Summary
This analysis paper’s central core is the assertion that the forced need to stay at home was the deciding factor that brought Apple back to its leadership position in 2020 (Graham, 2020). Jefferson provides numerical data showing its sales growth and notes key marketing milestones related to the release of four new smartphone models and cost increases. In addition, Jefferson consistently discusses what happened this year with AirPods, iPads, Watch, and products from other brands: the Echo and Samsung Galaxy. In short, Apple still holds the lead and shows significant competitive performance.
Assessment
In answer to the question about the source’s credibility, a few words about the author should be said. According to USA TODAY, Graham Jefferson is a staff correspondent and tech columnist with his column on Talking Tech. His list of works includes dozens of articles on technology and hot trends, such as Zoom, Koji, or COVID-19. A search for information about the man leads to a link on LinkedIn, which states that Jefferson holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Australian National University. The author’s record of professional roles also confirms his credibility. The actual text of the article was written at six in the morning of December 28, 2020, and was updated an hour and a half later: perhaps, mistakes were corrected.
The organically written text does not express the author’s opinion but rather is an analysis of the agenda, as it is rich in relevant data that can be easily verified. Therefore, the material is secondary and summarizes information from other sources, the center of which is the corporate reports of Apple, Inc. It is also worth noting that USA TODAY is a central news portal in the United States with a daily readership of approximately 2.6 million subscribers.
Impact
This text cannot be said to have had any significant influence on me or those to whom I have shown it. Instead, the article merely confirmed our views on the company’s leadership position and backed it up with numbers. Apple technology itself simplifies our lives every day, and it is hard to imagine a workday spent without a smartphone, watch, or laptop. We can expect technology to continue the trend of optimization in the future, and it may change in the coming decades, beyond recognition.
Reference
Graham, J. (2020). Apple iPhone again best tech seller of the year, thanks to the working-from-home trend. USA Today. Web.