Cash vs Cash on Hand and the importance of both

In the news I always read about Apple's $250 billion + cash pile they have, yet on the earning their 'Cash on Hand' is $31.97 billion...

What is the fundamental difference between the two? Hypothetically if they wanted to buy a company for $100 billion all cash they could still do it right?

When looking at tougher markets, or at companies with less of a lead how much does cash pile and cash on hand factor for you?

Does it represent a lifeline where if things go bad for a quarter or two they have the means to survive, or is it a pure aggressive attitude where you think if they need to acquire they have the ability to do so easily?

I'm just trying to wrap my head around the difference, and importance of these figures for companies.

Apple financials: https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB767GB767&biw=1726&bih=956&tbm=fin&ei=0zR9W5HMNsz3gQa-xLqwBg&q=%24apple&oq=%24apple&gs_l=finance-immersive.3...95700.97458.0.97674.5.4.0.1.1.0.103.309.3j1.4.0....0...1c.1.64.finance-immersive..0.0.0....0.M1eI5hb0pao#scso=_NjV9W-vfMImHgAby-J6ABA1:0&wptab=COMPANY

Company cash piles article: http://fortune.com/2018/02/22/us-companies-overseas-cash-tax-cut/

Submitted August 22, 2018 at 06:23AM by EducationUmbrella https://ift.tt/2PvKcnI