“I have a prediction. At some point over the next month or so, Apple will issue an update to macOS High Sierra specifically designed to address an issue caused by the macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update,” Michael Simon writes for Macworld. “Granted, it might not be as highly publicized as the thermal throttling bug, but I’m betting there will be something Apple needs to correct that rises above the usual universal big fixes and performance tweaks.”
“I hope I’m wrong. But until Apple builds up a cushion of reliability, there’s no reason to think its new product launches, updates, and even patches won’t be riddled with bugs and issues, some so big that they make headlines,” Simon writes. “Apple has always prided itself on selling trust to its customers, and right now, it’s just not there. And as we head into the biggest season of Apple releases, that’s not exactly inspiring confidence in new iPhones and a redesigned Apple Watch.”
“Some would say that Apple is too big, juggling no less than four major OSes and five product categories that all need serious attention (and that’s not even including HomePod and AirPods). Or it could be the sheer pace of yearly updates that is causing things that should be caught to go unnoticed until it’s too late,” Simon writes. “But those problems should have been corrected by now… I think the problem is systematic due to a softening of Apple’s corporate culture in the wake of Steve Jobs. No one expected Tim Cook to be able to replicate Jobs’ ability to innovate—though to be honest, I think the Apple Watch and AirPods are products that would have made Steve Jobs proud—but Cook also brings a softer, friendlier management style that clearly isn’t getting the same results.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Would that our warning from January 2015 were heeded years ago:
Dear Mr. Cook,
“It just works.” That’s getting tougher and tougher for us OS X and iOS users to say with straight faces lately.
Apple, while certainly still the best when it comes to desktop and mobile operating systems, needs to do better. Our expectations, some of us as users of Apple products since the early 1980s, are not being met when it comes to the quality and reliability of operating systems, software, and services. Used to be, you could pretty confidently install brand new operating systems from Apple. Recently, we’re more inclined to wait for a few point releases than not. It’s downright Microsoftian. Lately, for the past couple of years, your software seems rushed. Is “rush job” really the impression you want to give your customers?
Slow down! Getting it right is far more important than getting it out.
Frankly, we don’t need a new Mac or iPhone/iPad operating system every year and Apple Inc. doesn’t need it, either. Annual OS releases shouldn’t be mandated. What we all really need, customers and Apple Inc., are operating systems that are rock solid and do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it. Why not just add new features/services to existing OSes with continued point releases that refine and extend the experiences and services you want to deliver? Why not just release new operating systems only when they are rock solid and ready?
In other words, take a step back, take a deep breath, and focus on making sure that what you have now just works. Because too much of it doesn’t (Wi-Fi connectivity for one ongoing, glaring, vexing example). Getting it right is far more important than having two “new” free OSes to release each year. Seriously, nobody outside of Cupertino very much cares. We do, however, care very much that Apple’s software and services work as flawlessly as possible…
Bottom line: We long to again be able to confidently say of our Macs, iPhones, and iPads: “It just works.”
Sincerely,
MacDailyNews
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If Steve Jobs were to walk back in the door today (if only!), heads would roll. — MacDailyNews, April 5, 2017
SEE ALSO:
Apple CEO Tim Cook plummets in Glassdoor’s tech CEO rankings – June 20, 2018
Tim Cook: ‘Maybe we should have been clearer’ over throttling iPhones with aging batteries – January 18, 2018
Apple product delays have more than doubled under CEO Tim Cook – January 5, 2018
Apple CEO Tim Cook paid close to $102 million for fiscal 2017 – December 28, 2017
At Tim Cook’s Apple, Steve Jobs is long gone, and so is the ‘it just works’ ethos – December 19, 2017
Tim Cook’s sloppy, unfocused Apple rushes to fix a major Mac security bug – November 29, 2017
Under ‘operations genius’ Tim Cook, product delays and other problems are no longer unusual for Apple – November 20, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook: The ‘operations genius’ who never has enough products to sell at launch – October 23, 2017
Apple’s Tim Cook reaped $145 million last year, most of S&P 500 CEOs – June 30, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook plummets 45 spots in employee ratings – June 22, 2017
Who has taken over at Apple? – April 5, 2017
Walt Mossberg: Apple’s software needs work – February 3, 2016
Open letter to Tim Cook: Apple needs to do better – January 5, 2015
Apple CEO Tim Cook falls from 1st to 18th in Glassdoor’s tech CEO rankings – March 15, 2013