Editor 's note : This is another in a series of Business Insider commentaries debunking common tech myths . ( Business Insider ) -- Apple and CEO Steve Jobs have celebrated a string of huge hits over the past several years , including the iPhone , the iPad and the MacBook Air . Reviews have been mostly glowing , sales have been strong and investors have cheered , sending the stock up 40 % over the past 12 months . Apple , which was struggling a decade ago , is now the world 's most admired and highly valued tech company . But Apple is not perfect . In fact , the company has several weaknesses to address : . 1 ) The cloud . Apple has been bragging about how the iPad 2 is a `` post-PC '' device , but you still need to plug it into a computer to activate and sync it . The easiest way to get photos off your iPhone is to email them to yourself . You still ca n't sync your iTunes music over Wi-Fi or 3G . This is a shame . Apple needs to think about the cloud the way Google does -- as the future of mobile services . You should n't be tied to a USB cord to access files . You should n't need a PC to use a `` post-PC '' iPad . You should n't have to email a map link from your computer to your iPhone . Perhaps this is part of Apple 's new version of iOS , due sometime this year . ( See our list of suggestions for iOS 5 here . ) The company has a huge new data center in North Carolina and ca n't be blind to the fact that other companies -- Dropbox , Amazon , Google , etc . -- are doing very cool things with the cloud . But for now , Apple is still weak here -- MobileMe and Apple 's iOS push notifications not withstanding . 2 ) Social . Apple has tried to do `` social '' a bit with Ping , its social network based around iTunes music , and GameCenter , its social gaming service . They are n't huge hits . Apple has not been able to go as deep integrating Facebook or other social networks into its products as some Android devices or Microsoft 's Windows Phone 7 have . Some of this could be to reduce Apple 's dependence on other companies , so the iPhone is more reliable . But it seems that Apple and Steve Jobs do n't really get social , and do n't see its value . That could burn them in the long run . Or perhaps , again , this could be addressed in the next version of iOS . For instance , Apple could go a long way by making the iPhone 's built-in Photos app more social , like the popular Instagram app . And Apple 's marketing boss Phil Schiller is all over Instagram . So it 's not like the company is n't highly aware of what 's out there . This is n't to say that Apple should replicate Facebook , or even try to build its own general-purpose social network . But integrating your existing online social connections could be useful for many of Apple 's products , ranging from the iPhone 's address book to the App Store to photo sharing . So it 's time for Apple to do more here . 3 ) The living room . The new Apple TV just got a small upgrade , in the form of live video streaming for MLB and NBA games . But it 's still the weakest of Apple 's products , with a relatively limited selection of video . And it 's definitely not something TV companies like Comcast or DirecTV are worried about . Apple could improve Apple TV with an app store within the next year or so -- gaming could be big ! -- and more video content sooner . But it 's a challenge , because this is a situation where Apple has to decide between being a good platform -- and allowing rival companies like Netflix , Hulu , or Amazon to thrive -- and being a dominant content seller by keeping an iTunes monopoly . The good news for Apple is that no one else is really putting up a fight here yet . Google TV is n't a big success , while Boxee , Roku and TiVo Premiere have n't caught on with mainstream consumers . So Apple can take its time . Heck , Apple may even come out with an actual television someday . Also , these are all areas where Apple is relatively in control of its destiny , and can make improvements . There are some other areas where Apple is vulnerable , such as the threat posed by Google 's Android system , and possible production problems because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan . But that 's a different list . Copyright © 2010 Business Insider .
Is the iPad 2 really `` post-PC '' if you have to plug it into a computer to activate and sync ? Apple 's Ping and GameCenter `` social '' products fall flat compared to Android . Apple TV is no threat to established TV companies like Comcast or DirecTV .