This year, we struggled to put a face to Apple, as the tech giant’s people and products all made news in 2011. But no newsmakers list would be complete without the company—arguably one of the biggest drivers of consumerization of corporate IT.
This year saw the launch of new products and services, including the iPhone 4S, its voice software Siri, the iPad 2, the updated iOS 5 and the iCloud service. Apple reportedly added about 200 new features in iOS 5.
The launch of the iPad 2 worldwide also heated up the tablet market, as more vendors began releasing competing products. As of September, IDC reported the iPad 2 remained the most popular tablet globally, with a market share of 68.3 per cent.
Related story: Apple Canada’s channel reacts to the death of Steve Jobs
On the home front, Wendy Hayes returned to Apple Canada after a two-year absence, following the departure of Derek Smith, the former HP exec who took Hayes’ spot when she retired in 2009. Hayes, who opened the country’s first Apple store, returned in October.
Most notable was the death of co-founder and long-time CEO Steve Jobs at 56. Jobs was a person who made our lives easier. “What amazes me about the products he brought to life is that the moment you start using them, you get into a fog, not remembering how you ever got by without them,” Ron Paley, president of Apple reseller Carbon Computing of Toronto, told CDN.
“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators — brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement following Jobs’ death.
In August, just months before his death, Jobs had resigned as CEO, staying on as chairman of the board. His successor Tim Cook, the company’s former COO, became a household name but also drew questions about the company’s future, despite Jobs recommending Cook himself.
