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Steve Jobs Acknowledges MobileMe Missteps

Apple Ink

Apple Ink

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 7, 2008
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Article Link: ArsTechnica

In an internal e-mail sent to Apple employees this evening, Steve Jobs admitted that MobileMe was launched too early and "not up to Apple's standards." The e-mail, seen by Ars Technica, acknowledges MobileMe's flaws and what could have been done to better handle the launch. In addition to needing more time and testing, Jobs believes that Apple should have rolled MobileMe's services out slowly instead of launching it "as a monolithic service." For example, over-the-air iPhone syncing could have gone up initially, then web apps one by one (Mail, Calendar, etc.).

Jobs goes on. "It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store," he says. "We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence." We agree with that one.
Apple is learning a lot of lessons from its numerous MobileMe foibles, it seems, and has even reorganized the MobileMe team. For one, the entire group will now report to Eddie Cue (you may remember Cue's name showing up in numerous iTunes-related press releases). Cue will now lead all Internet-related services at Apple—including iTunes, the App Store, and now MobileMe—and will report directly to Steve Jobs.

"The MobileMe launch clearly demonstrates that we have more to learn about Internet services," Jobs says. "And learn we will. The vision of MobileMe is both exciting and ambitious, and we will press on to make it a service we are all proud of by the end of this year."
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Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2008/08/05/steve-jobs-acknowledges-mobileme-missteps/
Sounds like a polite yet firm way of saying "heads will roll if this isn't fixed."
 
andrewxps said:
Sounds like a polite yet firm way of saying "heads will roll if this isn't fixed."
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LOL. But guess we were right when we said MobileMe head's gonna get it from steve! And he did get something:demotion/shunt!
 
andrewxps said:
Sounds like a polite yet firm way of saying "heads will roll if this isn't fixed."
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Exactly what I was thinking.

Really, I think they should have waited, who would need the extra services at the iPhone launch if they didn't exist. They should have concentrated on their huge products, then rolled this out.
 
alphaod said:
If heads haven't already rolled.
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True. I'm sure a few people have already seen the butt end of Steve over MobileMe. And true, it was a mistake rolling all these new products and services at once... but, you live and learn!
 
i said this when mobile me was launched. it made no sense to try and do everything at once. talk about mis-management. moblie me could've been put up earlier actually too if they were ready. which wouldn't have had any consequence either. or started to roll it out a week or two before hand. would've made things a lot easier.

i'm just glad that they're learning form their mistakes. my only complaint right now is how slow the idisk is still. since its launch though i haven't bothered to play around with it too much because it can be frustrating.
 
Steve Jobs Acknowledges MobileMe Missteps



Ars Technica reports that Steve Jobs sent an internal e-mail to Apple employees this evening admitting mistakes in launching MobileMe.

"It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store," he says. "We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence."
Click to expand...

In particular, Jobs suggested that Apple should have launched the MobileMe services individually rather than in a single, complicated transition. Jobs also outlined a reorganization of management structure in which Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president for iTunes, will add oversight of the App Store and MobileMe to his duties and will report directly to Jobs.

"The MobileMe launch clearly demonstrates that we have more to learn about Internet services," Jobs says. "And learn we will. The vision of MobileMe is both exciting and ambitious, and we will press on to make it a service we are all proud of by the end of this year."
Click to expand...

MobileMe has been plagued by intermittent service at launch, exorbitant preauthorization charges for members signing up for the free trial, and an extended MobileMe e-mail outage affecting approximately 1% of customers that was not resolved until July 29th.

Article Link
 
I distinctly remember...

I distinctly remember Steve Jobs saying (during his keynote, regarding MobileMe): "This time, I think we got it right"...

This, in and of itself, was admission that Apple knew .Mac never really "Got it right". They got it very wrong. Any former .Mac user knows that... Yet they still charged full price for that service.

And now, once again, Steve Jobs himself admits that they really didn't get MobileMe right... Yet they still charge full price for this service.

• Are we supposed to feel better because Apple keeps admitting that they can't "Get it Right"?

• Are we supposed to be impressed because Steve wrote a letter and is now involved?

• Are we supposed to be happy with a one-month extension for this half baked, under tested service?

• Now, we are supposed to wait until the end of the year before they "Get it right"?

The end of the year is 5 months away...

I don't really care "who's heads roll" or "who reports to who"... That is Apple's problem, not mine.

I don't want or need anything free... I just want Apple to deliver on what it promises, on time. If Apple wants to play with the big boys they just need to "GET IT RIGHT".
 
Wow - that's good to see - at least the RDF isn't keeping him from admitting Apple's/his mistake
 
Man I hope Steve stays around. It seems like everyone at Apple doesn't self start at all. I mean for Steve to have to step in and tell the MobileMe crew to start posting daily updates on it's status is pretty lame. That should be a no brainer.
 
Steve Jobs admitted that MobileMe was launched too early and "not up to Apple's standards." The e-mail, seen by Ars Technica, acknowledges MobileMe's flaws and what could have been done to better handle the launch.
Click to expand...

Launched too early....MobileMe's flaws....they shouldn't be so hard on themselves since only 1% were affected by those problems :rolleyes:

But, Jobs did nail it on the future. MobileMe will be an absolute great program when things settle down and Apple continues to puts resources into it.

I am excited about the next few years with it.
 
my biggest problem with MobileMe is its speed. it takes a pretty long time to load and navigate the page.

plus it's way too damn expensive.
 
Did Steve Jobs just admit that Apple made a mistake!? Impossible!!!! I so wouldn't want to be working in the MobileMe team. The janitors are probably still cleaning up the blood in cupertino.

Don
 
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