Apple Remains World's Most Valuable Brand Despite First-Ever Drop in iPhone Sales

[MacRumors]

Apple remains the world's most valuable brand this year, topping Interbrand's annual rankings for the fourth consecutive year.

Apple's valuation rose 5% to $178.1 billion, ahead of tech rivals like Google, Microsoft, and Samsung, despite iPhone sales declining for the first time this year in line with the company's first revenue decline since 2003. Apple's brand value has steadily risen since 2002, when it was worth $5.2 billion, according to the study.

Apple shows how ecosystems drive value. Analysts have often pointed out that "Apple has superior products." While true, this opinion undersells the brilliance of Apple's functionally integrated model. Its software, hardware, and touchpoints are connected not just by beautiful design aesthetics, but by a level of interoperability that justifies the Apple premium and discourages defections to another platform. And the more data you share, the more personal it becomes--adding new devices is painless and the thought of switching increasingly unpromising. Apple is the Alpha of Cohesiveness in full effect.

However, perhaps more reflective of its recent declines, Apple did not make Interbrand's list of the top growing brands in 2016:

Coca-Cola, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and GE were the only companies outside the technology industry to make the top ten, which also included IBM and Amazon. Coca-Cola's brand value dropped 7% to $73.1 billion, continuing its decline since Apple overtook it for the top spot in 2013, according to Interbrand.

Interbrand is one of several brand rankings released each year, with others including Forbes and BrandZ. Apple has consistently performed well in these studies over the past decade as its revenue has ballooned on the strength of iPhone sales. Apple remains the world's most valuable company with a $611 billion market cap.

Article Link: Apple Remains World's Most Valuable Brand Despite First-Ever Drop in iPhone Sales

 

[Lesser Evets]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Tesla makes its debut at #100, worth $4.01B.

I can see them being the top grower for both 2017 and 2018, landing around #60 in 2017 and #30 in 2018.

 

[RightMACatU]

Hey LEGO! would you be willing to come up with a build-your-own MacBook Pro?

 

[Suckfest 9001]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

...you don't do much video/photo editing, do you?

 

[CarpalMac]

Apple shows how ecosystems drive value. ... ~snip~... Its software, hardware, and touchpoints are connected not just by beautiful design aesthetics, but by a level of interoperability that justifies the Apple premium and discourages defections to another platform.

I read that as saying that all their products work so well together, why would anyone look elsewhere?

Fact is, the iphone has a premium feel and is true pick up and play. The people I have asked say they can't be bothered with trying to learn or use Android. Only one (a fellow geek) has said that he loves the Apple ecosystem, or even recognises the existence of one!

Accurate as that might be about the interoperability, if the statement about defections was also true then I would also expect to see Mac sales making up a much bigger percentage of the companies revenue. It doesn't though, the iPhone is by faaaaar the biggest product for Apple. This feels almost like sponsored PR puff to me.

 

[gmcalpin]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

Every professional graphic designer or illustrator. Every printing company. Every publishing company.

 

[CarpalMac]

...you don't do much video/photo editing, do you?

Or publishing etc...etc...

 

[ColdShadow]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

are you for real?
who?? millions and millions of photo and video editors.
there is basically no match for their "stuff".

 

[TheNewToMacGuy]

Every professional graphic designer or illustrator. Every printing company. Every publishing company.

And I agree that there's a ton of audience for that! We live in a world of ads in all forms!

 

[Flow39]

I love the Apple ecosystem. Nothing like it anywhere else. All of my devices are reliable and seamlessly integrate with each other and Apple's services to make a really great user experience for me.

This is why Apple is still the number one: high quality devices with a great ecosystem.

 

[2457282]

I see samsung with a 10% growth in the chart. I wonder if this was done before the exploding phones/washers came to light? Would not expect them to get that much growth next year.

 

[polterbyte]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

You're kidding, right? Sure, Flash is a disaster, but Photoshop. Illustrator, and After Effects are still top packages in their respective niches. By far, actually.

 

[jonnysods]

Have MacBook pro sales dropped too? Where the heck are they?

I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!

Come on Apple, lot of people are waiting on you!

 

[SMIDG3T]

Love seeing Coca Cola up there. Half of their earnings are from me!

 

[BigMcGuire]

I was shocked to see Adobe is a top-growing brand... who still buys or rents that stuff??

The US Government and the company I work for - and they both buy it in bulk. Yeah @polterbyte - photoshop and illustrator.

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@ OP

But but wait, I thought Apple was dying? I thought no one was buying any iPhones? The iPhone 7 was a total failure! No innovation meant EVERYONE is going to Android??? </heavysarcasmintended>

------------------------------------------------

I love the Apple ecosystem. Nothing like it anywhere else. All of my devices are reliable and seamlessly integrate with each other and Apple's services to make a really great user experience for me.

This is why Apple is still the number one: high quality devices with a great ecosystem.

This. This says exactly what I wanted to say. Apple has long time customers here (my wife and I).

 

[d656]

Since when is Facebook a brand?

 

[Sunny1990]

This article gives tribute to Steve Jobs, today was the day five years ago when Steve Jobs passed away and apple is still a superstar after his death

 

[Zaft]

Love me some Coke, i dont care that soda is bad for you

 

[GeneralChang]

"Alpha of cohesiveness" wouldn't be a bad name for a rock band.

 

[SMIDG3T]

Love me some Coke, i dont care that soda is bad for you

Full fat is better for you than diet...

 

[UrbanB]

First ever drop in iPhone sales? Can't imagine why...

 

[wol]

<snip>
... Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and GE were the only companies outside the technology industry to make the top ten ...
<snip>

Cars and jet engines and turbines and trains and other machinery are not "technology industry"?

 

[Mr VeryAngry]

Pay your taxes then

 

[iOSFangirl6001]

Cue Apple hater comments at some point here

I see samsung with a 10% growth in the chart. I wonder if this was done before the exploding phones/washers came to light? Would not expect them to get that much growth next year.

I'm willing to wager before and I concur with your expectations

Since when is Facebook a brand?

Not sure if serious, sarcasm or trolling so just going to respond since always

ANY Product or company can be a "brand" or have "brand power" in some sense.


Facebook, Twitter, McDonalds, Apple,
T-Mobile etc etc they could all be classified as brands in some way or another.