Apple Inc. (AAPL) Business, 2013

Company Background

The Company designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Company’s products and services include iPhone®, iPad®, Mac®, iPod®, Apple TV®, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and OS X® operating systems, iCloud®, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings. The Company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store®, App Store™, iBooks Store™, and Mac App Store. The Company sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, as well as through third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod compatible products, including application software, and various accessories, through its online and retail stores. The Company sells to consumers; small and mid-sized businesses (“SMB”); and education, enterprise and government customers. The Company’s fiscal year is the 52 or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September. Unless otherwise stated, all information presented in this Form 10-K is based on the Company’s fiscal calendar. The Company is a California corporation established in 1977.

Business Strategy

The Company is committed to bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software and services. The Company’s business strategy leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating systems, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative design. The Company believes continual investment in research and development, marketing and advertising is critical to the development and sale of innovative products and technologies. As part of its strategy, the Company continues to expand its platform for the discovery and delivery of third-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. As part of the iTunes Store, the Company’s App Store and iBooks Store allow customers to discover and download applications and books through either a Mac or Windows-based computer or through “iOS devices,” namely iPhone, iPad and iPod touch®. The Company’s Mac App Store allows customers to easily discover, download and install Mac applications. The Company also supports a community for the development of third-party software and hardware products and digital content that complement the Company’s offerings. The Company believes a high-quality buying experience with knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the Company’s products and services greatly enhances its ability to attract and retain customers. Therefore, the Company’s strategy also includes enhancing and expanding its own retail and online stores and its third-party distribution network to effectively reach more customers and provide them with a high-quality sales and post-sales support experience.

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Business Organization

The Company manages its business primarily on a geographic basis. Accordingly, the Company determined its reportable operating segments, which are generally based on the nature and location of its customers, to be the Americas, Europe, Japan, Greater China, Rest of Asia Pacific and Retail. The Americas segment includes both North and South America. The Europe segment includes European countries, as well as India, the Middle East and Africa. The Greater China segment includes China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Rest of Asia Pacific segment includes Australia and Asian countries, other than those countries included in the Company’s other operating segments. The Retail segment operates Apple retail stores in 13 countries, including the U.S. Each operating segment provides similar hardware and software products and similar services. The results of the Company’s geographic segments do not include results of the Retail segment. Further information regarding the Company’s operating segments may be found in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K under the subheading “Segment Operating Performance,” and in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 11, “Segment Information and Geographic Data.”

Products

iPhone

iPhone is the Company’s line of smartphones that combines a phone, music player, and internet device in one product, and is based on Apple’s iOS Multi-Touch™ operating system. iPhone has an integrated photo and video camera and photo library app, and on qualifying devices, also includes Siri®, a voice activated intelligent assistant. iPhone works with the iTunes Store, the App Store and iBooks Store for purchasing, organizing and playing music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and apps. In addition to apps delivered with iOS, beginning in September 2013, free downloads of iPhoto®, iMovie® and iWork® apps for iOS became available with all new iPhones. iPhone is compatible with both Mac and Windows personal computers and Apple’s iCloud services which provide synchronization of mail, contacts, calendars, apps, music, photos, documents, and more across users’ devices. The latest versions, introduced in September 2013, are iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s.

iPad

iPad and iPad mini™ are the Company’s line of multi-purpose tablets based on Apple’s iOS Multi-Touch operating system. iPad has an integrated photo and video camera and photo library app, and on qualifying devices, also includes Siri. iPad works with the iTunes Store, the iBooks Store, and the App Store for purchasing and playing music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and apps. In addition to apps delivered with iOS for qualifying devices, beginning in September 2013, iPhoto, iMovie and iWork apps for iOS became available as free downloads with all new iPads. iPad is compatible with both Mac and Windows personal computers and Apple’s iCloud services. In October 2013, the Company announced iPad Air™, its fifth generation iPad, and iPad mini with Retina® display.

Mac

Mac is the Company’s line of desktop and portable personal computers. Macs feature Intel microprocessors, the OS X operating system and include Mail, Safari web browser, Messages, Calendars, Reminders, Contacts and the iLife® suite of software apps. The Company’s desktop computers include iMac®, Mac Pro® and Mac mini. The Company’s portable computers include MacBook Pro® and MacBook Air®. Beginning in October 2013, the Company’s iWork productivity suite of apps for OS X became available as free downloads with all new Macs.

iPod

The Company’s iPod line of portable digital music and media players includes iPod touch, iPod nano®, iPod shuffle® and iPod classic®. All iPods work with iTunes to purchase and synchronize content. iPod touch, based on the Company’s iOS Multi-Touch operating system, is a flash-memory-based iPod with an integrated photo

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and video camera and photo library app, and also includes Siri. iPod touch works with the iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBooks Store for purchasing and playing music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and apps. In addition to apps delivered with iOS, beginning in September 2013, iPhoto, iMovie and iWork apps for iOS became available as free downloads for all new iPod touches. iPod touch is compatible with both Mac and Windows personal computers and Apple’s iCloud services.

iTunes and the iTunes Store

Apple’s iTunes app, available for both Mac and Windows personal computers, keeps users’ music, movies, and TV shows organized in one place. iTunes is integrated with the iTunes Store, the App Store and the iBooks Store. The iTunes Store allows users to purchase and download music and TV shows and to rent or purchase movies. The iTunes Store also includes hundreds of thousands of free Podcasts on a multitude of subjects. The App Store allows customers to discover and download apps and purchase in-app content. The iBooks Store features e-books from major and independent publishers. iTunes U® allows users to download free lectures, videos, and more from top universities, museums, and other institutions. iTunes also features Genius mixes to find songs that go together and organize them into genre-based mixes and Home Sharing to allow users to stream content from one computer to another computer as well as to iOS devices and newer versions of the Company’s Apple TV. In September 2013, Apple introduced iTunes Radio™, a free Internet streaming service that allows users of iOS devices, Mac and Windows personal computers and Apple TV to personalize radio stations featuring music from the iTunes Store.

Mac App Store

The Mac App Store allows customers to discover, download and install Mac apps. The Mac App Store offers applications in education, games, graphics and design, lifestyle, productivity, utilities and other categories. The Company’s OS X operating system software and its iLife, iWork and other application software titles are also available on the Mac App Store.

iCloud

iCloud is the Company’s cloud service, which stores music, photos, applications, contacts, calendars, documents and more, keeping them up-to-date and available to multiple iOS devices and Mac and Windows personal computers. iCloud’s features include iTunes in the Cloud; Photo Stream; Documents in the Cloud; Contacts; Calendar; Mail; automatic downloads and purchase history for content, applications and books; and iCloud Backup for iOS devices. Users can sign up for free access to iCloud using a device running qualifying versions of iOS or OS X.

Operating System Software

iOS

iOS is the Company’s Multi-Touch operating system that serves as the foundation for iOS devices. iOS 7 is the current version and was released in September 2013. Apps delivered with iOS for qualifying devices include Safari web browser, FaceTime video calling, Maps with turn-by-turn directions, Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Clock, Weather, Calculator, Notes, Reminders, Stocks, Compass, and Messages. Devices running iOS are compatible with both Mac and Windows personal computers and Apple’s iCloud services.

OS X

OS X, the Company’s Mac operating system, is built on an open-source UNIX-based foundation and provides an intuitive and integrated computer experience. OS X Mavericks, released in October 2013, is the tenth major release of OS X. Support for iCloud is built into OS X so users can access content and information from their other Macs, their iOS devices and other supported devices and access downloaded content and apps from the

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iTunes Store. In addition to Mail, Safari web browser, Messages, Calendars, Reminders, Contacts and the iLife® suite of software apps, Mavericks also includes a new Maps app and a new iBooks app that both work with their iOS counterparts.

Application Software

iLife

iLife for Mac is the Company’s consumer-oriented digital lifestyle software application suite included with all Mac computers. iLife features iPhoto, a digital photo application for storing, viewing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie, a digital video editing application; and GarageBand®, a music creation application that allows customers to play, record and create music. The Company also has Multi-Touch versions of these iLife applications designed specifically for use on iPhone and iPad, and beginning in September 2013, both iPhoto and iMovie for iOS became available as free downloads with all new iOS devices.

iWork

iWork for Mac is the Company’s integrated productivity suite designed to help users create, present, and publish documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. iWork includes Pages® for word processing and page layout, Keynote® for presentations, and Numbers® for spreadsheets. Beginning in October 2013, the iWork suite of apps for OS X will be available as free downloads with all new Macs. The Company also has iOS Multi-Touch versions of each iWork application designed specifically for use on iOS devices and, beginning in September 2013, they all became available as free downloads with all new iOS devices.

Other Application Software

The Company also sells various other application software, including its professional line of applications, Final Cut Pro®, Logic® Pro X, and its FileMaker® Pro database software.

Displays & Peripheral Products

The Company manufactures the Apple LED Cinema Display™ and Thunderbolt Display. The Company also sells a variety of Apple-branded and third-party Mac-compatible and iOS-compatible peripheral products, including printers, storage devices, computer memory, digital video and still cameras, pointing devices, and various other computing products and supplies.

Apple TV

Apple TV connects to consumers’ high definition TVs and enables them to access iTunes content directly for streaming HD video, playing music and viewing photos. Content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr, MLB, Hulu Plus, iTunes Radio and other media services is also available. Apple TV allows streaming iTunes content from Macs and Windows personal computers through Home Share and through AirPlay® from compatible Mac and iOS devices. Compatible Mac and iOS devices can also mirror their device screens as well as stream and play games on Apple TV.

iOS and Mac Developer Programs

The Company’s iOS and Mac Developer Programs support app developers with the development, testing and distribution of iOS and Mac apps through the App Store and the Mac App Store. Development tools included with the Company’s Developer Programs include Xcode®, the Company’s integrated development environment for creating apps for iOS devices, including iPhone and iPad, and Mac. Xcode includes project management tools; analysis tools to collect, display and compare app performance data; simulation tools to locally run, test, and debug apps; tools to simplify the design and development of user interfaces; and the latest software

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development kits for iOS and OS X. The Company’s Developer Programs also provide access to multiple development resources including the Company’s Developer Forums, extensive technical documentation, and sample code. The Company’s Developer Programs also provide developers with access tools and information for submitting their apps to the App Store and the Mac App Store.

Product Support and Services

AppleCare® offers a range of support options for the Company’s customers. These include assistance that is built into software products, printed and electronic product manuals, online support including comprehensive product information as well as technical assistance, the AppleCare Protection Plan (“APP”) and the AppleCare+ Protection Plan (“AC+”). APP is a fee-based service that typically includes two to three years of phone support, hardware repairs and dedicated web-based support resources. AC+ is a fee-based service available in certain countries for iPhone and iPad. AC+ offers additional coverage under some circumstances for instances of accidental damage in addition to the services offered by APP.

Markets and Distribution

The Company’s customers are primarily in the consumer, SMB, education, enterprise and government markets. The Company sells its products and resells third-party products in most of its major markets directly to consumers and SMBs through its retail and online stores and its direct sales force. The Company also employs a variety of indirect distribution channels, such as third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. During 2013, the Company’s net sales through its direct and indirect distribution channels accounted for 30% and 70%, respectively, of total net sales.

The Company believes that sales of its innovative and differentiated products are enhanced by knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the hardware and software integration, and demonstrate the unique solutions that are available on its products. The Company further believes providing direct contact with its targeted customers is an effective way to demonstrate the advantages of its products over those of its competitors and providing a high-quality sales and after-sales support experience is critical to attracting new and retaining existing customers.

To ensure a high-quality buying experience for its products in which service and education are emphasized, the Company continues to expand and improve its distribution capabilities by expanding the number of its own retail stores worldwide. The Company’s retail stores are typically located at high-traffic locations in quality shopping malls and urban shopping districts. By operating its own stores and locating them in desirable high-traffic locations the Company is better positioned to ensure a high quality customer buying experience and attract new customers. The stores are designed to simplify and enhance the presentation and marketing of the Company’s products and related solutions. The retail stores employ experienced and knowledgeable personnel who provide product advice, service and training and offer a wide selection of third-party hardware, software, and other accessories and peripherals that complement the Company’s products.

The Company has also invested in programs to enhance reseller sales by placing high quality Apple fixtures, merchandising materials and other resources within selected third-party reseller locations. Through the Apple Premium Reseller Program, certain third-party resellers focus on the Apple platform by providing a high level of product expertise, integration and support services.

The Company is committed to delivering solutions to help educators teach and students learn. The Company believes effective integration of technology into classroom instruction can result in higher levels of student achievement and has designed a range of products, services and programs to address the needs of education customers. The Company also supports mobile learning and real-time distribution of, and access to, education related materials through iTunes U®, a platform that allows students and teachers to share and distribute educational media online. The Company sells its products to the education market through its direct sales force, select third-party resellers and its online and retail stores.

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The Company also sells its hardware and software products to enterprise and government customers in each of its geographic segments. The Company’s products are deployed in these markets because of their performance, productivity, ease of use and seamless integration into information technology environments. The Company’s products are compatible with thousands of third-party business applications and services, and its tools enable the development and secure deployment of custom applications as well as remote device administration.

No single customer accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2013, 2012 or 2011.

Competition

The markets for the Company’s products and services are highly competitive and the Company is confronted by aggressive competition in all areas of its business. These markets are characterized by frequent product introductions and rapid technological advances that have substantially increased the capabilities and use of mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and other digital electronic devices. The Company’s competitors who sell mobile devices and personal computers based on other operating systems have aggressively cut prices and lowered their product margins to gain or maintain market share. The Company’s financial condition and operating results can be adversely affected by these and other industry-wide downward pressures on gross margins. Principal competitive factors important to the Company include price, product features, relative price/performance, product quality and reliability, design innovation, a strong third-party software and peripherals ecosystem, marketing and distribution capability, service and support, and corporate reputation.

The Company is focused on expanding its market opportunities related to personal computers and mobile communication and media devices. These markets are highly competitive and include many large, well-funded and experienced participants. The Company expects competition in these markets to intensify significantly as competitors attempt to imitate some of the features of the Company’s products and applications within their own products or, alternatively, collaborate with each other to offer solutions that are more competitive than those they currently offer. These markets are characterized by aggressive pricing practices, frequent product introductions, evolving design approaches and technologies, rapid adoption of technological and product advancements by competitors, and price sensitivity on the part of consumers and businesses.

The Company’s digital content services have faced significant competition from other companies promoting their own digital music and content products and services, including those offering free peer-to-peer music and video services.

The Company’s future financial condition and operating results depend on the Company’s ability to continue to develop and offer new innovative products and services in each of the markets in which it competes. The Company believes it offers superior innovation and integration of the entire solution including the hardware (iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iPod), software (iOS, OS X and iTunes), online services, and distribution of digital content and applications (iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store and Mac App Store). Some of the Company’s current and potential competitors have substantial resources and may be able to provide such products and services at little or no profit or even at a loss to compete with the Company’s offerings.

Supply of Components

Although most components essential to the Company’s business are generally available from multiple sources, a number of components are currently obtained from single or limited sources. In addition, the Company competes for various components with other participants in the markets for mobile communication and media devices and personal computers. Therefore, many components used by the Company, including those that are available from multiple sources, are at times subject to industry-wide shortage and significant pricing fluctuations that can materially adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

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The Company uses some custom components that are not commonly used by its competitors, and new products introduced by the Company often utilize custom components available from only one source. When a component or product uses new technologies, initial capacity constraints may exist until the suppliers’ yields have matured or manufacturing capacity has increased. If the Company’s supply of components for a new or existing product were delayed or constrained, or if an outsourcing partner delayed shipments of completed products to the Company, the Company’s financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected. The Company’s business and financial performance could also be materially adversely affected depending on the time required to obtain sufficient quantities from the original source, or to identify and obtain sufficient quantities from an alternative source. Continued availability of these components at acceptable prices, or at all, may be affected if those suppliers concentrated on the production of common components instead of components customized to meet the Company’s requirements.

The Company has entered into various agreements for the supply of components; however, there can be no guarantee that the Company will be able to extend or renew these agreements on similar terms, or at all. Therefore, the Company remains subject to significant risks of supply shortages and price increases that can materially adversely affect its financial condition and operating results.

While the Company has announced plans to begin manufacturing some Macs in the United States, substantially all of the Company’s hardware products are currently manufactured by outsourcing partners that are located primarily in Asia. A significant concentration of this manufacturing is currently performed by a small number of outsourcing partners, often in single locations. Certain of these outsourcing partners are the sole-sourced suppliers of components and manufacturers for many of the Company’s products. Although the Company works closely with its outsourcing partners on manufacturing schedules, the Company’s operating results could be adversely affected if its outsourcing partners were unable to meet their production commitments. The Company’s purchase commitments typically cover its requirements for periods up to 150 days.

Research and Development

Because the industries in which the Company competes are characterized by rapid technological advances, the Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily upon its ability to ensure a continual and timely flow of competitive products, services and technologies to the marketplace. The Company continues to develop new technologies to enhance existing products and to expand the range of its product offerings through research and development, licensing of intellectual property and acquisition of third-party businesses and technology. Total research and development expense was $4.5 billion, $3.4 billion and $2.4 billion in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Licenses

The Company currently holds rights to patents and copyrights relating to certain aspects of its iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod devices, peripherals, software and services. The Company has registered or has applied for trademarks and service marks in the U.S. and a number of foreign countries. Although the Company believes the ownership of such patents, copyrights, trademarks and service marks is an important factor in its business and that its success does depend in part on the ownership thereof, the Company relies primarily on the innovative skills, technical competence and marketing abilities of its personnel.

The Company regularly files patent applications to protect innovations arising from its research, development and design, and is currently pursuing thousands of patent applications around the world. Over time, the Company has accumulated a large portfolio of issued patents in the U.S. and worldwide. The Company holds copyrights relating to certain aspects of its products and services. No single patent or copyright is solely responsible for protecting the Company’s products. The Company believes the duration of its patents is adequate relative to the expected lives of its products.

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Many of the Company’s products are designed to include intellectual property obtained from third parties. It may be necessary in the future to seek or renew licenses relating to various aspects of its products, processes and services. While the Company has generally been able to obtain such licenses on commercially reasonable terms in the past, there is no guarantee that such licenses could be obtained in the future on reasonable terms or at all. Because of technological changes in the industries in which the Company competes, current extensive patent coverage, and the rapid rate of issuance of new patents, it is possible that certain components of the Company’s products, processes and services may unknowingly infringe existing patents or intellectual property rights of others. From time to time, the Company has been notified that it may be infringing certain patents or other intellectual property rights of third parties.

Foreign and Domestic Operations and Geographic Data

During 2013, the Company’s domestic and international net sales accounted for 39% and 61%, respectively, of total net sales. Information regarding financial data by geographic segment is set forth in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K under the subheading “Segment Operating Performance,” and in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 11, “Segment Information and Geographic Data.”

While substantially all of the Company’s hardware products are currently manufactured by outsourcing partners that are located primarily in Asia, the Company also performs final assembly of certain products at its manufacturing facility in Ireland. The supply and manufacture of a number of components is performed by sole-sourced outsourcing partners in the U.S., Asia and Europe. Margins on sales of the Company’s products in foreign countries, and on sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers, can be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulations, including tariffs and antidumping penalties. Information regarding concentration in the available sources of supply of materials and products is set forth in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 10, “Commitments and Contingencies.”

Business Seasonality and Product Introductions

The Company has historically experienced higher net sales in its first quarter compared to other quarters in its fiscal year due in part to seasonal holiday demand. Additionally, new product introductions can significantly impact net sales, product costs and operating expenses. Product introductions can also impact the Company’s net sales to its indirect distribution channels as these channels are filled with new product inventory following a product introduction, and often, channel inventory of a particular product declines as the next related major product launch approaches. Net sales can also be affected when consumers and distributors anticipate a product introduction. However, neither historical seasonal patterns nor historical patterns of product introductions should be considered reliable indicators of the Company’s future pattern of product introductions, future net sales or financial performance.

Warranty

The Company offers a limited parts and labor warranty on most of its hardware products. The basic warranty period is typically one year from the date of purchase by the original end-user. The Company also offers a 90-day basic warranty for its service parts used to repair the Company’s hardware products. In addition, where available, consumers may purchase APP or AC+, which extends service coverage on many of the Company’s hardware products.

Backlog

In the Company’s experience, the actual amount of product backlog at any particular time is not a meaningful indication of its future business prospects. In particular, backlog often increases in anticipation of or immediately following new product introductions as customers anticipate shortages. Backlog is often reduced once customers believe they can obtain sufficient supply. Because of the foregoing, backlog should not be considered a reliable indicator of the Company’s ability to achieve any particular level of revenue or financial performance.

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Employees

As of September 28, 2013, the Company had approximately 80,300 full-time equivalent employees and an additional 4,100 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors. Approximately 42,800 of the total full-time equivalent employees worked in the Company’s Retail segment.

Available Information

The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and files or furnishes reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. Such reports and other information filed by the Company with the SEC are available free of charge on the Company’s website at investor.apple.com/sec.cfm when such reports are available on the SEC’s website. The public may read and copy any materials filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. The contents of these websites are not incorporated into this filing. Further, the Company’s references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.