Tim Cook Profiled in New Biography as 'The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level'

[Shanghaichica]

As I remembered, but taken from wikipedia;
"In 2012, Apple acquired AuthenTec, a company focused on fingerprint reading and identification management software, for $356 million."
They were in the right place at the right time when they bought the best tech available out there that hadn't been used mass market yet. Remember Samsung et al had fingerprint readers before, but were clunky implementations of it.
5yrs I'm not so sure, despite what you may believe, I think that was mentioned as a quote on SJ's passing, but not officially from !

Not disagreeing with the time frame of Touch ID but Apple actually had the FPS before Samsung on the 5s from 2013. Samsung didn't release their version until April of 2014 with the S5. It was a clunky swiping method. The only company to have the FPS before Apple was Motorola. They used it on the Motorola Atrix circa 2011. It was poorly implemented and they didn't feature it again on their devices until a few years after Touch ID debuted on the iphone 5S.

 

[WhiteHawk]

Genius, I would laugh but it’s more depressing than funny, Steve was good for the company but he really fumbled the ball on the decision to leave this guy in charge.

 

[bbednarz]

lol..nothing to skip there..you just mentioned normal iterations and usual products as innovation/improvements..what can anyone say..do you remember when first iphone is released, it was touted/proved as a industry shaking product..can you say the same for the products you mentioned?

so, you think Tim came in to power and immediately ..just in two years he innovated TouchID.?the idea is from Jobs era..unfortunate he didnt see that..

Please inform me of the other companies who have released some 'industry shaking' new product. Please tell me the product you want to see that would be 'industry shaking'. The thing is those don't come around every couple years. You're also severely discounting the watch. Was it 'industry shaking'? Probably not. It wasn't the first of its kind, but per usual, it was/is the best of its kind.

 

[compete12]

Things the "geniuses" should consider:

1. How about USB-C across the board? That way I don't need different cables/power cords for my iPhone, MacBook...they are all Apple products after all.

2. How about a monitor? By selling a Mini/Mac Pro without a monitor, you're basically telling someone with expendable $$$, "Get out of the Apple Store and go buy it at Best Buy". Why WOULDN'T you want to have 2 or 3 different monitors right there in the store? (Probably never shopped at an Apple Store....their butler does)

3. Think about how much thinner that iMac could get with a standard SSD, instead of that behemoth 5400 rpm. Ka-Ching...$$$$

4. Next time don't let 4th graders pick the colors for iPhone Xr.

5. Mac Pro? Sad thing with the current model....one you add all the external drives and their power cords, and external junk you probably are wasting more desk space than the older Aluminum Tower Mac Pro. If you had the financial resources to develop a Mac Pro before you were overflowing with iPhone $$$$, you definitely have the $$$$ to design a newer better one. Or just dust off the older design & update. Everyone would be satisfied with that. An apology would be nice, too. I'd like to think most Pro users are able to slap in a new hard drive, recover from Time Machine, and be up and running again without the disruption of a trip to the Apple Store.

6. Dissolve your Memoji department and put their talents on stuff other than 87,000 ways to graphically say "Thumbs Up".

7. Get rid of the off-screen "Applause" sign during the Apple Keynotes. There's obviously one there.

8. Is there any way to streamline the iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Feather, iPad F*rt-In-The-Wind line-up? I don't want to have to do research for days before buying one.

9. ATV....the only thing it solved for me is I spend less time on the TV and more time outside. (Thanks!)

10. Save the planet......Go Green. Interesting. I don't remember ever having to buy/recharge batteries for my iMac G4 Wired mouse and keyboard.

11. It used to be fun going to an Apple Store. Now you're just sitting there in a sea of zombies with shattered iPhone screens waiting to get them repaired.

12. Whatever....

 

[trifid]

Things the "geniuses" should consider:

1. How about USB-C across the board? That way I don't need different cables/power cords for my iPhone, MacBook...they are all Apple products after all.

2. How about a monitor? By selling a Mini/Mac Pro without a monitor, you're basically telling someone with expendable $$$, "Get out of the Apple Store and go buy it at Best Buy". Why WOULDN'T you want to have 2 or 3 different monitors right there in the store? (Probably never shopped at an Apple Store....their butler does)

3. Think about how much thinner that iMac could get with a standard SSD, instead of that behemoth 5400 rpm. Ka-Ching...$$$$

4. Next time don't let 4th graders pick the colors for iPhone Xr.

5. Mac Pro? Sad thing with the current model....one you add all the external drives and their power cords, and external junk you probably are wasting more desk space than the older Aluminum Tower Mac Pro. If you had the financial resources to develop a Mac Pro before you were overflowing with iPhone $$$$, you definitely have the $$$$ to design a newer better one. Or just dust off the older design & update. Everyone would be satisfied with that. An apology would be nice, too. I'd like to think most Pro users are able to slap in a new hard drive, recover from Time Machine, and be up and running again without the disruption of a trip to the Apple Store.

6. Dissolve your Memoji department and put their talents on stuff other than 87,000 ways to graphically say "Thumbs Up".

7. Get rid of the off-screen "Applause" sign during the Apple Keynotes. There's obviously one there.

8. Is there any way to streamline the iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Feather, iPad F*rt-In-The-Wind line-up? I don't want to have to do research for days before buying one.

9. ATV....the only thing it solved for me is I spend less time on the TV and more time outside. (Thanks!)

10. Save the planet......Go Green. Interesting. I don't remember ever having to buy/recharge batteries for my iMac G4 Wired mouse and keyboard.

11. It used to be fun going to an Apple Store. Now you're just sitting there in a sea of zombies with shattered iPhone screens waiting to get them repaired.

12. Whatever....

13. Stop the soldering/gluing

 

[Analog Kid]

Just found on the other topic

Sorry, you lost me there— how does that fit the conversation?
[doublepost=1554967113][/doublepost]

Just checked one of the links you provided:

LAPTOPS
Among the top laptop brands, Apple's "broken or not working as well" percentage is 17. Other brand percentages: Samsung 27; Dell 29; HP 30; Lenovo 31; and Asus 33.​

https://www.zdnet.com/article/apples-macbooks-still-the-most-reliable/

Since you’d specifically mentioned 2008 as a reference point for reliability earlier, I decided to look up the Consumer Reports ratings from 2008:
https://www.cnet.com/news/who-makes-the-most-reliable-laptops/

Apple has improved in absolute terms and in its position relative to the competition...

 

[Gogeta-Blue]

is really funny how many people here claim to be long time apple fans and how is possible that they doesn't know this famous story

Steve left a bunch of notes, including many ideas of unreleased products, things or inventions that he thought about it but never had time to develop, also many suggestions on new devices etc

just because Steve die before many of apple new devices came out, it doesn't mean that he didn't had any to do with those devices

like the watch and AirPods etc

even if it wasn't Steve idea but I'm sure it was some one else idea but I pretty much doubt that Tim "the genius" cook was the one who came out with the idea

Tim is like an office manager while all the others employees are the one who do the real job
but guess who gets all the credit?
exactly

I do respect people opinions and point of view and if you like Tim and you think that he is a genius that he has done an outstanding job

no problem I respect that but I respectfully disagree

why can't people respect others that doesn't think the same way they think
I don't like Tim for me he is not the right person
if you don't agree no problem, you don't have to
but at least respect my opinion

we are not haters simply because we are more aware of reality and we don't jump in your bandwagon
I've spoken

 

[norwaypianoman]

Lying is not a nice thing to do.

Nearly every step Tim has done is to little or two big, nothing is really good.

He managed to miss every chance to build a medium or low-cost iPhone.

And iPhone X was the wrong way to go, 2 years too early at least.

I do not understand this conclusion, there is no genius here - if not the next level is poverty.

 

[Guitar_Trance]

Whatever!

If Mr. Cook makes as many decisions for Apple as Mr. Jobs did then he's taking Apple, in many ways, BACK to where they were before Mr. Jobs incredible return to Apple.

No, this is not "Sour Grapes because of Missing Jobs", this is "sour grapes" for Apple's apparent direction in many areas.

Let's see, soldering parts to motherboards again... including going as far with certain models as soldering the hard drives, processors, etc. to the mobo; not allowing users to increase/change THEIR OWN memory; switching from Intel or other such x86 processors that the ENTIRE WORLD uses; going to some proprietary chip for ALL Macs (rumors); charging outrageous prices for machines that are sub-par in comparisons to their PC counterparts (situations as bad as fans not capable of even cooling i7/i9 processors and as a result Apple throttling their outrageously expensive Macs to force them to stay cool... why even bother getting the overpriced "upgrades" if they cannot be utilized); rumors they will stop Boot Camp because it's potentially costing them sales; and etc., etc., etc....

If any, and God forbid All of the above and even more I've read about are Apple's future changes then they are returning to the days when Apple was so proprietary and pricey they almost completely isolated themselves from the rest of the computing world, and almost went out of existence.

If Tim Cook is making these decisions, then he is surely taking Apple to the next level... BACKWARD, that is!

 

[Abazigal]

Lying is not a nice thing to do.

Nearly every step Tim has done is to little or two big, nothing is really good.

He managed to miss every chance to build a medium or low-cost iPhone.

And iPhone X was the wrong way to go, 2 years too early at least.

I do not understand this conclusion, there is no genius here - if not the next level is poverty.

If you understood Apple's business model, you will understand why a medium or low cost phone makes absolutely no sense.

For one, Apple operates in premium markets, which focuses on value, not price.

Second, there are numerous options for users who desire cheaper iPhones, from purchasing older or second-hand models, to trade-ins, to carrier and retail promotions, credit cards, instalment plans, amongst others.

I remember back in 2012-2013, when the tech industry was somehow convinced that Apple needed to sell a budget iPhone. Apple instead went on to sell increasing numbers of iPhones at ever-higher ASPs, and still critics ignore all the signs and claim that Apple needs to sell a cheaper handset.

The solution to iPhone growth is not found in cheaper pricing or more/better features, but in new markets.

 

[ipponrg]

For one, Apple operates in premium markets, which focuses on value, not price.

FYI, this statement is an oxymoron.

 

[Abazigal]

FYI, this statement is an oxymoron.

Care to elaborate?

 

[ianday]

I see the "experts" and armchair CEOs are already out with their analysis of Cook's performance.

Hey, don't knock the armchair CEOs! They're important for posterior comfort.

 

[ipponrg]

Care to elaborate?

Premium markets focusing on value. It’s like me saying Rolex watches offer the best mechanical movement value for watch buyers or Canada Goose jackets might be priced high but they offer the best value for their down material

 

[Abazigal]

Premium markets focusing on value.

Let me use a personal example.

My 2011 iMac cost more than any PC I owned before it, but it lasted for 6 years before I decided to replace it, and I still managed to sell it for a couple of hundred dollars. This was longer than my last 2 windows desktops combined (each averaged about a little under 2 years).

So while my Apple products weren't cheap, they have more than paid for themselves in the form of greater productivity and fewer problems overall.

Value isn't just about how little you pay.

 

[ipponrg]

Let me use a personal example.

My 2011 iMac cost more than any PC I owned before it, but it lasted for 6 years before I decided to replace it, and I still managed to sell it for a couple of hundred dollars. This was longer than my last 2 windows desktops combined (each averaged about a little under 2 years).

So while my Apple products weren't cheap, they have more than paid for themselves in the form of greater productivity and fewer problems overall.

Value isn't just about how little you pay.

Value i.e bang for the buck is not the same as premium markets targeting value. The reason the resale value is higher than others is due to brand. It’s an innate return going into premium markets. I wouldn’t interpret it as value though

For examples,
- Canada Goose jackets cost a lot but has a high resale value and command warmth. But you can get similar warmth by spending a fraction on other brands
- Premiums German cars cost more than their counterpart Hondas but resale value is higher.

Both are good value for what you buy, but I disagree with if you’re trying to say it’s the best bang for the buck

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Tim inherited a company with one of the strongest brand values in history, then exploited that by increasing prices while recycling existing parts and designs.

Apple's record profits are not a reflection of Tim's leadership.

The only interesting question about Tim is whether his focus on profit comes from greed, luck combined with cowardice, or self-awareness of his own lack of vision and an acceptance that the best he can achieve is to keep shareholders happy.

Brilliant observation.
[doublepost=1554996036][/doublepost]

If you understood Apple's business model, you will understand why a medium or low cost phone makes absolutely no sense.

For one, Apple operates in premium markets, which focuses on value, not price.

Second, there are numerous options for users who desire cheaper iPhones, from purchasing older or second-hand models, to trade-ins, to carrier and retail promotions, credit cards, instalment plans, amongst others.

I remember back in 2012-2013, when the tech industry was somehow convinced that Apple needed to sell a budget iPhone. Apple instead went on to sell increasing numbers of iPhones at ever-higher ASPs, and still critics ignore all the signs and claim that Apple needs to sell a cheaper handset.

The solution to iPhone growth is not found in cheaper pricing or more/better features, but in new markets.

So why are there three levels of iPad: cheap, middle and expensive? Seems that Apple cater to the value market there.

If Apple had developed an entry-level iPhone, as I believe Steve Jobs would have, like he did with the iPod, then Apple would have widened the market for the iPhone considerably. When one looks at the implosion of Apple in China now, it is hard not to conclude that if Apple had catered for all levels of the market there, it would not now be contracting. As Apple have restricted themselves to the high end of the market, they cannot compete on price, and so are being usurped by other companies. It is significant that by restricting themselves to the high end there, they are seeing even that level suffering. I predict that, this year, we will see the same thing happening in Europe—a contraction in Apple marketshare due to their unwillingness to expand their market price-points.

 

[Peperino]

I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly. You are ragging on the Air because it has new colors, but then go on to say that the thing wrong with the iMac is that it hasn't had a casing redesign? You can't have your cake and eat it too.

FWIW, the iMac is in desperate need of a refresh. The bezels are ridiculous in 2019.

AirPods.
A12 processor.
Face ID.
Touch ID.
I'm 100% sure you'll disagree, but the HomePod is a fantastic product albeit expensive.

Their computer has been priced high since they first came out, that's nothing new. Outdated? The Mac Pro is sure.

soldering parts to motherboards again.
Remove great features such as mag-safe
charging outrageous prices for machines that are sub-par
fans not capable of even cooling i7/i9 processors and as a result Apple throttling their outrageously expensive Macs

NOtice how all the innovations you are mentioning are features for iPhones/ipads.
Barely recently only the touch id was implemented only on the Pro line.

Upgrade cycles have become ludicrous.
iMac 10 Years with the same external design.
Mac pro 6 years and Counting
Mac Mini (4 and 65% overpriced to come out with the same old case).
The Mac mini reflects the worst of Apple right now. Too expensive to be entry level, too limited to be high end. Add external devices to overcome the limits, and its compactness is no longer an advantage. What is the niche Apple is trying to fill here?
Macbook Pros (they are the sad joke of the entire line up, with useless keyboard just to start) 2016+ are useless and overpriced.

But what is more pathetic is that they went from creating ground breaking computers, to create disposable appliances.

 

[I7guy]

Brilliant observation.
[doublepost=1554996036][/doublepost]

So why are there three levels of iPad: cheap, middle and expensive? Seems that Apple cater to the value market there.

If Apple had developed an entry-level iPhone, as I believe Steve Jobs would have, like he did with the iPod, then Apple would have widened the market for the iPhone considerably. When one looks at the implosion of Apple in China now, it is hard not to conclude that if Apple had catered for all levels of the market there, it would not now be contracting. As Apple have restricted themselves to the high end of the market, they cannot compete on price, and so are being usurped by other companies. It is significant that by restricting themselves to the high end there, they are seeing even that level suffering. I predict that, this year, we will see the same thing happening in Europe—a contraction in Apple marketshare due to their unwillingness to expand their market price-points.

Yep, Apple will let the lower price points go and android can have them. They don’t engage in a race to the bottom.
[doublepost=1554998578][/doublepost]

Value i.e bang for the buck is not the same as premium markets targeting value. The reason the resale value is higher than others is due to brand. It’s an innate return going into premium markets. I wouldn’t interpret it as value though

For examples,
- Canada Goose jackets cost a lot but has a high resale value and command warmth. But you can get similar warmth by spending a fraction on other brands
- Premiums German cars cost more than their counterpart Hondas but resale value is higher.

Both are good value for what you buy, but I disagree with if you’re trying to say it’s the best bang for the buck

Bang for the buck is totally subjective, and this point goes around in circles.

 

[groove-agent]

The next level of Mac neglect, low innovation, and slow product refreshes.

 

[McScooby]

Not disagreeing with the time frame of Touch ID but Apple actually had the FPS before Samsung on the 5s from 2013. Samsung didn't release their version until April of 2014 with the S5. It was a clunky swiping method. The only company to have the FPS before Apple was Motorola. They used it on the Motorola Atrix circa 2011. It was poorly implemented and they didn't feature it again on their devices until a few years after Touch ID debuted on the iphone 5S.

My mistake, sorry!

 

[Tivoli_]

Should be “Tim Apple”. Jus sayin.

How about "Emoji Tim"?

 

[Peperino]

Sorry, you lost me there— how does that fit the conversation?
[doublepost=1554967113][/doublepost]
Since you’d specifically mentioned 2008 as a reference point for reliability earlier, I decided to look up the Consumer Reports ratings from 2008:
https://www.cnet.com/news/who-makes-the-most-reliable-laptops/

Apple has improved in absolute terms and in its position relative to the competition...
View attachment 831629

I would love Apple to disclose the return rates of Macbooks Pro 2016-18. They are actually much worse than the 2008 models. It seems that quality control has changed quite a bit.

I wonder where are all the users that excuse Apple for being a premium company!
What is their next excuse for Apple ludicrous Mabook overpricing?
Is it a premium brand? Nope, Premium brands deliver quality products. apple keyboard has shown to be a disaster.
Do they deliver quality value for the amount they charge? Not even close.

 

[Abazigal]

So why are there three levels of iPad: cheap, middle and expensive? Seems that Apple cater to the value market there.

I can think of a couple of reasons.

One is the education market.

Second is that the iPad isn't subject to carrier subsidies the same way the iPhone is.

As such, the iphone doesn't need to be subject to the same treatment as the iPad.

If Apple had developed an entry-level iPhone, as I believe Steve Jobs would have, like he did with the iPod, then Apple would have widened the market for the iPhone considerably. When one looks at the implosion of Apple in China now, it is hard not to conclude that if Apple had catered for all levels of the market there, it would not now be contracting. As Apple have restricted themselves to the high end of the market, they cannot compete on price, and so are being usurped by other companies. It is significant that by restricting themselves to the high end there, they are seeing even that level suffering. I predict that, this year, we will see the same thing happening in Europe—a contraction in Apple marketshare due to their unwillingness to expand their market price-points.

https://www.aboveavalon.com/notes/2018/10/22/the-gray-markets-impact-on-iphone-pricing

Except that Apple's install base is actually still increasing despite higher iPhone prices due to the grey market for second-hand iPhones. We now have over 900 million active iPhones.

That's why I say Apple doesn't need to sell a cheaper iPhone. If someone wants a cheaper iPhone, there are plenty of options available, including buying older models or getting a second-hand model. Not to mention that for all its smaller market share, the iPhone continues to garner the lion's share of profits in the smartphone market. There is no doubt that Apple's current pricing model is the right one. Customers don't want cheap iPhones. The 5c pretty much proved that.

A cheap iPhone makes no sense for the simple reason that market share is merely the means, but profit is ultimately the end. There is no value in engaging in a race to the bottom with cheap android handsets that barely earn their OEMs any money.

 

[Analog Kid]

I would love Apple to disclose the return rates of Macbooks Pro 2016-18. They are actually much worse than the 2008 models. It seems that quality control has changed quite a bit.

I wonder where are all the users that excuse Apple for being a premium company!
What is their next excuse for Apple ludicrous Mabook overpricing?
Is it a premium brand? Nope, Premium brands deliver quality products. apple keyboard has shown to be a disaster.
Do they deliver quality value for the amount they charge? Not even close.

So... your response to my cited reference showing reliability has improved from 2008 to 2018 is to just deny it with an opinion?