Eddy Cue Worked to Convince Steve Jobs of Need for 7-Inch iPad in Early 2011

[firestarter]

I keep thinking about something Jobs once said....

"What we want to do is deliver an increasing level of value to these customers, but there are some customers which we choose not to serve. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk; our DNA will not let us do that.

You forget that Steve Jobs was always in salesman mode, and basically said whatever was necessary to set the consumer up for their next purchase.

If that meant telling the public that Apple wasn't going to make a phone, or wasn't going to make a tablet - then that's exactly what he would (and did) say.

So I'm afraid that Steve Jobs quotes just aren't a great indication of what Apple will do...

 

[Piggie]

If nothing else reading thread like this is incredibly interesting from a psychological standpoint as you want a whole mass of individuals slowly but surely moving from hating the concept of a certain product to gradual acceptance and finally embracing fully the notion of such a device.

It's incredible how there are people who will go from anti something almost frothing at the mouth with horror over a story/device to being full on supporting and finally shouting the praises of something, simply by giving them time, and more and more news that the brand they can see no wrong in, has itself decided to produce and back the item.

It's a superb spectacle to watch gradually happening in individuals.

 

[SpectatorHere]

If nothing else reading thread like this is incredibly interesting from a psychological standpoint as you want a whole mass of individuals slowly but surely moving from hating the concept of a certain product to gradual acceptance and finally embracing fully the notion of such a device.

It's incredible how there are people who will go from anti something almost frothing at the mouth with horror over a story/device to being full on supporting and finally shouting the praises of something, simply by giving them time, and more and more news that the brand they can see no wrong in, has itself decided to produce and back the item.

It's a superb spectacle to watch gradually happening in individuals.

Apple created the idea of a rebellious "oppressed minority" (to quote Neal Stephenson) by hiring big ad firms. The devotion to Apple is not what it used to be as now Apple is everywhere and the myth is obviously breaking down. Despite that, fervent supporters remain.

The Apple Pope, Jobs, said 7" was ridiculous, so the faithful have been faithfully expressing disdain for the idea. Now the mini is widely regarded as a good thing, and will be loved by many of these same people when it's announced.

Another interesting thing to watch for is the coming change of opinion with regards to the ugly long phone. It's been widely panned, but as more leaks come, more people chime in with "Take My Money" and what not. (Remember the widespread condemnation for ANY change in screen size? Down the memory hole, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.) Now, my prediction, is that you'll see widespread love for the new ugly phone in a similar manner as many espoused the great utility of Siri (only later defended as "in Beta" and now open reviled by many as the marketing gimmick it always was.)

 

[Piggie]

Apple created the idea of a rebellious "oppressed minority" (to quote Neal Stephenson) by hiring big ad firms. The devotion to Apple is not what it used to be as now Apple is everywhere and the myth is obviously breaking down. Despite that, fervent supporters remain.

The Apple Pope, Jobs, said 7" was ridiculous, so the faithful have been faithfully expressing disdain for the idea. Now the mini is widely regarded as a good thing, and will be loved by many of these same people when it's announced.

Another interesting thing to watch for is the change of opinion with regards to the ugly long phone. It's been widely panned, but as more leaks come, more people chime in with "Take My Money" and what not. (Their used to be widespread condemnation for ANY change in screen size.) Now, my prediction, is that you'll see widespread love for the new phone in a similar manner as they embraced the gimmicky Siri.

Indeed, I have been watching the stretched iPhone postings with great interest also.

Like the very early iPhone4 (Junk Chinese clone, Apple would never release anything that looked like that) postings I recall from the 1st images to the now, pretty much across the board, "Best design ever" we have.

And as you say, is we look back to the very 1st stretched iPhone4 news rumours, then as story and story leaks out, each one seeming to confirm it as more and more lightly to be the "real deal" the postings be people here are changing and evolving gradually from the OMG horrid hate it, two tone, stretched etc etc, to (as you say) the take my money I love it posts.

It's amazing how this change keeps happening again and again and watching it happen before your very eyes.

It seems, almost that they have to have Apple to decide for them what they like and what they don't like. Unable to do that on their own behalf.

It's quite interesting.

 

[AlexJaye]

how about suck it

How about they use that $ to catch up with the competition instead of staying comfortable where they are?

... Yeahhh.

 

[AppleScruff1]

The Apple Pope, Jobs, said 7" was ridiculous, so the faithful have been faithfully expressing disdain for the idea. Now the mini is widely regarded as a good thing, and will be loved by many of these same people when it's announced.

Another interesting thing to watch for is the coming change of opinion with regards to the ugly long phone. It's been widely panned, but as more leaks come, more people chime in with "Take My Money" and what not. (Remember the widespread condemnation for ANY change in screen size? Down the memory hole, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.) Now, my prediction, is that you'll see widespread love for the new ugly phone in a similar manner as many espoused the great utility of Siri (only later defended as "in Beta" and now open reviled by many as the marketing gimmick it always was.)

Excellent post. Sad but true. The loyalists can be a fickle bunch.

 

[bwillwall]

When I first read all the rumors of the "iPad mini" I thought it was pointless. However, after really thinking about it it would be a great move for Apple to release a smaller iPad. People looking for e-readers and cheaper tablets that are easier to carry around will now be looking at iPads. After all e-readers seems to be where nobody wants to pay $500 for a giant iPad.

 

[charlituna]

1. Cue said a 7 inch market. That is not the same as a 7 inch iPad. He could have been thinking they use the same UI as the iPhone/Touch which was designed for a smaller layout.

2. Receptive to the idea doesn't mean he said yes, just that he was willing to be convinced.

And most important

3. STEVE JOBS IS DEAD. He doesn't run Apple anymore, his opinions and statements don't and shouldn't matter, if Tim Cook thinks Steve was a moron for dissing the 7 inch market then that's that. Same with BluRay in the Macs or whatever else. Folks need to get off the 'Steve Jobs wouldn't schtick and move on.

 

[Piggie]

Not wishing to change topic, but I think it's clear as day why Apple refuse to suppose BluRay and it's nothing to do with any licencing or and legal issues, as we have seen, Apple are quite capable of putting legal/licencing deals together with others when they so wish.

It's simply that Apple do not want you buying a higher quality BluRay movie from a store or borrowing a film from a friend to watch etc etc etc.....

They simply want your money themselves by you downloading the movie from their iTunes shop.

It's as simple as that.

 

[Tunster]

And most important

3. STEVE JOBS IS DEAD. He doesn't run Apple anymore, his opinions and statements don't and shouldn't matter, if Tim Cook thinks Steve was a moron for dissing the 7 inch market then that's that. Same with BluRay in the Macs or whatever else. Folks need to get off the 'Steve Jobs wouldn't schtick and move on.

Okay, Steve is dead; but wasn't there a timeline of products Steve had already agreed/signed-off for 3 years after his death?

Doesn't mean they can't deviate from the plan, but it depends whether it was a signed agreement of sorts that Tim Cook at least stuck to that plan until there's nothing left in it.

Personally, I've played with 7" tabs. The comment about web browsing being a key weakness is spot on and why make a compromise for a good web browsing experience beats me (unless they make the 7" tab a pure media consumption device and remove the web browsing - essentially replacing the iPod/iPod Touch).

 

[Rogifan]

"People absolutely love iPad. Sales are off the charts. But people have been telling us they'd love to have an iPad they can put in their purse or jacket pocket so they can take it to even more places and do even more.

So today, we're introducing iPad mini"

Maybe Steve could pull that off but not Tim Cook. Or Phil Schiller. Guess they'd need Jony and his British accent waxing about how magical it is.

 

[jbimler]

If nothing else reading thread like this is incredibly interesting from a psychological standpoint as you want a whole mass of individuals slowly but surely moving from hating the concept of a certain product to gradual acceptance and finally embracing fully the notion of such a device.

It's incredible how there are people who will go from anti something almost frothing at the mouth with horror over a story/device to being full on supporting and finally shouting the praises of something, simply by giving them time, and more and more news that the brand they can see no wrong in, has itself decided to produce and back the item.

It's a superb spectacle to watch gradually happening in individuals.

It is interesting. I don't get the people who are so against a new product. It's not like apple is making a fundamental change to an existing product. The people who use Steve Jobs quotes to back up their argument are strange to say the least. Don't want it? Don't buy it.

 

[Rogifan]

Okay, Steve is dead; but wasn't there a timeline of products Steve had already agreed/signed-off for 3 years after his death?

Doesn't mean they can't deviate from the plan, but it depends whether it was a signed agreement of sorts that Tim Cook at least stuck to that plan until there's nothing left in it.

Personally, I've played with 7" tabs. The comment about web browsing being a key weakness is spot on and why make a compromise for a good web browsing experience beats me (unless they make the 7" tab a pure media consumption device and remove the web browsing - essentially replacing the iPod/iPod Touch).

Here's a good review on the Nexus 7 - good points and flaws.
http://speirs.org/blog/2012/8/2/thoughts-on-the-google-nexus-7.html

 

[Ochyandkaren]

How is that trolling? If past events are any indication of what the future holds, it will probably happen. After all, Apple invented the rectangle.

Gibson invented Gibson FlyingV, try copying it and use that same argument.

From the ∞ : This is why Apple needs to stop Samsung and Google from copying them

----------

Excellent post. Sad but true. The loyalists can be a fickle bunch.

It is obvious WHY many people believed Jobs assertion at the time.
It is obvious and you know that.

Even Jobs changed his mind …

Now you come here and copy past Samsung bogus defense ( the square one ) and put yourself out of the same accusation you fire at people who concurred with Jobs at the time?

: One word - hypocrite.

 

[Porco]

This story is talking about a 7-inch iPad in 2011, but really 2011 isn't 2011. You see, there were some smaller Android tablets that were released in 2011, but they have a different aspect ratio when it comes to the passing of time.

If a smaller iPad was released, its time ratio would mean it'd be more like 2012.

 

[Westside guy]

Have you spent any time with a Nexus 7 (made by Asus)?

Nothing shoddy about it at all.

There's also nothing wrong with plastic - it doesn't dent or show scratches, and it's much better for radio signals.

I don't particularly like the software (Active Wallpaper gives me flashbacks to Win95's Active Desktop, ugh), but the Nexus hardware is quite good for the price point.

And yeah - people hear the word "plastic" and apparently think milk jugs. But right now I've got a camera that's mostly metal, and I'm planning to sell it and go back to a much lighter camera that's mostly plastic. There are inherent advantages to plastic, and modern plastics are pretty darn good.

 

[rjohnstone]

Personally, I've played with 7" tabs. The comment about web browsing being a key weakness is spot on and why make a compromise for a good web browsing experience beats me (unless they make the 7" tab a pure media consumption device and remove the web browsing - essentially replacing the iPod/iPod Touch).

What a load of crap.
So you're saying that browsing on a 3.5" display on an iPhone is fine, but on a 7" display it's not? Get real.

The issue may be the default browser itself, fortunately for Android devices you have many choices for browsers.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

How ironic is it that it was Samsung (the "copy cat") and their 7" display that convinced Apple they should reconsider a 7" model?

Personally, I'd love a 7" iPad if it were considerably cheaper than the regular one. I'd much rather use that for a home theater remote and couch surfer than my old iPod Touch (I don't know how Apple could ever think 7" isn't acceptable when they sell a 3.5" device doing the same thing! 3.5" is GREAT but 7" sucks??? The regular iPad is too large and too expensive to use as a remote and couch surfer, IMO. 7" at prices approaching an iPod Touch would be just right.

 

[jonnyb]

Maybe Steve could pull that off but not Tim Cook. Or Phil Schiller. Guess they'd need Jony and his British accent waxing about how magical it is.

When I wrote that I was imagining it in Tim Cook's voice. He says "off the charts" quite a lot. I think Tim Cook's style, while very different from Jobs', is quite compelling; quiet and authoritative.

By the way, Jony Ive has an English accent. There isn't a 'British' accent, as such.

 

[Carouser]

If nothing else reading thread like this is incredibly interesting from a psychological standpoint as you want a whole mass of individuals slowly but surely moving from hating the concept of a certain product to gradual acceptance and finally embracing fully the notion of such a device.

It's incredible how there are people who will go from anti something almost frothing at the mouth with horror over a story/device to being full on supporting and finally shouting the praises of something, simply by giving them time, and more and more news that the brand they can see no wrong in, has itself decided to produce and back the item.

It's a superb spectacle to watch gradually happening in individuals.

Or maybe the people who aren't interested in the device stop participating in the conversation and people who are interested start participating. Nobody changes their mind, there is no 'herd' mentality, there is no 180 turn people make at all.

You never specify any individual changing what they say about the device, you just carry on with this stupid story over and over again.

It'd be a superb spectacle to see you make a decent observation or argument for a change instead of making the same empty smears for months on end.

 

[thomascbullock]

When I wrote that I was imagining it in Tim Cook's voice. He says "off the charts" quite a lot. I think Tim Cook's style, while very different from Jobs', is quite compelling; quiet and authoritative.

By the way, Jony Ive has an English accent. There isn't a 'British' accent, as such.

The difference in their presentations, I think, is that Steve gave you the impression he really believed in a product. Tim very clearly believes in apple, but apart from occasional comments about how much he uses his iPad or apple tv, he doesnt communicate much about the products themselves, and therefore can't really make people believe in them the way Steve could.

Having said that, I think apple is beyond the point of needing a powerful salesman, the brand is doing pretty well at selling itself.

 

[Porco]

By the way, Jony Ive has an English accent. There isn't a 'British' accent, as such.

Or, he has a Chingford-Stafford-Newcastle Upon Tyne-San Francisco accent(?!), there isn't an 'English' accent, as such.

 

[ThatsMeRight]

Apple created the idea of a rebellious "oppressed minority" (to quote Neal Stephenson) by hiring big ad firms. The devotion to Apple is not what it used to be as now Apple is everywhere and the myth is obviously breaking down. Despite that, fervent supporters remain.

The Apple Pope, Jobs, said 7" was ridiculous, so the faithful have been faithfully expressing disdain for the idea. Now the mini is widely regarded as a good thing, and will be loved by many of these same people when it's announced.

Another interesting thing to watch for is the coming change of opinion with regards to the ugly long phone. It's been widely panned, but as more leaks come, more people chime in with "Take My Money" and what not. (Remember the widespread condemnation for ANY change in screen size? Down the memory hole, Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.) Now, my prediction, is that you'll see widespread love for the new ugly phone in a similar manner as many espoused the great utility of Siri (only later defended as "in Beta" and now open reviled by many as the marketing gimmick it always was.)

You're mostly right, but what I do not like is that you put everything who likes Apple products in one group.

You're suggesting that everybody was really enthusiastic about Siri. I was not. Many were not. In fact, Siri is only supported in very few countries and Siri is a useless for a big majority.

You're doing this with more things (like the 7-inch tablet). You're suggesting everybody who likes Apple products agreed with Jobs. Well, guess what, a lot of people didn't.

I love Apple products, but that doesn't mean I think everybody what Apple does is great. I don't really like the Mac. The designs of their Macs is usually quite good, but I simply don't like the software that much. And thus, I don't have a Mac. I have Windows 7 PC. And even though I'm using Windows 7, I'm not planning to upgrade to this terrible thing called Windows 8.

I'll give you another idea. I bought the original iPad in 2010 and a third generation iPad earlier this year (in 2012). In 2010, the future of iPad was far from certain. It didn't even do multitasking, but I wanted to try the iPad anyway. It was the first real tablet with multitouch and acces to a big App Store. It had great battery life - I just wanted to try it out because, well, tablets... tablets were a category of devices few people had ever entered. I didn't buy the iPad 2 because I felt like the upgrade was not big enough, but earlier this year I bought an iPad 3. I really like the retina display and over-all it was a great upgrade from the first generation iPad. That doesn't mean the iPad 3 is perfect. I even wrote a short article here on Macrumors on why the iPad 3 is great, but it isn't. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1336624/

Similar story for iPhone. In 2010 I owned an iPhone 3GS (which I bought in 2009). When I saw the iPhone 4 for the first time (via Gizmodo), I actually really, really liked the design. I considered the iPhone 4 to be a big upgrade compared to the iPhone 3GS, so yes: I bought the iPhone 4 the day it came out. And it truly was a big and great upgrade. In fact, I'm still using an iPhone 4 today. I'm eligible for a new contract with a new phone. I didn't get the iPhone 4S. Siri is useless for me. And a dual-core processor + a better camera won't do it for me.

I might consider the sixth-generation iPhone, but it all depends on what new features the iPhone will get. All we know now is a different design, a 4-inch display and - if we look at the iPad 3 - LTE. Nationwide LTE networks won't become operational until at least 2013 over here so, for me, that's not a valid reason to upgrade. The different design is nice, but that's also not really worth it to spend $1000+ in a period of two years.

So I'm really hoping they come up with some awesome new things. Hopefully they'll add NFC (because, as it appears right now, NFC will get a great future). I also hope for even better cameras (both front and rear), better battery life (hopefully with faster charging through the new dock connector) and a better chip (A6?) which is even more future-proof (so at least 1 GB RAM, hopefully Cortex A15 architecture) [but we probably won't get a new chip].

But hey, since I can get one on contract I might just do it. For the first time since 2009 the iPhone is cheaper (with a 2-year contract) compared to previous years. The cheapest possibility I have found now is 200 MB internet + 90 minutes + unlimited texting. Total costs over two years (with a 16 GB 4S)? €765,00. That's a little less than $950.

 

[iTiki]

I feel a smaller model has been in the works for quite some time. Apple just did not want to release it until they were "forced" to do so. Why would they offer a less profitable model and rob sales from the full size model until the competition had forced them to? Now is the time....

 

[daveathall]

I would be interested in buying an iPad Mini.