Customer Preferences
Consumers may also impact Apple’s business strategy with their preferences. For instance, before an iPad of any size can really work well in business or for people who may have to work on documents on the fly, such as students, a USB port is practically a necessity. As of December 2015, Apple does not offer a tablet with a USB port. There are third-party adapters, some of which are compatible with iPads. Apple's only original equipment manufacturer OEM solution is an adapter that works with digital cameras but not documents. Going forward, customer preferences for USB ports could force Apple to develop a new iPad with that feature.
Fragmented Market
The bargaining power of Apple’s customers is also low because the market is fragmented. The company’s products and services appeal to a wide variety of individuals, and the products and services have a broad range of uses. Apple products can be found in corporate environments and high schools, government offices and home offices. No one demographic or subgroup has more influence than another.
However, collectively, Apple’s customers have some common demands. Issues such as operating stability, hardware quality, and the availability of applications and software programs are aspects that are paramount to Apple’s business. The company is vulnerable to quality problems that can harm its reputation and the availability of different third-party apps and content. Buyer bargaining power in this regard is very high.