Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music 

In May 2018, Apple revealed that Apple Music had reached 50 million users.  

Acquisition of Next Software

Back in 1996, Apple had acquired Next Software at a deal of $400 million. Apple paid approximately $350 million in cash and stock for the privately held Next to purchase that company’s shares and an additional $50 million to cover its debts. 

Since its technology was agile, Apple hoped that Next’s object-oriented, Java-enabled open software platform would greatly boost its Internet and intranet status. It also aimed to capitalize on Next’s enterprise role. 

“This is a complementary arrangement, and the pieces fit together better than any other alternative we looked at, and it will launch a new round of technology.”  – Gilbert Amelio, Former Chairman and CEO at Apple

Acquisition of PrimeSense

In 2013, Apple acquired PrimeSense , an Israeli-based pioneer in 3D sensor technology. The deal was completed at approximately $360 million. PrimeSense’s system could potentially be used in a variety of Cupertino devices. This acquisition was Apple’s second purchase of an Israeli company, as it bought Anobit in January 2012. Apple did not disclose the intentions behind the purchase of PrimeSense.   

Acquisition of AuthenTec

In 2012, Apple bought AuthenTec , a fingerprint sensor technology developer for approximately $356 million. The fingerprint technology, used in mobile phones in Japan for authentication of mobile payments, would help Apple bring those services to markets such as the United States. 

Apple had also acquired the right to pay the company to license certain patents totaling as much as $115 million. AuthenTec’s authentication features would be integrated into Apple’s iPads, iPhones, and potentially as security measures for other features, such as non-mobile computer systems or cloud-based networks or services.  

Acquisition of PA Semi

In 2008, Apple acquired PA Semi , a chip designer for approximately $278 million. This acquisition was a strategic move by Apple, as it aimed to continue to differentiate its next-generation handheld products amongst a growing fleet of competitors. Even the power savings offered by P.A. Semi’s designs may have been amongst the firm’s most compelling assets in Apple’s eyes. 

Now, let’s move forward to Apple’s top 5 Market regions besides the US.

What are Apple’s Top 5 Markets besides the US by Revenue?

Apple’s top markets besides the US by revenue include the regions from Europe, Greater China, Japan, and the rest of Asia Pacific. America’s high income is partly attributable to Apple’s good performance in its home market, the United States. Apple has by far the greatest market share among smartphone suppliers in the United States. 

Even though overseas sales account for a greater portion of Apple’s overall income, the United States still accounts for around 40% of Apple’s net sales.

During the years 2020 and Q1 2021, the annual revenue of Apple is divided into several regions, such as the U.S., Europe, Greater China, Japan, and the rest of Asia Pacific. The new iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, now in their 14th iteration, continue to contribute to the success of Apple’s trademark product, helping push for year-on-year iPhone sales increase despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Apple gained 28% of the European market in the first quarter of 2020, making it the company’s greatest first quarter of the fiscal period. Even in China during the year 2020, Apple captured a market share of approximately 10.5% . In Q4 2020, Apple was the only brand that showed positive year-on-year growth in the China market that year. 

The following table shows the annual revenue:

Source: Statista

What does Apple’s Investment Landscape look like?

With the accelerating pace of technological change, investing in startups has become a key part of Apple’s corporate strategies. By doing so, they also tend to closely monitor their smaller brethren. Given below are the top 5 investments made by Apple.

Top 5 Investments Made by Apple

Apple has made several investments in startup companies globally. Amongst them, the top 5 investments include:

  • In May 2016, Apple announced it had invested in a Chinese ride-hailing service, Didi Chuxing . Apple invested around $1 billion to help Apple to understand the critical Chinese market. The investment gave Apple a stake in two burgeoning waves of technology, i.e., the sharing economy and car technology. Even Apple has been trying to reinvigorate sales in China, where it has come under greater pressure from regulators. 
“From a Didi point of view, we see that one, it is a great investment. Two, we think that there are some strategic things that the companies can do together over time. And three, we think that we’ll learn a lot about the business and the Chinese market beyond what we currently know.”  – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple 
  • Even in June 2016, Apple and other firms backed unicorn Didi Chuxing Technology , which raised $4.5 billion in a fundraising drive to oppose Uber’s assault on the Chinese market. 
  • On March 31, 2021, Apple invested an amount of $50 million in UnitedMasters, a music distribution, and data analytics company. The platform aims to democratize the music industry by allowing budding musicians to earn money and get distribution across a variety of music platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic engagement with Apple, which will open up a plethora of new prospects for UnitedMasters artists.
“Steve Stoute and UnitedMasters provide creators with more opportunities to advance their careers and bring their music to the world.”   – Eddy Cue, Apple Executive
  • In March 2016, Apple, together with Blackboard, Dropbox, Udemy, and other companies invested around $2.3 million in Volley Labs , a learning technology firm. Volley’s primary goal is to provide technology that assists students, particularly those enrolled in advanced high school or college curricula, in understanding the content they are learning by surfacing relevant, machine-curated explanations from the web via their mobile devices. The Volley’s funders’ ultimate goal is to spare students from spending too much time “processing” material and redirect their time and energy on meaningful learning. 
  • On November 21, 2015, Apple invested in God-i , a startup that specialized in wearable devices in the seed round. But afterward, Apple exited from further investments in God-i.  
  • On February 25, 2019, Apple along with other investors invested an amount of $21 million in FreightWaves during a Series B funding. FreightWaves is a data and content forum that delivers near-real-time statistics to industry players.  

Apart from investing in smaller companies and startups, collaboration is another strategy opted by Industry giants such as Apple. Let’s look at the top 10 partnerships and collaborations Apple has made over the past years.

Top 10 Partnerships/Collaborations Made by Apple

The various top partnerships and collaborations that were made by Apple are mentioned below:

  • In September 2020, Singapore’s government and Apple announced a collaboration on the health initiative LumiHealth, which would use Apple Watch. LumiHealth, developed in partnership with a team of physicians and public health professionals, encourages the use of technology and behavioral insights. Singaporeans might use their Apple Watch and iPhone to stay healthy and complete wellness challenges.
“Singapore has one of the world’s leading healthcare systems, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them to incorporate Apple Watch and LumiHealth into their holistic approach to well-being” – Jeff Williams, COO of Apple 
  • In April 2020, Google and Apple announced a partnership initiative to use Bluetooth technology to help governments and health organizations in reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, with user privacy and security at the forefront of the design. Both organizations would offer APIs in May that would allow Android and iOS devices to communicate with public health applications. Users would be able to download these official apps from their respective app stores. 
  • In October 2017, Apple and GE launched a collaboration to deliver powerful industrial applications that would provide predictive data and analytics from Predix, GE’s industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform, to iPhone and iPad. The corporations announced the release of a new Predix software development kit (SDK) for iOS, which would provide developers with the tools they require to build their own powerful industrial IoT apps. 
“Together, Apple and GE are fundamentally changing how the industrial world works by combining GE’s Predix platform with the power and simplicity of iPhone and iPad.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple  
  • In August 2017, Apple and Accenture announced a collaboration to help businesses revolutionize the way employees interact with consumers by developing new business solutions for iOS. Accenture Digital Studios would establish a dedicated iOS practice in key locations across the world. The two firms would provide a new set of tools and services, including IoT, to assist businesses in unlocking new income sources, increasing efficiency, improving customer experience, and lowering expenses.  
  • In September 2016, Apple and Nike unveiled the Apple Watch Nike+, the latest product of their long-standing collaboration. Apple Watch Nike+ has been the ideal running tool, combining exclusive Nike Sport Bands with the Apple Watch Series 2, including GPS, a two-times brighter display, 50-meter water resistance, a strong dual-core CPU, and watchOS 3.
“Apple Watch Nike+ takes performance tracking to a whole new level and we can’t wait to bring it to the world’s largest community of runners.”   – Jeff Williams, COO of Apple 
  • In May 2016, Apple and SAP announced a collaboration to reimagine the mobile work experience for corporate clients of all sizes by combining powerful native apps for the iPhone and iPad with the better capabilities of the SAP HANA platform. 
“As the leader in enterprise software and with 76% of business transactions touching an SAP system, SAP is the ideal partner to help us truly transform how businesses around the world are run on iPhone and iPad. Through the new SDK, we’re empowering SAP’s more than 2.5 million developers to build powerful native apps that fully leverage SAP HANA Cloud Platform and tap into the incredible capabilities that only iOS devices can deliver.”  – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple 
  • In 2016, Apple and Deloitte announced a collaboration to assist organizations to accelerate business transformation on iPhone and iPad. They would also collaborate on the creation of EnterpriseNext, a new service offering from Deloitte Consulting designed to help clients fully leverage the iOS ecosystem of hardware, software, and services in the workplace.
“Our dedicated Apple practice will give global businesses the expertise and resources they need to empower their mobile workforce to take advantage of the powerful ecosystem iOS, iPhone, and iPad offer, and help them achieve their ambitions while driving efficiency and productivity.”  – Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global 
  • In August 2015, Apple announced a partnership with Cisco to build a fast lane for iOS business customers by optimizing Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps with the integration of iPhone with Cisco corporate settings to offer unique collaboration on iPhone and iPad. 
“iPhone and iPad have become essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done. Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximize the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love.” – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple  
  • In July 2014, Apple and IBM announced an exclusive collaboration that would combine each company’s strengths to improve workplace mobility by integrating IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities to iPhone and iPad. The collaboration would improve in the integration of Apple’s machine learning framework, Core ML, with IBM Watson, resulting in strong insights that become deeper with time and use. The alliance would include exclusive IBM cloud services optimized for iOS, such as device management, security, analytics, and mobile integration.  
  • In 2013, Square partnered with Apple to offer the new Square Stand, a point-of-sale system through Apple’s extensive retail network. The Square Stand is an iPad accessory with the capacity to connect to a variety of devices including cash registers, barcode scanners, and printers. In addition, the gadget has a built-in credit card reader. In 2016, the company announced a new collaboration that would allow consumers to connect money saved on Square’s virtual card, Square Cash, to their Apple Wallet.  

Future Outlook

Apple has been doing more than good for a long time and say since the company launched the iPhone. 

For the 10th consecutive year, Forbes magazine ranked Apple as the most valuable brand in the world in 2020. Apple’s great track record should continue as long as future management takes care of the brand and pushes it into new sectors. Apple’s breakthroughs are often incremental, with the company adapting its design prowess to the most recent consumer tech trends.

Looking ahead ten years, the Apple of 2030 should continue to progressively enhance its hardware products while also introducing new ones such as Apple automobiles, AR/VR headsets, AR smart glasses, and so on. Apple will also broaden its brand to provide a suite of packaged consumer offerings.

In 2020, Apple did execute an AR-related acquisition, acquiring NEXTVR for around $100 million considering the future growth and vast applications of AR and how Apple can take advantage. 

“When I think about that in different fields, whether it’s health, whether it’s education, whether it’s gaming, whether it’s retail, I’m already seeing AR take off in some of these areas with the use of the phone,” said Tim Cook on a podcast . “And I think the promise is even greater in the future.”  

Aside from possible smart eyewear, Apple is said to be working on self-driving automobiles. Besides these new, futuristic initiatives, Apple is projected to continue selling a large number of iPhones, Apple Watches, iPad tablets, laptops, and desktops even ten years from now. By 2030, it’s feasible that Apple will have a version of almost every form of entertainment, financial, or other consumer service.

Apple today announced an acceleration of its US investments, with plans to make additional contributions totaling more than $430 billion and create 20,000 new jobs throughout the country over the next five years, beginning from April 2021. Apple has increased its investment by 20% over the next five years, boosting American innovation and delivering economic benefits in every state. Tens of billions of dollars will be invested in next-generation semiconductor research and 5G innovation throughout nine US states.

“At this moment of recovery and rebuilding, Apple is doubling down on our commitment to US innovation and manufacturing with a generational investment reaching communities across all 50 states.” – Tim Cook , Apple CEO.

It is becoming undebatable that Apple has amassed enormous status and reputation across the world. The capacity of Apple to retain and satisfy users inside its ecosystem is at the heart of its sustained success. In a realistic scenario, the future growth of Apple from 2022 to 2031 is depicted below:

  • In this scenario, the iPhone revenue at the end of the 10 years will be moderately higher than in 2021.
  • By 2031, the Mac will grow only by 5%, the iPad by 8%, Wearables, Home and Accessories by 20%, and Services by 15%. One new product introduction, Product X, will generate $10 billion in revenue by 2031.

Over 10 years, sales growth is 9.66%, which is a reasonable rate for a company of this size. The iPhone growth narrative is far from done, and a couple more upgrade cycles may drive a revival in growth over the following two decades. Even if App Store fees are reduced to 0%, Apple’s management will find another way to monetize service offerings. 

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Authored By: Vipin Singh, Market Research

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business plan mac os

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Business Plan format for Pages?

iMac 24" 2.8 GHz - Powerbook G4 15", Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Jan 4, 2008 1:02 PM

DennisG

Posted on Jan 4, 2008 1:16 PM

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business plan mac os

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for small and medium-sized businesses.

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Microsoft 365 Business Standard

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For PC, Mac, iOS, and Android

  • Benefit from identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees.
  • Use desktop, web, and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
  • Get custom business email ([email protected]) with Outlook.
  • Book client meetings, host webinars, and collaborate with Teams.
  • Store and share files with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage per user.
  • Edit videos using basic tools, such as trimming, cropping, and speed control with Clipchamp.
  • Get help with around-the-clock phone and web support from Microsoft.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 available as an add-on. *

Compatible with Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and the three most recent versions of macOS. All languages included.

Talk with a sales expert

To speak to a sales expert, call 1-855-270-0615 ,  Available Mon to Fri from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

Originally starting from $12.50 now starting from $12.50

$12.50 $12.50

Annual subscription–auto renews 1

See trial terms 2

Apps and services included

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Microsoft Teams

business plan mac os

Microsoft 365 apps

Get monthly updates and the latest features and capabilities with fully installed and always-up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote (features vary) for Windows or Mac, and Access and Publisher (PC only).

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Connection and collaboration

Instantly access everything your teams may need including chat, content, tools, and people with Microsoft Teams.

business plan mac os

1 TB of secure cloud storage per user

Edit and share documents, photos, and more from anywhere, on all your devices with 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage.

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Web and mobile app development

Quickly build custom business apps for web and mobile with Microsoft Power Apps. Choose from templates or start from scratch. No coding required.

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Intranet and team sites

Inform and engage your organization and connect people to content, knowledge, and processes with team sites on SharePoint. Tell your story with beautiful, easy-to-use sites.

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Workflow automation

Build automated workflows between apps and services to get notifications, synchronize files, collect data, and more with Microsoft Power Automate. No coding required.

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Email and calendars

Get business-class email with Outlook, including a 50 GB mailbox per user, and send attachments of up to 150 MB.

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Works across multiple devices

Get the fully installed Microsoft 365 apps on multiple PCs, Macs, tablets, and mobile devices (including Windows, iOS, and Android).

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Professional digital storytelling

Easily create engaging, interactive, web-based reports, presentations, newsletters, trainings, and more with Sway.

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Instant messaging and online meetings

Communicate using text, voice, or video calls with Microsoft Teams. Host meetings on the web using one-step screen sharing and HD video conferencing.

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Intelligent search and discovery

Discover content and expertise across your organization with intelligent search across all your data sources including SharePoint, Delve, and Microsoft 365 apps.

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Video editing tools

Create and share professional-looking videos with Microsoft Clipchamp.

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Organize projects and ideas

Think, plan, and create together in collaborative workspaces with Microsoft Loop.

Compare a similar plan

(Annual subscription-auto renews) 1

Desktop, web, and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Custom business email ([email protected])

Chat, call, collaborate, meet online, and host webinars up to 300 attendees

1 TB of cloud storage per use

Video editing and design tools with Clipchamp

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Originally starting from $22.00 now starting from $22.00

$22.00 $22.00

1 TB of cloud storage per user

Enhanced cyberthreat protection against viruses and phishing attacks

Connect your business

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Collaborate internally and externally

Host meetings with up to 300 attendees, chat and call internally and externally with guest access, and create, share, and coauthor files with desktop version of Microsoft 365 apps.

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Help keep data safe

Safeguard assets from unauthorized access, increase protection against viruses and spam, and ensure security compliance with regulatory and industry standards.

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Contact support using chat or phone

Understand the health of your services with dashboards, enjoy around-the-clock web and phone support and a guaranteed 99.9 percent uptime, and find expert help in  blogs  and  community forums .

See how Microsoft Teams helps you manage business

Additional services, copilot for microsoft 365.

Achieve more than ever using AI in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 apps.

Microsoft Defender for Business

Get enterprise-grade endpoint protection, that's cost effective and easy to use—included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Audio conferencing

Join Microsoft Teams meetings on the go, without an internet connection.

Windows 365

Securely stream your Windows experience—including apps, content, and settings—from the Microsoft cloud to any device.

Additional resources

Shop devices.

Explore Surface for Business and other solutions for your small business.

Get started

Find resources to help you start, run, and grow your business.

Schedule a demo

Meet with a Microsoft expert.

Find a partner

Connect with an authorized solution provider.

Get more with Microsoft Teams Phone

Make and receive phone calls from anywhere with a cloud-based phone system in Microsoft Teams. Enjoy cloud calling features like consultative transfer, music on hold, and cloud voicemail.

Frequently asked questions

How many users does microsoft 365 business standard support.

Microsoft 365 Business Standard supports a maximum of 300 users. If you have more than 300 users or think you will soon, take a look at our  enterprise plan options .

What forms of payment can I use?

Pay with all major credit cards, and your subscription amount will appear on your credit card statement. For Microsoft 365 business plans, you have the option to receive an invoice and, depending on your choice of services, you’ll be billed monthly or annually. Receive an email message when your invoice is ready to be viewed and, if a purchase order number is entered when you buy your subscription, that number is included in your invoice.

What payment options are available? Can I pay monthly or annually?

Choose a monthly commitment payment or an annual commitment payment for Microsoft 365.

  • Monthly commitment payment: Pay month by month and cancel at any time.
  • Annual commitment payment: Sign up for a one-year subscription and benefit from a discount for using this payment option. By default, your billing plan will be set to monthly billing. After your purchase, you can change your billing plan to annual billing within the Admin Portal.

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

You can cancel your subscription at any time; you may be entitled to a partial refund. Read the complete  Microsoft Online Subscription Agreement .

What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?

Your data is yours. If you decide to cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription, you can download your data—for example, your email and documents on team sites—and save it to another location. You should save your data before you cancel. After you cancel your subscription, data associated with your Microsoft 365 account will be available to your administrator(s) in a limited-function account for 90 days.

Can I switch to other Microsoft 365 plans?

Yes, you can transition your account to a different plan.

In most cases, you can use the switch plans wizard in your Admin Center to upgrade your plan. If your subscription has more than 300 users or if you used a prepaid card to purchase your plan, the switch plans wizard is not available. Plans that are not eligible for the switch plans wizard can be upgraded manually. Learn more about  switching Microsoft 365 plans .

NOTE: When you change your account, your domain name is transferred to your new account, whether you brought your existing domain name to the Microsoft 365 account or you set up a new domain name with Microsoft 365.

Where can I find more information about the value I’m getting with Microsoft 365?

Download the full plan comparison table.

Where can I find more frequently asked questions and read support articles?

Visit  Microsoft 365 for Business FAQ  or  Microsoft 365 Support forum .

See more solutions for your business

Requirements.

  • [1] Once your paid subscription begins, cancellation policies vary based on your status as a new customer, product, and domain selections on Microsoft. Learn more . Cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription any time by going to the Microsoft 365 admin center. When a subscription is canceled, all associated data will be deleted. Learn more about data retention, deletion, and destruction in Microsoft 365 .
  • [2] After your one-month free trial ends, your subscription will automatically convert into a 12-month paid subscription and you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancel anytime during your free trial to stop future charges. Credit card required to sign-up. Learn more .
  • [*] Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase, enterprise customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 or Office 365 E3 or E5, and business customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium, or a version of these suites that no longer includes Microsoft Teams.

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Business Plan

Business Plan

Screenshot

Screenshots

The 2.6.3 version of Business Plan for Mac was available to download on the developer's website when we last checked. We cannot confirm if there is a free download of this app available. The bundle id for this application is com.peninsula-group.businessplan.

This Mac application was originally designed by Peninsula Group. According to the results of the Google Safe Browsing check, the developer's site is safe. Despite this, we recommend checking the downloaded files with any free antivirus software. The most popular versions of the program are 2.5 and 2.0. The software is included in Business Tools.

From the developer:

Plan your business From start to finish, the easy way! Business Plan gives you power and simplicity, in an easy to use package in order to achieve your goal of producing a Business plan. BusinessPlan allows you to produce Business plans quickly and effectively with no knowledge of how to layout and organise a plan. The plans are built in the standard format required by banks, investors and lenders worldwide.

You may want to check out more Mac applications, such as My Work Schedule - Business Planning , My Work Schedule - Business Planning And Shift Management or Business Plans Maker , which might be related to Business Plan.

My Work Schedule - Business Planning

Timekeeping

Project Management

Business Plans Maker

Investment-Tools

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Office 2024 for Mac is coming and you won’t need a subscription to get it

David Price

Microsoft has revealed a number of important details about the new version of Office coming later this year. Among these is a particularly pleasing announcement for those who don’t want to sign up for a recurring subscription.

The commercial preview of Office LTSC 2024, Microsoft said in a blog post , will be released in April ahead of a general release later in 2024. Office LTSC, or Long-Term Servicing Channel, represents the version of Office intended for commercial and government use in specialist and niche uses where devices may not be able to access the internet, or where software updates are not desired: in manufacturing or medical testing labs, for example. It is not sold in stores and is only available for volume purchases.

However, the blog post also addresses the more conventional consumer version of Office 2024, which will also arrive later this year. Importantly for Apple users, Microsoft confirmed that this will feature a Mac version that will arrive alongside the Windows version, and will be available as a “device-based ‘perpetual’ license, supported for five years.” This means that you’ll be able to buy Office for Mac 2024 and the related individual apps for a one-time flat fee and get updates until 2029.

Microsoft has been somewhat inconsistent with its Office release schedule, with recent versions coming in 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2011. The release of Microsoft 2024 as a standalone purchase is significant as it’s been unclear whether Microsoft would release another non-subscription version.

While the LTSC versions of Office will see price hikes “up to 10% at the time of general availability,” the consumer versions are expected to stay the same, currently $150/£119 ( Home and Student ) and $250/£249 ( Home and Business ) for Microsoft Office 2021. (Note however that Microsoft does not guarantee the same pricing. It merely says “We do not plan to change the price for these products at the time of the release.”)

As ever, Microsoft makes it abundantly clear that it would greatly prefer for customers to go for a subscription model. Throughout the blog post, there are references to the superior feature set, security, AI capabilities and so on offered by Microsoft 365/Office 365. The company even touts its suitability for some situations where the LTSC version might seem the obvious choice, such as on submarines. (For a more objective view, we weigh up the pros and cons of buying Office on a subscription or an outright basis in our Microsoft 365 vs Office 2021 buying guide.)

This is understandable because software companies love recurring revenue. But we suspect that many users will prefer one-off purchases for many years to come, and for these potential customers, this will be good news indeed.

Author: David Price , Editor

business plan mac os

David has loved the iPhone since covering the original 2007 launch; later his obsession expanded to include iPad and Apple Watch. He offers advice to owners (and prospective owners) of these devices.

Recent stories by David Price:

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Xiaomi shares HyperOS rollout plan for Q2: Check list of supported devices

Xiaomi released the hyperos in january for first batch of supported device. the next-generation os from xiaomi is now set to expand to more devices, including redmi smartphones.

Xiaomi, Xiaomi HyperOS, Xiaomi MIUI, HyperOS, MIUI, Xiaomi OS, Xiaomi new OS, new OS, Xiaomi operating system

Listen to This Article

  • Xiaomi 11 Ultra
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  • Redmi Note 11 Series
The wait is over – #XiaomiHyperOS rollout update for Q1 2024 is here, promising a seamless user experience on your favorite #Xiaomi and #Redmi devices. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel
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Redmi 13C Series smartphone launched in India: Check price, specs and more

Xiaomi to launch redmi note 13 5g series on jan 4: expected specs and more, xiaomi redmi note 13 series launch at 12 pm: watch livestream, know specs, xiaomi redmi note 13 pro plus review: spices up mid-premium phone segment, xiaomi redmi note 13 series goes on sale with introductory offers: details, bixby ai: samsung prepares its voice assistant for natural conversations, click here: everything about x trend highlighting image 'alt text' feature, oneplus nord ce4 india launch at 6:30 pm: where to watch and what to expect, acquire this: technology startup deals are getting pricier, shows data, data centres put their money in new chip power as genai needs grow.

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First Published: Apr 01 2024 | 2:44 PM IST

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COMMENTS

  1. What is the Best Business Plan Software for Mac?

    LivePlan offers a single straightforward plan and you can go monthly or invest once a year. Regular price for the monthly subscription is $19.95, but with our 50% off discount (in the big link at the end of this article), you'll pay only $9.95 for the first month. Do keep in mind though that the annual subscription saves you 40% and drops the ...

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    Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac Recommendation 2023. 1. LivePlan. LivePlan is an award-winning business planning software that offers a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the entire process. It features easy-to-use templates, interactive forecasting tools, and a wide variety of customizable charts and graphs.

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    Business Plan software helps entrepreneurs, startups, and business developers write detailed business plans. Business Plan software includes financial budgeting and investor tools to help you secure investment capital or business loans. Often you can create reports, graphs, and other visuals to illustrate your business' current and forecasted growth.

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    All of these features make this app the best business plan software for iOS. GoSmallBiz Pricing: GoSmallBiz offers three subscription plans: Basic, Pro, and Premium. The Basic plan costs $39 per month and includes access to business plan templates and legal document templates;

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  13. 12 Best Project Management Software for Mac OS

    Teamwork. As you can guess by its name, Teamwork is one of the best free project management software for Mac devices focused on making team collaboration more streamlined to the point where it becomes effortless. Teamwork offers excellent project management features, including time tracking, billing, estimates, milestones, notifications, task ...

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    Wrike — One of the best apps thanks to solid features and a clean interface. Trello — The master of kanban boards performs well on iOS and Mac devices. ClickUp — A fully featured project ...

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  20. Business Plan format for Pages?

    Level 5. 6,518 points. Posted on Jan 4, 2008 1:16 PM. korzap, Welcome to Apple discussions. I checked all my usual sources, and came up with this site that has business plan templates. They're created for Word, but word files usually open up nicely in Pages. Good luck with your business. -Dennis.

  21. Microsoft 365 Business Standard

    Microsoft 365 Business Standard. For PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. Benefit from identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees. Use desktop, web, and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Get custom business email ([email protected]) with Outlook.

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    License: Shareware $74.99. Total downloads: 47. Latest version: 2.6.3. Download now from developer's website. Screenshots. The 2.6.3 version of Business Plan for Mac was available to download on the developer's website when we last checked. We cannot confirm if there is a free download of this app available. The bundle id for this application ...

  23. 10 Best Productivity Apps for Mac in 2024 (For Digital Specialists)

    Free Plan: $0. Non-Commercial Plan: $2.50 a month (billed yearly) or $3 a month (billed monthly). Commercial Plan: $5 a user per month (billed yearly) or $10 a user per month (billed monthly). Tried & Tested: What I Think. When I got my Mac, I switched from ShareX, which I used on my Windows, to Monosnap after a dozen tried-and-failed apps.

  24. Office 2024 for Mac is coming and you won't need a ...

    This means that you'll be able to buy Office for Mac 2024 and the related individual apps for a one-time flat fee and get updates until 2029. Microsoft has been somewhat inconsistent with its ...

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  28. These five POCO smartphones will get Android 14 ...

    Following Xiaomi's announcement, its spin-off brand POCO has announced the rollout plan for the Xiaomi HyperOS update. POCO India, on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, announced the list of smartphones that will be receiving the HyperOS update in the second quarter of 2024.

  29. Xiaomi shares HyperOS rollout plan for Q2: Check ...

    Xiaomi India has announced its HyperOS rollout plan for the second quarter of 2024. Xiaomi India, on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, released a list of devices that will receive the update in the coming months. Additionally, the company announced that the Q1 roll-out phase for eligible devices has completed successfully.