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Apple Announces Management Changes: Scott Forstall and John Browett Out, Ive and Others Add Responsibilities

Awesome News!

I can't wait to see what direction this new executive team takes Apple going forward (not remaining in the past). I'm really excited to see what kind of unified UI and hardware experience that can be combined and made with iOS and Mac devices!
 
Scott Forstall leaving is fantastic news for Apple, and the first big, bold decision Tim Cook has made that we know about (correctly, IMHO). Apple's biggest weakness in the past 1-2 years has been the poor design and poor implementation (glitchy, buggy, ugly, etc.) of iOS and iOS software.
 
MMOTotal said:
My thoughts exactly. However they could scrap what they were working on and focus on the new UI people have been banging on about.
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i've read stories about Steve Jobs scrapping projects late in the development or in the last minute because he felt it didn't live up to quality standards. So it's definitely possible that one of these execs can do the same.
 
Thank goodness Browett is gone. I am still amazed he got the gig. Browett and Dixon Store Group had a disgraceful approach to customer service.

His tenure at Apple has lead to a sharp drop in service levels. Currently there's a six day wait to get a Mac Genius appointment at Apple's west-London stores. Previously I'd never had to wait longer than a day or two.
 
Speaking as a shareholder....HALLELUJAH!!! Seriously the best the news to come out of Apple since the Q1 earnings report of 2010. Bye-bye skeuomorphism - we won't miss you. They took the two biggest flaws of Apple management (that we can see publicly) and removed them. Way to go Tim! Jony Ive as the head of interface? Awesome! I look forward to seeing an even better harmony of hardware and software. Tim Cook may be the best choice as CEO, but I've always thought Jony is the one who can continue Steve's vision.
 
slimbek said:
I imagine this was the culprit behind Forstalls removal...
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I guess you're not a fan of analogue?

I think there was a certain nostalgia and warmth Jobs and Forstall appreciated with the skeumorphism. I didn't think it was always implemented the best, but there were certain advantages to it - mainly identity, and a certain organic element you're not going to get with digital display.

All I'm saying is careful what you wish for with industrial minimalism for digital interface. I mean can just see it now: "All these grey boxes are boring!"

Aside from that, Forstall should have been canned for making Apple a laughing stock over Maps alone.
 
you can't have crazy infighting and power struggles in a company (especially one that prides itself on integration)... Microsoft is an example of in-fighting.
.
 
paul4339 said:
why? (not saying it's a bad idea)
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I think Asclepio's fear is that OS X will become more iOS-like. Of course, one could also say that iOS will become more OS X-like (Gatekeeper?). But I don't think this change is an indication of one or the other.


H. Flower said:
All I'm saying is careful what you wish for with industrial minimalism for digital interface. I mean can just see it now: "All these grey boxes are boring!"
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I agree. I'm not a fan of Calendar or Calculator's UI, but I also dislike Metro's UI as I think it's too far in the opposite direction. There's a happy medium in the middle, I think, that apps like Mail achieve.

And for the record, I do not hate all of the recent Skeuomorphisms. I actually like the linen as it's an indication of "where" you are in the OS. (Though, for that reason, it should NOT be part of iOS notification center.)
 
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smulji said:
i've read stories about Steve Jobs scrapping projects late in the development or in the last minute because he felt it didn't live up to quality standards. So it's definitely possible that one of these execs can do the same.
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I don't want to jump on the "Steve would never of allowed this train" but Maps was a disaster out of the door.

I really believe if Steve was at the helm he would of raged like the Mobile Me fiasco. Let's hope Apple start being more strict with themselves.
 
dashiel said:
As opposed to an engineer? Not saying engineers can’t also be excellent designers, but based on the evidence we know under Forstall (& weirdly Jobs) iOS/OS X grew more and more skeumorphic/gimmicky. I’m not one of these anti-skeumorphism people either, I think it’s s design tool that has it’s place, but it’s become the proverbial hammer (i.e. when all you have is a hammer every job looks like a nail)
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Skeumorphism is a minor issue (I do not really care how stuff looks in most cases). Things like "missing" file system is a totally different matter and a matter where industrial designer would have no clue.
 
GeekLawyer said:
Ron Johnson might be available soon for Retail.
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JC Penney not doin' that well. http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-ron-johnson-is-destroying-jc-penney-2012-10 I hope I'm wrong on this, but RON coming back might not have the desired outcome.

slicecom said:
.....Giving Jonathan Ive more influence over anything design, whether hardware or software is a good idea IMO.
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dashiel said:
The difference of opinion between Forstall and Ive was only ever going to end one way.
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Agreed, however APPLE's magic requires a balanced approach between the genius of JONI, and the technical wizardry of the rest of the team. We can only hope this all works out.

Discoverer said:
Damn. I liked Scott when I first saw him at WWDC '06. He had a lot of potential.
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sfwalter said:
I liked Scott Forstall when he did the presentations and videos......I think Scott will be missed. He came over from Next with Steve so this is big news.
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olegandbuster25 said:
I liked Scott :/ always saw him as future CEO with his style. Sad to see him go.
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SCOTT seems to be rubbing a lot of people the wrong way, and in this post-SJ era, he probably just doesn't fit in. Too bad because by all accounts, he's a very talented guy.
 
aristobrat said:
Will Apple’s Tacky Software-Design Philosophy Cause A Revolt?

Apparently it may have.
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Tacky is an understatement. So Papermaster and now Browett. Tim Cook has had some big goof ups. My advice to Tim would be to stick to what he is good at, i.e the business end of things. When it comes to presentations, get professionals to handle it. Steve Jobs was a master at it and that isn't an easy thing. So to expect Tim Cook to just be able to jump in and be good at it is unrealistic. Personally, I cringe when Tim speaks. Browett didn't get Apple Retail. Ive knows design. Good moves there.
 
I like some skeuomorphism.

It adds a bit of personality to some apps. The iPad sports some really beautiful examples.

Who wants plain Jane industrial all the time?

Other than Microsoft scoffing at it, what was the harm?

Ives was against it too and it appears that his side prevailed - obviously.
 
I was wondering why Forstall didn't talk at all a the mini event... I mean, I know it's not a new iOS version, but he did show it off on the iPhone 5, so why not the mini... Just something I noticed and questioned at that point. Now I know.
 
rasputin1969 said:
Thank goodness Browett is gone. I am still amazed he got the gig. Browett and Dixon Store Group had a disgraceful approach to customer service.

His tenure at Apple has lead to a sharp drop in service levels. Currently there's a six day wait to get a Mac Genius appointment at Apple's west-London stores. Previously I'd never had to wait longer than a day or two.
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I have seen many posts from our UK forum friend's dismay that John Browett was appointed Apple Retail Chief. It sounds like that they were on to something early in his position at Apple.
 
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