“Executive rearrangements have been going on at Apple for years,” Rands in Repose writes.
“Remember Mark Papermaster? Avie Tevanian? Jon Rubinstein? Steve Sakoman? Tony Fadell? Sina Tamaddon? Bertrand Serlet? Fred Anderson? Nancy Heinen? There’s likely a compelling departure backstory for all of these key players, but the sheer length of this incomplete list gives some perspective to the recent announcement regarding Scott Forstall and John Browett – no big deal,” Rands in Repose writes. “Happens all the time.”
Rands in Repose writes, “Maybe.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Attribution: Daring Fireball. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
I liked Scott’s verve but if he was divisive, that can sunder a company.
Probably everyone here has worked alongside an obstructionist in their career. It can suck the life out of you.
Go back and check the keynote video of the iPad mini release.
Bertrand Serlet was sitting in the front row near Bob Mansfield.
And what would I learn from that?
Well, sometimes things are a coincidence, and sometimes they aren’t.
Guys who have made the most critical OS contributions for decades at the highest levels of the company (and are currently retired) are sitting in the front row of a keynote.
Shortly after the keynote, the number one software guy is displaced.
Mansfield was out the door to build his house on the hillside and retire. Now he’s back in.
It’s not reasonable that any of us on the outside can KNOW anything specific here. Let me simply note for the record these attendees and circumstances give me reason to place a mental post-it note here and revisit it down the road a ways.
To me, it feels like Tim Cook is gathering the guys Steve valued.
Avie was there, too. Interesting.
Was that Balmer back there in the corner?
Yup, an absolute non-issue.
Not to be too morbid, but do you really think Apple would put all their collective eggs into Forstall? What if he was hit by a car and killed?
No company, especially Apple, is as big as one person. Not even SJ was bigger than Apple – he set it up that way.
“…but I also believe that in order to maintain its edge Apple needs a group of disruptors.”
Might have to settle for a few Type I phasers or a lightsaber.
MDN, why didn’t you quote the article from its beginning ?
“Apple is eventually doomed. Yes, the most valuable company on the planet will slowly fade into stagnant mediocrity. It will be replaced by something that they will not predict and they will not see coming”
Apple has released some of its best hardware in the past year. Nothing broke there.
Apple has stumbled numerous times on software, and what it has released has not been particularly awe inspiring. Scott has been at the head of the lackluster software. Why is everyone so surprised?
I remember when Mike Scott was CEO.
As long as ‘Apple Inc.’ keeps finding and promoting ‘A’ Grade players it will continue to prosper. ‘B’ Grade players can migrate to the likes of Google, Microsoft et al where I’m sure a comfortable niche can be found for them.