Successor Faces Tough Job at Apple

The Wall Street Journal seems to think Tim Cook is going to have some pretty big shoes to fill at Apple. I think it is fairly obvious that there were certain things that only Steve Jobs could do / get done. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how much of an impact this has on the company in the long run.

Then there's the bully factor. One of the biggest advantages that Apple will lose without Mr. Jobs at the helm, said an Apple business partner, is the "fear that Steve instilled." For instance, Mr. Jobs famously browbeat some music industry executives to agree to his terms when he launched the iTunes music store that eventually upended the music industry.

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he's been with the company since 98 and I'm sure he's been working closely with Jobs for years now, being groomed to eventually fill his spot.

I doubt that much will change without Jobs there (then again, I could be wrong)

Jobs is still on the board and can bully, browbeat, and instill fear when necessary. He's not dead yet.

It's a good thing I get WSJ delivered...

dr.stevil said:

he's been with the company since 98 and I'm sure he's been working closely with Jobs for years now, being groomed to eventually fill his spot.

I doubt that much will change without Jobs there (then again, I could be wrong)

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I think Cook is quite capable of running the company.

However, that's not what I'd be worried about. I'd be worried about things like is he the same type of visionary that Jobs is? Is he the same type of hard ass that goes ballistic in meetings when he gets pissed because somebody screwed up? Is he the same type of person to rule Apple and it's products with an iron fist? I doubt it on all three counts, but only time will tell.

On a related note, the Onion has an article already posted.

But they might not do all the stupid shit he has done. Theres a slight chance they might become a decent, moral, respectible company with something real to offer...Oh, that old guy is still around? Well no chance of that then yet.

pgaster said:

Jobs is still on the board and can bully, browbeat, and instill fear when necessary. He's not dead yet.

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That's just it....WHY did Jobs resign? Knowing him, it has to be some serious, serious shit for him to cough up his position like this.

I think the next big announcement will be soon and it will deal with Steve Jobs health. I believe they made THIS move now, let the market settle down, etc. before announcing that Jobs is in a really bad way.

...or I could be wrong.

Cook has pretty much been running the show since January, and with a record quarter just posted ...

Vermillion said:

I think Cook is quite capable of running the company.

However, that's not what I'd be worried about. I'd be worried about things like is he the same type of visionary that Jobs is? Is he the same type of hard ass that goes ballistic in meetings when he gets pissed because somebody screwed up? Is he the same type of person to rule Apple and it's products with an iron fist? I doubt it on all three counts, but only time will tell.

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Visionary?

Take an existing product that hasn't quite taken off yet + strip out features most users want to make it dead simple and so you can sell a smaller or larger version down the line + make it look like a previous Braun product = Apple product.

Steve said:

That's just it....WHY did Jobs resign? Knowing him, it has to be some serious, serious shit for him to cough up his position like this.

I think the next big announcement will be soon and it will deal with Steve Jobs health. I believe they made THIS move now, let the market settle down, etc. before announcing that Jobs is in a really bad way.

...or I could be wrong.

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You just want him to die already, don't you!

Vermillion said:

I think Cook is quite capable of running the company.

However, that's not what I'd be worried about. I'd be worried about things like is he the same type of visionary that Jobs is? Is he the same type of hard ass that goes ballistic in meetings when he gets pissed because somebody screwed up? Is he the same type of person to rule Apple and it's products with an iron fist? I doubt it on all three counts, but only time will tell.

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I don't know if he can come up with product ideas like Jobs (and let's face it, while some try to claim he just refined existing ideas - he has successfully changed several categories from things most people didn't consider buying into something they see a use for).

On the other two things you said I think there is enough evidence that he can fill in Job's shoes on those counts. I read on Cnet a story about something in the past. There was a problem in Asia, and he calls a meeting really early in the morning. He tells the executives gathered that somebody needs to be in Asia overseeing this problem. The meeting continues, and 30 minutes later he looks at one of the executives and says 'Why are you still here?' That executive immediately left, went to the airport, and got a flight to Asia. He didn't have time to change his cloths, or even book a return flight before leaving.

lol @ the bully factor. What was so scary about this guy? That he would take his ball and go home?

techrat said:

Visionary?

Take an existing product that hasn't quite taken off yet + strip out features most users want to make it dead simple and so you can sell a smaller or larger version down the line + make it look like a previous Braun product = Apple product.

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Which is why everyone did it before and made billions and billions...and billions of dollars right? Because it was so damn obvious and easy to do, that companies STILL cannot produce a tablet as polished and with the profit margins as the iPad at the same price point.

C'mon people, don't let blind hate...blind you?

I think enough of a culture has been instilled in Apple to continue on strong in the short and medium term; however I'd be more concerned about long term when the iPad and iPhone have run their course (which will happen, eventually). Can they create yet another new market and dominate it?

Take an existing product that hasn't quite taken off yet

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So seeing potential in an emerging market, yep that is having vision...or being a visionary.

strip out features most users want to make it dead simple

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Nope, the truth is most users didn't want or even use these features (like 3g video streaming on my razer in '05...they marketed the heck out of it but in reality the battery lasted all of 30 minutes so I never used it), this is manufactered nerd rage, people who spew this BS maintain the image of the guy living in his moms basement. Most people in the market spend time using the device they bought, not on the internet in nerd respositories bitching about what it has or how they can "customize it"...people are doing other things with their lives, like spending time with kids, working, etc...they don't have time nor care about that crap. That market makes money, the nerd market does not...you make up about 5% of the market.

so you can sell a smaller or larger version down the line

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That is called business stradegy to...GASP...make continuing revenue off your market base. Apple and Jobs never sacrificed functionality just put have a feature, battery life and smooth operation is essential in their iProducts and last I checked Android phones have some issues with battery life...but hey I got custom widgets, but my phone dies at around 6pm everyday.

make it look like a previous Braun product

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Sex Appeal, it catches your eye visually first...Marketing 101.

Apple product

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Which makes it pure business genius. Get out of your mom's basement, take some business courses, understand that you make up about 5% of the market, and you will understand why Jobs and Apple are visionaries....they make great products, and print money while doing it.

But please go back to your false nerd outrage.

Executives in media companies, for instance, are reluctant to give up control of their products and fear Apple will end up ...

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Aw crap

Why can't everyone just accept that Apple is a great company offering great STABLE products. I use Windows and OSX, so I am hardly a fanboy, but Apple has made some pretty revolutionary things in the previous years. Heard of an iPhone?

For those of you that are Android Fanboys or whatever else it might be, you can say what you want about iPhones, but they just work. No instability from any of mine, and my wife and I have had all of them since day one.

Anyway, we need to think about Steve Jobs, and pray that he gets better. That is the main thing.

Take a look at what people say about Apple...

And note that the fanbois rarely have a vocabulary that exceeds what Apple says in their ads.

I'd hate to be this guy when Apple finally looses it's "trendy" status, since he'll be the one who gets the blame.

What Steve Jobs ultimately revolutionized was the consumer interaction For some reason tech companies are generally out of touch with the normal consumer. So products tend to be more "techy".

Steve had a vision for how a consumer would easily interact with the device, and honestly it was pretty spot on.

He also is the type of control nut that micro-managed the devices to his vision, which ENSURED a positive reactive by normal consumers who can barely change the time on their VCR.

I would hope other companies have noticed this, and thus that advantage of Apple products will get smaller and smaller.

Also Apple is benefitting HUGELY on popularity and marketing. This will NOT last forever, Steve Jobs or no Steve Jobs. While this will not kill Apple, it will just make it a normal contender rather then the 300% margin behemouth it is now. This happend to NIKE... in the 90s they ruled... now they are just a large player.

I think the rumors of a "budget" device and the fact that Apple is expanding to all US carriers is an indication that this was all planned. I think only Steve Jobs could demand so much market limitations for the right to control EVERYTHING. That and iphone sales pretty much allows Apple to write their own rules... for now.

Everyone things Apple is a genious...and they are not. Look at their track record and methods. Steve Jobs was into control hardware AND software... This method failed for the PC market, won for the ipod/music market, and is loosing in the phone market... probably will also loose in tablet.

So far Steve's All or nothing campaign is 50% successful and honestly is looking like it will be 33%, then in a year or 2 tablets will make it 25% successful.

The huge difference now is that Apple will get more then the 5-8% marketshare like they have with PCs, which is a win but not dominant.

From what I have seen Steve Jobs is:

1 - a hard ass tough boss, requires lots of employee work to get things done on time.
2 - pushes everyone to 100%
3 - pushes the envelope of innovation (who would have thought we needed a small digital music player in our pocket in 1999, or a touchscreen phone in 2005?)

dr.stevil said:

he's been with the company since 98 and I'm sure he's been working closely with Jobs for years now, being groomed to eventually fill his spot.

I doubt that much will change without Jobs there (then again, I could be wrong)

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This...

rflcptr said:

Cook has pretty much been running the show since January, and with a record quarter just posted ...

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And this...except he's actually been pretty much running things since '05...He and Apple will be fine...they've brainwas...er marketed their product well

Wolfie said:

(who would have thought we needed a small digital music player in our pocket in 1999,

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Saehan, Rio, Compaq and a host of other companies that made mp3 players before Apple released the first iPod in 2001.

or a touchscreen phone in 2005?)

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I'm shocked Jobs waited so long to enter the touch screen phone market.

Bottom line, did Jobs build a great company or did he lead a company and made it great with his own personality. As with many things in life it's probably some of each and which one is actually the overriding reality will probably have a lot to do with Apple's future.

techrat said:

Take a look at what people say about Apple...

And note that the fanbois rarely have a vocabulary that exceeds what Apple says in their ads.

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who fucking cares what words they use, its a huge success regardless of what your opinion is on the company/product.

man apple trolls are in force this week.

dandirk said:

What Steve Jobs ultimately revolutionized was the consumer interaction

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If by "consumer interaction" you mean marketing, and taking the same popular industry standard components and putting them in an attractive shell with a much higher profit margin, absolutely.

Wolfie said:

pushes the envelope of innovation (who would have thought we needed a small digital music player in our pocket in 1999, or a touchscreen phone in 2005?)

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Can't tell if you are being facetious, considering Apple was not first to market with either of those.

when a majority of apple fans try to convince others of the superiority using only the argument "it's cool and it never gets viruses" that gives you some idea of the level of intelligence they are targeting.

It's just like saying "The bugatti veyron is the safest and coolest car out there because you never see any of them wrecked on the side of the road or in the shop" - This analogy actually works on SO many levels in terms of Apple.

Asthetics wise - I'll tip my hat and say the past 5 years or so macAIR/ipad/iphone they are indeed sexy as hell devices. However all the amount of sexy is pointless when I'm locked out of my own file system and can't operate as i wish.

Every guy dreams of banging a supermodel - what happens when you finally get her and she doesn't let you go to the ball game, or out drinking with your friends, and only blows your junk once a month (And charges you for it on top of that) Again, another analogy quite perfect for apple.

Never met steve jobs, but from everything i've read he's just your typical uber rich asshole control freak. When he's dying in the hospital do you think he might for a few moments wish he hadn't flown off the handle so many times at innocent people? Or written snooty asshole replies to honest questions?

Despite what all the apple freaks say, Steve jobs is not a god, and his shit stinks just as much (if not more) than mine or yours.