Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What exactly is it that Steve Jobs does?
- Thread starter MVApple
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
He's the CEO, that is, he makes all the executive decisions. Nothing would get greenlighted, killed off, postponed, moved up, etc without his knwoledge and approval.
He is not directly involved in the design of products most of the time (design is headed by jonathan ives, who jobs seems to trust a great deal), but does offer guidance. I remember s story that he had the idea for the "sunflower" style g4 iMac, but he still wasn't the one who designed it. I get the impression he's more like to be the person who says "not good enough" more than anything else.
Every mac shipped was handmade by Steve himself.
On the more serious note, Steve plays a huge role in the company. It's pretty safe to say that he makes all the decisions regarding which products to pursue, design choices, etc. He handles most of the deals made with record labels, movie studios, hardware companies, etc. I'm sure he also works with his Senior VP's on pricing, financial goals, marketing decisions, etc.
he's a tyrant from the same school of management that brought us most of 007's enemies:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-04/bz_apple
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-04/bz_apple
Well
dontcha know they had Jobs in mind when this was penned
All together now:
"He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands"
Repeat ad nauseum.
All together now:
"He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands"
Repeat ad nauseum.
I would say he is pretty involved with design. In fact, he's obsessed with it. You should read the Second Coming of Steve Jobs. I believe it talks about how he carried the original iMac's translucent plastic shell around with him for months as he felt it was the future of Apple.
Also, in most of Apple's design patents he is usually one of the many credited on the patent application.
Jobs is a true micromanager at least in the categories he's interested in.