Tim Cook in Memo to Employees: 'There Has Never Been a Moment of Such Great Potential As This One'

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook today sent out a motivating memo to Apple employees to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Apple's founding, asking them to rededicate themselves to the original mission of Apple's founding - to redefine what technology can achieve and make people's lives better. Cook's memo was shared in full by French site MacGeneration.

Cook said that there's never been a moment in Apple's history with such great potential, nor has Apple ever had "so talented and dedicated a team." Cook quoted Steve Jobs: "It's been an amazing journey so far, yet we have barely begun," and included his own inspirational addendum. "Remember that none of us will be here for the end of the story, but it's on all of us to make sure it's one worth telling."

On April 1, 1976, a company was formed in Cupertino to create transformative products that redefine what technology can achieve and make people's lives better in the process. Forty-five years later, we mark this occasion by rededicating ourselves to that mission -- and to keeping it alive for a long time to come -- rather than to remember it fondly as something past.

While some things about Apple have changed over these many years, the important things haven't. From the M1 chip to 5G iPhones, from iPads that change the face of education and productivity to a Watch that can look out for your health, to the very best Software and Services that bring them all to life, we have never stopped setting the pace that others try to match. What I can tell you with gut certainty is that there has never been a moment of such great potential as this one, nor have we ever had so talented and dedicated a team. That shouldn't make us rest easy. Great potential obligates great people to meet it.

I know this past year has tested each of us in ways that we never imagined. It's asked all of us to adapt, it's added complexity to our work and it has demanded additional resolve and commitment in areas of our lives that extend well beyond our work. But I also know that what we have each achieved during this time should make us enormously proud. Through a once-in-a-generation challenge, the things we make, and the ways in which we make them, have revealed profound and durable new sources of value to the people who love and count on them. And, on many fronts, we know even brighter days are ahead.

In an email like this one, to mark a much earlier anniversary shortly after I joined Apple, Steve said, "it's been an amazing journey so far, yet we have barely begun." Still true. Remember that none of us will be here for the end of the story, but it's on all of us to make sure it's one worth telling.

Cook also shared the same Steve Jobs quote on Twitter and offered a cheers to the "next 45 years and beyond."

As Apple celebrates its 45th anniversary, the company is poised to announce major new hardware products in 2021, including new Apple silicon notebooks and desktops, updated AirPods, new iPads, and refreshed iPhones, plus work is ongoing on a mixed reality headset, Apple smart glasses, an Apple-designed self-driving vehicle, and more.

Article Link: Tim Cook in Memo to Employees: 'There Has Never Been a Moment of Such Great Potential As This One'

 

[TroyBoy30]

potential to milk more profit out of customers tim?

 

[Naraxus]

More platitudes, empty rhetoric and virtue signaling from the activist CEO of Apple.

It's a shame he's completely gutted what used to be a great company

 

[ccsicecoke]

Bring back Aqua and metal skeuomorphism UI and we'll talk

 

[Jony Quest]

potential to milk more profit out of customers tim?

Jesus!
Come out of the gate gunning for blood, why not?

“first post!” with allllllllll the sourness and negativity that has nothing whatsoever to do with a positive article… for once nothing to do with an error, a recall, or a lawsuit.

Y’all aren’t content unless you’re discontent, huh?
What a bizarre way to live.
I am genuinely sorry that you live in such a misery pit, you feel you absolutely MUST attempt to foist it on others & shoehorn seething absolutely anywhere.

 

[MBAir2010]

they forgot to include:
(from the letter to Apple employees)

鹅、鹅、鹅，

曲项向天歌。

白毛浮绿水，

红掌拨清波!

 

[contacos]

What a strange headline. Makes it sound like covid-19 was the best thing to ever happen for business and they wish there was more of it

 

[BeefCake 15]

potential to milk more profit out of customers tim?

My wallet is open for Mr.Cook with a smile!

 

[el-John-o]

potential to milk more profit out of customers tim?

What is it that the CEO of a for-profit corporation supposed to do?

Apple has done this to themselves; to be fair, by presenting itself as some idea instead of a company. And Steve's frequent line that Apple builds what they want and don't care if it sells (Which isn't true at all).

But; it's a for-profit company. They make stuff to sell. I can't imagine why they would do anything OTHER than continue to try to make profitable products.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Despite whatever decisions I have disagreed with Tim on in the past, no one can deny that he has made Apple EXTREMELY successful and that the future looks bright for the company.

I enjoy both my Boomer Apple products (2011 iMac & cMBPs) and my Millennial ones (iPhone, iPad, Watch, xPods).

Bring it on, Tim! I can't wait to see what happens.

 

[knappeduivel]

My wallet is open for Mr.Cook with a smile!

That is weird!

 

[RedTheReader]

- to redefine what technology can achieve and make people's lives better.

While I try not to be too negative, I can't help but agree with some of the sentiment expressed in the first few replies (though to a lesser degree). Things are getting to a point where upon reading that mission statement, I question if there's much left to do. If there is, is it actually being done?

Apple's worth well over $2 trillion, and in order to achieve the levels of revenue they need to maintain that valuation, they're resorting to subscription services. While there's nothing wrong with that (I actually use some myself), is that really about the mission? To me, it's extremely similar to other options out there, just with different content. At that point, nothing's being redesigned.

 

[BarrettF77]

Cook has had no major contribution. His services suck. Products are iterative. Get some visionaries back in apple.

 

[citysnaps]

potential to milk more profit out of customers tim?

No...potential to produce even more outstanding products and services that customers, many repeat, are willing to open their wallets and pay premium prices year after year after year.

 

[ArPe]

So much potential future if...

- all those damn nazi groups don’t continue to raise millions from the lies on the web

- the Bitcoin era don’t destroy the climate and steal everyone’s money while burning away all the silicon and electricity to play multiplayer sudoku

- the finance bros don’t let another massive market crash happen. The SPACs and the new space/AI start ups have so many frauds. You can see it everywhere on Clubhouse etc. They are making claims they can’t back up but VCs are throwing money at them like ****ing idiots.

I’m calling it. The space sector is going to get so overhyped they will make the Dot Com crash look like a picnic.

 

[carlhancock]

It's a shame he's completely gutted what used to be a great company

What are you even talking about?

Let's take a look at what has happened under Tim's watch...

- Disruption of the wearables market with the Apple Watch.
- Disruption of the headphones market with the AirPods and AirPods Pro.
- The best iPad hardware there has ever been in the current generation of the iPad Pro
- The best iPhone hardware there has ever been in the current iPhone Pro
- The move to the M1 in the Mac line with a processor that is blowing away the competition and putting the heat on Intel
- Numerous new products under development and in R&D
- Record revenue numbers... during a pandemic.

Yes. He's completely gutted what used to be a great company. ?

 

[citysnaps]

While I try not to be too negative, I can't help but agree with some of the sentiment expressed in the first few replies (though to a lesser degree). Things are getting to a point where upon reading that mission statement, I question if there's much left to do. If there is, is it actually being done?

Apple's worth well over $2 trillion, and in order to achieve the levels of revenue they need to maintain that valuation, they're resorting to subscription services. While there's nothing wrong with that (I actually use some myself), is that really about the mission? To me, it's extremely similar to other options out there, just with different content. At that point, nothing's being redesigned.

You may not have heard about Apple Silicon, and how that unshackles Apple from Intel and their lackluster cpu roadmap (often accompanied with delays) offering far better performance with lower power dissipation. And how those chips will be transitioned into new Apple computers and devices.

 

[carlhancock]

You may not have heard about Apple Silicon, and how that unshackles Apple from Intel and their lackluster cpu roadmap (often accompanied with delays) offering far better performance with lower power dissipation. And how those chips will be transitioned into new Apple computers and devices.

Nevermind the fact the current iPad/iPhone hardware is superb. The Apple Watch owns the wearable. market. The AirPods and AirPods Pro disrupted the headphone market. Then you have the M1 and what it means for the future of the Mac as well as other devices. The idea that Tim Cook has allowed Apple to fall apart under his watch is comical. Did I mention the record revenues?

I wonder if any of the people in these discussions even knows anyone that works at Apple. If they did they'd know his approval rating within Apple is extremely high. He's an excellent CEO despite what anyone in these comments says.

 

[MBAir2010]

oh ahrgrbrabergershischmidt!

what else is tim cooks gonna say?
maybe this?

Dear Employees
We are so happy we prevented ALL of our 2010 products from working as they should in 2017, (high 5!)
while those products we made in 2017 never really worked, unless taken apart and re-soldered instead of a clip in cable that connects the lightning port to the logic board, whew what were we thinking! HAs!
and those iPods sucks!
i did not invents them!
anyways get back to work, make things look great but last under 3 years or i will open a plant in Sulawesi and if you want your job (oh no, steeeeeve) you need to swim there, we aint driving anyone there!
now put down that bento box and GET BACK TO FLIMSY WORK!
-Tim Cook,
CEOdriver
Apple Computers Things

 

[Alexander_im]

"Remember that none of us will be here for the end of the story, but it's on all of us to make sure it's one worth telling."

What a beautiful phrase. I love it.

 

[Cosmosent]

The original Apple was built-upon Significant Engineering Accomplishments !

The last Significant Engineering Accomplishment by Apple that I am aware of is the register-rich A7 in the 5s.

That was some time ago.

Under Tim Cook, Apple has become primarily a Financial Engineering company (i.e., P/E expansion via stock buybacks).

That, & chasing the multiples that others have received for being worthy in their target markets (e.g., first Netflix, & now Tesla).

And today, the U.S. Army announces a $21.9B USD AR Headset deal with MSFT !

On Apple's anniversary no less, Go Figure !

And BTW, to date, there is nothing Apple about AppleTV, & as someone who knows the auto industry extremely well, I'd say Apple has ONLY a 1-20 chance of being successful with an EV (if they try to go mainstream, that is).

Tim Cook is a Manufacturing Operations Efficiency Specialist, no more, no less.

Probably NOT the right type of person to run a "Lifestyle" company.

Smoke & Mirrors & a Dog & Pony Show will ONLY work for so long.

 

[iapplelove]

One of the worst companies going right now... nothing worse than a hypocrite

 

[George Dawes]

Apple Silicon , nuff said

 

[otternonsense]

Great, another collection of wall calendar quotes and platitudes. I'm old enough to remember when an Apple CEO was actually motivating and inspiring (despite operating like a perfectionist tyrant). Just go back to buying your own stock and let us be, TC.

 

[dlopan]

Idiot. Apple could have gone to the stars. Now we are stuck with luggage tags and bad electric cars