Should Eddy Cue's org be broken up even further?

[Rogifan]

Recently Tim Cook announced that Phil Schiller would be taking over all App Store responsibilities. He already had app review and developer relations but now would pick up editorial and store front oversight from Eddy Cue. Looking at Eddy's bio on Apple's website he's still in charge of a lot and it seems like a hodgepodge of things:

• iTunes
• Apple Music
• Apple TV
• iCloud
• Siri
• Apple Maps
• iAd
• Apple Pay
• Apple's professional software

Over the past 3-4 years it's hard to see much improvement in the things he's responsible for. iTunes is as bloated and messy as ever; Apple Music still has a lot of issues; Apple TV is not nearly as polished as it should be and the App Store is kind of a mess; maps and Siri are still inferior to Google's offerings; I doubt Apple Pay is as successful as Apple had hoped it would be at this point and Apple's pro software is kind of stagnant (case in point, having Microsoft and Adobe on stage demoing on the iPad Pro).

I think Eddy still has too much on his plate and I'd love to see Cook implement another reorganization:

• Hire an SVP to run all of Apple's cloud business, maps and Siri. Bring someone in that has deep knowledge and experience in cloud computing and machine learning.
• Move Apple's professional software development teams under a dedicated VP reporting to Craig Federighi.

That leaves Eddy with all of Apple's content businesses and Apple Pay. Content and recurring revenue streams are going to be huge going forward for Apple. With the exception of iTunes all of these platforms are basically in their infancy and have a lot of room to grow. And in the case of iTunes it seriously needs to be blown up and rewritten from the ground up, Windows be damned. Breaking up Eddy's org allows for a more manageable portfolio and all the individual pieces getting the attention they need. This wouldn't be a demotion for Eddy but rather a recognition that he had way too much on his plate and no way could everything get the attention it deserved. And this would also signal to Wall Street and the outside world that Apple is serious about cloud computing and software services and maybe, just maybe Wall Street would stop valuing Apple like a typical hardware company. But most of all I think consumers would benefit because we'd get better, more reliable services from Apple.

 

[navaira]

I agree so much with all this. Eddy's achievements, or rather lack of them, prove that when you have so much on your plate, you can't excel in anything and deliver at best middling efforts at everything. At the very least iCloud and Apple Music should be separated from everything else, possibly together with iTunes and Match.

 

[Rogifan]

I agree so much with all this. Eddy's achievements, or rather lack of them, prove that when you have so much on your plate, you can't excel in anything and deliver at best middling efforts at everything. At the very least iCloud and Apple Music should be separated from everything else, possibly together with iTunes and Match.

I wonder if this is a case of Eddy lobbying for all this stuff as having a large organization means you have a lot of power or if it all just kind of fell in his lap and he's too proud to admit he can't handle it all (and let's face it he can't). In that that New Yorker piece on Jony Ive it was clear that he was burned out and something had to give. Well I think something has to give in Eddy's org too. And aside from just having too much on his plate I don't think cloud computing, machine learning, AI etc. are his forte. Just because Steve brought him in to fix the MobileMe mess doesn't mean he's suited to running Apple's ever expanding cloud business. Tim should poach somebody from Amazon, Microsoft or Google for that. If Apple can have an SVP for chip technology they certainly can have one for cloud technology.

 

[lowendlinux]

The last two are the only logical beak offs I can see. All the rest are dependent on Apple cloud infrastructure so it's best to keep them all under the same head whether that should be Cue or not is a worthy debate though.

 

[Rogifan]

The last two are the only logical beak offs I can see. All the rest are dependent on Apple cloud infrastructure so it's best to keep them all under the same head whether that should be Cue or not is a worthy debate though.

So what? App Store runs on iTunes but is now under Phil Schiller. Let someone competent in cloud computing run the infrastructure side and let Eddy run the consumer facing side; let Eddy be responsible for Apple Music and Apple TV software and content deals. If Apple is planning more exclusive content and/or a skinny cable package that will require Eddy's full attention. Heck he could spend all his time overseeing a redesign from the ground up of iTunes. And I'm sure there are lots of places Apple wants to go with Apple Pay which is still in its infancy. On a recent podcast industry analyst Tim Bajarin said Eddy Cue prefers the deal making side of the business. I think that's where his talents are best utilized, not in cloud infrastructure and machine learning.

 

[lowendlinux]

So what? App Store runs on iTunes but is now under Phil Schiller. Let someone competent in cloud computing run the infrastructure side and let Eddy run the consumer facing side; let Eddy be responsible for Apple Music and Apple TV software and content deals. If Apple is planning more exclusive content and/or a skinny cable package that will require Eddy's full attention. Heck he could spend all his time overseeing a redesign from the ground up of iTunes. And I'm sure there are lots of places Apple wants to go with Apple Pay which is still in its infancy. On a recent podcast industry analyst Tim Bajarin said Eddy Cue prefers the deal making side of the business. I think that's where his talents are best utilized, not in cloud infrastructure and machine learning.

You could split to front from the back I suppose but that would create unnecessary bureaucracy IMHO. Get a cloud person to run all of the cloud not just the back half.

 

[Rogifan]

You could split to front from the back I suppose but that would create unnecessary bureaucracy IMHO. Get a cloud person to run all of the cloud not just the back half.

I guess my point is I don't think a cloud person is going to be the best at curating a music or TV service. But I do think the cloud is important enough that it should report directly to the CEO.

 

[orioncrystalice]

Someone focus on the Apple made apps please.....

 

[navaira]

I wonder if they aren't hiring anybody to fix the bloody Apple Music because they don't care at all or because they seriously think it's wicked good.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I think Apple have too much on their plate, not just Mr. Cue.

Apple have a tough time saying no to outside influences (to name a few):
• iPad Pro (Surface)
• Apple Watch (Pebble)
• Apple Music (Spotify)
• iCloud (Office 365, Drop Box, Google)

Maybe Apple should split up into 1) a devices-company (devices, OS and apps) and 2) a services company (Music, Cloud etc.)

 

[Jamiet361]

Yep, I believe that the guy has way too much on his plate. Nothing he has introduced has made me re-think how I spend my money.

I still use Spotify, Google Maps, Microsoft Office and Dropbox. I also have no intention to buy an Apple TV and try to avoid using iTunes as much as I possibly can.

Also, more of a personal point, but I just do not like the way he presents himself. I find his sections in keynotes to be awkward and cringe-worthy. He also strikes me as someone who spends way too much time driving Ferraris and pretending to be best friends with celebs such as Drake.

 

[Rogifan]

Yep, I believe that the guy has way too much on his plate. Nothing he has introduced has made me re-think how I spend my money.

I still use Spotify, Google Maps, Microsoft Office and Dropbox. I also have no intention to buy an Apple TV and try to avoid using iTunes as much as I possibly can.

Also, more of a personal point, but I just do not like the way he presents himself. I find his sections in keynotes to be awkward and cringe-worthy. He also strikes me as someone who spends way too much time driving Ferraris and pretending to be best friends with celebs such as Drake.

On John Gruber's latest podcast he said 2015 WWDC was Apple's worst keynote ever, all because of the Apple Music section. It was awful and really had nothing to do with a developer conference. Considering that presentation I guess it shouldn't be surprising that the actual product was so bad.

 

[sofila]

Apple Maps initial debacle led to public apologies and Forstall was fired.
You cannot fire the man in charge of all the "incredible" services that Apple executives go on exalting every single day of their life

 

[Rogifan]

Apple Maps initial debacle led to public apologies and Forstall was fired.
You cannot fire the man in charge of all the "incredible" services that Apple executives go on exalting every single day of their life

Eddy should be fired just for that horrible Apple Music presentation at WWDC. Oh and for pushing the Beats deal which gave us Jimmy Iovine.

 

[navaira]

The list of reasons why Cue should be fired would probably exceed maximum post length on this forum, yet still here we are.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Good post, Miss Rogifan; I quite agree with your points.

To take a tiny but significant example of the lack of focus and leadership in Apple:

What Apple device is the best for reading books? The iPad.
Which Apple product can view or make book wishlists? The Mac.

Yes, you cannot view or make a book wishlist on an iPad! This has been the case ever since the iBook Store opened years ago.

I sometimes wish Apple would simply cut a deal with Amazon and pass over all their cloud services to them. I love using Amazon and their wishlists; their cloud services are so much slicker and easier to use than Apple's.

 

[sofila]

Apple's giant size nowadays puts the company under observation more than ever. A stock movement is reflected on every main index. Any change of roles in high management would be analized.
Hence it would be difficult to remove or change some of Cue's duties without admitting that there's a problem. Either removing some responsibility in charge of him or re-considering main roles would pass as a "solution" to a problem that actual Apple top management doesn't aknowledge. I'll say it again, whatever speech comes from the board, it's always full of incredible and blah blah. It's their duty, but it prevents any other public "confession"
I know it sounds confused but hope you get the point

 

[Rogifan]

Apple's giant size nowadays puts the company under observation more than ever. A stock movement is reflected on every main index. Any change of roles in high management would be analized.
Hence it would be difficult to remove or change some of Cue's duties without admitting that there's a problem. Either removing some responsibility in charge of him or re-considering main roles would pass as a "solution" to a problem that actual Apple top management doesn't aknowledge. I'll say it again, whatever speech comes from the board, it's always full of incredible and blah blah. It's their duty, but it prevents any other public "confession"
I know it sounds confused but hope you get the point

They publicly announced all of the App Store would be under Phil Schiller. I think the stock would jump if Cook announced a SVP for cloud. And it would be good for Apple at the same time.

 

[canesalato]

The list of reasons why Cue should be fired would probably exceed maximum post length on this forum, yet still here we are.

And it keeps increasing. Productivity and pro apps! He killed Aperture and iPhoto. iWork is almost dead meat and all other Apple pro apps are stagnating at best!

 

[macbookhair]

He should be thrown screaming from a helicopter.

 

[oneshotpro]

Eddy should be left with:

iTunes
Apple Maps
iAd

ie, stuff no one uses anymore.

 

[decafjava]

Eddy should be left with:

iTunes
Apple Maps
iAd

ie, stuff no one uses anymore.

Yea umm I still use the first two.

That said, I agree Apple needs some "shuffling".