"Why Tim Cook is Steve Ballmer and Why He Still Has His Job at Apple"

[ThomasJL]

Steve Blank Why Tim Cook is Steve Ballmer and Why He Still Has His Job at Apple

What happens to a company when a visionary CEO is gone? Most often innovation dies and the company coasts for years on momentum and its brand. Rarely does it regain its former glory. Here’s why. Mi…

steveblank.com

 

[Slartibart]

» Posted on October 24, 2016 by steve blank « if anything, the comments are somewhat interesting IMHO - even if the section got spammed with the same comment a few times. The post itself seems a bit trivial… the subject itself has been ruminated more than enough in the last 12 years, hasn’t it?

 

[michaelk7]

Great article in comparing Tim Cook and Steve Ballmer. In 2014 when Ballmer left MS a change was severely needed. Apple with a surplus of cash paying a nice dividend does not change the fact a CEO change is needed.

Historically, could other Apple managers have observations R&D was needed for AI as compared to a car. Nadella, MS CEO, placing an AI investment in 2019, 1/10 the size of funds spent on the car positioned itself to this point. It ultimately rests with this board yet, I am curious how many others feel a new CEO is needed.

 

[TracerAnalog]

Great to compare the history of Tim and Steve Ballmer. In 2014 when Balllmer left MS a change was severely needed.

One built on the legacy of his predecessor, the other almost destroyed it… I’m happy MS is back (in a way) but I had rather seen a true third competitor to Android and iOS. It’s unbelievable that MS completely gave away their enormous lead in mobile. Under Ballmer.

 

[michaelk7]

Tracer, very correct. I can remember his laughing on stage at the thought of consumers pusing a screen not a button. Does he play that one back?

 

[jaw04005]

At least Ballmer believed Microsoft should in the consumer business. You can't say that at all for Nadella. He's kept XBOX, so far, but every other consumer product has been killed or neutered like Surface.

Even Windows has been demoted to a platform to serve ads and sell upcharges like Office 365 or Co-Pilot (whose technology they don't actually own, by the way).

Microsoft has become the new IBM. Makes a ton of money, but enterprise focused and boring.

 

[XboxEvolved]

Steve Blank Why Tim Cook is Steve Ballmer and Why He Still Has His Job at Apple

What happens to a company when a visionary CEO is gone? Most often innovation dies and the company coasts for years on momentum and its brand. Rarely does it regain its former glory. Here’s why. Mi…

steveblank.com

I want to point out that search and cloud are not things Microsoft missed, they are things they laid the groundwork for under Ballmer, and I think one could argue Bing does well for itself. I'd argue they are successful in search in many ways with Bing having an over 10% marketshare, and they are one of if not the biggest cloud computing provider in the world now. They also have the upper hand in AI, using that with these services as well.

Apple is in several different categories under Cook and they are successful; although most of the new stuff is wearables, there are also services they have now that do well. Apple though is hitting a high that's hard to get higher, they have to do huge things to move the needle and killing off the car, the already fierce competition in the AR/VR space, AI, new wearables like rings and glasses, these are all things that keep them from moving it further so far. I think there secret weapon right now could in fact be AI and the way they implement it for users and developers to use.

This article is also a fair bit older now so is sort of outdated in its assessment.

 

[michaelk7]

Was very disappointed today to read in WSJ Apple is looking to outside companies to help its Artificial Intelligence efforts. Very disappointing as I feel Cook has placed Apple in a small hour glass while he works with Google and other companies to have AI in their handsets.
Unfortunately, I feel analysts see these discussions as evidence Apple hasn’t managed to develop internal tools to dominant greater AI players.
Google has been paying Apple to utilize them as the dominant search engin. Will Apple now be paying Google or Open AI for his incompetence as a CEO?

WSJ:Apple Looks to External Companies to Boost AI efforts 19 Mar 2024