Without being petulant, You responded exactly how I thought you would by categorizing me into your quote "And instead rely on Macrumor's relentless cook-bashing for your understanding." You are highly inaccurate. Don't interject or place me into any submission into what I already provided you. I have a great deal of respect for Cook. Second, your reading my views entirely different based on my original quote to you, by providing my an iPhone volume number, when yes, Cook is a businessman, which I already stated, without breaking it into terms of numbers.
I see what everyone else does through the media, interviews and exposure from earnings calls/Key Notes. I dont need to provide you with concrete numbers or statistics to ultimately prove how Cook is. But make no mistake about it, Cook is not a salesman and does not have the tenacity that Jobs portrayed in obtaining results, which is not to say Jobs was not without flaws.
Cook also on stage is not what Jobs was, anyone will contest to this, which is why I stated Jobs was a salesman, and a very good one. Cook is the backbone of the financial means of Apple, which I agree with you on how he creates the rapport with suppliers oversea's and among many other things.
Cook is worthy of being acknowledged for many things, but again, not the tenacity and demand Jobs once had. So you suspect Jobs passed the leadership roll to Cook precisely for that achievement? How do you know this? Did Jobs for see Apple as it is now in their current state? Did Jobs envision Apple having one of the worst years in iPhone history with a reported net loss? Did Jobs fully understand how Apple has strayed away from providing new hardware, more specifically the lack of updated Macbooks? Which correct me if I am wrong, is the reason Apple is what is today? Did Jobs ever ponder how his shareholders would dump millions in shares? Clearly your precise analogy is no greater than anyone else's here on Macrumors for that matter.
Nobody can speak for Jobs and how he envisioned Apple's future. So your opinion is no different than mine, other than you providing me an iPhone number and manufacturer relations. I see Cook as leader in terms of Apple's well being, but not the drive Jobs had.
If your left convinced I don't have a full understanding on How Cook is or was in the past, its no secret, I openly admitted that in my previous post, being I see what everyone else does and I feel I follow Apple closely. The one thing that annoys me most is when forum members say "Jobs would have never done that or this never would have happened under Jobs reign." Its as if someone is pretending they were Jobs/Cooks lunch buddy, when in reality, they see exactly what is presented to them through the media, which is ALL you see. My post still stands, Cook does not have the tenacity and demand Jobs once possessed. Cook has different cues and strengths, but no one could surpass what Jobs did.