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Tim Cook has held the reins at Apple for over a year now, and this evening, he gave his first official television interview with Brian Williams on NBC's Rock Center, where he spoke about his role as CEO after Steve Jobs, lamented about the Maps debacle, and revealed a few hints about what's to come for Apple in the future. The full video is embedded below.

The first part of the interview focused on his first year as CEO, and what it was like to follow in the footsteps of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Cook was humble and personable as he explained that Jobs taught him to "just do what's right."

When asked about Apple's Maps application, which has faced significant criticism and resulted in the restructuring of the company, Cook told Williams that Apple "screwed up," and is "putting the weight of the company behind correcting it."


Part 1​
Cook also touched on the ongoing conflict between Samsung and Apple, after Williams played a Samsung commercial for the Galaxy S3 that attacks Apple's iPhone, branding it as uncool.
We love our customers. And we'll fight to defend them with anyone. Is it thermonuclear war? The reality is, is that we love competition, at Apple. We think it makes us all better. But we want people to invent their own stuff.
In one interesting section of the interview, Williams asked Cook if Apple would last, and how the company would avoid becoming like Sony, popular in the 80's and 90's before fading into the background. Cook reiterated Apple's drive to focus on a small number of products.
We're very simple people at Apple. We focus on making the world's best products and enriching people's lives. I think some companies -- maybe even the one that you mention, maybe they decided that they could do everything. We have to make sure, at Apple, that we stay true to focus, laser focus -- we know we can only do great things a few times, only on a few products.
The juiciest details of the exchange between Williams and Cook, which were leaked in teasers earlier this afternoon, came in the second part of the interview, where Williams focused on the Apple television, the death of Steve Jobs, and the U.S. production of Apple products.


Part 2​
Cook commented on the much rumored Apple television set, mentioning, as revealed earlier, Apple's "intense interest" in the market, but he revealed little beyond that, speaking cryptically about his love of "The Jetsons."
It's a market that we see, that has been left behind. You know, I used to watch "The Jetsons" as a kid. I love "The Jetsons." We're living "The Jetsons" with this. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that. But ...
He also went into more detail about Apple's plans to bring production back to the United States, confirming that next year, one of the Mac lines will be produced in the United States.
You know, this iPhone, as a matter of fact, the engine in here is made in America. And not only are the engines in here made in America, but engines are made in America and are exported. The glass on this phone is made in Kentucky. And so we've been working for years on doing more and more in the United States. Next year, we will do one of our existing Mac lines in the United States.
Williams ended the interview trying to get a few more tidbits on Apple's plans for the future, but this is all Cook had to say:
Our whole role in life is to give you something you didn't know you wanted. And then once you get it, you can't imagine your life without it. And you can count on Apple doing that.

Article Link: Tim Cook Speaks About Apple Maps, Samsung, and Apple's Future in TV Interview with Brian Williams
 

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
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click on article link to see videos. They are NBC's players. Won't appear on iOS devices.
 

brianbobcat

macrumors regular
Aug 13, 2003
165
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Illinois
Overall, not much new for the MacRumors regulars. I think the most interesting part came during the live webcast afterwards, when while a lot of nothing new was said, we found out that Brian Williams knows of MacRumors. :)
 

Born Again

macrumors 68040
May 12, 2011
3,996
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Norcal
Wow so scripted.

Tim Cook hasn't offered anything new. He's on a strick course of setting good PR.

Watch the post interview with Brian Williams & joshua topolskyi of the verge. They pretty much agree that Tim cook was a robot
 
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Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,922
12,470
NC
Overall, not much new for the MacRumors regulars. I think the most interesting part came during the live webcast afterwards, when while a lot of nothing new was said, we found out that Brian Williams knows of MacRumors. :)

Yes! It was very cool to see Brian Williams ask Josh "so what do you think of _____?

It felt like Brian knew more than just the talking points... very refreshing coming from a mainstream media guy.

I've also enjoyed Brian Williams when he appears on Letterman, etc.
 

Ivan P

macrumors 68030
Jan 17, 2008
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Home
Tim Cook has been CEO for over a year and two months now, not "almost a year" as the article suggests.
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
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He said this:

Our whole role in life is to give you something you didn't know you wanted. And then once you get it, you can't imagine your life without it. And you can count on Apple doing that.

Nice and inspiring words. Can't see them doing this with the iPhone 5.

I'll be looking at the iPhone and other products in 2013. See if he meant what he said.
 

hjdttt

macrumors newbie
Apr 28, 2010
15
0
typo

"Tim Cook has held the REINS" or "Tim Cook has held reign"

Sorry. Copy editor by trade.
 

darster

Suspended
Aug 25, 2011
1,703
1
Brian Williams had an iphone on his table in one of the shots during the interview. He had a case on it, which probably made Cook cringe.
 

a0me

macrumors 65816
Oct 5, 2006
1,074
166
Tokyo, Japan
It's a market that we see, that has been left behind. You know, I used to watch "The Jetsons" as a kid. I love "The Jetsons." We're living "The Jetsons" with this. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that. But ...
It's obvious. Apple is making a flying car.

21feb-jetsons-flying-car.jpg
 

Mr Fusion

macrumors 6502a
May 7, 2007
841
1,061
Cook interviews like a politician.

Brian: <Question>
Tim: "You know Brian, <Generic Apple Talking Point>"
...

What's the point of interviewing someone who can't reveal anything new? :rolleyes:
 

portishead

macrumors 65816
Apr 4, 2007
1,114
2
los angeles
I didn't watch the interview, but I watched the one with Brian Williams and Josh Topolsky. I thought it was a pretty decent exchange. Brian Williams is awesome. Josh isn't bad either, I'm coming around on him.
 

jer9542

macrumors member
Aug 20, 2010
85
0
"The glass on this phone is made in Kentucky."

So it's Gorilla Glass all along...
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
I was hoping for a little more depth in the interview. I don't think there was much substance there.
 

Ultimedia

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2009
29
5
Our whole role in life is to give you something you didn't know you wanted. And then once you get it, you can't imagine your life without it.

That's spot on for me, let this be some inspiration for everyone designing products and services :).
 
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