Apple People — Everywhere
I know all of you are wondering how the work of analyzing and restructuring the company is going, and more importantly when we will have definitive information about the future of your job.
Last month, I outlined a schedule that said we would complete our comprehensive analysis of the company by the end of February, and that by early March we would be in a better position to know what areas of the business we will pursue in the future and the personnel resources required to support these projects.
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A great deal of work has gone on since then to define a new Apple Computer. We have implemented a new functional organization structure that consolidates the Company's product development, marketing, sales, support, and operations efforts into groups sharply focused on Apple's strategy. We have also completed the appointment of managers to run these groups. They are now making firm decisions concerning both the projects and activities that are key to our core business as well as the personnel reductions that we will begin implementing this month.
With the completion of this business plan, we will know what personnel resources are required to support the new structure. So, on March 14 we are planning to give more details on what we'll do and what we won't do in the future, the number of layoffs and the charge we will make to our 2nd Quarter earnings to fund the reduction.
I also promised last month that we will almost completely refresh Apple's product line in 1997, and we've begun to deliver on that promise. On February 17th we introduced the world's fastest laptop — the PowerBook 3400 — a complete new line of Power Macintosh computers, the eMate 300 mobile computer for K-12 education customers, the MessagePad 2000 mobile Internet computer, and the QuickTake 200 digital camera.
The reviews of these products have been very positive. Congratulations to all who helped bring them to market. We are supporting the announcement with an aggressive advertising campaign that began last week. In the next thirty days we will announce more products that again demonstrate that we are focused on specific customer sets. Let's remember in the coming days that our mission is to develop, manufacture and sell great products. Please keep up the good work in this area. Without great products, there is no Apple.
I know these are very difficult times for everyone. I continue to be amazed and appreciative of your tireless efforts as we work to achieve a shared goal: the return of Apple as a healthy leader of a rapidly changing industry. Thanks.
Respectfully,
Gil
