Tim Cook discussion thread [merged]

[maflynn]

Maybe it is the gradual decline of Apple that is depressing him or so.

What decline?

The new MBPS (which I don't like btw), is outselling anything on the market, While I don't like his approach and the direction of Apple, I will say I was very surprised to see the new MBPs selling like hot cakes.

If Apple continues to make insanely high levels of profits, he's not going to be going anywhere

 

[oldmacs]

What decline?

The new MBPS (which I don't like btw), is outselling anything on the market, While I don't like his approach and the direction of Apple, I will say I was very surprised to see the new MBPs selling like hot cakes.

If Apple continues to make insanely high levels of profits, he's not going to be going anywhere

Not all of us measure Apple's success with how well their products are selling. The passion is fading, and with it goes a lot of Apple's old core fanbase, the loyal ones, to the average consumers, who are far more fickle. Tim is excellent at many things, but I don't think there is a good guide at Apple. Everything is being directed by Ives now it seems.

I think the MBP sales will die down. Apple still has a large crowd of fans, and plenty of people were holding off buying.

 

[maflynn]

Not all of us measure Apple's success with how well their products are selling.

I agree, but the people who control Cook's fate do and that was point.

I think the MBP sales will die down

Perhaps, but then I was wrong, in that I thought the new MBPs would be a flop - especially given all the negative responses from apples most hardcore and dedicated fanbase.

I read an article somewhere and I forget where, but it describes apple's balancing act and while the new MBP did upset its core customer group (devlopers and creatives), it pleased its largest customer group - the consumer.

If I dig it up again, I'll post it here, because I think its telling. There are those of us who are considered Apple's most loyal customers, but they're a small minority of who apple actually sells too at this point.

We may decry how apple is not like any other multibillion dollar corporation, it lost its hipness or cool factor, but to the majority of apple's customers they're doing everything right.

 

[8692574]

Not all of us measure Apple's success with how well their products are selling. The passion is fading, and with it goes a lot of Apple's old core fanbase, the loyal ones, to the average consumers, who are far more fickle. Tim is excellent at many things, but I don't think there is a good guide at Apple. Everything is being directed by Ives now it seems.

I think the MBP sales will die down. Apple still has a large crowd of fans, and plenty of people were holding off buying.

We "old users" think are entitled to a special treatment, that Apple owes us something, well it is not like that.

The company moved over, their core user are not the "outsiders" as we used to be, the new core is the fashion / teenager / kool users, and those make a lot more profit for the company than us "old hipster".

Not all measure Apple's success with how much they sell, but that's how you asses if a company is doing well, and Apple is doing GREAT.

I too don't like their direction, and won't probably buying stuff on impulse as I used to do, but if we all "core user" stopped buying alltoghether I don't think Apple would even feel it, we are a small % nowadays. (And the new MBP proves just that, it outsold pretty much everything even by being the most hated product by the Pro / "old core" users)

 

[Solomani]

Perhaps, but then I was wrong, in that I thought the new MBPs would be a flop - especially given all the negative responses from apples most hardcore and dedicated fanbase.

I read an article somewhere and I forget where, but it describes apple's balancing act and while the new MBP did upset its core customer group (devlopers and creatives), it pleased its largest customer group - the consumer.

And let's not forget that the vast majority of Apple's "consumer base"….. have never read MacRumors, nor are exposed to all of the typical Apple-negativity that is rampant here after every "disappointing Apple event".

I'm not defending Apple here (tho I've typically been an Apple defender more often than not). But I agree that Apple is far from doomed, as long as they continue to briskly sell and profit from their products. However I do agree with, and sympathize with the "pro" crowd who feel that Apple has neglected that segment for too long.

Myself… I consider myself a "prosumer". That's somewhere in between the creative pros and the base-tier consumers (e.g. my retired parents and grey-haired aunties who still call me to help them figure out how to buy and download ringtones on their iPhones, etc). I have no need for an expensive Mac Pro, nor even care for a MBP. I'm happy with a mid-to-upper-tier model iMac and my iPhone.

So yes, I can see the viewpoints of both the easily satisfied base-tier consumers, but also sympathize with the "creative pro" crowd and their zealous complaints. I understand what they are saying. After all…. I once sold (PPC-based) Mac Clones back in the late 1990s for one of the major "Apple catalog resellers". And then suddenly, Steve Jobs comes back and kills them off.

 

[Brandon Hobart]

What decline?

The new MBPS (which I don't like btw), is outselling anything on the market, While I don't like his approach and the direction of Apple, I will say I was very surprised to see the new MBPs selling like hot cakes.

If Apple continues to make insanely high levels of profits, he's not going to be going anywhere

I agree that the MBPs sales are high but I am seeing that most people are buying them just to experience the new Apple product. MBPs does not have an excellent or spectacular feedback; even you will know many people who don't like the MBPs on this forum (one of them is you my bro). So, if a product has high sales doesn't mean that it is worth it. Many of the long-term Apple fans have not purchased it for having what older Macs already had.

 

[macmee]

I don't know if Tim Cook is responsible for neglecting the desktop market but they should fire whoever the hell chose to abandon the mac lineup and strive for thinner more expensive crap over high quality powerful machines.

 

[maflynn]

Many of the long-term Apple fans have not purchased it for having what older Macs already had.

I'd say many long term hard core apple fans have not, because the new Macs are targeted towards the consumer which is a much larger customer demographic then Apple's previous customer group - the creative professional.

I was in the Apple store and saw so many people buying MBPs, there were lines of people wanting to get their hands on their laptops. I have no idea if they're creatives or just typical consumers but it seems apple is selling

 

[pat500000]

I'd say many long term hard core apple fans have not, because the new Macs are targeted towards the consumer which is a much larger customer demographic then Apple's previous customer group - the creative professional.

I was in the Apple store and saw so many people buying MBPs, there were lines of people wanting to get their hands on their laptops. I have no idea if they're creatives or just typical consumers but it seems apple is selling

More like typical consumers.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

I'd say many long term hard core apple fans have not, because the new Macs are targeted towards the consumer which is a much larger customer demographic then Apple's previous customer group - the creative professional.

I was in the Apple store and saw so many people buying MBPs, there were lines of people wanting to get their hands on their laptops. I have no idea if they're creatives or just typical consumers but it seems apple is selling

Is that not just pent-up demand, though? The real test will be the next year of sales.

 

[maflynn]

Is that not just pent-up demand, though? The real test will be the next year of sales.

That's one line of thought, and until we see how the numbers shake out long term we'll not really know.

I can offer my $.02 in that its not due to pent up demand, because how many consumers really hold off for extended periods of time. Yet, here we are with Apple reporting huge ordering results from the MBPs. Given what the MBP has and its price point, I really thought it was not going to be a successful rollout but I was wrong. We'll have to wait and see how things shake out once the dust settles to get a more accurate picture of the success of the new MBPs

 

[Benjamin Frost]

That's one line of thought, and until we see how the numbers shake out long term we'll not really know.

I can offer my $.02 in that its not due to pent up demand, because how many consumers really hold off for extended periods of time. Yet, here we are with Apple reporting huge ordering results from the MBPs. Given what the MBP has and its price point, I really thought it was not going to be a successful rollout but I was wrong. We'll have to wait and see how things shake out once the dust settles to get a more accurate picture of the success of the new MBPs

Yet Apple are only reporting large online sales, and that was without retail sales being available. I simply don't trust what Apple say these days, because Tim Cook has lied so much. For years, he was bullish about the iPad, yet quarter after quarter sales kept plummeting. The fall continues. Now, the Mac and iPhone have joined the iPad in falling sales, and I think we are going to see that trend continue for many quarters to come.

 

[I7guy]

Yet Apple are only reporting large online sales, and that was without retail sales being available. I simply don't trust what Apple say these days, because Tim Cook has lied so much. For years, he was bullish about the iPad, yet quarter after quarter sales kept plummeting. The fall continues. Now, the Mac and iPhone have joined the iPad in falling sales, and I think we are going to see that trend continue for many quarters to come.

You don't have to trust or like an ceo or management team. If you like their products at the price point offered, you will buy them.

My view is, if, TC has "lied" it's much less than his predecessor.

 

[Moneoa]

Lol you name every person responsible for making apple the worlds most valuable tech company. You realize Tim Cook ran operations under Steve too. For years. Steve was hands on but was the visionary. Ive was the engineer who gave all the products their polish. If your rubbish was even remotely true you wouldn't have any apple products.

Good on you for google economics though. Microsoft is about as innovative as a poopy diaper. Because you know..... Nokia, Lumia *rolls eyes*

 

[kazmac]

Shrugs. I didn't care who was behind the company when Apple products just worked. Funny how that changes.

 

[C DM]

Shrugs. I didn't care who was behind the company when Apple products just worked. Funny how that changes.

For those that it didn't just work in those days they similarly cared then. For many that still see it as something that just works today they don't really care either.

 

[Moneoa]

For those that it didn't just work in those days they similarly cared then. For many that still see it as something that just works today they don't really care either.

#truth it's all personal preference. It's not like Android phones don't have problems too.

Like exploding lol

 

[Rob_2811]

He'll go when the downward spiral really kicks in, hasn't yet but cracks are showing. The article the other week labelling him Apple Steve Ballmer was absolutely correct.

He's kept the cash registers ringing with iteration on products that were already on the market when he took over from Jobs but nothing that has launched during his tenure has particularly set the world on fire. The watch seems to have done ok albeit in a product category that seems a bit lukewarm, the sales numbers obviously aren't stellar or we would've heard some actual hard data rather than this sort of thing. The price drops tell a story there also. The TV service seems dead in the water, the car project is starting to look like it's going the same way, services are growing but have been seriously hit a miss in qualitative terms.

Strategically they Apple seems a bit confused. Clearly Jobs believed we are /were headed towards a "post PC era" and spoke about it shortly before his death but it seems that in taking that theory an running with it Cook seems to have gone way too early. For most professionals the iPad isn't ready to replace their computer, in the meantime the Mac seems to being left to rot. His comments after the release of the iPad Pro ("who would buy a PC anymore?") were very Ballmer esque in as much as being pretty clear that he has mis judged the way the wind is blowing.

The next year or two will be critical in terms of Cooks legacy. If for instance VR/AI become really big and Apple get left behind and the iPad doesn't make big strides in terms of becoming a more viable productivity tool those "who would buy a PC" comments could be held up as his Ballmer/iPhone moment.

 

[555gallardo]

This year, Apple did a number of things that weren't received positively by the Apple's fanbase.

The company did show an effort to making the iPad Pro an ultimate alternative to the Mac computers. This was a move that wasn't received by power users, who know that the functionality of an upscaled mobile operating system can not compete to the desktop experience. At least not at it's current state.

The company also recently unveiled the new MacBook Pro, a device that was for years targeted at professionals. The newest model, however, lost all of it's simplicity by removing all the currently used standards, including the MagSafe. Therefore, there's a way bigger chance of having your MacBook Pro accidentally destroyed because of somebody slipping over the charging USB-C cable. This device also doesn't feel as a Pro device anymore. With Touch Bar being presented as a giant Emoji library during the event, the device instantly lost the Pro-value, and feels to me like a Placebo for pro-wannabes.

Apple under Timothy D. Cook even destroyed the pop-culture of Mac, a.k.a. the beloved shining  logo. A thing that you could see basically on every music event and always put a smile on our faces when there dozens glowing at Microsoft's or Samsung's media events.

Recently, the company did another two not-so-well-received things. The most recent is the deceasing of the AirPort development. These were some incredibly useful devices that Just Worked. Unlike Timmy's beloved iCloud. I hope that Apple would sell the current ones for as long as possible and not just stop selling them by the end of this year.

Another thing, that's showing Tim Cook's silly vision of Apple, is that the company just fired the man who made the Automator and other pro tools. Craig Federighi says that the company would keep the software available on the macOS, but there's a chance that they simply won't be updated anymore, making them legacy utilities in future. And we know that Apple uses to remove legacy features.

So, we see that Apple is simply moving to the iOS and dumbing down on the Mac. Yet, Apple somehow forgets that developers, who provide software for it's beloved iOS, require power tools on the Mac. Removing the pro features means that developers might lose interest in using Mac. Giving up Mac means ceasing the development of iOS Apps. That would lead to shrinking down the App Store. That would lead to shrinking down the sales of iPhone, which now makes up over 50% of Apple's current revenue. And making Apple walk in Nokia's footsteps.

A not-so-impossible future scenario for the company, if it'd be led by the man that's currently leading it.

 

[I7guy]

A number of things were also accepted by its fan base. Because someone complains doesn't mean that a CEO is dangerous. A good example is antennagate.

 

[BittenApple]

He wants to keep making the margins on his profits. He knows the second the profits drop dramatically he will be fired. Now he's trying to get every single penny he can get his hands on. The customers are not stupid and they notice.

stop drinking in the kool aid

 

[Dave245]

The problem is that people keep comparing Tim Cook to Steve Jobs, but at the same time they fail to understand that it's been 5 years, which is a long time in the tech world, things change and time moves forward, Job's died in 2011 and is in the past. Apple has moved forward. Yes Job's was great, but lets not forget that it wasn't just Jobs, there are many people still working at Apple that were there when Job's was in charge, including Tim Cook, who by the way was picked as CEO by Jobs himself. Cook is a different individual, it doesn't mean that he is a bad CEO.

As an Apple customer i'm happy, we now have more choice for example, iPhone is now available in different screen sizes, the iPad Pro is a great tablet that has evolved, the Apple Watch is a great fitness device and Mac's are great machines. It is about these Apple products evolving. Most of them have been well received, the new MacBook Pro's have made great sales, Apple isn't doomed, far from it i think it has a bright future ahead. Most of the people who have been complaining are the same ones who complain about the lack of a touchscreen Mac, even tho Apple have said a number of times why they won't do it.

 

[555gallardo]

The problem is that people keep comparing Tim Cook to Steve Jobs, but at the same time they fail to understand that it's been 5 years.

I don't compare him to Steve Jobs. Steve simply knew his peoples' strengths and weaknesses. And he was mentally so strong, that he shaped the world to his ideal. And Tim would've been a great CEO in Steve's ideal world. That's why he chose him. But Steve is no more around and his Distortion Field faded out, too. Therefore, what we see is just the true Tim, unaffected by that distortion field. Tim is now acting on his true own, which can be seen when compared to what Apple did for the first 2-3 years after Jobs' passing and what it's doing currently.

 

[C DM]

Because plenty of other recent Tim Cook/Apple CEO threads haven't been enough.

 

[I7guy]

He wants to keep making this profits. He knows the second the profits drop dramatically he will be fired. Now he's trying to get every single penny he can get his hands on. The customers are not stupid and they notice.

stop drinking in the kool aid

Yes I've noticed and still bought Apple manufactured items. Not sure if I hat the point is.