10 Biggest Concerns For Apple In 2013

Apple had a splendid 2012. Its products iPhone5, iPad 4, iPad mini and MacBook Pro were blockbusters; in fact MacBook Pro is now the world’s best selling notebook. Believe it or not, for Cupertino giant the year 2013 may not be a cake walk, for it will have to face a lot of challenges with respect to its products— the Mac Pro, once the popular part of Mac Business had been ignored for years, Maps still messy, Android seems to be eating up into Apple market, and many others. Read on to know 10 biggest concerns for Apple as compiled by eWEEk.

                                                                                 #1 A New Way of Managing Operations

Earlier this year there were major executive changes in Apple. The company’s CEO Tim Cook decided to get rid of Scott Forstall and John Browett and realign his executive team. 2013 will be a year to look forward if the company’s management team, without two key players, can manage operations. And Cook would have to prove that he has the right management team to keep the company on track.

#2 Samsung's Trump Cards

Samsung has got a new feather added to its crown. It beat Apple to become the number one company in Smartphone sales in U.S. And Samsung’s Galaxy S III is considered to be the best Smartphone available now. For Apple in 2013 there’s a big challenge of regaining its market leadership.   

#3 Patent Trials

Apple has a sort of bone of contention with its competitors. The company had sued Samsung, Motorola and others over patent infringement. The law suits however seems to be draining time and money of the iPhone maker. 2013 can be a year for Apple to determine whether those cases are worth to fight and to try playing bit nicer with the competitors.

#4 Google's Hardware Push

If Android’s reign is not enough, the new device from Google, Nexus 10, as for consumer reports, turned out to be the first device to match Apple’s iPad in terms of value, reliability and purchase-worthiness. That’s a bad news for Apple. In 2013, the company has to raise its tab to maintain its existing rapport with the consumers. 

#5 Android's Growth

Android has now grown into world’s most used mobile platform. The Google’s OS already got three quarters of the Smartphone market to its name and if you go with industry analysts’ take, Android had equally impressive market share than that of Apple by the end of 2013. Next year Apple should pep up to take on Android or just be a spectator watching Android eating up into Apple’s market share.    

#6 More Apple Products Should Get the Retina Display

Apple’s new offering— “Retina display” caught the attention of the consumers. And this feature was a specialty of the Apple products like iPhone, iPod, which later got iPad and MacBook in its folds. But consumers are expecting to experience this new feature on other Apple products too, and most expectation is being built on iPad mini sporting a Retina Display. So 2013 will be the year where consumers would like to see more Apple products with this exciting feature.

#7 Design Upgrades Matter

Apple is known for its exciting product design, though its design is still appreciated, the zing thing about   it seems to be at hand’s distance. True that iPhone 5 is taller and thinner than its predecessor iPhone 4S, but it’s still the same look and the feel. And iPad’s basic design remains same all these years. On the other hand Apple’s arch rival Samsung is coming up with different products with different appeals, be it a tablet and phone combinations or the latest flexible screen that may eventually turn in to a flexible Smartphone or tablet. No wonder Samsung waylaid Apple in U.S. consumer electronics market.

So it’s time for Apple to have a clear look on 2013 and on the design of their products.

#8 Is That TV Coming?

Apple cofounder and charismatic tech personality the late Steve Jobs once hinted that he had cracked the code for a television, and of course the rumours about Apple TV spread abound since then. The rumors got fuel when Apple CEO Tim Cook said recently that the television is an “area of interest” for his company. The expectations of the consumers were notched up to the extent of seeing the product some time in 2013. So it’s time for Apple to take a note or loose the customers to Samsung or LG.

#9 Figuring Out Maps

Apple’s move to cut the popular and apt working Google maps from iOS 6 met lot of criticism. Apple Maps application wasn't ready when it launched with the new OS, and it still has lots of irregularities which are in contrast to Apple’s motto of being perfect. Now with Google Maps hitting 10 million downloads in just a week of availability in the App Store, Apple's failure with this application is looking even worse. Next year, if Apple wants to make it big, it must fix its mapping service or should just leave it to Google and save itself from embarrassment it faced with its mapping fiasco in 2012.   

#10 Handling Mac Pro Outcry

It’s true that Mac Pro is not for average consumers, but for designers and heavy enterprise users, the product is apple of the eye. And for over two years no attempts have been made by Apple to update it and also the company hadn’t provided any confirmation when Mac Pro will get a refresh. On the other hand the complaints are mounting up. So if the Apple has to keep its core designer and heavy enterprise loyalty, it must better take notice and do something.