The Apple Billions Revealed

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Two numbers that Apple fans won't forget in a hurry have made the headlines this week: 10 billion and 40 billion.

The first refers to the 10 billion songs that have now been downloaded from the iTunes Store. The 10 billionth song was the eerily appropriate "Guess Things Happen That Way" by the oh so aptly named Johnny Cash. And cash is waiting for the downloader of that 10 billionth track in the form of a $10,000 iTunes gift card courtesy of Apple. "We’re grateful to all of our customers for helping us reach this amazing milestone" Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services stated, adding "we’re proud that iTunes has become the number one music retailer in the world, and selling 10 billion songs is truly staggering".

Cash is also what Apple has in the bank, lots and lots of cash. Which brings us to that second big number of 40 billion. According to numerous reports emerging online, a shareholder meeting held at the Apple Cupertino campus HQ saw CEO Steve Jobs reveal that the company has a stockpile of some $40 billion in cash. There is now plenty of speculation surrounding Jobs telling the investors at that meeting the cash pile would allow Apple to think big and take bold risks.

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A short, factual addendum to 's post that puts those two 2010 headlines into useful context.

Those items captured two different levers Apple held at the time: a commanding consumer-distribution channel (the iTunes download milestone reported in late February 2010). (cbsnews.com) They also show why the company’s balance-sheet position mattered: Steve Jobs told shareholders that a large cash reserve gave Apple the freedom to “think big” and take risks without jeopardy. (wired.com)

Why that combination mattered for streaming-service watchers: control of a huge storefront and direct relationships with customers and labels made Apple the natural contender to move from paid downloads to on-demand streaming. Apple had already begun buying streaming talent and technology (the Lala deal in late 2009), (techcrunch.com) later made a much larger strategic purchase when it acquired Beats (the $3B deal in 2014), (engadget.com) and then launched Apple Music as a full streaming service in 2015. (techcrunch.com) Those moves show the tactical arc from owning a download market to building a subscription product and staff with streaming experience.

Practical research tips (for readers arriving years later): treat the 2010 stories as a snapshot, then follow the acquisition timeline and Apple investor filings for the financial side. Contemporary press pieces and SEC reports give reliable dates and amounts; trade coverage (TechCrunch, Engadget, Mac/Tech press) preserves the sequence of product and strategic changes noted above.

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