Tim Cook's Apple is the Apple we need?

[Rogifan]

So says Dan Moren at Macworld

http://www.macworld.com/article/2940431/tim-cooks-apple-is-the-apple-we-need.html

The more I consider it, the more I’ve begun to think that even were Jobs still around, Cook might still be the better choice for CEO in this day and age. Can you imagine Jobs being as receptive as Cook was to calls for improved diversity at Apple? Or embracing social media? Or posing for selfies? Yeah, me neither. That Jobs was a genius at what he did is difficult to deny, and there’s no doubt that he could be charismatic when he felt like it, but in a time when concerns often revolve around issues like transparency and responsiveness, it’s hard not to think that his secretive and often waspish shtick might begin to wear thin. Meanwhile, Cook’s more relaxed grip and good-natured charm go a long way towards softening the company’s image—even as it continues to do business with ruthless efficiency.

Tim Cook might be the right guy to lead Apple right now but I don't think it's for the reason Moren suggests. To me Cook may be the right man for the job because of how big Apple has gotten and Cook is excels at making sure the trains run on time. But it seems like where Steve Jobs was obsessed with products Tim Cook is obsessed with social policy. Contrast his commencement speech at Auburn in 2010 to the one he delivered at GW this year. The first was completely non political and somewhat similar to Job's address at Stanford. The second was much more political and quite honestly not nearly as good. People talk about Jony Ive's promotion being a sign of having one foot out the door. But I wonder if perhaps Cook wouldn't be more at home running for congress or the senate in Alabama than running Apple.

 

[decafjava]

Hmmm, Tim Cook as Congressman? Not sure myself, I think he's a very good CEO for the reason you mentioned-and frankly most of the changes Apple has done were needed. Interesting article I ran across while I watched stocks tumble in anticipation of a "Grexit":
http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2015/06/29/taylor-swift-and-new-kinder-gentler-apple/

Swift’s improbable conquest of the nation’s number one music retailer was the top news of the week. But, in my opinion, that’s not exactly what happened. It just doesn’t pass the smell test.

Apple’s reversal was far more likely the result of several factors, most notably that today’s Apple is not your father’s Apple. In many ways, it’s not Steve Jobs’ Apple, either.

If you think back to the iPhone 4 antennagate crisis, the company did make things right with users, but only after Jobs denied it was a real problem. In a press conference, he called out competitors’ “reception problems” and told users to “avoid holding it in that way.” Less defensiveness and more genuine humility would have gone a long way.

Not only is this a new kinder, gentler Apple, this Apple also makes mistakes. Of course the old Apple did too, but this one handles them as it should: by owning up to the problem, making things right and letting everyone move on. Perhaps that’s just Crisis Management 101, but it’s a big step for the Cupertino, Calif.-based company.

The author also discusses Apple music and it's prospects but I think he is correct in Apple making some effort to be a bit more open to admitting mistakes and criticism. I think Tim Cook is part of the reason why.

I still think Apple has a lot of work to do-I agree they really need to tighten up their software QC as of late for just one example, they do need to hire more people at Cupertino (probably they will). I remain optimistic overall.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Urrrgh I don't know, I'm in two minds. Recent updates to the AppleCare protection regarding batteries is a fantastic move. They've got some excellent products and the read speeds on the rMBP's SSD are atrociously quick, it's the absolute perfect computer for using Logic X with loads of plugins. The CPU on the iPhone 6 is exceptionally powerful, and the next iterations of iOS/OS X concentrating on performance enhancements is brilliant.

However the move with soldering the Mac Mini and introducing low performance 1.4GHz Mac Mini/iMac, and a riMac with worse specs than its previous gen ... the 8GB iPhone still being sold, 16GB base storage since the 3GS ... bits like that seem to contradict the "we only think of the consumer" mentality.

So there's a lot of good -- providing you can afford the higher-tier models, I suppose.

 

[Martin81]

I watched nearly all keynotes from 2006 onwards. With Steve Jobs on stage it seemed all a bit uptight. There is definitiv a change since Tim Cook is hosting.

One big hope would be lower prices.

 

[maflynn]

I'm split on him as the best CEO for apple. My opinion of him as changed for the positive, but yet I do question him leading the helm.

I think some of the stuff he's done has been good, i.e., the Apple watch, yet I think the sharpness and attention to detail that apple had when Jobs was running the show is dulling. I look at the latest set of changes to the UI in Yosemite, El Cap, the Apple Watch, and Apple Music (iOS and iTunes) and I see a UI that is less intuitive. I can't tell you how many times I had to do the "For You" music process in iTunes. Seemed very clunky and not intuitive at all.

I watched nearly all keynotes from 2006 onwards. With Steve Jobs on stage it seemed all a bit uptight. There is definitiv a change since Tim Cook is hosting.

I think Cook struggled to find himself early on with the keynotes. So far no one has been able to replace Job's stage presence. I think the keynotes have improved a lot over the past few years but they're no where near what they were when Jobs ran the show.

 

[loby]

Times change, the world changes, so Tim Cook may be the best CEO currently for Apple as far as what the world is wanting. Not to say it is better than when Steve Jobs was at the helm, but looking at current demands and times, maybe Tim Cook is the C.E.O. that Apple needs...or wants right now. New times, New Era, new customer base demands different leadership, so Tim may be that person right now...

My personal belief is that Tim Cook should maybe stay away from politics and social issues and focus more on making the best products in the world. That is why he is C.E.O. of a technology company. The vision of Apple is to make the best products in the world and by doing that, put a dent in the Universe..." This is what I thought WAS their vision, I may be wrong, but that is what I thought the founder said was the goal.

Change the Universe by making great (or best products), not by involving in social, political or personal belief stuff, stick to technology. Focus on the goal: Make the BEST products...Does Apple make the BEST products now or yet...NO, so do that first and if you have extra time, you can do your personal or the other stuff. Apples pays him to make sure Apple makes the best products...Just because Apple has a lot of money, does not mean that they are the top. Microsoft may be on their way back and if Apple does not be careful, they may lose quickly if they get involved with other things and not finish their primary goal.

Unless that too has changed....

 

[Oudinot]

I could do without his PC BS. He should stick to running Apple and drop his political, left wing crap

 

[Rogifan]

I'm split on him as the best CEO for apple. My opinion of him as changed for the positive, but yet I do question him leading the helm.

I think some of the stuff he's done has been good, i.e., the Apple watch, yet I think the sharpness and attention to detail that apple had when Jobs was running the show is dulling. I look at the latest set of changes to the UI in Yosemite, El Cap, the Apple Watch, and Apple Music (iOS and iTunes) and I see a UI that is less intuitive. I can't tell you how many times I had to do the "For You" music process in iTunes. Seemed very clunky and not intuitive at all.


I think Cook struggled to find himself early on with the keynotes. So far no one has been able to replace Job's stage presence. I think the keynotes have improved a lot over the past few years but they're no where near what they were when Jobs ran the show.

I agree that Apple Music is a bloated mess in many ways but I think this is the time when Cook's leadership team needs to step up. For me the buck with Apple music stops with Eddy Cue.

 

[lowendlinux]

He's doing fine even in his politics he's just different and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[peterdevries]

People are always insisting on Steve needed to be CEO of Apple. There is no denying he was very successful from 2000 until his death. Most of that is attributable to two things:

1. His attention to detail in everything that was Apple. From Hardware Design, Software Design until the layout of manufacturing setups. Not willing to budge on a certain set of principles about those and to delay product introductions to improve them was also a big factor in this. Basically his drive to get it absolutely right.

2. The mobile computing market in all its aspects was wide open in the 2000s and Steve was the first to realise the potential in many segments of that market: mobile music, mobile phones, tablet computing, ultrabooks etc. All areas where others had dabbled but were largely unsuccessful because they lacked number 1 (see above).

Apple has grown massive over the years and it is by no means the same company as it was in 2006. It is larger in terms of size, market, product diversity and importance in all segments. This makes it much more challenging to govern and due to the interests of shareholders and the market impossible to adhere to number 1. Holding back products because they are not ready is something that in the current market is simply not accepted anymore. So speed and market anticipation are critical. Look at the iPhone 6. Before that came on the market many consumers jumped to the larger Samsung Galaxy series, which in many respects has improved in quality and is becoming or striving for equality to the iPhone.

So, with the new market and growth situation that Apple is in, Apple needs a CEO with a set of skills that I'm not sure Steve had. That does not mean that (if he were still alive) there is no room for Steve. Quite the contrary I think. I think Apple is better with Steve than without him, and there are possibilities for him to do number 1 (not THAT number while) while not in the role of CEO. Ive is doing a similar thing. He has created an organization around him that enables him to have final accountability, but that frees him from those things that distracts him from his core competence: design.

The question that you ask I think is the wrong one. People keep bashing Cook because he is not an innovator himself (which is rubbish considering his innovations in the SCM area). People need to leave the mindset behind that Cook should be the new Steve. What Steve has done quite successfully is leave behind an organization that in many respects has Steve's skills, passion and capabilities ingrained. That is much more powerful than one guy at the end of the chain that yells "this looks like crap, do it again".

So the questions that need to be asked are (IMHO):
-Is there enough innovative power within Apple now and does the organisation have the structure and processes to challenge that innovative power into successful products?
-Does Cook have the strategic market insight to identify new markets in the same way that Jobs did? It is this ability that is needed to keep Apple being successful as at some point mobile computing as a market will dry up.

 

[peterdevries]

I agree that Apple Music is a bloated mess in many ways

Funny that you say that. I think it is absolutely amazing. Need some more time for discovery of it but I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised every time I open the "for you" section and discover something to listen to that makes me think "damn this app already now knows me really well and I would love to listen to this!".

 

[Rogifan]

Funny that you say that. I think it is absolutely amazing. Need some more time for discovery of it but I'm genuinely pleasantly surprised every time I open the "for you" section and discover something to listen to that makes me think "damn this app already now knows me really well and I would love to listen to this!".

The curation part seems to be working well but the UI/UX needs work. The New section has 15 different subsections. For me discovery is difficult because there are so many different places to go. When you tap on the ellipse next to a song you get 11 different menu options. And many people probably won't know what they all do. What's the difference between a Play Next and Add to Up Next? What does Start Station do? And why a Share Playlist option when you select the ellipse next to a specific song as there's also an ellipse at the top of the playlist. Seems redundant. Also the top of a playlist has the share sheet icon but the ellipse also has a Share Playlist option which brings you to the same place as when you tap on the share sheet icon. Again duplicative and slightly confusing. If Apple simplified the UI a bit I think it would be so much better.

 

[loby]

-Does Cook have the strategic market insight to identify new markets in the same way that Jobs did? It is this ability that is needed to keep Apple being successful as at some point mobile computing as a market will dry up.

Great statements and agree, but you may have contradicted your statement in regards to whether Cook not needing the ability as Jobs...

In this New Era of Apple, Cook does not have to have the skill set of identifying new markets as Job and his intuitive insight possessed (though is technically the job of a C.E.O. as WAS defined in old era). Cook has a team or a very large marketing team now (hired over the last few years) to fill in the gaps and skill sets that Job had that he does not have. What Cook has done (to give Him credit) is where he falls short on skill sets (the many that he does not have compared to Jobs) he hires others to do the work instead. Cook has skills that Jobs did not have and this is what makes him Cook: He has a strong ability (it seems) to work and collaborate in team efforts compared to Steve Jobs. Again, I am not saying that Cook is better or not in comparison to Jobs, but given what Apple has evolved to be...Cook MAY be the person that Apple wants...not necessary good or bad.

Personally, I prefer a Jobs type of leader, JUST because he had more sight for making "the best products ever". Apple today I think does not have that as the top priority (maybe now 2nd). More concerned with cashflow than begin the best. Look at the mac mini, the MacBooks (though good but not the best possible like it use to be). Everything is milked along to make people buy the next version each year. Hold off on the best of some technology if you can get the consumer to buy the thing that could have been in the next version etc. Good money making tactic and good for business, but no products as the "best" ever out as was their vision in the beginning (though yes things change).

 

[Rogifan]

Personally, I prefer a Jobs type of leader, JUST because he had more sight for making "the best products ever". Apple today I think does not have that as the top priority (maybe now 2nd). More concerned with cashflow than begin the best. Look at the mac mini, the MacBooks (though good but not the best possible like it use to be). Everything is milked along to make people buy the next version each year. Hold off on the best of some technology if you can get the consumer to buy the thing that could have been in the next version etc. Good money making tactic and good for business, but no products as the "best" ever out as was their vision in the beginning (though yes things change).

OK let's be real here. People said the same thing about Apple under Steve Jobs. Do you have specific examples of MacBooks that were "the best" under Jobs but now are only "good" under Cook? Go look at the thread here when the unibody Macs were announced in 2008. Post after post complaining about specs, pricing, keyboard, glossy screen etc. Here's a few examples...

https://www.macrumors.com/2008/10/14/apple-announces-new-macbook-pros-updates-macbook-air/

Like I said in another thread, this is just a big bloody pile of bs.

Perhaps Steve's illness has handicapped his creativity and logic.

One can only hope that they have taken the store down again to lower the prices because of all the hate mail they just got bombarded with. I know I sent a feedback about the student discount going from 10% to 5%. THATS STUPID. Way to cut my legs out from underneath me, idiots.

Really?

I haven't been keeping up with updates since I finally got my MBP, so I was surprised to learn of the updates announced today.

I must say that I'm not impressed at all. Firstly, the look of the machines is horrible. The black face and the black keys on the aluminum is not attractive, nor do I think it looks professional the way the all-aluminum versions do.

Secondly, while I did choose a glossy screen, I'm completely behind those users who want, and even need for professional reasons, a matte option. I don't understand their blatant disregard for what appears to be a large sector of their consumer base.

Lastly, it feels to me that something is lacking in the announcement. The online store still offers the old white MacBook and the 17" hasnt' been "updated", just bumped or refreshed.

For those happy with the changes, I'm happy for you, but if I were in the market I would be sorely disappointed.

Truly disappointed

It's like the wilderness years all over again. Apple have lost their touch -- I learned that when I bought Aperture 2. The software has gotten sloppy; the machines have gotten ugly. Again, Mac has become little more than an expensive alternative to PC -- too expensive for my pocket. But of course, the company is no longer 'Apple Computers'.

FWIW, increasing the brightness will lower the D-max whilst maintaining the contrast but you are increasing the brightness! If you're a photographer, you want to maintain a calibrated system. Unless there's a company out there that sells super bleached paper, whose prints are that bright?

Personally, I'm more excited about Windows 7 than the future of Mac.

I admit.... I am willing to pay more for an apple because apple computers are better than PC's. I am willing to pay up to twice as much. But 3 times as much????

Sorry, apple you are missing the boat.

The economy is struggling, gas is ridiculously expensive, home energy costs have gone through the rough (pun intended), it's nearly impossible to get low interest credit, yet apple refuses to release products that come within the scope of reasonable in regard to pricing.

I am a Mac guy through and through....

I own several iMac's, a Mac laptop, a couple iPods and an iPhone, but times are tough, and I admit it grows harder to stay on board with this pricing.

Terrible. Truly awful. I'm a huge fan of Apple products most of the time, but I'm not a blindfolded fan. When Apple comes out with something that sucks in my opinion, then I call them on it. And this is one of those times.

Apple, you totally blew it.

Although I want Apple to do well in general, I hope the sales of this MBP are atrocious so that Apple will learn that they have to serve the consumer's desires.

 

[peterdevries]

People tend to forget the mistakes and large disasters that Jobs also produced. Think about cracked matchbook cases and graphic chip solder issues.

 

[petvas]

I think the last 18 months have shown how Steve Jobs' absence has changed Apple. The company has started creating products that Steve would have never ever allowed to be released to public. Have a look at the Watch with its unintuitive user interface. Have a look at Apple Music, again with its very unintuitive interface.
This is not the Apple I love. Tim Cook and his team need to go back and think about what makes Apple unique...

 

[decafjava]

I think the last 18 months have shown how Steve Jobs' absence has changed Apple. The company has started creating products that Steve would have never ever allowed to be released to public. Have a look at the Watch with its unintuitive user interface. Have a look at Apple Music, again with its very unintuitive interface.
This is not the Apple I love. Tim Cook and his team need to go back and think about what makes Apple unique...

Seriously? Read post number 14 by rogifan.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/tim-cooks-apple-is-the-apple-we-need.1895858/#post-21552060

I wish this trope of "Steve would never have done this" would just stop.

 

[gnasher729]

I could do without his PC BS. He should stick to running Apple and drop his political, left wing crap

You will be glad to hear that Apple got rid of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in their products a long time ago. Unless you think that caring for the environment is political, left wing crap as well.

 

[petvas]

Seriously? Read post number 14 by rogifan.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/tim-cooks-apple-is-the-apple-we-need.1895858/#post-21552060

I wish this trope of "Steve would never have done this" would just stop.

It has nothing to do with that. Steve Jobs loved simplicity. This is not seen in Apple's latest products.

 

[peterdevries]

I think the last 18 months have shown how Steve Jobs' absence has changed Apple. The company has started creating products that Steve would have never ever allowed to be released to public. Have a look at the Watch with its unintuitive user interface. Have a look at Apple Music, again with its very unintuitive interface.
This is not the Apple I love. Tim Cook and his team need to go back and think about what makes Apple unique...

You cannot attribute all the changes of the recent years solely to the absence of Jobs. So many people make the mistake of thinking this is the only variable. Much more important in this respect is the market that has changed dramatically over the past three years. Even if Steve were still alive, the product lines would not be dramatically different.

 

[peterdevries]

It has nothing to do with that. Steve Jobs loved simplicity. This is not seen in Apple's latest products.

That is just nonsense. Which of the products has become more complex in the past three years? The only thing that has received criticism for being too complex is the UI of the watch. And before you retort that "Jobs would never have allowed this", please think of MobileMe and Ping.

 

[petvas]

Steve Jobs was someone that could just say no to many things. I have the impression that Tim Cook's Apple isn't like that. I miss intuitive UIs from Apple. Products become more complex. I just hope that this won't happen to the Mac too, because then I would start thinking about alternatives..

 

[petvas]

That is just nonsense. Which of the products has become more complex in the past three years? The only thing that has received criticism for being too complex is the UI of the watch. And before you retort that "Jobs would never have allowed this", please think of MobileMe and Ping.

MobileMe and Ping were simple, but failed for other reasons..

The new Apple Music app has a really bad user interface.

 

[decafjava]

MobileMe and Ping were simple, but failed for other reasons..

The new Apple Music app has a really bad user interface.

IYO, it's doing a lot more than the old app...

 

[peterdevries]

MobileMe and Ping were simple, but failed for other reasons.

The new Apple Music app has a really bad user interface.

The point I'm making is that Jobs' QA was not infallible. He also made mistakes and was notoriously bad at correcting them or admitting to them.

Cook's Apple has become far better at listening to the customer. The streamlining of OS X is working out quite well if you are not a tinkerer (for which Windows is better suited anyway) and iOS is also getting better (e.g. Split screen multitasking, something many customers have been requesting for ages).

I don't see how one bad user interface in one app suddenly makes Apple "bad at making things simple". Apple's qualities 5 years back and now during Cook cannot just be condensed into that sole quality. Apple was en is much more than just "simplicity".