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By Don Reisinger on 2011-12-30
Apple had a 2011 that was filled with great highs and great lows. The company’s iPhone and iPad continued to be successful, and sales outpaced those the company posted in 2010. But 2011 was also the year that the company’s co-founder and leader, Steve Jobs, passed away at the age of 56. To say that it was a sad day for consumers and Apple insiders alike would be an understatement. Through it all, Apple excelled in 2011. The company took on difficult tasks, met some challenges, and along the way, proved why it might just deserve the honor of being called the top technology company in the world. In the following slides, we’re going to examine that a bit further, and talk about some of the many accomplishments of the Cupertino, Calif.-based company. From launching Siri to effectively handling privacy concerns, Apple had a benchmark year in 2011.
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Siri LoveWith the launch of voice recognition agent Siri, Apple made another important advancement in how users interact with computing devices. iPhone 4S users can now talk into the device to send messages, check schedules, and more. Siri has a long way to go to be perfect, but it’s a great first step.
MacBook Air Front And CenterApple’s MacBook Air has always been one of its best products. It was good to see the company make that device an integral component in its computer strategy. The company is reportedly preparing to bring many of the same design ideas to the MacBook Pro in 2012.
Steve Jobs RIPWhen the company’s co-founder Steve Jobs died Oct. 5, 2011 at the age of 56, Apple handled the loss with a level of respect befitting the man who contributed so much to the industry. The company held a special event to commemorate Jobs and provided a place for fans and consumers to share their memories. Apple did a fine job honoring its co-founder.
Passing the TorchPrior to his death, Jobs announced that he was stepping down as CEO, and the seamless transition allowed Cook to take over that role, putting investor and consumer minds at ease. Apple is still Apple. And the company’s board has Jobs and Cook to thank for that.
Fixed the iPhone’s Antenna When Apple launched the iPhone 4 with its wraparound antenna design in 2010, the smartphone was criticized for poor wireless reception if the device was held in a “death grip.” Although the iPhone 4S is basically the same product, Apple addressed the reception problems.
Multi-Carrier SupportAt last, in 2011, Apple made its iPhone available to other U.S. carriers besides AT&T, offering it on both the Verizon and Sprint networks. Finally, iPhone fans have their choice of carrier.
iCloud Has ArrivedApple’s iCloud was supposed to be a one-stop shop for streaming music and movies, storing information from the Web, and more. Although it doesn’t quite live up to the hype, it’s a good first step as Apple starts to transition its services to the cloud. In the coming years, iCloud could become central to the company’s plans.
Mac App Store iPhone users have had an App Store since 2008. But Mac OS X users were left out in the cold until earlier this year. According to the latest data from Apple, more than 100 million programs have been downloaded from that store since its launch in January. The store has become so popular— and such an important part of Mac OS X— that Microsoft is planning to offer its own application store to Windows 8 users next year when that operating system launches.
Enterprise LoveApple hasn’t always been the most enterprise-friendly company, but in the past year, it has targeted companies through its ads and sales teams. It’s a smart move that could pay significant dividends in the coming years.
Leader In PrivacyEarlier this year, Apple was criticized for storing location information, unencrypted, in the iPhone and iTunes. The company quickly addressed the issue. More recently, privacy watchdogs around the world have been taking aim at Android handset makers and carriers for supporting Carrier IQ, a diagnostic tool for smartphones that tracks all kinds of information. Apple, which disabled the feature, says it will remove it entirely in a future software update. Simply put, Apple has become a leader in mobile privacy this year.
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