Apple's Public Relations Department Opening Up Under Tim Cook

[Rmurphy36]

Big mistake. Steve kept the media guessing so they stayed close. Does anyone get excited about what GE does and they put out lots of press releases? The media loves it because they think companies should give them freebies. Being nice is not the same as continuing excellence in products and is not a substitute.

[Rogifan]

The Verge recently did a feature piece on Google's design revolution under Larry Page. It was an indepth feature with comments from Google UI employees. And just the other day they had an interview with the Windows CFO talking up Windows 8. I don't think it would hurt Apple to make themselves more available to the media. Or at least let some friendly media outlets inside a bit. Don't have to give away product roadmaps or anything like that. But being so secretive these days just creates this huge vacuum that gets filled by rumors and bogus predictions from Wall Street "analysts" and then the hues and cries from the tech press and other media outlets about Apple not being innovative anymore, being lost without Steve, Tim Cook needs to be fired, etc.

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Originally Posted by HiRez

I wonder when spending on advertising will follow. Samsung is now spending about 14X what Apple is on advertising, and it is having an effect. You almost literally cannot watch a commercial block anywhere on tv without seeing a Samsung ad.

Yep. But this could backfire on Samsung. I keep thinking eventually people will get sick of seeing Galaxy advertising all over the place all the time. I know I am.

[tech4all]

Originally Posted by Fresh Pie

I feel the same way about your punctuation.

Kinda of a childish comeback. Guess that's expected here when someone questions Apple or Mr. Cook's abilities.

[Fresh Pie]

Originally Posted by tech4all

Kinda of a childish comeback. Guess that's expected when someone questions Apple or Mr. Cook's abilities here.

A childish comeback… from a child?! But how? Besides, he wasn't merely ciritsizing a business decision; he blatantly stated that ol' Timmy "blows". The maturity level wasn't exactly high to begin with.

[JHankwitz]

Originally Posted by ericinboston

"

2)Apple Macs will be as accepted as Windows-based machines in the corporate world (we've been hearing similar stories for 25+ years).

Macs far outsold Windows just 20 years ago. That's about the time Microsoft screwed Apple in the courtroom to get their Mac GUI because of a poorly written paragraph in the Office for Mac contract. The contract failed to clearly limit the use of the Mac GUI to Office, which at the time was the biggest selling software package on the Mac and by far the biggest seller for Microsoft. Microsoft used that court win to create Windows.

[Bubba Satori]

I guess the last full moon lasted longer than usual.

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by JHankwitz

Macs far outsold Windows just 20 years ago. That's about the time Microsoft screwed Apple in the courtroom to get their Mac GUI because of a poorly written paragraph in the Office for Mac contract. The contract failed to clearly limit the use of the Mac GUI to Office, which at the time was the biggest selling software package on the Mac and by far the biggest seller for Microsoft. Microsoft used that court win to create Windows.

Read up on your tech history again. That contract loophole was only a small part of a much greater whole that ended up costing Apple the rights to the GUI.

The major part was that Apple didn't invent the GUI to begin with, and couldn't claim ownership of something someone else had already done beforehand.

[tevion5]

"A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

- You know who

[holmesf]

Originally Posted by tevion5

"A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

- You know who

Lord Voldemort was more insightful than people give him credit for.

[blackhand1001]

Originally Posted by ericinboston

"...including a study predicting that by 2014, Apple will be as accepted in the enterprise as Microsoft is today."


So let me get this straight...within 10 months:

1)Apple software (what software?) will be as accepted as MS SQL Server or MS Office or MS Windows.

2)Apple Macs will be as accepted as Windows-based machines in the corporate world (we've been hearing similar stories for 25+ years). Even though there are no business Support contracts by Apple...you know...those corporate contracts about supporting hardware, upgrades, pricing, implementation teams, development teams, escalation/dedicated teams, etc. And where are the hundreds of thousands of Mac/Apple IT people to even do the work at Company X?

3)Apple iPads will be as accepted as MS tablets (you know, the one MS just released a few months ago which has no traction). This would be a true statement, but it's sure not saying much! Why not say that Apple will be as popular as nuns handing out cigarettes to children at bus stops?


Apple has a very, VERY long road to any kind of corporate acceptance. The very basics (regardless of how good a product(s) you think Apple has) are entirely missing from Apple: technical support, roadmapping, open-ness, pricing. Not to mention the fact that Apple has a very my-way-or-the-highway approach.

Apple is consumer-focused...plain and simple. Which is fine. Comparing phones and MP3 players to core hardware/software that RUNS businesses is abdsurd.

I think the new imac even started to rub consumers in the wrong way. Apple will never be accepted into the corporate world until they have something like the dell optiplex and dimension desktop lines as well as offering onsite support and all the enterprise stuff that goes with it.

[TheMTtakeover]

Originally Posted by carmenodie

nobody is offering the level of fit and finish as apple so fu** the competition.yeah, samsung has some interesting phones but they still suck!
As far as i'm concerned apple has killed the rest of consumer electronic industry. If you have the air, the iphone and either the ipad mini of the big boy you are done!
And when the air is given the retina display as well as the ipad mini all hell is going to break through in this bitch!

****ing right!

[1Alec1]

I don't really like how Tim Cook handles public relations, but he handles the products as well as Steve Jobs did.

[coltman75]

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

I think the new imac even started to rub consumers in the wrong way. Apple will never be accepted into the corporate world until they have something like the dell optiplex and dimension desktop lines as well as offering onsite support and all the enterprise stuff that goes with it.

How is it rubbing consumers the wrong way? Everyone I know who got one loves it, and I've already seen it going into the offices at work. At my work, this iMac has already become more popular than any other iMac.

[TennisandMusic]

Originally Posted by coltman75

How is it rubbing consumers the wrong way? Everyone I know who got one loves it, and I've already seen it going into the offices at work. At my work, this iMac has already become more popular than any other iMac.

Go read the iMac sub forum?

[deconstruct60]

Originally Posted by Rmurphy36

Big mistake. Steve kept the media guessing so they stayed close.

There is nothing in the "new" actions about pre-announcing products. What Apple PR is doing is making sure information that is already out there is examined and brought to light. Or otherwise clarified.


The only minor forward looking move that was new was to invoke the Osborne effect on the Mac Pro for what increasingly looks like over a year in advance. Frankly, Steve's hand was likely in that too for not necessarily direct reasons (e.g., the Mac Pro was Steve'd and it will take Cook a long time to resuscitate it. )

Otherwise ApplePR and ProdDev typical "leak through friendly media" apparatus is still in tack.

[Icaras]

Originally Posted by TennisandMusic

Go read the iMac sub forum?

And what? As if a sub forum of a few grumpy folks who can't accept change is any evidence of overall customer satisfaction from the thousands of now 2012 iMac owners.

I have a 2012 iMac myself and it's the best Mac I've ever owned. You don't see me perusing over there lately because I'm rather content and have nothing to complain about. I'm pretty sure this goes for most people who are content.

[iGrip]

by 2014, Apple will be as accepted in the enterprise as Microsoft is today.

Maybe, but it will just be iGadgets, and not real computers.

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Originally Posted by tech4all

Kinda of a childish comeback. Guess that's expected here when someone questions Apple or Mr. Cook's abilities.

That's SIR Cook to you. Oh, no, wait a minute. I think it's sir Johnny. Yep, that's it.

Never mind.

[blackhand1001]

Originally Posted by Icaras

And what? As if a sub forum of a few grumpy folks who can't accept change is any evidence of overall customer satisfaction from the thousands of now 2012 iMac owners.

I have a 2012 iMac myself and it's the best Mac I've ever owned. You don't see me perusing over there lately because I'm rather content and have nothing to complain about. I'm pretty sure this goes for most people who are content.

It would have been better if the thinness fetishist Jon Ive knew a worthy compromise from an unworthy one. The yields on production are horrendous and the base price rose.

[deconstruct60]

Originally Posted by Icaras

And what? As if a sub forum of a few grumpy folks who can't accept change is any evidence of overall customer satisfaction from the thousands of now 2012 iMac owners.

Indeed.... this site is more often Mac-Bitch-and-moan than Macrumors these days. Apple can release anything and guaranteed at least 80-100 posts about how it is horrible and a sign of the apocalypse

If it is so horrible how come they can't make them fast enough as they sell them?

And if do go look at the history of the iMac forum one of the old issues moaned and groaned about the most was the "too glossy screen". Apple addressed that problem. That is one reason is it is doing well.

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

The yields on production are horrendous and the base price rose.

Yields are temporary. It is problematical but it is also the pent up demand due to the extended delay that is a problem. Once demand settles to steady state things should get evened out. There is no evidence so far this will happen again on the next upgrade cycle.

The base price is also probably also temporary glitch for just this iteration.
The base RAM was bumped 100% to 8GB and the base HDD was bumped 100% to 1TB. That likely will lead to bump in the lowest configuration price.

That is part of the tradeoff of not wanting folks to open and upgrade those parts later. Next year it probably will still be stuck at 8GB and 1TB and price will fall again (presuming other major component costs don't go up).

Over a long term, 3-4 year horizon, it is a minor short term problem.

[Icaras]

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

It would have been better if the thinness fetishist Jon Ive knew a worthy compromise from an unworthy one. The yields on production are horrendous and the base price rose.

And I never thought I'd own a Mac with the best mobile GPU on the market for under $2500. Also couldn't be happier with the improvements in heat dissipation, fan noise reduction, and fusion drive performance. Even my power consumption on my 27" is less than my 21.5" before. All that in a chassis 40% less volume? Why not? Sold.

Like I said, happy camper here. Other than the yields and production issues, I see no compromises against the consumer in the final product. On the contrary, I find the 2012 better than it's predecessors in every way.

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Originally Posted by deconstruct60

And if do go look at the history of the iMac forum one of the old issues moaned and groaned about the most was the "too glossy screen". Apple addressed that problem. That is one reason is it is doing well.

Almost forgot about the screen improvement, which should matter to a great many folks. Definitely another plus to add to the list.

[bdrolshagen]

I am just a private buyer.
But before tcook took over "really", I bought a fruity device every second month or so. Today I kinda just wait for the next announcements. Lack in trust? Doubt in ("his") future? Sculley type distrust? hmmm... don't really appreciate this (my) behavior neither for my recent nor future investments in apple hard and software, though...
however, is this (tcook) everything left (about apple's future)? now, even seemingly (and surprisingly) overwhelmed with logistics? where is this brandnew 27 inch powerhorse imac, really? minimum 4 weeks away? others wait for a luxury car that long... macpro dead in europe after march 2013 with no alternatives? does not sound to me like a sovereign brand leading the tech pack...

[kockgunner]

Originally Posted by coltman75

How is it rubbing consumers the wrong way? Everyone I know who got one loves it, and I've already seen it going into the offices at work. At my work, this iMac has already become more popular than any other iMac.

Exactly.

The Macbook Air was bashed for not having an optical drive, a slower processor, and one USB port, but has evolved into the main type of computer I see among students. The iPad started out as a large iPod touch, but the apps came later. Many Apple products aren't practical when the first come out but they get better over time. Someone has to have the balls to move the market forward. I think in the future, a larger majority of desktops will be all in ones and look like the iMac similar to how many things look like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks.

Apple has said they won't go into a space where they can't contribute. It's not in the culture to cater to business business. Apple has been about creativity and the cross between tech and liberal arts. If someone wants a thin client desktop for business, get a Dell Optiplex.

[unobtainium]

Apple should fight back with some Mac vs. PC-style ads like they had several years ago.

Samsung guy: The Galaxy has a 4.8" AMOLED display!

Apple guy: You look like you're having trouble holding that with one hand. Hey, why is the screen so dim? Why don't you turn the brightness up.

Samsung guy: It is all the way up.

Apple guy: Oh, that's as bright as it goes?

Samsung guy: Well yeah, but it has S-Beam! I can share photos with you just buy touching our Galaxies together.

Apple guy: [confused look] But..I don't have a Galaxy. Why don't you just send them to me as an SMS?

Samsung guy: Okay, just a sec, my phone is frozen. Let me reboot (fumbles with it with one hand and drops it)


Come on Tim Cook, hire me

[Random 995K]

Originally Posted by unobtainium

Apple should fight back with some Mac vs. PC-style ads like they had several years ago.

Samsung guy: The Galaxy has a 4.8" AMOLED display!

Apple guy: You look like you're having trouble holding that with one hand. Hey, why is the screen so dim? Why don't you turn the brightness up.

Samsung guy: It is all the way up.

Apple guy: Oh, that's as bright as it goes?

Samsung guy: Well yeah, but it has S-Beam! I can share photos with you just buy touching our Galaxies together.

Apple guy: [confused look] But..I don't have a Galaxy. Why don't you just send them to me as an SMS?

Samsung guy: Okay, just a sec, my phone is frozen. Let me reboot (fumbles with it with one hand and drops it)


Come on Tim Cook, hire me

This is actually a great ad. C'mon Tim Cook.

[iGrip]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

The Journal says the PR efforts "represent a recognition that competition is heating up", according to a WSJ source, with a caveat that it wasn't a big shift in protocol.

Right. These guys crack me up. As if Apple has any competition at all.

Hey WSJ - maybe you haven't noticed, but its not a tablet market, it is an iPad market. Nobody sells MP3 players lkike apple. Not even close there. And Apple sells many, many more desktops and laptops in their respective categories than any of those craptastic brands like Dell.

Competition? Yeah, right.