Remember when “Apple was doomed?” We do. But, now, Apple is an antifragile company, Josh Centers writes for TidBITS. Short of a Zombie Apocalypse (and maybe even then), Apple is more than robust.
“Antifragile?” you ask. Is that even a word? Read on…
To understand antifragility, we need to delve into a bit of philosophy, specifically that of Nicholas Nassim Taleb, author of the Incerto series, the most notable entries being The Black Swan and Antifragile. Taleb’s central thesis is that bad things happen unexpectedly—the so-called “black swan events”—and he proposes that society needs to build systems that can survive or even grow stronger after unexpected setbacks.
Taleb puts systems into three categories:
• Fragile: Prone to break under stress
• Robust: Resilient against stressors
• Antifragile: Actually improve under stress…Apple has not just a diverse portfolio, but a diverse portfolio of strong products backed by both physical and online distribution options that keep revenues balanced even in the toughest times. A brick-and-mortar retailer like Dollar General would be devastated by store closures, but for Apple, it was only an annoyance that could be mitigated by the Apple online store. Netflix lives or dies by its subscriber figures, but a dip in Apple TV+ subscriptions is mitigated by a music service, a credit card, warranties, and even a fitness service. HP is nothing without PC and printer sales, but the Mac can coast along at times thanks to Apple’s other offerings.
Even the iPhone, the linchpin of Apple’s renaissance, doesn’t make or break the company, as shown in the tumultuous Q2 2020, when the Services and Wearables category pushed Apple to very slight growth despite declines in every other category… The charts don’t lie: the stressors of COVID-19 only made Apple stronger.
MacDailyNews Take: Check out all of the charts and much more goodness in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Note: Most-esteemed, highly-prized, and, yes, unmeasurably-beloved interns, please turn your oft-drifting attention to the magnificent silver barrel icing over yonder and pierce it with gusto, finally and blessedly releasing its bountiful goodness in which all may partake fully (and then some)!
TGIF! Prost, everyone! 🍻🍻🍻