Is Apple doing very well as a company?

[MadRat]

I'm too lazy to look up their portfolio, but I'd have to think its bad right now. Are they closing their doors soon or doing well enough to stay open?

 

[Odoacer]

No, generally, they're doing much better than they were, say, 5 years ago (word: iMac, fruity colors). But the economical slump in the US has hit them hard, like everyone else.

Apple is the #1 provider of computers for schools and stuff. Dell had the crown last year i think but Apple's got it back. So some good business for them.

Still, i'm not sure how they're doing overall against the other manufacturers like IBM, etc.

 

[gsaldivar]

They've got a captive audience (one immune to sticker-shock I might add...), and it will be some time before they go anywhere

 

[vegetation]

They still have the educational system wrapped around its fingers. We're talking big bucks here. That may change in the future though, especially if the economy remains low. For instance, the fed govt used to be a huge purchaser of Apple systems, but the bang for buck wasn't there anymore so when the budget choppers came around, they gave it the axe.

 

[nino]

If Apple REALLY wants to do well then they'd release OSX for the x86 platform. They have it but won't/can't realease it.

The following is speculation and NONE of it is based on facts...

I believe that Apple can't release an x86 OS because of an agreement made with MS when MS was developing Apples MS OFFICE suite. MS essentially said: We'll make you and OFFICE suite if you stay out of our "OS hair".

The main reason people tolerate MS is because they have the world by the short hairs when it comes to MS OFFICE. What would we do if we could get a good OS with the same office suite? Kiss my @ss goodbye MS.

OS X - An OS based on Unix with the MS Office Suite. How suite it is (excuse the lame pun)!

 

[KrispyKremer]

I'm surprised they've been around for as long as they have.

 

[gsaldivar]

Yeah, never underestimate the mighty neophyte