Apple at 40

 

Vocabulary

lay off	slide (2)	resurgence
brand	consumer	fortune (2)
brink	cryptic	bankruptcy
revive	fledgling	underline (2)
retail	decade	cement (2)
hit (3)	generate	revolution (2)
legal	beat (2)	figure (3)
fire (3)	form (2)	present (2)
flop	variety	launch (2)
rank	casual	fashion statement
offer	top (2)	branch (3)
boost	revenue	deliver (2)
release	portable	money spinner
cancer	found (2)	pancreas
update	spin (2)	crossroads
prove	massive

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video One

 
 
 
 

Transcript

1976: The Apple Computer Company is formed.
1977: The Apple II is a huge success for the fledgling company.
1984: The Macintosh cements the company’s position.

But fortunes slide towards the end of the decade.

During the 1990s, Apple branches out to consumer products. Their commercial failure brings the company to the brink of bankruptcy.

1998: The ‘iMac’ revives its fortunes in stylish fashion.

2001: The resurgence is underlined when the iPod becomes the most popular MP3 player.

With retail stores now a part of the brand’s business, Apple becomes the world’s most valuable company in 2011.

Video Two: Apple at 40

 

Transcript

Steve Jobs, Apple CEO: “All of the images you are about to see on the large screen, will be generated by what’s in that bag.

Macintosh: “Hello I’m Macintosh. It sure is great to get out of that bag.”

In 1984, the launch of Macintosh began a computing revolution: it’s the first computer to use a graphical operating system. It’s also the first to work with a mouse.

Casual users no longer had to wade through cryptic code. But the Mac is just too expensive for consumers.

Microsoft is on the rise and its sales figures easily beat Apple’s. The company laid off many of its workers and fired its CEO, Steve Jobs.

After his departure, several new launches flopped, including the Newton PDA and the portable computer, Power Book.

Apple made billion dollar losses — and almost went bankrupt in 1997.

With Steve Jobs’ return came a return to profit. He developed the iMac in a variety of colorful designs.

It was a hit with customers.

In 2001, the iPod made mobile, digital musical a fashion statement, and iTunes raked in millions by offering legal music downloads.

But the firm topped its success with the release of the iPhone in 2007.

It was Apple’s “must have” product. The iPhone is a massive boost to the firm’s revenue: in 2004, the company’s sales reached $8 billion — last year (2015), over $280 billion.

In 2010, Steve Jobs presented another money spinner, the iPad . . . but it would be his last launch: a year later Jobs died of pancreatic cancer.

The world he helped to change mounded the Apple founder.

But Apple’s success continued with updates to the products Jobs introduced.

Now the company’s at a crossroads: it has yet to prove whether it can deliver more revolutionary tech.

Questions

1. The Macintosh was Apple’s first product. True or false?

2. After the launch of the Macintosh, did Apple’s sales and business keep increasing and increasing?

3. Steve Jobs was always the head of Apple. Is this right or wrong?

4. What was the nadir in Apple’s history?

5. Did Steve Jobs turn the company around? What new product turned the company’s fortunes around?

6. Were the next three products similar to or different from the iMac? What was the main difference?

7. What were the zeniths of Apple’s history?

8. Apple is continuing to rise and rise and rise. Yes or no?

 

A. What do people in your town or city think of Apple and Steve Jobs?

B. Steve Jobs was the greatest innovator, technologist and entrepreneur in the modern era. What do you think?

C. What can or should Apple do to stay on top?

D. Can Apple serve as a model for businesses and companies? Is Jobs a good role model for (young) people?

E. What will happen in the future?