Tim Cook: Management Shakeup Indeed Driven by Desire for Increased Collaboration

[MacRumors]

In his lengthy interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Apple CEO Tim Cook discusses the recent management shakeup that saw iOS chief Scott Forstall relieved of his duties and retail boss John Browett out of a job just months after arriving at Apple. In line with comments in the press release announcing the changes, Cook elaborates on his belief in high levels of collaboration and that executive changes were needed in order to take that effort to the next level.

So the changes--it's not a matter of going from no collaboration to collaboration. We have an enormous level of collaboration in Apple, but it's a matter of taking it to another level. You look at what we are great at. There are many things. But the one thing we do, which I think no one else does, is integrate hardware, software, and services in such a way that most consumers begin to not differentiate anymore. They just care that the experience is fantastic.

So how do we keep doing that and keep taking it to an even higher level? You have to be an A-plus at collaboration. And so the changes that we made get us to a whole new level of collaboration.

Cook goes on to highlight Eddy Cue's expertise in services, Jony Ive's design skills, Bob Mansfield's experience with silicon and wireless, and Craig Federighi's history of overseeing the underpinnings of both OS X and iOS. Cook is careful to note, however, that this increased collaboration is not working toward a merger of iOS and OS X as some have speculated.

We don't subscribe to the vision that the OS for iPhones and iPads should be the same as Mac. As you know, iOS and Mac OS are built on the same base. And Craig has always managed the common elements. And so this is a logical extension. Customers want iOS and Mac OS X to work together seamlessly, not to be the same, but to work together seamlessly.

Forstall had been seen as a polarizing figure at Apple, wearing his ambition on his sleeve while some said that he was quick to take credit for accomplishments but deflecting blame for missteps. Forstall reportedly also refused to sign an open letter from Cook apologizing for shortcomings in Apple's new Maps app for iOS 6, sealing his fate.

Article Link: Tim Cook: Management Shakeup Indeed Driven by Desire for Increased Collaboration

[miniroll32]

Looks like Bob Mansfield is the odd one out now.

Has he not discovered Apple's gym?

[solaris7]

Ive looks none too happy.

[sza]

So who is in charge of the manufacturing quality control?

[DamonBowser]

Originally Posted by solaris7

Ive looks none too happy.

He's going for a Hardcore industrial look

[justperry]

Originally Posted by miniroll32

Looks like Bob Mansfield is the odd one out now.

Has he not discovered Apple's gym?

It's brains what Apple wants, not sportsmen.

[Northgrove]

Originally Posted by solaris7

Ive looks none too happy.

The day Ive regularly starts looking happy, I'll start to worry.

[JS77]

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the -Team

[capoeirista]

"You have to be an A-plus at collaboration. And so the changes that we made get us to a whole new level of collaboration."

We fired the people who didn't work well with others.

[Jetson]

Frankly, I don't blame Forstall for NOT signing that lame apology letter. He would have been forced out anyway so why should he do a public humiliation on top of it?

Apple Maps is pretty good. Yes there were a few problems but that's to be expected. It was senior management's decision to sever ties with Google Maps and rush out a new product. Then Eddy Cue fires the manager in charge of Apple Maps. Heads must roll I suppose.

Apple seems like a pretty political place right now, people jockeying for position and throwing enemies under the bus. Looking at those photos, diversity does not exist anywhere near the reigns of power.

I just hope that in the post-Jobs era, under Tim Cook, Apple manages to continue being successful.

[wkadamsjr]

Ive is staring me into submission. I almost feel obligated to go buy an Apple product now.

[Northgrove]

Unusual to hear an Apple CEO be this open about internal company affairs and people being forced to leave the company. But I assume it's to give that extra nudge to Apple stock. Apple usually doesn't comment on these kind of matters if it doesn't help them. But if there's one thing the stock market dislikes, it's uncertainty surrounding major moves within a company. I don't doubt that some of the recent stock tumbles are effects of questions being raised in the wake of the recent shakeup. A bit like "Oh, wow... OK. So now what will happen?" So while I may be biased here, I do think this interview is a smart move by Cook, and probably calculated.

[slrandall]

We don't subscribe to the vision that the OS for iPhones and iPads should be the same as Mac. As you know, iOS and Mac OS are built on the same base. And Craig has always managed the common elements. And so this is a logical extension. Customers want iOS and Mac OS X to work together seamlessly, not to be the same, but to work together seamlessly.

I like this.

[the8thark]

Originally Posted by miniroll32

Looks like Bob Mansfield is the odd one out now.

Has he not discovered Apple's gym?

No.
Ive is the odd one out. Ive is the only one not smiling. And the only one with no buttons on his shirt.

[ironsienna]

Eddie Cue is looking on the right and all the others on the left! Like he is supervising them! Eddie will be the next CEO!


<sarcasm >

[Beeplance]

O reli?

[PBP]

Originally Posted by slrandall

I like this.

Me 2, some doomers here thought otherwise

[Jetson]

People speculate on why the Apple stock prices drop.

There are many reasons other than the idea that "uncertainty" about management shakeups is causing people to panic and sell.

More likely people sell Apple stock because it's at the top of it's likely near term valuation - profit taking. Also with federal taxes such as capital gains surely increasing people want to take profits before those new rates kick in. Several Apple executives have recently sold $millions worth of Apple stock. Are they panicking?

I seriously doubt that investors are concerned with who got hired or fired.

[JohnnyRockets31]

Maps in iOS 6.0 absolutely blows. And that is my gentile way of saying it. It is the worst Apple app that I can remember. Apple better let Google Maps app back on the iPhone or a lot of people will never upgrade. Who cares about the directions or a fly over view. Maps app cannot perform the basic integrated search that Google maps was great at doing.

Maps absolutely sucks. Wonder why Apple's stock is so depressed? Look no further.

[Krazy Bill]

We don't subscribe to the vision that the OS for iPhones and iPads should be the same as Mac.

Then stop doing it!

[HarryKeogh]

They should have fired Forstall when he tried to coin the term "blow away".

[ncaissie]

They just care that the experience is fantastic.

Yeah because the Maps experience is just fantastic.
Yeah because the iOS App store experience is just fantastic.
Yeah because sorting app reviews to read some of the more honest negative reviews experience is just fantastic.

[Piggie]

They say there is no reason why the iMac and (iPhone/iPad) should have the same OS, and that's fair enough.........

But a lot of critism has come from (and will come more and more from) the fact they basically have just blown up the UI/Screen from a 4" iPhone onto a 10" tablet, without making any usage of all the new screen area they have to use.

Sure, we can understand why they did it for the iPad1 as it was a risk and they did not want to spend time and money into a new UI so it was easy, quick and safe just to (almost) port it straight over.

The same few icons on a vast amount of screen space, just BIGGER

But come on, we're now on V4..... About time you looked seriously at the UI on a 10" screen and made the most of it.

[JaySoul]

Just read the whole Business Week interview - superb read: http://www.businessweek.com/articles...-ceo-speaks#p1

[realeric]

Collaboration becomes sometimes interference.