Capturing value by improving consumer experience : the case of Apple

International audienceRecent sociological and technological changes have profoundly modified the behaviour of consumers and influenced corporate strategies. Amongst other things, the internet has made it possible to develop interactive relations between firms and individuals, thus calling into question the traditional organisation of distribution. After a review of the various theories about the evolution of value chains and corporate business models, we will describe the evolution of Apple's approaches to the IT, music and telecommunications markets, and show how its initial core business as a product developer was expanded to encompass the distribution of services and content. We will analyse how the firm's entry into, firstly, the music market and, secondly, the mobile services market, modified established value chains, before examining the new business models introduced to those markets