Apple Announces Retirement of Bob Mansfield, Senior VP of Hardware Engineering

[DarrenSW]

It has always struck me that a lot of the credit that goes to Ive and his team is at least if not more so due to Bob: he is given a succession of ever-thinner, ever-smaller, more thermally challenging designs, often requiring him to use new and untried materials, and is asked to make them reality. That's some stress.

Good luck, Bob. You've done a great job and deserve your retirement.

 

[vampyr]

wow... sold off more than $70 Million in stock?!?!

I'd say he's been planning this retirement for some time.

Good for him... and being able to cash out on the stock options is exactly how executives at publicly traded companies should be compensated for their efforts.

His reality is 99% of everyone else's dream. To retire early with millions!!!

 

[sseaton1971]

There could be all sorts of reasons for Mansfield leaving now. Perhaps it has something to do with getting certain products out in a timely manner (Mac Pro, iMac, etc.), or maybe it is just because he is ready to enjoy life with more money than he will ever be able to spend.

As for the worry about his replacement... Riccio, as reported in the article, has been with the company longer than Mansfield and only started heading up the iPad division in 2010. The report also stated that he has been involved in pretty much all hardware during his tenure. Considering that, I am not worried about Riccio turning new Mac Pros into Super iPads! lol

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And heres an old Apple macbook vid with John Ives; Bob Mansfield and his replacement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RKo44GsGow

Thanks for the link. Riccio sure seems like a solid hardware engineer to me. No worries, folks!

 

[heisetax]

Good luck Bob.


"the role will be transitioned to Dan Riccio, Apple's vice president of iPad Hardware Engineering, over several months"


This has me wondering if Apple truly is becoming an iToy company.

Apple has completed the transition to an iToy company. The killing of the 17" MacBook Pro means only small screens for the Pro. The Mac Pro is still being sold, but it is now 2 years old with really no changes, price included. The Mac Mini while it could be a Semi-Pro model, has always been restricted to having the speed of the MacBook Air or slower. The current so called retina display 15" MacBook Pro has been assembled like an iToy. The only thing is that it costs 3-5 times as much. So now even what is left to be called a Mac is really just a very expensive iToy.

I have my share of the iToys, but they are still iToys. I have my Macs to do the work so that I can pay for those iToys.

Because the competition has little to offer, Apple figures that it has little to worry about in the Mac arena. So they just spend their engineering dollars on the much more lucrative iToy market.

 

[sseaton1971]

Apple has completed the transition to an iToy company. The killing of the 17" MacBook Pro means only small screens for the Pro. The Mac Pro is still being sold, but it is now 2 years old with really no changes, price included. The Mac Mini while it could be a Semi-Pro model, has always been restricted to having the speed of the MacBook Air or slower. The current so called retina display 15" MacBook Pro has been assembled like an iToy. The only thing is that it costs 3-5 times as much. So now even what is left to be called a Mac is really just a very expensive iToy.

I have my share of the iToys, but they are still iToys. I have my Macs to do the work so that I can pay for those iToys.

Because the competition has little to offer, Apple figures that it has little to worry about in the Mac arena. So they just spend their engineering dollars on the much more lucrative iToy market.

Yeah... the Retina MacBook Pro is sure an iToy! Give me a break! By the way, what do you mean that it is assembled like an iToy? Also, why do you think iPhones and iPads are iToys? Sure, they aren't "computers" in the traditional sense, but they aren't Fischer-Price either. I certainly don't consider them to be toys that will replace my Macs, and it seems Apple doesn't either.

Apple screwed up with the "pros" (FinalCut Pro X, Mac Pro delays), but it seems like they are trying to right the ship. Perhaps this is because Steve Jobs is gone, and Tim Cook is now in control, or maybe it is because Apple is listening to users now... I don't know. I do feel more confident that Apple is committed to the Mac more so now than I did a year or two ago.

 

[kylepro88]

Dude if I had that kind of money I would "retire" to exploring different business opportunities, investing in new products and upcoming entrepreneurial efforts, do some creative things, etc. It's the need to pay the mortgage that keeps a lot of people from pursuing things they could probably excel at, so having enough to pay for what you need means you have more time to go after what you want...and I don't just mean 30 years sitting around.

I'm only 24 and already working towards that kind of freedom...takes time

 

[Sackvillenb]

Now this could be significant. I'm not worried that his successor was working on the iPad so much, but I hope his vision for the future is a good one... I guess time will tell...

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Maybe now he goes back to making funny movies like Tommy Boy?

Image

Image

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who thought of that resemblance!!

 

[Tonewheel]

New career for him. He's focusing on motivational speaking.

 

[Konrad]

Most are obsessed with other people money. Most of the comments are straight out of a tabloid. Who cares how much he has. Look at him! Without wanting to be to offensive, he will most likely not live much longer with whatever crap lifestyle he so far subscribed to. As for yachts, $70M will not get you very far today. I rather be me.

 

[Eduardo R.]

Well, good for Bob - I wish him the best of luck - but this isn't exactly good news for Apple.

No, I'm not a doomsayer - I think Apple will be just fine without him and I'm sure his replacement is capable as well, but it's still sad to see an oldie go.

 

[Schizoid]

I'll miss that loveable tyrant... especially on those trips to China where he shouts at everyone...

...can't wait for Dan though, he's got great shredded-wheat hair to stare at!

 

[DeepIn2U]

New career for him. He's focusing on motivational speaking.

Bob you've done an incredible job of leadership and internal design expertise. Your hard work has helped forge and create Apple's TOP products ever, actually the INDUSTRY's top products. A tough act to follow in the footsteps of a tough gent.

Enjoy your retirement.

Honestly I had wondered if Hollywood would entertain him in snarky comedy as well ... he just has the presence for it (at least to start off). I more have thought of him like

John Goodman

 

[Rogifan]

I'm sorry but anyone using terms like "iToys" doesn't deserve to be taken seriously.

 

[gnasher729]

There could be all sorts of reasons for Mansfield leaving now. Perhaps it has something to do with getting certain products out in a timely manner (Mac Pro, iMac, etc.), or maybe it is just because he is ready to enjoy life with more money than he will ever be able to spend.

There is always the possibility that his doctor told him "Bob, you better take it a lot, lot easier or you won't reach retirement age". And Bob Mansfield asked "what about the stock options that vest in 2013"? And the doctor said "You can live without them".

or sometimes the company asks you to leave...

If you have $40 million worth of stock options vesting in a years time, you don't just jump when the company asks you to leave.

 

[olowott]

We will Miss you mate!!

 

[vmachiel]

Aah damn, he was my favorite since bertrand serlet left

 

[BC2009]

The bulk of people who own one use it for such. It is a tool for some, but they are not the majority.

Source? Most folks I know use the iPad for note taking at a bare minimum. Drafting email is also "creation" and not consumption. If you talk to most lawyers I think you will find your statement is also untrue. Further, marking up PDFs is also not just consumption. That said, I think you may be right but without any sort of survey to point to as a source you could easily be wrong. Your guess that is based on your personal observations is stated as fact even though it is just your opinion. In fact I could say the very same thing about most PCs. Many folks use their PCs for nothing more than surfing the Web, reading email and browsing the photos that their grandkids emailed them from their smartphones. It hardly means the PC is primarily a content consumption device - it just means it is what you make of it. The Kindle Fire is far more limited because of its size, limited processing power and limited available software. iPad gives you far more options than other tablets and it is primarily because IOC great third-party software, decent hardware and screen real estate.

 

[mark28]

With $70 million in the bank and Apple loosing huge market share to Android, it's a good time to retire and end it on a high.

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wow... sold off more than $70 Million in stock?!?!

I'd say he's been planning this retirement for some time.

Good for him... and being able to cash out on the stock options is exactly how executives at publicly traded companies should be compensated for their efforts.

His reality is 99% of everyone else's dream. To retire early with millions!!!

I highly doubt guys like Steve Jobs were working for money. Tim Took earned 300+ million in bonus this year, yet he doesn't retire. Bill Gates is also still working at Microsoft but not as a CEO anymore.

 

[koruki]

With $70 million in the bank and Apple loosing huge market share to Android, it's a good time to retire and end it on a high.

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I highly doubt guys like Steve Jobs were working for money. Tim Took earned 300+ million in bonus this year, yet he doesn't retire. Bill Gates is also still working at Microsoft but not as a CEO anymore.

market share that android doesnt make money on. they been losing market share for years and posting record breaking profits every year.

 

[stu.h]

Did we ever figure out how old he is? By one posters logic, if you go according to when if graduated from college, he is 52. Someone else mentioned 50. Do we have a factual number?

I'm kinda thinking 52 could be right.

Do you really, really, care if he was 40 or 90?

 

[tennisproha]

Do you really, really, care if he was 40 or 90?

Actually, yes. It does make a difference.

 

[driceman]

Having charisma and being obsessed with a job are very different things and one has absolutely nothing to do with the other.

But in this case, his charisma essentially comes from his obsession. These are semantics anyway, though.

 

[CFreymarc]

I'm sure that they don't let you work less than 80-90 hours at Apple if you are that high up. I'm sure he is happy to get out while he has his health.

Good luck Bob.

This is why I turned Steve down. I don't want to go out via Karōshi.

 

[sonovale]

Bob is really done a great job and I am wishing him best.Thanks