2009



Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Executive Overview

The Company designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication devices, and portable digital music and video players and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. The Company’s products and services include the Mac line of desktop and portable computers, iPhone, the iPod line of portable digital music and video players, Apple TV, Xserve, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the Mac OS X operating system, third-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings. The Company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, its retail stores, its direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party Mac, iPhone and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and various other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores. The Company sells to consumer, small and mid-sized business (“SMB”), education, enterprise, government, and creative markets.

The Company is focused on providing innovative products and solutions to consumer, SMB, education, enterprise, government and creative customers that greatly enhance their evolving digital lifestyles and work environments. The Company’s overall business strategy is to control the design and development of the hardware and software for all of its products, including the personal computer, mobile communications and consumer electronics devices. The Company’s business strategy leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating system, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative industrial design. The Company believes continual investment in research and development is critical to the development and enhancement of innovative products and technologies. In conjunction with its strategy, the Company continues to build and host a robust platform for the discovery and delivery of third-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. Most recently the Company launched the App Store that allows users to browse, search for, and purchase third-party applications through either a Mac or Windows-based computer or by wirelessly downloading directly to an iPhone or iPod touch. The Company also desires to support a community for the development of third-party products that complement the Company’s offerings through its developer programs. The Company is therefore uniquely positioned to offer superior and well-integrated digital lifestyle and productivity solutions.

The Company participates in several highly competitive markets, including personal computers with its Mac line of personal computers, mobile communications with iPhone, consumer electronics with its iPod product families, and distribution of third-party