“Apple spends almost as much time naming products as it does designing them, and things are ‘weird’ in the post-Jobs era as the company struggles to keep from ‘losing its edge,'” Christina Bonnington reports for Wired.
“That is the collective insight of three big-name Appelista — design chief Jony Ive, chairman Art Levinson, and co-founder Steve Wozniak — who have been unusually loquacious when asked about Apple’s culture and current state in recent days,” Bonnington reports. “Their frank discussions stand in stark contrast to the drum-tight control Steve Jobs held over Apple and public statements about Apple, its creative process, and its future were few and far between.”
Bonnington reports, “But this is the Tim Cook era, and we’re getting more frequent glimpses of life within the Cupertino campus.”
Read more in the full article here.
I’m sure all companies wish they were ‘struggling’ like Apple.
I agree. Critics confuse stock price with apples success. In no way should struggle be used to define the most profitable company in the world.
What a pile of FUD. It’s truly pathetic that once amazing publications like Wired will stoop to this kind of recycled crap journalism. Like Woz has a clue what is going on at Apple. Although Ive was a bit too revealing there, I suspect that is a common measure in naming products. Playstation Vita, etc. Cook should keep the reins tight.
At least one of the people they asked for insight is a current Apple employee that is present there every day, and might actually have a clue about what goes on inside Apple.
Woz is a nice guy, but he hasn’t had any unique insight into Apple since the early 1980s Why people still defer to him as an Apple expert or insider is a mystery.
Woz is not the guy I would go to for the definition of “Cool” I’m 39 Years old and my idea of what is cool is much closer to a teenagers than Woz’s. Another FUD piece by another Hit Whore…
As Woz is 63, you are an entire generation (24 years) closer to the oldest teenager: 63-19=44, 39-19=20. Cool.
A human generation is generally accepted to be approximately 30 years. That’s been the “standard” for well over 50 years. As of late some people doing demographics and such have been stretching it to 33 or 35 years as more and more people have children later in life, e.g., we often hear of people in their 50s or even 60s adopting infants. This would have been *extremely* rare 50+ years ago.
The generally accepted span for a human generation that I have been familiar with is 20 years. hannahjs has it right.
More people may be having children later, but that certainly doesn’t nullify the early child bearers, or prevent someone who has children early, from having more later.
We had no idea that you were a self appointed expert on defining generational standards. How can I get to be such an expert? Is there some sort of doctoral program at Phoenix University? Do I have to send money and a few paragraphs about what I have been doing in the past year or two?
A quick search reveals that there is no easy or set answer. Some Arabs hold that a generation is 100 years.
Biblical terms define a generation as 40 years.
Some social researchers define a generation as the time from your female child’s birth till she gives birth, so between 16 and 50 years……
There should be a worldwide campaign to shut out Woz from reporting anything about Apple. He has a big chip on his shoulders and deserves to be outcast from journalism, period!
Wait a minute, are you saying he has a chip on his shoulder since he is willing to try and use many other technologies besides exclusive use of tech that Apple makes?
Woz has always been friendly towards Apple, but has always tried and used just about every brand and model of everything ever made. He is a gadget guy and tinkerer.
He can comment on any gadget and tech that he wants, and that others are willing to ask him about. HOWEVER, commenting on gadgets is a far cry from knowing about the current inner workings and dealings of Apple Inc.
Anything he says about Apple Inc, especially the seemingly knowing inside info view of ‘struggling to keep its edge’ is patently false, and should be taken with a dumptruck load of cattle sized salt blocks.
I wouldn’t say Woz has a chip on his shoulder. He’s just not quite wired right…
I love that Woz drops bombs on Apple. With Jobs gone someone needs to be out there saying “this is shit!” in one way or the other!
An official statement from Apple Inc saying “Woz is not a board member, employee, representative, or spokesman for Apple Inc, and is not authorized to issue statements on Apple Inc, its policies, or products.” Would take away any status or credibility Woz has or had relating to Apple.
I hope Apple listens to the guy, not because I think he is right or knows anything about the current Apple but because he is a bit of an icon and Apple needs fans like him who are not afraid to say what they think and keep the company on its toes.
Wiz still gets a paycheck from Apple.
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You guys, especially you sophomoric guys, will trash anyone who questions anything about what Apple is doing and not doing. Instead of coming to your senses and realizing that what the company is doing is floundering, you just keep on saying everything is as good as ever. Anyone who recognizes that it is floundering and says so is immediately labeled a “troll” and worse. Every day the competition – especially the competition for gadgets – is not only gaining on Apple’s stuff but beating the hell out of them. Except for a really nice Retina MacBook Pro, the company has basically left the computer business altogether. So, what’s next? That mythical TV? Even if there is such a thing, it’s not going to make any difference. That slap watch? I thought no really hip person would ever be seen wearing a watch. Flame away – you look more stupid with every passing day.
You guys, especially you sophomoric ppeterson guy, will trash anything positive that Apple says or does, and overblow anything if you think you can make it a negative towards Apple.
Instead, why don’t you come to your senses, and realize that just because Apple doesn’t revolutionize a completely different industry every 3 months its NOT floundering. But you just keep finding a way to make everything they say and do bad.
Anyone who buys an Apple product, or says something positive about Apple, or expresses optimism about the company’s future is immediately labeled fanboi or worse and dismissed by you.
If anyone looks more stupid with each passing day, its you. Gotta wonder, what an iHater like yourself gains from hanging on MDN and probably other Apple forums bashing and fomenting?
Don’t you have a life, or a job? Is your irrational hatred of all things Apple so debilitating that you can’t hold down a job, or have a relationship? Has your entire life been reduced to living in your parents’ basement spewing bile at people who happen to use and like Apple products? Or perhaps you are on the Samsung or Microsoft or other company payroll to troll and disparage Apple on the sites you frequent? Either way, pathological obsession or gainful employment, Apples’ well being seems to be intimately connected with your continued existence.
Hey ppeterson, Apple is floundering, fine. SO, in your opinion, what tech company is growing and succeeding?
@ppeterson: “Except for a really nice Retina MacBook Pro, the company has basically left the computer business altogether.”
PP, I’m writing this from my brand new, maxed out 27″ iMac. I’m continually in an OMG! state while using it. Incredible system.
It’s best not to comment on things you know nothing about…
Colour me unsurprised. Ive is hardly giving anything away here and as for ‘weird’…Apple has NEVER been anywhere near ‘normal’.
If anything ‘weird’ is probably indelibly-written into their DNA.
Think about it.
fricfrac, please read the article. the weird remark came from Art Levinson when asked about the Apple board. He said it was weird going to a board meeting and not having Steve Jobs there. Taken in context, that particular use of weird could mean strange, sad, unnerving and many other definitions.
I agree with you that normal, inside the box, don’t rock the boat, and play nice with your WallStreet creditor overlords have NEVER been the SOP of Apple, especially Apple under the return of Jobs.
this is much ado about nothing. Let’s wait until the end of 2013 to see if Apple “lost it’s edge/cool factor”. I, for one, believe in Jony Ive, and in the culture of Apple.
If your take away from what Ive said is that, “they spend as much time naming stuff as designing stuff”, then OK. Completely wrong, but fine with us (“us” being normal sensible people with a little common sense).
Hasn’t Woz been seen on line waiting to buy an iphone like an ordinary shmuck?
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