Final answer:
The establishment of the Apple iStore represents a start-up stage in business development for Apple, reflecting a strategic decision to innovate their retail model and directly control customer experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of the establishment of the Apple iStore, when considering the stages of business development, could be considered as a start-up. When Apple initially developed products like the Mac Computer, iPod, iPad, and iPhone, they were in the growth stages of the business cycle.
However, the creation of dedicated retail outlets such as the Apple Store represented a new venture within Apple's business model, which is characteristic of the start-up phase, where a new business idea is operationalized and brought to the market.
The transition to selling products directly to customers through company-owned retail stores was a strategic decision to control the customer experience and branding more tightly. This evolution showcases how Apple, from its early days of producing the first computer models in Steve Jobs' parent's home to creating global assembly lines and revolutionizing the personal computer and smartphone markets, has continually innovated and expanded its business operations.