In terms of market capitalization, Apple Inc. will likely be the largest company in the world by the end of the year. They have $97 billion in cash and no debt. Their share price is up over $100 in the last 5 months. They’re selling record numbers of iPhones, iPads, and Macintoshes.
Other than what they’re already doing, there is nothing Apple “must” or “need” do to remain competitive, to avoid irrelevancy, etc. Any pundit who declares otherwise is, quite frankly, a moron when it comes to Apple, and, one suspects, in other areas as well.
I bring this up because I keep reading about what Apple “needs” to do. Some of the things I’ve heard in recent days: Apple needs to pay shareholders a dividend. Apple needs to license their intellectual property. Apple needs to open up iOS, the operating system for the iPhone and iPad. I mean, blah, blah, blah.
Let’s be clear: Apple has enough money to buy every employee a swimming pool, fill it with dollar bills, then let them go swimming Scrooge McDuck-style. Am I saying they “need” to do this? No, I’m saying I wish they would, because maybe that would shut up the pundits who are trying to tell them what they need to do.
That’s not to say that there aren’t things that Apple should do. Making the sharing of contacts on a iOS devices an opt-in for users is a good example. Apple should definitely do this (and I think they will).
But “needs” to do? “Must” do? Apple ain’t gotta do jack.