Apple finds out the hard way what it's like to be Microsoft
IMO, Apple has now learned the hard way what happens when you open your ecosystem widely to third parties all while trying to maintain quality as closely as Jobs did. Granted the parallels to MSFT are somewhat loose, but I think these recent problems tell a good story about the pain Microsoft has long faced with their licensed software model in conjunction with Bill Gates' style of choosing "growth over quality".
If this is in fact what's happening, and it's not difficult to imagine someone (Tim Cook) might not be as heavily invested in maintaining flawless execution as the late founder (Steve Jobs), these sorts of things can and will happen when a company that has seen unprecedented growth looses a long-time leader who was as interwoven in the day-to-day operations as Steve Jobs was at Apple. That may well reveal the narrative behind precisely why we saw Apple turn from the brink of disaster and undergo an almost unreal level of near-flawless innovation year after year under Steve's guidance. Now that he's gone, his vision is still being realized, but is missing the critical element he brought to everything he touched which can be simply summarized in one word - execution.
Jobs may have been a jerk to some, but he was also just as much a caring husband, father, and valued mentor to others. In his relentless pursuit of perfection he fostered some of the greatest innovations in technology we've witnessed. Regardless of these recent missteps, it's been widely reported that he left behind several years of fully-defined product vision (some sources have said perhaps as much as a decade out). Undoubtedly, we have many more years of exciting and innovative Apple products practically guaranteed. Even if Cook & Co encounter a few blunders here and there as time goes by, I am relatively confident that none of that will overshadow the broader product design and marketing genius still present at Apple who will continue to work tirelessly at bringing innovative products to market.
As someone who appreciates good design and function, as well as the contribution Apple has made to society, I have to say I do miss having Steve with us. But whatever happens I'll always root for Apple to succeed. Any company with as much passion as Apple has, surely can find a way to overcome the obstacles they find themselves faced with today and as time passes.
