Trillion-dollar Cupertino-based firm looks for growth in businesses as it wants to sell more Macs through channel

Apple's Craig Federighi opens a MacBook Air laptop at Apple's November 2020 Apple silicon launch event.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple set to launch a new digitized system for easy collaboration with partners
Apple partners will be trained to become trusted advisors
Apple partners hail new program as a game-changer

Apple is setting its sights on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and enterprises looking to invest in technology such as the best business Macs as its next major revenue stream.

Reprots from CRN suggest Apple is set to launch a revamped partner program designed to strengthen its presence in the business world with a renewed focus on selling more devices through its channel.

The strategic move comes as the company seeks to capitalize on its growing install base of devices, which reached a record high of 2.3 billion products worldwide in late 2024.

A new era for Apple’s partner ecosystem?

Set to launch in Fall 2025, the partner program introduces new ways for resellers and service providers to collaborate with Apple, which claims this program is tailored to meet the needs of enterprise, SMB, and education sectors, offering four distinct partner categories.

The Apple Business Partner category targets resellers with a product-heavy model, while the Apple Premium Business Partner category is designed for partners with a strong services-led approach.

Additionally, the Apple Premium Education Partner category focuses on delivering the best laptops for students in K-12 and higher education institutions, while the Apple Consultants Network now features Apple Technical Partner and Apple Premium Technical Partner designations, focusing purely on customer support and advisory services.

Apple is hoping this segmentation will ensure that businesses and educational organizations can find the solutions tailored to their unique needs across the range of Mac desktops and laptops.

To support its partners, the company has introduced the Apple Professional Academy, an online training platform offering self-paced videos, skills training, and technical resources.

The initiative aims to equip partners with the tools they need to become trusted advisors on the Apple platform. The company has also rolled out a partner discovery tool, enabling customers to easily find solution providers based on their capabilities, reviews, and contact information.

One of Apple’s long-standing partners, TD Synnex, which made about $7 billion from collaborating with Apple in 2024, is particularly excited about the new program.

“As a longtime Apple partner, we’re excited about the new Apple Partner Network,” TD Synnex's President of North America Reyna Thompson said in a statement.

“We believe this program, supported by our creative financing, deployment support, and trade-in services, will empower partners to drive growth and enhance capabilities to deliver exceptional value.”

Apple also plans to grow its partners via a new digitized partner gateway which will enable collaborators to directly engage with Apple, access business planning tools, and leverage sales and marketing resources.

Apple’s PC lineup, including its Macs, continues to be a significant revenue driver, generating $8.9 billion in sales last quarter, a 16% year-over-year increase.

The company’s installed base of Macs has also reached an all-time high, with double-digit growth in upgrades and new customers. In the U.S., customer satisfaction with Macs stands at an impressive 94%.

“This incredible performance was broad-based with double-digit growth in every geographic segment,” said Kevan Parekh, Apple’s Senior Vice President and CFO.

“With our latest advances in Apple silicon, and our fastest Neural Engine ever customers are able to take advantage of the full capabilities of AI and Mac,” he added.