March 7, 2003: R&D Is Here to Stay

Fans of Apple computers have been called everything from "informed buyers" to "kool-aid drinking fanatics." The reasons Mac users exhibit such astonishing amounts of loyalty are not easily quantifiable but no small part of the reason must surely be Apple's commitment to research and development.

Apple's continuing R&D efforts seem astonishing in the current landscape of computer manufacturing, where the majority of manufacturers have eschewed any notion of research in order to cut costs as much as possible. That model makes a lot of sense when you're producing clone after clone of faceless commodity but not much sense if the company is intent on innovating, like Apple. Or, as CFO Fred Anderson put it:

"I'd much rather have money being spent on R&D that is going to enable us to come out with even a greater flow of innovative products, and on our Apple retail stores, which enables us to gain greater control, than spending it on other infrastructure areas."

Apple once again publicly commited to R&D to the benefit (and relief) of Mac users everywhere this week in 2003.