“While I watched Apple’s WWDC 2014 opening keynote on Monday morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about the infectious mixture of fun and confidence everyone onstage seemed to be exuding,” Joshua Topolsky writes for The Verge. “It was something new for this era of Apple, and it felt like a mirror image of the announcements being made. The message was loud and resonant from where I sat: We’re back, we’re ready to play, and we know who we are.”
“Watching CEO Tim Cook and his ‘Superman’ companion Craig Federighi bound about onstage, trading jokes and launching into strangely lengthy and effective bits on topics like a near-miss naming of OS X ‘Weed,’ you might not recognize the company if not for all the Apple logos everywhere,” Topolsky writes. “The tone was jovial, loose, and confident. One might even say playful.”
“In recent years — and let’s be honest, probably since just after Steve Jobs’ death in 2011 — there has been a sense of hesitation, of standoffishness, and maybe even a little bit of fear in the tone of Apple events. That tone has carried over to the company’s approach to the outside world, and has left a lot of people wondering just whether there’s been a plan at all. You could feel a palpable sense of Apple being closed off, in a huddle, trying to figure out what kind of company it wants to be (and can be) in a post-Jobs world,” Topolsky writes. “The company has a voice again. Apple is executing on a plan, and it’s giving it confidence and power.”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Continuity: Apple is now moving in new directions and beyond where Steve Jobs might have gone – June 3, 2014
At WWDC 2014, Apple unleashes thermonuclear war against Android – June 3, 2014
Why developers are going nuts over Apple’s new ‘Swift’ programming language – June 3, 2014
Apple just delivered a knockout blow to Android with iOS 8 – June 2, 2014
Xcode 6 features resizable device simulators, paving way for iPhones with new screen sizes – June 2, 2014
WWDC 2014: Apple sets the scene for its next decade – June 2, 2014
Apple unveils new versions of OS X and iOS, major iCloud update with iCloud Drive – June 2, 2014
Apple’S WWDC news bores investors, not developers – June 2, 2014
Apple’s HealthKit aims to unite wearables and fitness apps – June 2, 2014
Apple releases iOS 8 SDK with over 4,000 new APIs – June 2, 2014
Apple unveils iOS 8, the biggest release since the launch of the App Store – June 2, 2014
Apple announces OS X Yosemite for Macintosh – June 2, 2014
We certainly could do with a dose of lightheartedness right now, especially after all of the crazy stuff that has been going on this year.
I liked the bit about planning a “camping trip” at Yosemite and Craig Federighi said something about using Jony’s custom-made “aluminium” spoons with “chamfered edges” to eat the chili. I laughed… 🙂
“The company has a voice again. Apple is executing on a plan, and it’s giving it confidence and power.”
Agreed. It is unfortunate, though, that some here at MDN choose not to hear that voice.
MDN’s take, countless times, has now been almost universally vindicated.
“Those who doubt Tim Cook do so at their own peril.”
That’s probably more understandable than unfortunate that Apple/people went through a period of “depression”, insecurity and even anger since Steve left. He was a true magician. Where are the miracles you promised? When are you guys going to deliver the goods?
The answer was simply wait and see, wait and see. Blind faith in anything is as good as it is, but not good enough as we all know very well.
But what Apple showed us yesterday was as pure a beauty as there is and within it lies a silent promise already next autumn.
I think we are experiencing one more turning point in Apples history and that it will not only restore our old faith in Apple but a greater Phoenix rising effect we have never before experienced in tech history.
We witnessed not just more integration of IOS vs OSX, between programs / developers, but also and not the least greater integration or deeper penetration into their customers core values, their lives and health. That’s fantastic and totally exalting, like when Topolsky describes his regained faith in Apple. Expect something “thermonuclear” this autumn.
I fuc…ing love this company 🙂
No. They’re not “new” and they’re not “back”. This has been undergoing development for a long time.
All that has been happening is that Apple doesn’t engage the stupid idiots and trolls.
I tend to agree, there was always going to be a few years at least where the kill drones would circle waiting to pounce and the managements job was to hold the line steer a steady path until all but the biggest idiots see the truth rather than their own pre conceived perceptions of doom. It’s others who are understanding that gradually not any serious change in Apple.
Cook has done his job very well despite the morons trying to chip away at his authority for everything under the dun as much for his sexual proclivities as his business acumen. His stoicism is commendable but as their attacks look ever more deluded expect even greater ferocity from these clowns.
Ferocious clowns (shudder). That’s the problem with clowns, AFAIC…they are misshapen and grotesque, they get you laughing, offer you a piece of taffy, and then tear your arm off.
“but as their attacks look ever more deluded expect even greater ferocity from these clowns”
Some semi-reasonable ones may give up, now. Those who have no clue, whose very identity is tangled up with being anti-Apple, will only more and more stupid, the greater their ferocity.
I said this in another post, but I think Apple’s new OSes are incredible. I think they are significant game-changers for the company. The seamlessness with which the OSes are now tied together is just spot-on and I think people will be very pleased with them when they get a chance to play.
For now, the chattering TV people still – as always – just don’t get Apple and can’t see the forest for the trees.
Apple has a new “Killer App” in the forthcoming OSes and it will knock people’s socks off.
Add to that a few new hardware devices – Health Kit accessories, Home Kit accessories, new iPhone/iPad and I think Apple has set the foundation for a strong showing against competitors that will last for years.
Full disclosure: I’m a biased Apple user 😉
I never sensed any such rumination. Apple has been direct, competent, and profitable.
Period.
Then you should watch the video again. The “confidence” and fun was easily seen by all that have watched and listened to Apple events for years. Even Tim Cook seemed to relax more. It helps when the speakers know what else is coming from Apple. They were showing developers the soul that will drive the devices and services to be announced later this year and next!
The “rumination,” or chewing of a cud in consternation referred to the statement in the above article. Here’s the passage:
“In recent years — and let’s be honest, probably since just after Steve Jobs’ death in 2011 — there has been a sense of hesitation, of standoffishness, and maybe even a little bit of fear in the tone of Apple events. ”
My statement is clear; I’ve seen no such “sense of hesitation.”
That was my point. Apple has been, and is direct, competent, and profitable.
Tim doesn’t have Steve Jobs’ natural presentation skills (or Craig’s, for that matter), but he’s obviously been working on it, and is now much better compared to his first efforts. Well done, Tim.
Craig Federighi jokes and pranks are not funny, he tries too hard, miss Steve Jobs in such situations.
I disagree, I liked them very much. Exploring the road to Yosemity was priceless!
You don’t have to find him funny, I do.
And I welcome his tries at being funny regardless.
We live in a grey world, let him do his great and his not so great jokes.
Totally right!
I got the impression that the morning over steve’s death is now behind them and I see his spirit in the apple guys.
Steve would have been really proud off what they did yesterday, and so they should be smiling.
Apple’s back and they know where they’re going!
In both in this year’s and last year’s WWDC, the gags about Craig’s hair, the banter about OS naming, the ad libs, the swipes at Android — the guys are readily trotting them out, not needing to run them past Steve Jobs. They still have a ways to go before becoming Monty Python, but hey…
I agree with the article 100%. This was the best keynote since Jobs was around and healthy. Cook and Federighi were confident and it showed. And since this was the keynote for a developers’ conference, having most of the announcements relate to things of intense interest to developers was a nice touch. No hardware, just software and programming stuff.
Finally, as I watched the keynote the image that kept flashing through my mind was a sweaty Balmer dancing around on stage yelling Developers, Developers, Developers over and over and over again. That happened at a MS developers conference. Just think of the immense difference between the Balmer routine and Cook and Federighi. That really sums up the difference between Apple and MS.
Federighi’s new name: ‘Hair Force One’.
Coined by Brad Molen at Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/hidden-features-ios-8/
Hilarious.
He was dubbed Hair Force One last year.
Spot on.
What a shock, losing one of the greatest figures in technology history was difficult.
And let’s not forget- this was a flawless two hours of technological brilliance just in the presentation.
It is the best way to honor the memory of Steve: That the student surpasses the master.
The Master will never be equaled or repeated. He was one-of-a-kind, but he created a vibrant company with great DNA but also great talent. They’ve got their own Mojo now, but he made it possible.
Never mind the small disaster
Who’s the stronger, who’s the faster?
Let the pupil show the master—
Next!
Next!
=:~)
Fitter, happier, more productive.