Apple Names Art Levinson Chairman, Disney's Bob Iger Joins Board of Directors

[Nothlit]

Originally Posted by Benjamindaines

So after Steve's death all this dude's done is change the company all over. I'd be kinda pissed if I owned stock. Comment doesn't really relate to this event, just that we keep seeing these stories again and again.

If you read the Steve Jobs biography you'd know that he really respected both Levinson and Iger. Steve was the largest shareholder of Disney, and worked directly with Iger to facilitate Disney's purchase of Pixar in 2006. So to imply that making Levinson chairman and adding Iger to the board are things that Steve would have disagreed with is just wrong.

[EssentialParado]

Great move on both counts. Bolster's faith in a post-Steve Apple future.

[ownamac]

Originally Posted by Benjamindaines

So after Steve's death all this dude's done is change the company all over. I'd be kinda pissed if I owned stock. Comment doesn't really relate to this event, just that we keep seeing these stories again and again.

I own the stock and I'm glad to see this move. It helps to address the giant hole in the board left by Steve.

Many of the organizational changes since Steve's death will help to compensate for his absence and is a very good sign of Cook being proactive in moving forward.

[Glideslope]

Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer

Steve's requests are clearly being honored by all parties involved.

Yes, and a very positive sign for the future.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by Glideslope

Yes, and a very positive sign for the future.

But probably only for a very limited future....

If anything is a constant in high tech - it's that nothing is constant.

In six months, following advice from the late turtlenecked overlord may be a mistake. In twelve months, it will be a mistake.

In 24 months, if the Apple execs are still following Jobs' plan I hope that they've established generous golden parachutes for themselves.

[EssentialParado]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

But probably only for a very limited future....

If anything is a constant in high tech - it's that nothing is constant.

In six months, following advice from the late turtlenecked overlord may be a mistake. In twelve months, it will be a mistake.

In 24 months, if the Apple execs are still following Jobs' plan I hope that they've established generous golden parachutes for themselves.

Steve's not an idiot. There is evidence all over that he spent a lot of time in the last year or two structuring the future of Apple, future recruitment, and the current employees to bring people in line with his thinking and how he saw the world. Tim Cook said Steve had told him never to think "what would Steve would do", but to "do what's right". I believe Steve realized it would be more visionary to bring people in line with his thinking, and not make them follow a series of inflexible plans.

[Imhotep397]

HOPEFULLY...this means Levinson will ride Apple into doing the right thing and getting back into the server/enterprise/Cloud building tech market as it seems he was the loudest opponent to Apple killing it's server products if the rumors are to be believed. Perhaps he can guide Apple towards finally merging with/acquiring Oracle and bringing Larry Ellison back on the board.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by EssentialParado

Steve's not an idiot.

Steve's dead. He's nothing.

If you meant "Steve wasn't an idiot", then say that.

Originally Posted by EssentialParado

Tim Cook said Steve had told him never to think "what would Steve would do", but to "do what's right".

Well, if the rumoured "even thinner" 15" MacBook comes with an external USB 3.0 Blu-ray Disc burner - then we'll know that Tim got the message.

If it's a bigger MacBook Air, Tim didn't get the message.

[visim91]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

Steve's dead. He's nothing.

If you meant "Steve wasn't an idiot", then say that.




Well, if the rumoured "even thinner" 15" MacBook comes with an external USB 3.0 Blu-ray Disc burner - then we'll know that Tim got the message.

If it's a bigger MacBook Air, Tim didn't get the message.

The world beyond the end of your nose must be a deeply confusing, troubling place for you.

[KPOM]

It's good corporate governance to separate the chairman and CEO roles. Prior to Steve Jobs' last month, Apple never separated this role. It's good to see this continue.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by visim91

The world beyond the end of your nose must be a deeply confusing, troubling place for you.

Would you care to explain? That's a cheap shot without any explanation.

MBA Tim needs to "do what's right", in spite of the late turtlenecked overlord's peeves. Supporting Blu-ray Disc (BD) would be one way of pleasing many Apple customers, and incidentally making a statement that Tim listens to those customers.

And, of course, Steve is dead.

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Originally Posted by KPOM

It's good corporate governance to separate the chairman and CEO roles. Prior to Steve Jobs' last month, Apple never separated this role. It's good to see this continue.

Actually, prior to Jobs' resignation in August - Apple didn't have a chairman.

[tbear1]

Iger sounds like a good addition to the board. He should have a solid understanding of media content.

Glenn

[mobi]

Originally Posted by vitzr

i am familiar with these two gentlemen and they are great additions to the apple family.

+1

[EssentialParado]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

MBA Tim needs to "do what's right", in spite of the late turtlenecked overlord's peeves. Supporting Blu-ray Disc (BD) would be one way of pleasing many Apple customers, and incidentally making a statement that Tim listens to those customers.

Why do you want or need a Blu-ray player/burner? For backup, storage, and media distribution, the Internet is cheaper, faster, and more efficient for the majority of users (exception of the minority still on dial up.) This is probably why Apple have never bothered to implement Blu ray and it's why they're phasing out disc drives altogether, so I don't see why they would put in Blu ray now.

I also don't understand why you're talking about Blu ray in a completely off-topic article.

[koobcamuk]

Great story, thanks for sharing MR. Arn on form again. How are those Apple shares?

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Originally Posted by visim91

The world beyond the end of your nose must be a deeply confusing, troubling place for you.

It is. Confusing on colossal scales. Just look at any news headline, and it baffles me. Humanity is stupid.

[cvaldes]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

MBA Tim needs to "do what's right", in spite of the late turtlenecked overlord's peeves. Supporting Blu-ray Disc (BD) would be one way of pleasing many Apple customers, and incidentally making a statement that Tim listens to those customers.

And of course, what "Tim needs to do what's right" is what YOU want him to do.

Personally, I hope Apple senior management continues to realize that including Blu-ray support will not help the company's gross margins.

Apple Inc. can help kill off shiny discs. The sooner it happens, the world will be a better place.

Die, optical media, die.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by EssentialParado

Why do you want or need a Blu-ray player/burner? For backup, storage, and media distribution, the Internet is cheaper, faster, and more efficient for the majority of users (exception of the minority still on dial up.) This is probably why Apple have never bothered to implement Blu ray and it's why they're phasing out disc drives altogether, so I don't see why they would put in Blu ray now.

I also don't understand why you're talking about Blu ray in a completely off-topic article.

BD is roughly 50 Mbps, with a monthly cap of above 16 TB.

What does your ISP give you?

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Originally Posted by cvaldes

Apple Inc. can help kill off shiny discs. The sooner it happens, the world will be a better place.

Die, optical media, die.

Because people without fast internet connections shouldn't be able to watch content?

[TheQuestion]

Originally Posted by ViPhone

It is clear to me after nearly completing his bio, that this is exactly the type of thing Steve would want for his baby.

Good choice.

Now how long until Jony Ive takes over?

I don't think you will ever see Ive take over as Apple's CEO. Even though Steve called him a soulmate of sorts in his bio, Ive has shunned the spotlight and shown no inclination that he wants the responsibility of being a CEO. He's also too nice a guy. I think Scott Forstall would be more a likely candidate after Cook. He appears to have the right mix of genius, tyrant and a****** to be the next Steve. Before anyone flames me for insinuating Steve is a sphincter, Steve admits it several times in Isaacson's bio. It's part of the recipe for success.

[cvaldes]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

Because people without fast internet connections shouldn't be able to watch content?

Various studies have showed that the average consumer can't really tell the difference between 1080p and lower definition sources.

The content isn't being removed, its distribution parameters are just being altered. Sometimes this goes the other way.

I'd love to get KDFC on my FM radio here in the bottom part of the 650 area code. Ain't gonna happen. Yet if I still lived in the City, I would get the terrestrial broadcast signal.

The world moves on.

Luckily, my ISP at home (Google WiFi) has no bandwidth caps. The throughput isn't all that great, but hey, it's a bargain for what I'm paying out of pocket.

In any case, reducing the number of silver discs produced on this planet every year will benefit the environment.

I never said that I was in favor of a complete abolition of optical media in one fell swoop, I just encouraged Apple's ability to speed up the demise. I'm perfectly fine letting people watch their VHS tapes and laserdiscs.

[isoMorpheus]

Disney seems like a pretty bloated company to me, just look at their website.

[Mums]

UmHmmmmm....

[Ballis]

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

BD is roughly 50 Mbps, with a monthly cap of above 16 TB.

What does your ISP give you?

My isp gives me twice that speed and no monthly cap.

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

Because people without fast internet connections shouldn't be able to watch content?

they should, but not relying on bluray on their macs.

Apple should kill optical media on all their machines. Including bluray in new mba's or mbp's now is the dumbest idea ive heared in a while.

[4D4M]

Originally Posted by Ballis

Apple should kill optical media on all their machines. Including bluray in new mba's or mbp's now is the dumbest idea ive heared in a while.

Stick him on your ignore list and be done.

[4D4M]

Originally Posted by isoMorpheus

Disney seems like a pretty bloated company to me, just look at their website.

Changing the culture of a stagnant company takes time. Before they bought Pixar, they hadn't made any real blockbusters for about 15 years. Their creative/animation division had become a joke, in fact the films they were distributing for Pixar were much more successful than their own.

Getting rid of the idiot Eisner and buying Pixar was the only logical choice. Now, with Pixar's help, they have to work to turn things around.

[MacUser5]

At the AllThingsD conference Steve said Apple had zero committees. Turns out they have quite a few.