Apple will launch a revamped partner program this fall that offers the channel new ways to do business with the technology giant, and provides the training and tools to build a services business in enterprise, education and the SMB, the company told CRN.
The new Apple Partner Network program covers partners across enterprise, small business and the education space. It has four distinct categories of partners from those who work only in procuring product to those who only specialize in services, the company said.
The Apple Business Partner category is designed for the traditional reseller with a business model that is weighted heavily towards delivering products and is light on services. They could be large or small, but the focus is on delivery and set up, Apple said.
The Apple Premium Business Partner category is for partners with an established services led model, and with a strong commitment to end-to-end customer life cycles. This includes those who build a full Apple practice.
Apple Premium Education Partners may look a lot like the Apple Premium Business Partner, but they specialize in serving customers with comprehensive technical, education-specific solutions and services in K-12 and higher education, Apple said.
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Apple also tweaked its Apple Consultants Network. It now includes the categories Apple Technical Partner and Apple Premium Technical Partner, which are being introduced as part of a refresh. The partners found here focus purely on customers support and services without reselling, the company said.
Apple said its revamped program includes the Apple Professional Academy, a new online training and enablement site with self-paced videos and skills training, as well as the tools partners need to become technical advisors on the Apple platform.
The company told CRN it devoted significant time and resources to make sure partners are equipped to deliver the services that are critical to customer success.
To help customers find a solution provider, Apple’s partner discovery tool will feature a rundown of the partner, their capabilities as well as reviews and contact information. The goal, Apple said, is for customers to quickly find a partner with the right services and give the partner a place to present their organization’s skills.
Apple also said it will introduce a partner gateway so partners can contact Apple directly and collaborate with their counterparts around business planning tools, sales and marketing collateral.
Apple said if there are any gaps, it plans to help partners upskill with additional technical and digital enablement, as well as data and insights infrastructure to support partner growth.
Apple’s installed base across all devices reached a record high last quarter with 2.3 billion products deployed worldwide, it announced during its first quarter 2025 earnings call Jan. 30.
Apple’s PC lineup generated $8.9 billion in sales, growing 16 percent. The company’s installed base of Macs also reached an all-time high, and it saw double-digit growth in upgrades and new customers. In the U.S., customer satisfaction was 94 percent, the company reported.
“This incredible performance was broad-based with double-digit growth in every geographic segment,” said Kevan Parekh, Apple’s senior vice president and CFO, on the company’s earnings call Jan. 30. “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.”
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Reyna Thompson, president of North America for TD Synnex, said the distributor is looking forward to engaging with Apple around the new program.
“As a longtime Apple partner, we’re excited about the new Apple Partner Network,” Thompson said in a prepared 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 accounted for 12 percent or about $7 billion of TD Synnex’s total $58.5 billion sales in 2024.
Suresh Reddy, CEO of Brilyant, an Irving, Texas-based global systems integrator and value-added reseller, said in a prepared statement that no vendor has supported his organization’s growth as much as Apple.
“As a global systems integrator that started in 2014, we consider ourselves a young technology company that has made some big strides in a short period,” Reddy said. “No other partner has influenced and supported us as much as Apple. Apple programs have been instrumental in shaping our best practices and powering our global expansion. Apple continues to support us with industry-leading programs aligned with our business needs today and creating opportunities for growth as we evolve.”