Bob Mansfield to Focus on New Products, Other Execs Take Over Management Duties

[dvoros]

mansfield

What new products? What new releases? Apple has been out of the loop for over a year. I think they are all asleep in the building.

They lost me at "new products".

 

[3282868]

Only a kid with no experience could suggest that.

Thank you! I'm tired of the mentality that anyone over 24 may as well be dead. Seems younger generations are more cocky and less informed. One day, they'll be behind the keyboard reading the same comments.

 

[rgarjr]

Sounds like a laid back job for Big Bob.

 

[blitzer09x87]

It would be lovely but Apple has, for decades now, always been weak on graphics.

They basically killed off any chance they ever had to become popular as a gaming device ever and let the PC romp home due to this fact.

I would even go so far as to say, it was a major reason why they almost died off. PC's were THE games machine and people bought them in their millions to run games on, upgrading buying faster one for faster games every few years, Doom, Quake etc etc.

Apple just did what Apple does best, dig it's heels in and think it's knows better than everyone else, and it almost killed them off.

And they still have not learned even to this very day, trying to downgrade games quality to their devices, as opposed to make their computers lead the way and drive the graphics quality forwards

Putting the Wii and the disasterous Wii U to one side, Top performing Consoles and Apple just don't go together.

It's a dam shame, but they just don't want to get into this arena. Perhaps they feel they can't, and have never been able to compete?

yeah, i've noticed that too, they arent even interested in installing quad-core CPUs and GPUs on the iphone and ipad, hat's why many gamers leave the iOS community and join android, apple needs to work on this.

 

[tbrand7]

What new products? What new releases? Apple has been out of the loop for over a year. I think they are all asleep in the building.

It takes longer than a year to release a break through product. Give them sometime.

 

[Piggie]

yeah, i've noticed that too, they arent even interested in installing quad-core CPUs and GPUs on the iphone and ipad, hat's why many gamers leave the iOS community and join android, apple needs to work on this.

Low power mobile devices are pointless for anything quality anyway.

It's just playthings, and is a diversion from us actually moving forward.
The problem we have as consumers now, is that Apple has done very well from themselves as a company by pandering to the people who are not really those who are computer customers in the 1st place. They just want a gadget.

What drove computers over the past decades and drove it fast and hard were those who were "into" is and demanded more and more year on year, and they had to deliver it.

Now others have seen Apple making shed loads of money without needing to do this and the brakes have been applied. It's all about making money from the least advancement you can do.

No one would ever dare make an Amiga now.

The chip makers can do as apple does, produce something 10% faster than last years model and rake in the money (often using faulty cut down chips) as they are good enough to keep consumers happy as hey most of those are happy playing angry birds

Its why I have never bought a Mac, poos graphics,and they continue to do so and probably always will. they are more interested in a computer looking nice than performing nice and always forgo technical performance for looks.

I understand for some, the fact their TV is green and matches the carpet is more important than the picture quality.

 

[msimpson]

More than just chips...

Mansfield will be in charge of more than just chips. He will be over all of the dips as well. French Onion, Ranch, Guacamole. And probably salsa. Since he will have tortilla chips. The big question will be if he is still in charge of chickpeas development, and will lead the big iHummus project. Could be a massive game changer.

 

[mrxak]

It would be lovely but Apple has, for decades now, always been weak on graphics.

They basically killed off any chance they ever had to become popular as a gaming device ever and let the PC romp home due to this fact.

I would even go so far as to say, it was a major reason why they almost died off. PC's were THE games machine and people bought them in their millions to run games on, upgrading buying faster one for faster games every few years, Doom, Quake etc etc.

Apple just did what Apple does best, dig it's heels in and think it's knows better than everyone else, and it almost killed them off.

And they still have not learned even to this very day, trying to downgrade games quality to their devices, as opposed to make their computers lead the way and drive the graphics quality forwards

Putting the Wii and the disasterous Wii U to one side, Top performing Consoles and Apple just don't go together.

It's a dam shame, but they just don't want to get into this arena. Perhaps they feel they can't, and have never been able to compete?

On the other hand, there are more gamers than ever, they're mostly in the low-graphics casual style gaming, and in very large part on iOS devices.

 

[Piggie]

On the other hand, there are more gamers than ever, they're mostly in the low-graphics casual style gaming, and in very large part on iOS devices.

Yes that is the problem
they can all see this is where big money is to be made, lost cost to produce high volume sales for the masses and have, to a degree lost interest in their roots which got them there.

 

[manu chao]

They did when Bob retired. I think they also did when Bertrand Serlet left.

Though, one could argue that leaving the rank of SVP while still playing an important (presumably full-time) role is smaller change than a full retirement.

 

[dan110]

Great point!

Big mistake a LOT of engineering companies make is to make their best engineers...managers.

You end up with a "meh" manager while losing a great engineer.

Good to see Bob getting to play in the lab and just be a geek again!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Apple is scared. They're putting their top engineer in a new "skunk works" role. Hopefully we'll see some inspiring products in 18 months or so.

 

[antonis]

Big mistake a LOT of engineering companies make is to make their best engineers...managers.

You end up with a "meh" manager while losing a great engineer.

Good to see Bob getting to play in the lab and just be a geek again!!!

That's a big truth. And it goes not only for engineering companies, it stands for s/w making companies too.

 

[drsox]

That's a big truth. And it goes not only for engineering companies, it stands for s/w making companies too.

Happens in ALL walks of life. The mistake is to overpromote the competent specialist into an incompetent generalist. It's a loss on both sides. If you're from the UK, then look at Brown vs Blair. Brown - a maybe competent financial technician but a lousy PM. Blair - nothing much as a specialist on Home Affairs, but very competent as PM (irrespective of actual policies).

 

[antonis]

Happens in ALL walks of life. The mistake is to overpromote the competent specialist into an incompetent generalist. It's a loss on both sides. If you're from the UK, then look at Brown vs Blair. Brown - a maybe competent financial technician but a lousy PM. Blair - nothing much as a specialist on Home Affairs, but very competent as PM (irrespective of actual policies).

I'm experiencing this everyday in my work, an integrated solutions s/w company. People just go for the bigger salary blindly. Partially, I also think that they are attracted by the fact that they won't have to evolve, read, try to get even better anymore. It's like giving up by accepting such a position. It is indeed a lose/lose situation. Companies should know better than that...

 

[ssgbryan]

It means nothing
We used to have a company in the UK Called Amstrad that make junk hifi anf computers and they sold to the masses by the millions.
Anyone who knew anything knew they were junk and long term they never really got anywhere, apart from making him rich as the general public who knew no better bought them.

My very first computer was an Amstrad, and it was an awesome computer, seriously - I got a 386DX20 with a 40Mb hard drive & 4 megs of ram for the price of a 286. I ran it for several years until I upgraded to a 386DX40.

 

[drsox]

I'm experiencing this everyday in my work, an integrated solutions s/w company. People just go for the bigger salary blindly. Partially, I also think that they are attracted by the fact that they won't have to evolve, read, try to get even better anymore. It's like giving up by accepting such a position. It is indeed a lose/lose situation. Companies should know better than that...

Indeed. People don't realise that in their NEW shiny job they may well fail in two years time and get canned. In their old job that they are good at - they should be OK for another 5+ years.

 

[blitzer09x87]

Low power mobile devices are pointless for anything quality anyway.

It's just playthings, and is a diversion from us actually moving forward.
The problem we have as consumers now, is that Apple has done very well from themselves as a company by pandering to the people who are not really those who are computer customers in the 1st place. They just want a gadget.

What drove computers over the past decades and drove it fast and hard were those who were "into" is and demanded more and more year on year, and they had to deliver it.

Now others have seen Apple making shed loads of money without needing to do this and the brakes have been applied. It's all about making money from the least advancement you can do.

No one would ever dare make an Amiga now.

The chip makers can do as apple does, produce something 10% faster than last years model and rake in the money (often using faulty cut down chips) as they are good enough to keep consumers happy as hey most of those are happy playing angry birds

Its why I have never bought a Mac, poos graphics,and they continue to do so and probably always will. they are more interested in a computer looking nice than performing nice and always forgo technical performance for looks.

I understand for some, the fact their TV is green and matches the carpet is more important than the picture quality.

totally agreed, they need to stop making everyone fool by introducing a xx times faster, lighter, better, etc. products and start working on the brain(CPU) of the machine.

i've also noticed that most people buy iphone because of the brand image, they buy a smartphone because they want to look smart and cool, they never really use all the smart features of the phone.

i agree with you that most people are happy with their iphone if it can play angry birds flawlessly, and that's why the latest iphones dont have the quad/octa core CPUs and GPUs, all apple is concerned about earning the most by spending the least amount of money

they are just intelligent enough to fool millions of people by impressing them by the looks of the devices and HEAVY marketing, they never tell how outdated and low-end specs their products have.

apple, it hurts to see you do this, please stop fooling people and start working!

 

[Rogifan]

totally agreed, they need to stop making everyone fool by introducing a xx times faster, lighter, better, etc. products and start working on the brain(CPU) of the machine.

i've also noticed that most people buy iphone because of the brand image, they buy a smartphone because they want to look smart and cool, they never really use all the smart features of the phone.

i agree with you that most people are happy with their iphone if it can play angry birds flawlessly, and that's why the latest iphones dont have the quad/octa core CPUs and GPUs, all apple is concerned about earning the most by spending the least amount of money

they are just intelligent enough to fool millions of people by impressing them by the looks of the devices and HEAVY marketing, they never tell how outdated and low-end specs their products have.

apple, it hurts to see you do this, please stop fooling people and start working!

Please explain why the iPhone needs to go spec whoring. It's about the experience, not specs.

 

[blitzer09x87]

Please explain why the iPhone needs to go spec whoring. It's about the experience, not specs.

you cannot run at 250 mph in a horse cart.

 

[hchung]

totally agreed, they need to stop making everyone fool by introducing a xx times faster, lighter, better, etc. products and start working on the brain(CPU) of the machine.

i've also noticed that most people buy iphone because of the brand image, they buy a smartphone because they want to look smart and cool, they never really use all the smart features of the phone.

What?

I guess you've been away for a while, huh? Apple already works on their own CPU designs.
I'm not sure how it's fooling anybody to tell you their new product is x times faster than their old product.

i agree with you that most people are happy with their iphone if it can play angry birds flawlessly, and that's why the latest iphones dont have the quad/octa core CPUs and GPUs, all apple is concerned about earning the most by spending the least amount of money

Nobody's latest phones do 8-core SMP. Why is this even brought up?
4-cores is already too many for a phone right now; there arn't apps that would make good use of it.

they are just intelligent enough to fool millions of people by impressing them by the looks of the devices and HEAVY marketing, they never tell how outdated and low-end specs their products have.

apple, it hurts to see you do this, please stop fooling people and start working!

Low end specs?
Download and run "Real Racing" onto a brand new Nexus 7 and last year's iPhone 5.
You'll find jaggies on the Nexus 7, and full screen antialiasing working on the iPhone 5.
If you're going to complain about fooling anybody, there's plenty of products I'd have complaints about before iPhone 5.

 

[blitzer09x87]

What?

I guess you've been away for a while, huh? Apple already works on their own CPU designs.
I'm not sure how it's fooling anybody to tell you their new product is x times faster than their old product.



Nobody's latest phones do 8-core SMP. Why is this even brought up?
4-cores is already too many for a phone right now; there arn't apps that would make good use of it.



Low end specs?
Download and run "Real Racing" onto a brand new Nexus 7 and last year's iPhone 5.
You'll find jaggies on the Nexus 7, and full screen antialiasing working on the iPhone 5.
If you're going to complain about fooling anybody, there's plenty of products I'd have complaints about before iPhone 5.

ummm...okay, do you know that when humans began to build roads and tall buildings there was a group of people who rejected all of the advancement, they wanted to live in poor conditions, they were against all of the strong and long roads and buildings, they just didnt wanted to modernize and improve.
i've just found one of those people.

 

[hchung]

ummm...okay, do you know that when humans began to build roads and tall buildings there was a group of people who rejected all of the advancement, they wanted to live in poor conditions, they were against all of the strong and long roads and buildings, they just didnt wanted to modernize and improve.
i've just found one of those people.

Umm... okay, did you know there's people who are so gullible in that they believe all sorts of things people say would make their lives better which in reality are totally useless? Of course you do; how's your homeopathic remedies and radium water?

If you seriously think Apple needs quad-core CPUs, might you first want to consider why the newest launched smartphone, the Moto X, is dual-core and that's secretly a feature:
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/08/0...isplay-calls-lcd-inferior-to-amoled-and-more/

For one, we are not using last year’s Qualcomm processor. It’s this year’s processor. It is a dual-core processor, but the thing people have to understand is that in mobile devices, more CPUs don’t necessarily mean better or faster devices. In fact, in most instances no more than two CPUs are being used at any given time. In order to save power, the algorithms controlling the device are often trying to turn off CPUs.

In the stress tests we have conducted on competing devices, we launched 24 websites at once on the device, and none of the devices used more than two CPUs at once to do this.

 

[fertilized-egg]

yeah, i've noticed that too, they arent even interested in installing quad-core CPUs and GPUs on the iphone and ipad, hat's why many gamers leave the iOS community and join android, apple needs to work on this.

The chip makers can do as apple does, produce something 10% faster than last years model and rake in the money.

i agree with you that most people are happy with their iphone if it can play angry birds flawlessly, and that's why the latest iphones dont have the quad/octa core CPUs and GPUs, all apple is concerned about earning the most by spending the least amount of money(

I'm just shocked by the amount of ignorance in this thread, flabbergasted even. Here's the GPU of the A6X chip, which is the latest chip we have from Apple. This picture was posted on this very site before already.

Count the GPU blocks. There are 4. In case anyone forgot 4 IS "quad". Not only Apple does have a "quad" GPU chip, it was the best performing GPU on the market when it was released. Not only that, Apple has generally been releasing iOS products with best in-class GPUs.

No they haven't been making something "10% faster than last years model", they released products that was twice as fast in graphics and CPUs, and in some cases far more, as in the case of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2.

Finding out the actual facts, at least on the topics discussed in this thread, isn't really difficult, yet seems very difficult for some. Ironically, they are the ones who claim the general public is ignorant about technology and thus buy Apple products. I just don't know what to say.

 

[blitzer09x87]

Umm... okay, did you know there's people who are so gullible in that they believe all sorts of things people say would make their lives better which in reality are totally useless? Of course you do; how's your homeopathic remedies and radium water?

If you seriously think Apple needs quad-core CPUs, might you first want to consider why the newest launched smartphone, the Moto X, is dual-core and that's secretly a feature:
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/08/0...isplay-calls-lcd-inferior-to-amoled-and-more/

okay.....hahaha...you just reconfirmed my point