“One thing is certain from the Tim Cook interview at the “All Things Digital D10″ event, and that is that he has the company line down pat,” Gene Steinberg writes for TechNightOwl. ” What’s more, his positions don’t appear to represent the huge departure from the Jobs era at Apple that some would have you believe.”
“This doesn’t mean that Cook hopes or expects to be another Steve Jobs, or that they plan to channel Apple’s co-founder in plotting corporate strategy or developing new products. Indeed, there’s one telling point in the wide-ranging interview in which Cook recounts his visit to the home of the ailing Steve Jobs to be essentially anointed as the next CEO of Apple,” Steinberg writes. “According to Jobs, the Disney company’s biggest mistake after Walt Disney died was to attempt to imagine what he would have done in their place. So Disney suffered until new leadership found the way to turn the huge ship around and move ahead.”
Steinberg writes, “Apple has the advantage of having replaced Jobs while he was still alive and, though seriously ill, as active as he could be. Since Cook was already a temporary CEO, and had gotten used to the reigns of power, the transition was clearly far less difficult.”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We won’t know how well Apple is doing without Jobs until five or so years from now, when the rapid pace of change will have made it impossible for Jobs to have planned, beyond very general broad-stroke terms, the products Apple will be selling in 2017. As time goes by, we’ll have a clearer picture of just how well, or if, the team that Jobs assembled can continue Apple’s remarkable run.
Even in – and explicitly because of – Jobs’ absence, the pressure to execute is higher than ever on Cook, Ive, and the rest of Apple’s employees. You guys actually had it easy when Steve was here.
It’s not a huge departure no, but it’s the little stuff. The little things that can change Apple from dominant to beleaguered again.
…And some of those little things could make Apple even better! I’ve always been a big fan of Jobs and Apple, but neither are perfect. In fact, there have always been some things that drove me crazy even as an Apple advocate. Perhaps Apple will be even better than when Jobs was around!
Apple is a changed company with Steve gone and will continue to change without Steve at the helm.
The question is will Apple change for the better as time goes on without steve. It is hard to say at this point since we are largely still living in the shadow of Steve in regards to Apple and their products.
Steve prepared the company the best he could and all anyone can do is put some faith in the team he picked.
I sometimes imagine that Apple is like the civilization in Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series, where every year they gather in a secret room and watch a holographic recording from Jobs, who has uncannily predicted every swing of the market for the next 200 years.
——RM
In Fondation Hari Seldon’s hologram only appears when there is a major crisis, not every year.
But your idea is genial!
As long as we don’t get a kick from the Mule! Wonder if there is a Second Foundation hiding out there to get us back on track?!
Jobs as Hari Selon! I love it! +1
Nice analogy, RM!
I get a kick out of bloggers and “journalists” who seem to think that Steve Jobs built Apple single-handed, that he ran everything. It’s like he even ordered new pencils when they ran low.
Tim Cook HELPED Steve Jobs build Apple. They worked TOGETHER on creating this fantastically successful company. It’s not like Jobs died, and the board went out for lunch and appointed their waiter as CEO. These people act like Cook has to learn about Apple, and hope and pray that he can do what Jobs would have done.
Well, what Jobs would have done is to continue to evaluate new markets, new products, to take in information and evaluate which was the best experience for consumers, and to look to solve common, everyday problems with uncommon, extraordinary solutions. If Cook keeps that philosophy alive and kicking, Apple will continue to grow and produce great devices that sell like hotcakes.
Part of what makes Apple so great is us! That’s right you and me! We help shape apple and this won’t change – We expect perfection and excellence so keep them on their toes and lets continue to make Apple our Star!
I think five years from now is the only way to judge this leadership. Even if Jobs was still here and healthy, companies have a difficult time staying on top. Apple will obviously have its problems and misses going forward. They would with Jobs in charge as well. The sad thing is not enough people will understand that. Cook and others will be compared to Jobs. Jobs got Apple to where it is, with
plenty of help. Jobs would have had a difficult time keeping Apple at the top. So will anyone else. It’s just a facy of life and a fact of business. Less anyone thinks that suddenly the world has changed? Good luck to Tim and the crew. They’ll need it.
I wouldn’t count on the intelligence quote rising too much in the blogosphere. With the exception of a few small islands of lucidity, the ability to understand complex factors is diminishing at an alarming rate. Few can embrace a competent understanding of economic factors that influence this world’s business successes and failures.
Alas.
No shit Sherlock. We’re with you. Boy you nailed it right on the head with them words of wisdom. Gosh, it’s just like being in my 6th grade English class reading your shit. Wow are you ever smart? Well, maybe not so much.
Bring back Gil!!!!!
/ducks
Excellent commentary, MDN. Only time will tell ..,