Apple Market Position

Singapore has one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the world with 137.4 percent in 2009 compared to 131 percent in 2008 (IDA Singapore 2010). Consequently, mobile subscriptions have increased from 6,857,200 in 2009 to 6,879,800 in the first half of 2010 (Statistics Singapore 2010) and by 2015, consumer expenditure will increase to 3, 503.8 (GMID 2010) (Appendix1) which shows the affluence and competitiveness in Singapore's mobile market. Mobile users in Singapore have technology-attuned lifestyles and strong appetites for digital gadgets and devices; the ability to own the latest model is considered trendy and their spending will grow by more than 46 percent (GMID 2010) (Appendix 2).This explains the strong demand for camera phones with higher megapixels and 3G enabled phones (Choudhury 2007).

1.2 Market Position

According to Stuart Jackson, market position refers to bringing together the disciplines of strategy and finance to help shape a company's approach to value creation or market share of the business in its strategic market segment (Jackson 2007). Apple implemented product differentiation in products like iPhone 4 by creating the value of using its products to increase their market share. For example, iPhone 4 implemented unique features as compared to its previous 3GS phone on video calling, 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, multitasking without draining the battery life and their application store to download games, videos or songs on the phone (Apple 2010). These unique features helped Apple rank third in the global smartphone market behind Nokia and Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry smart phones (Marsal 2008) and have exceeded their self-imposed goals for the world cellphone market share from 0.3 percent in 2007 to 1.1 percent in 2008 (Tschida 2009).

1.2.1 Depth Breadth and Product Range

Today, Apple Computer Inc. are recognised as pioneers in leading the technological world in different digital gadgets like iMac, iPad, iPod mini, iPod Touch and iPhone. In June 2008, Apple launched 3G iPhone with extended product line of iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 in June 2010 (Apple Computer Inc. 2010).