At the Jan 27th presentation in San Fransisco, where the Apple iPad was unveiled, Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder and CEO) also briefly touched upon the financial status of his company - Apple. I found it to be quite demonstrative of how financial success comes to those who excel, and dare.
Between Oct and Dec 2009, Apple showed a revenue of US$ 15.6 billion (Rs 73,000 crores). To put that into perspective, the entire Hollywood industry's gross for 2009 was $ 10.8 billion (Rs 50,000 crores). So, in 3 months Apple grossed 1 and a half times what Hollywood grossed in 1 year.
Closer to home, I've tried hard to come by accurate figures about Indian Entertainment. But these figures are from one of the most respected sources. It puts the entire Indian Filmed Entertainment Industry at 'being worth' Rs 9,600 crores in 2007. Growing annually at 14% it would be about 17,600 crores in 2012.
Apple showed revenues of Rs 73,000 crores in just 3 months. So, one company selling iPods, iPhones, laptops and desktop computers - earns 4-5 times what India's entire movie industry earns in 1 year.
But then, the Indian movie industry would have earned much more if there was no piracy, right? Of course, but how much more?
And its not as if Apple doesn't have to deal with piracy. People pirate software that Apple makes. Even film producers who stand against piracy don't buy Apple software, one per computer they just copy and use it - otherwise known as piracy.
Pirates even sell fake iPods and iPhones. These cost a fraction of Apple's iPhone and iPod. To make it worse, even a reputed newspaper like the Times of India regularly advertises a fake iPhone (called iFone) in its newspaper. And the Times' own online shopping site, Indiatimes Shopping regularly sells the iFone.
Here's a screenshot of a page at indiatimes.com which openly sells a (possibly Chinese) mobile phone that is a copy of the iPhone. Its called iFone.
Apple defies piracy. They don't crib and whine about piracy and competition, while Indian movie producers can't get over it. The real iPhone and the real iPod cost 4-10 times the fake pirated one, but still Apple's iPhone and iPod outsell the fakes by many tens of times over. At least the Indian movie industry doesn't have to compete with fake and pirated movies that are advertised for sale on the Times of India.
And so, this small company in California grosses 4-5 times the money in 3 months than an entire industry moans and groans while making over a year. Apple do this by making good products that people want to own, by giving users a unique experience. And by caring for their users even after they've bought products. Even in India.
Achievers don't whine. They move along and conquer.
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