And the iPad could've been ready to go before the Courier, if they'd gotten a green light.
It's not usually about who can get out the door first. It's usually about who can get out the door first, right.
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Apple's Reorganization Goes Deeper Than Just Who's In Charge
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And the iPad could've been ready to go before the Courier, if they'd gotten a green light.
It's not usually about who can get out the door first. It's usually about who can get out the door first, right.
You misunderstood what I said. I didn't state that they should take longer than 12-months to release hardware, I said they should release things when they're ready. The 4th generation iPad is a perfect example of this and I think it was a good first step in getting out of that 12-month release cycle.
Ive for future CEO
This is a good chance for Ive to step up and show his Jobs like leader status. I truly see his passion when speaking about his products! He is most likely to take the CEO position in the near future and from what Ive seen and read about Ive, hes a very aggressive and detail oriented person. His new responsibilities are perfect for him. Im excited to see the next major iOS update.
This is a good chance for Ive to step up and show his Jobs like leader status. I truly see his passion when speaking about his products! He is most likely to take the CEO position in the near future and from what Ive seen and read about Ive, hes a very aggressive and detail oriented person. His new responsibilities are perfect for him. Im excited to see the next major iOS update.
And the iPad could've been ready to go before the Courier, if they'd gotten a green light.
Image
It's not usually about who can get out the door first. It's usually about who can get out the door first, right.
I would have been happier with the one on the right...it looks more solid, sturdy, and slate-sized....The iPad (regular) as it came out is too small of a device to be seriously useful for anything. I think I have used mine less than 10 times since I got it.
Seriously, it's like using a larger version of the iPhone...not a slate/tablet, and it feels like a fragile piece of aluminum and glass...I am worried if I drop it I am going to damage it, dent it, or scrape it. So I barely feel like I can carry it anywhere with me.
Ive's hero is legendary designer Dieter Rams, who much more espoused the idea that form IS function. That the form should clearly inform the user as to what its function is, in as pure a way as possible. Moreover, Ive is not responsible for decisions about battery life and other such technical specs.
Apple maps was mismanaged they had years to perfect a mapping system and in the end delivered something with a lot of eye candy but backed by broken data. It should have been built from the ground up to provide solid fundamental functionality and had the other suff added to it over time. I doubt it would have been any better if it had been delivered six months later because obviously too much effort was being directed at the wrong aspects. This is not a pride thing, this was removing Googles leverage over maps in iOS and it needed to be done. This is why maps hardly changed from day 1 until iOS6.
Now you all realize why Apple's newly planned headquarters is a Donut like shapped mother ship.
Its a Mantra!
Unify Products and Services Divisions,
Unify collaboration between them,
Deliver more synergistic Products & Services: Mac, iOS, Internet/Media/Cloud Services.
Nobody works alone in the mother ship, and they ALL make so much that its all about the finished product that motivates them, the final experience by the end user - money no longer is the end motivation, nor is the fame/pride. You hear it in ALL their speeches before; haven't we.
PS: Something here is missing in the words, yet slightly implied under Eddie Cue's Services; that is Education.
Its a Mantra!
Unify Products and Services Divisions,
Unify collaboration between them,
Deliver more synergistic Products & Services: Mac, iOS, Internet/Media/Cloud Services.
Nobody works alone in the mother ship, and they ALL make so much that its all about the finished product that motivates them, the final experience by the end user - money no longer is the end motivation, nor is the fame/pride. You hear it in ALL their speeches before; haven't we.
PS: Something here is missing in the words, yet slightly implied under Eddie Cue's Services; that is Education.
I doubt Ive would want the CEO job, that's not his style and quite frankly would be a wast of his talents having to deal with all the 'running a company crap' rather than being able to focus on design.
I don't buy Allard's claim at all. There was just no way Microsoft could've matched the smooth operation of their demo in a sleek mobile device with what's available back in 2009 that also has two displays and good battery life. We're talking about iPhone 3GS-level hardware here. Having the base technology or the code ready wouldn't be the problem, it's the execution that's problem.With the demo, anything can look good and one can even program it all given enough horse power in the processor. The difficult part is the implementation of it into a well executed small package.
You mean, at least Cook is doing something about it
He's changing some of the Jobs-protected Apple culture that's been in place for over a DECADE.
Time will tell if Cook knows what he's doing.
That was my first thought too. Industrial design and HCI aren't the same thing. But then again, Ive has been with Apple for a very long time and I imagine he's picked up a thing or two.
Ok, I'm going to take a risk at being flamed in effigy by saying, this is fundamentally bad!
First, the loss of the scheduled releases is a mixed bag. There is a certain merit to not releasing something that isn't ready for prime time rather than releasing it and calling it a "beta" to explain it's failings. But, in my view, having a set schedule for product releases is important. Why? Without a release schedule, it makes Apple product release times just as volatile as any other tech company, leaving people who buy products feeling jipped when a new version comes out a few months later (see 3rd Gen iPad owners - sure it's been 6 months, but give it time and we may see that get shorter and more random).
Second, it's always been my feeling that Apple's future is secure as long as Jony Ive and Scott Forstall remain at Apple for the foreseeable future. Was maps an epic fail? Yes, no doubt about it. Should it have maybe waited until it was a more finished product before replacing Google Maps? Absolutely. However, as much as I like Jony's designs, and they are really sweet designs, I'm not a terribly big fan of his opinion on skeuomorphs. In my view, Apple has made their products appeal to mainstream, somewhat technophobic, customers. Little touches like skeuomorphs add something to the OS design that gives the casual iOS user a sense of familiarity and makes them more comfortable and at ease using them, and less technophobic. Kind of like "hey, this isn't so bad." Getting rid of these touches will just return them to being cold and impersonal devices and bring back the casual customers phobias regarding tech. Steve and Scott seemed to understand this, which is why they added these things. Jony maybe an awesome designer and engineer, but he, in my view, lacks the understanding of what the average customer needs to feel comfortable using such highly advanced devices. Steve and Scott, for all of their failings, knew this and knew it well.
If Apple is sending a message that they are dumping these little touches, and I think this likely, then I believe it will have a very negative impact. All of the sudden, those folks who came to like and trust and use iOS devices will start having a negative reaction to them and start abandoning them. They won't be able to understand why, because these little things work on the subconscious level, they'll just know they don't like it anymore.
Sadly, I fear Apple may be headed back in the same direction it went in the late 80's and early 90's, and Jony, Tim, et. al., will not understand why.
One more thing (no pun intended), someone pointed out how Jony may be favoring form over function and mentioned the iMac, it's thinness and lack of an optical drive. I too find it a bit ridiculous that they opted to make the thing that thin but let me touch on the loss of the optical drive. I generally am in the category that physical media is on the way out, to be replaced by downloads and digital content. However, in my view, removing optical drives from desktops (and high end laptops) is not ready for prime time. I'd give it a few more years yet. I'd say 2015 or even 2018, then eliminate the optical drive on all but the most high end desktops (ie Mac Pro).
My 2 cents...
First, the loss of the scheduled releases is a mixed bag. There is a certain merit to not releasing something that isn't ready for prime time rather than releasing it and calling it a "beta" to explain it's failings. But, in my view, having a set schedule for product releases is important. Why? Without a release schedule, it makes Apple product release times just as volatile as any other tech company, leaving people who buy products feeling jipped when a new version comes out a few months later (see 3rd Gen iPad owners - sure it's been 6 months, but give it time and we may see that get shorter and more random).
Second, it's always been my feeling that Apple's future is secure as long as Jony Ive and Scott Forstall remain at Apple for the foreseeable future. Was maps an epic fail? Yes, no doubt about it. Should it have maybe waited until it was a more finished product before replacing Google Maps? Absolutely. However, as much as I like Jony's designs, and they are really sweet designs, I'm not a terribly big fan of his opinion on skeuomorphs. In my view, Apple has made their products appeal to mainstream, somewhat technophobic, customers. Little touches like skeuomorphs add something to the OS design that gives the casual iOS user a sense of familiarity and makes them more comfortable and at ease using them, and less technophobic. Kind of like "hey, this isn't so bad." Getting rid of these touches will just return them to being cold and impersonal devices and bring back the casual customers phobias regarding tech. Steve and Scott seemed to understand this, which is why they added these things. Jony maybe an awesome designer and engineer, but he, in my view, lacks the understanding of what the average customer needs to feel comfortable using such highly advanced devices. Steve and Scott, for all of their failings, knew this and knew it well.
If Apple is sending a message that they are dumping these little touches, and I think this likely, then I believe it will have a very negative impact. All of the sudden, those folks who came to like and trust and use iOS devices will start having a negative reaction to them and start abandoning them. They won't be able to understand why, because these little things work on the subconscious level, they'll just know they don't like it anymore.
Sadly, I fear Apple may be headed back in the same direction it went in the late 80's and early 90's, and Jony, Tim, et. al., will not understand why.
One more thing (no pun intended), someone pointed out how Jony may be favoring form over function and mentioned the iMac, it's thinness and lack of an optical drive. I too find it a bit ridiculous that they opted to make the thing that thin but let me touch on the loss of the optical drive. I generally am in the category that physical media is on the way out, to be replaced by downloads and digital content. However, in my view, removing optical drives from desktops (and high end laptops) is not ready for prime time. I'd give it a few more years yet. I'd say 2015 or even 2018, then eliminate the optical drive on all but the most high end desktops (ie Mac Pro).
My 2 cents...
Forstall was put in charge of maps right from the beginning and by the look of it wasn't able to manage the program effectively. He is also in charge of iOS so should have been calling the shots on when maps got integrated. If he needed extra time he could have factored it in and maps could have been released in an iOS minor release. That is what management is all about and he obviously hadn't got a clue releasing half cooked crap like that.
I largely agree with your view on sk-ism but I don't think we can judge Ive's ability as a software design director at this point. We'll see how things turn out with iOS 7 and 8.
No. Not serious. I like to leave my sarcasm /untagged.
Some people will be upset that Apple doesn't keep to a regular schedule. Others will be upset if Apple releases a product with a flaw or two. A vocal few will find something to complain about no matter what.
I think it's great -- the idiot from Dixon's that Cook never should have hired in the first place is now gone, and over the next year we're finally going to get the same set of design and usability values in software that we've long had in Apple hardware. Also, just in general terms, Forstall's reputation for ego and abrasiveness probably isn't a good fit for a company that depends much more than it did on team effort.
Some interesting points here but I think the skeuomorphs that are being used are poor choices because far form providing anything familiar to current users their style such as stitched leather is not attractive to most people these days. How many desk diaries look like this now, maybe 100 years ago but not today. That is the problem, the whole UI lacks a coherent design aesthetic and has started to resemble a badly skinned jailbreak.
You suggest that the removal of optical drives is some how down to Ive but this type of decision will be coming down from the marketing guys who will be looking at research data suggesting that no one cares about optical drives any longer in their target markets. I certainly hardly ever use them and the maybe once every couple of year when I do then a USB drive is more than adequate. To carry that thing about with you all the time just to use it almost never makes no sense. The new laptops are so easy to carry that I suspect most users could care less about the lack of optical drive. The desktop decision is maybe more puzzling as there is little benefit from removing the drive. That said the new iMacs do look quite nice and again maybe that is what will sell these days we will just have to wait and see. Cook seem pragmatic and I doubt he would allow things to continue along this path for long if sales are hit.
Overall I don't see this as an indicator of decline at Apple but maybe a brave new approach. With Steve gone the company can no longer operate in the same way that it did and by the sound of it Forstall was struggling in that role and not showing the kind of leadership required. There has certainly been a lack of coherent vision in iOS design for some time and that needs to change fast. There has also been an increase in quality issues and I think that reached a tipping point with iOS6, I am surprised he lasted as long as he did.
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What about world class supply chain management. Not a bad fit for a company having to build millions of devices every month. Steve was an extraordinary character who had many talents. But maybe someone who is more of a natural manager like Cook can do even better as long as he has a strong team of VPs working under him. After all patents have nothing to do with being a good manager.
I actually think this is a good decision. I guess this is all personal opinion, but Federighi led the charge on Mountain Lion and I've had a great experience with it. I'm not as horrified by iOS 6 as others seem to be, but I'm definitely less impressed by it.
Besides, if you want OS X features in iOS, how better to do it than put the guy in charge of OS X on the case?
If this is how it pans out then Tim Cook is surely a genius. Otherwise we may be boned. Here's to ten more years of innovation.
What's "boned" mean?
Is that like when the stock markets eventually reopen and AAPL drops below 400?
not good news
Given the number of people here that work for big companies, I'm surprised the overwhelming reaction to this news is positive. Who has ever had a good experience at a company when there are more decision makers to provide buy-in and more integration to be had before something can be completed?
Given the number of people here that work for big companies, I'm surprised the overwhelming reaction to this news is positive. Who has ever had a good experience at a company when there are more decision makers to provide buy-in and more integration to be had before something can be completed?
That's a pretty freakin' scary statement if you ask me.
By all outward appearances, the nearly "identical to last years" iPhone 5 is a design by committee product. J.Ive is too good, too enthusiastic, and too creative to have regurgitated what is now a 3 year old design. Someone held him back.
This "news" of a rather complete reorganization bodes very well for Apple.
It's the best news I've heard in ages.
Now it's simply a matter of being patient, and allowing time to reveal the true nature of this change. Like any other change it will have it's Pro's & Cons. Yet if it does what it's designed to do, this is nothing but good news.