Not just from this article but from all the FUD out there. This is what the traders want in order to make money on apple.

Up or down they make money.

I agree there MUST be more at play, and I cannot for the life of me understand the decision making process that would see Scott turned out after all he has accomplished at Apple. the team he ran is responsible for the heart of the products that have led to Apples current market position. It doesn’t matter how sexy IVE makes the products, if they run like shit, nobody is gonna want them.

Scott is young for his level of position, there is likely some truth in the rumors, but firing the guy? If Tim Cook had real leadership abilities, he should have been able to reprimand him and set a tone and course for future interactions that mitigated Scott and Jony’s personality conflicts.

Scott belongs at Apple, it was clear listening to the guy and watching him on stage that he had a real passion for Apple and the work he did. I cannot imagine how devastating this is for him.

I make my living from Apple kit, everyone who knows me, knows it and they ask me questions all the time, and ALL I am hearing lately about is siri and maps.

The customers Apple needs to maintain growth are hearing negative things, from places just like you listed and many more. That is a real problem, perception is reality and if the majority of phone buyers believe that maps and siri suck and that iPhone is playing catch-up they very well may buy something else.

I agree the hype is somewhat overblown, but Maps especially has some VERY real shortcomings right now, ESPECIALLY outside of the US where it is even worse.

I’ve used maps exclusively since it’s original debut, and with the exception of the improved map quality, load speed and the addition of turn by turn, maps sucks right now. Used to be I could type in food or restaurant and pins would drop and within a few taps I was browsing a menu or calling for reservations. Now, not so much because the data is incomplete. Yeah it works, but it doesn’t work nearly as good in this capacity for example.

And Siri, well it isn’t as nearly as useful as it should be by now. It seems more a novelty than a must have feature.

… Having said that, this particular article is really stupid!  And the writer is an idiot.

“We have deleted your comment because it contains insults, obscenities or abusive language about the topic under discussion. In an effort to encourage high-quality discussion of articles, we encourage you to avoid such language. We still welcome your post if it contains a strong and polite disagreement about the issues under discussion, but we ask you to resubmit it in a form that is more appropriate for the **serious tone** (emphasis mine) we aim to encourage on the site.”

I thought the comment was rather restrained about the author starting to resort to name calling when answering comments:

“This answer exposes your bias and your lack of information. You attribute waiting times for iPhone 5s to a screw-up in manufacturing and delivery, and apparently completely discount huge demand when you, nor anyone else, have any idea what current sales actually are. That’s bigotry, my friend. And apparently you missed the conference call and the projected 36% margins in the coming quarter? This is precisely the level of margins that Apple has averaged over the last several years. Recent higher margins were an aberration. You ignore the fact that Apple continues to set records for revenue and profits Y/Y every quarter. Again, willful distortion. Apple has no competition, only copiers. What has Google or Samsung invented…ever? If Apple invents nothing over the next 3 years the “competition” will be exactly where it is now. Proof? What did the Samsung cellphone look like before the iPhone was produced? Hint: It looked EXACTLY like the Blackberry. And Microsoft? Poor Microsoft, led by an idiot, producing ever more complicated and frustrating software, and offering products nobody wants. Apple should fear anything from Microsoft? Not in this universe.”

And you got this where? From CNet? From MarketWatch? From the legions of Apple-hating fandroids who “heard from a friend”? Certainly not from the people who were actually using the applications.

Me: (FACEPALM)

Me: Interesting…spectrographic analysis reveals that the moon is made mostly of silica.

1st Teenager: Yes, but I think it might be made of green cheese.

2nd Teenager: Nah, that’s an old meme. I think it’s really a holographic projection created by the military-industrial complex to sustain funding for the space program.

1st Teenager: Wow, that’s a cool idea! I can’t wait to post it on Facebook.

Me:

Craftsmen understand value and the value of good tools, the general public fights over barely functional shlock.

2. Does the “average person” actually believe that? I’m not sure the average person even knows who Tim Cook is. Also, give than Apple products still sell incredibly well, there is no evidence of a crisis of consumer confidence.

3. I don’t agree that either are “flops”. Siri has not lived up to expectations, but can you cite evidence that the court of public opinion has ruled Siri a flop? Many tech bloggers may write so, but that does not speak to whether the average consumer thinks it is a “flop”. Maps has caused a lot of bad media, a lot of it deserved, but iPhone 5 sold better in the first weekend than any other iPhone before it. I think the court of consumer opinion is not what you think it is.

4. reporters vs consumers. Sales.

Who’s idea was it to push Siri out the door as “beta” software? Think interim CEO
Who’s idea was it to push “Maps” out the door as 1.0 software? Think current CEO

Did no one other than Forstall’s team test the above mentioned software to determine if it was/wasn’t ready for prime time? Not likely.

Did Forstall have the last word on finalized software?

Did no one other than Forstall’s team have the last word on software using the “skeuomorphism” metaphor. Not likely.

Had anyone ever heard of “skeuomorphism” before Jony Ive started complaining about it.

Who would sign an apology letter for something they did not need to apologize for? Maybe someone trying to limit damage control for their own failures. That’s like Pages not working, apologizing for it, and telling everyone to use Word!

Why was Forstall getting all the press about future CEO since Jobs died. Could it be he was possibly qualified for the task?

Try as I may, I cant seem to find an apology letter from Steve Jobs regarding a faulty antenna design better known as antenna gate. Incidentally there is a letter from the PR Department.

Was Cook starting to feel the heat from insiders aligned with Forstall (CEO in waiting) so much that perhaps missteps taken by him (Cook) were about to turn the tide with the board?

Without the great user experience (see OSX and iOS designed by Forstall and his team) the drool worthy box it sits in would be a paper weight.

Can’t believe someone like Jobs would have put up with someone like Forstall with all of the rumors surrounding his behavior for as long as he did if everything being touted was true.

One of Job’s greatest assets was the ability to light a fire under people and it irritated people. It was unpopular but look at the results it got. So Forstall irritated people. OSX and iOS speak for themselves. If every boss that was a ass was fired for trying to motivate those around him, I am quite confident not much would get done around the world. Sometimes people have to be pushed to get their maximum potential.

Just saying there is not enough information out there to make an accurate assessment of Forstall’s termination.

One other note the ultimate responsibly lies with Cook.

What a moron.

Yeah, but they’re just chock full of self-esteem.

Errr…really? They certainly didn’t work very well when first released and they still have issues leaving end users to be the testers…

Recent skirmishes in this battle shine a light on the unpleasantness of their lives: simmering resentment at a perceived inferior opponent’s success, alarm at a gradual devaluation of their arcane expertise, gnawing doubts about their champions’ competence, and a sociopathic disregard for human dignity.

Ives has not controlled the look of the product line.

Phil has the enthusiasm required – it naturally seems enthralled to tell use the news. Cook is fake.

Now that Forstall is going – IOS is going to be in trouble.
IOS and the iDevice product line has been what re-invented Apple… Cook has done his last and most terrible mistake.

It is the LEADER whom should step down.

Rather than apologize for Maps and Siri…
and I agree with the notation that this shake up of
staff points to a failure of Maps and Siri.
Thats TOTAL opposite of Cooks own statement that Apple will fix things.
Firing people pointing fingers is not fixing shit.

Rather than fire a few lead players…
and shift others into areas they have no business being in…
Hell iTunes is a freaking monster. And he appoints the wiener who made iTunes a monster to over see Siri and Maps?

The software is fine BUT since when is FINE good enough.
Most Apple software is bloated and ugly. The real thing the software has going is it works Just plain works.
However, graphically the styling is all messed up.

Be responsible Tim and say good bye -
BECAUSE honestly, it is his own leadership
and responsibility to LEAD and see that
everything is going as planned.
Not to fire when things go wrong.

I blame Maps totally on Cook.
I blame Siri totally on Cook.
I blame the supply chain on Cook.
I blame the negotiations with Samsung on Cook.
Cook does not deserve to be CEO and I don’t care
if Jobs personally trained him.
Cook was the ONLY choice at the time.
Unfortunately, NOW there will be no one.

IOS is totally where the money is
It is what Apple had reinvented it’s self to be Apple Inc.
The numbers have been there and so
the state of Apple is standing well still.

But the product line and design is very scattered.

Cook needs to go. No doubt in my mind.
However, there just doesn’t seem to be anyone left now.
I would lean towards Phil presently…
There definitely was so sort of RUSH and NERVOUSNESS from Phil during his last keynote showing off the hardware and iMac.

And hell not Jony Ives. The best thing about Ives is he understands
Apple is a Team. Jobs saw things that way too.
Cook cant control the Team and needs to destroy it.
This is not leadership this is dictatorship in the making,
to stay CEO longer.

From Apple TV to iPod Nano / From iMac to Macbook Pro

the look should all appear in unison – definite similarities – same styling and colours. But no, under Cooks vision the product line is messy and bloody scattered… wish to challenge me – bring it on!
From Plastics to Aluminum to coloured and rounded corners to square cheap toy looking garbage. All okayed by what you people believe is the most influential Designer of our times. Poppycock!

Either Cook is ffff-ing blind or a dim-witted fool.

And the chip set should all be available in the best and latest. Only offering a lower price level option – opting for last years chip – but sold with the newest styling and functions / connectors etc.

Fragmentation of processors and styling all across the product lines… total mess galore as I see it – this is Cooks vision?

The man has none. GO away Cook!

List the Apple products that have been revolutionary (or visionary) and I think you’ll have a list of UI revolutions (mac, imac, pod, phone, pad). What’s next? – I have no clue. Many think the TV. I think there could be more than TV but Steve is not here to tell us.

So far I think Apple is maintaining what they have (ie smaller, lighter, etc). I hope Apple has more in the pipeline.

They lightened up when they knew he was dying and sainted him post-mortem. Now it’s time to trash whoever follows him as Apple CEO.