Though Samsung (005930) continues to close in, Apple (AAPL) is still the most successful consumer electronics company in the world by a healthy margin. Apple’s iPhone is largely responsible for the company’s record-breaking profits over the past year and rival vendors continue to struggle as they look for ways to compete with Apple’s smartphone. Apple’s grip on the U.S. market is particularly evident, and so it stands to reason that Apple’s leadership is among the most powerful in the country and in the world. As such, Apple’s CEO has been named at the top of FierceWireless’ list of the “25 most powerful people in wireless” for 2012.
“Tim Cook heads the world’s most valuable tech company–a company that derives close to two-thirds of its profits from the iPhone,” FierceWireless wrote. It continued, “It should come as no surprise then that Cook wields enormous power in the wireless industry. After all, the iPhone accounted for fully 77 percent of smartphone sales at AT&T Mobility (T). And though the gadget accounted for a smaller percentage of smartphone sales at Verizon Wireless (VZ) and Sprint Nextel (S), it’s clear the device remains a critical element of the U.S. market.”
The report notes that Cook has already seen his fair share of challenges during his time as CEO, and he must ensure that Apple continues to innovate if it is to remain in its current dominant position atop the wireless industry in the U.S. and overseas.
