Big Apple v Big Oil

　　蘋果vs美孚

　　BY ANY standards it is a remarkable achievement.In the space of 14 years, Apple has transformed itself from a computer firm on the brink ofbankruptcy into a stockmarket superstar. On August 9th its market capitalisation surpassedthat of Exxon Mobil, making it the worlds largest public company. Not for long: by the end ofthe days trading, the tech giant was $1 billion smaller than the oil giant: $347 billion to $348billion. But Exxons lead is fragile. If the oil price falls further, Apple will surely outstrip it.

　　無論從哪個角度看，這都是引人注目的成就。在14年的時間里，蘋果從一個面臨倒閉的電腦公司成功轉型，成為證券市場的超級明星。在8月9日其市值超過了埃克森美孚，成為世界上第一大上市公司。但不久在當日收盤時，科技巨頭蘋果的市值僅以10億美元低于石油大亨：分別是3470億美元和3480億美元。但埃克森的領先不堪一擊，如果油價繼續下跌，蘋果必然會超過。

　　Oil remains a vital raw material, and Exxon can extract it from difficult places more efficientlythan any other firm. But Apples rise reflects the growing influence of the digital industry, andthe way that industry has changed. It used to be dominated by companies such as IBM andMicrosoft, which made their billions selling software and services to corporations. Apple hasleap-frogged both of them by delighting consumers.

　　石油一直都是重要的原材料，埃克森美孚能夠比其他公司更高效地從惡劣環境中提煉出石油。但蘋果的崛起反映了數字產業與日俱增的影響力，以及它所帶來的改變。過去的數字產業是 IBM和微軟公司的天下，它們以出售軟件和服務獲得了巨大的贏利。憑著用戶好評，蘋果已躍升至兩家公司之前。

　　Find out how much of an Apple iPhone is actually aSamsung with our teardown infographic

　　根據拆機資料圖我們來看看一部蘋果手機實際有多少是三星制造。

　　En route, it has made computers cool. Trendy folk around the world not only snap up thelatest gizmos displayed in Apples alluring stores. They also show them off to their friends.Every few months, Apple stages the technology equivalent of a fashion show, where SteveJobs, its boss, teasingly unveils the latest collection of iPhones and iPads. Exxons technology is just as impressive, butharder to wear around your neck. Apple is fantastically profitable in part because it can chargefar more than its competitors for quite similar products. Exxons petrol costs the same asanyone elses.

　　在發展的道路上，蘋果的電腦也做得很漂亮。來自世界各地的潮人們不僅在蘋果熱門商店里搶購最新上架的設備，也向朋友們炫耀。每幾個月，蘋果都會舉辦科技展，同時也是時尚秀，在會上董事長史蒂夫喬布斯都會開玩笑地展示iPhone和 iPad的最新產品。埃克森的技術確實令人贊嘆，但其產品卻不能向蘋果一樣隨身攜帶。蘋果公司的利潤高的驚人，因為作為類似的產品，蘋果的售價遠高于競爭對手。而埃克森公司的石油卻和其他公司售價相當。

　　Investors are breezily bullish about Apples business model. Last month the firm revealed thatin its latest quarter its profits had more than doubled, to $7.3 billion, while its revenues rose by82%, to $28.6 billion. The biggest cloud on the horizon is Mr Jobss health; he has been onmedical leave since January. Apple also faces stiff competition from Googles Android operatingsystem, and various legal battleson August 9th it won an injunction to stop Samsungselling its Galaxy tablet, which resembles an iPad, in Europe. Many people are betting that Applewill continue to pump out profits indefinitely. But what is cool today may look clunky tomorrow.

　　投資者都對蘋果的商業模式充滿了信心。上個月公司透露，上一季度利潤翻了一倍多，達到73億美元。同時營業收入增長了82%，達到286億美元。現在公司最大的問題是有關喬布斯的健康狀況，從1月起他一直在病休中。蘋果同時還要面對谷歌安卓操作系統這一勁敵，還有一些法律訴訟在8月9日蘋果贏得了對三星Galaxy平板電腦在歐洲銷售的禁止令。許多人認為蘋果很可能會繼續獲取巨大贏利，但以后的事誰也說不準，拭目以待。

　　Big Apple v Big Oil

　　蘋果vs美孚

　　BY ANY standards it is a remarkable achievement.In the space of 14 years, Apple has transformed itself from a computer firm on the brink ofbankruptcy into a stockmarket superstar. On August 9th its market capitalisation surpassedthat of Exxon Mobil, making it the worlds largest public company. Not for long: by the end ofthe days trading, the tech giant was $1 billion smaller than the oil giant: $347 billion to $348billion. But Exxons lead is fragile. If the oil price falls further, Apple will surely outstrip it.

　　無論從哪個角度看，這都是引人注目的成就。在14年的時間里，蘋果從一個面臨倒閉的電腦公司成功轉型，成為證券市場的超級明星。在8月9日其市值超過了埃克森美孚，成為世界上第一大上市公司。但不久在當日收盤時，科技巨頭蘋果的市值僅以10億美元低于石油大亨：分別是3470億美元和3480億美元。但埃克森的領先不堪一擊，如果油價繼續下跌，蘋果必然會超過。

　　Oil remains a vital raw material, and Exxon can extract it from difficult places more efficientlythan any other firm. But Apples rise reflects the growing influence of the digital industry, andthe way that industry has changed. It used to be dominated by companies such as IBM andMicrosoft, which made their billions selling software and services to corporations. Apple hasleap-frogged both of them by delighting consumers.

　　石油一直都是重要的原材料，埃克森美孚能夠比其他公司更高效地從惡劣環境中提煉出石油。但蘋果的崛起反映了數字產業與日俱增的影響力，以及它所帶來的改變。過去的數字產業是 IBM和微軟公司的天下，它們以出售軟件和服務獲得了巨大的贏利。憑著用戶好評，蘋果已躍升至兩家公司之前。

　　Find out how much of an Apple iPhone is actually aSamsung with our teardown infographic

　　根據拆機資料圖我們來看看一部蘋果手機實際有多少是三星制造。

　　En route, it has made computers cool. Trendy folk around the world not only snap up thelatest gizmos displayed in Apples alluring stores. They also show them off to their friends.Every few months, Apple stages the technology equivalent of a fashion show, where SteveJobs, its boss, teasingly unveils the latest collection of iPhones and iPads. Exxons technology is just as impressive, butharder to wear around your neck. Apple is fantastically profitable in part because it can chargefar more than its competitors for quite similar products. Exxons petrol costs the same asanyone elses.

　　在發展的道路上，蘋果的電腦也做得很漂亮。來自世界各地的潮人們不僅在蘋果熱門商店里搶購最新上架的設備，也向朋友們炫耀。每幾個月，蘋果都會舉辦科技展，同時也是時尚秀，在會上董事長史蒂夫喬布斯都會開玩笑地展示iPhone和 iPad的最新產品。埃克森的技術確實令人贊嘆，但其產品卻不能向蘋果一樣隨身攜帶。蘋果公司的利潤高的驚人，因為作為類似的產品，蘋果的售價遠高于競爭對手。而埃克森公司的石油卻和其他公司售價相當。

　　Investors are breezily bullish about Apples business model. Last month the firm revealed thatin its latest quarter its profits had more than doubled, to $7.3 billion, while its revenues rose by82%, to $28.6 billion. The biggest cloud on the horizon is Mr Jobss health; he has been onmedical leave since January. Apple also faces stiff competition from Googles Android operatingsystem, and various legal battleson August 9th it won an injunction to stop Samsungselling its Galaxy tablet, which resembles an iPad, in Europe. Many people are betting that Applewill continue to pump out profits indefinitely. But what is cool today may look clunky tomorrow.

　　投資者都對蘋果的商業模式充滿了信心。上個月公司透露，上一季度利潤翻了一倍多，達到73億美元。同時營業收入增長了82%，達到286億美元。現在公司最大的問題是有關喬布斯的健康狀況，從1月起他一直在病休中。蘋果同時還要面對谷歌安卓操作系統這一勁敵，還有一些法律訴訟在8月9日蘋果贏得了對三星Galaxy平板電腦在歐洲銷售的禁止令。許多人認為蘋果很可能會繼續獲取巨大贏利，但以后的事誰也說不準，拭目以待。