Tim Cook Putting His Stamp on Apple

[movieator]

I, for one, am going to give Cook the benefit of the doubt. For now anyway. The majority of the team is still there. Ive, Cue, Forstall, and the rest (even the Professor & Maryann) have worked for this company for an average of fifteen years. But, while I come close to finishing the biography of Steve, the one question I have is the driving force that galvanized all those minds together.
If anything, it can be said that, for the forseeable future, there is no one who leaps off the page as to having that ability. That is what seperated Jobs from the run of the mill CEO. His exacting standards and the way he viewed the world. This is what drove him. With all his genius and his faults (and there were many), he wanted his company and the people who populated it to live up to how he saw things. He was the hub of the wheel and all the spokes had to go through, and ended, at him.
For now, there is a slight fracture in the hierarchy of that structure. But only a slight one. In the end, only time will tell if it stays slight or if it spreads and fractures.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Well yea, that's Tim. He & Jobs weren't Sith Lords or something.

 

[Apple Corps]

This worries me - it's not so much the changes that are being made, but that they're being made by the guy at the top. Even as Jobs may have gotten involved with choosing the sprinkler alignment or color of the carpeting, his mind was primarily on the essence of Apple, his side projects seemed inline with that vision. And, while it's great that Tim isn't standing in as a Steve Jobs proxy (that'd be even worse) these bureaucratic and business matters might shift Tim's focus from keeping Apple Apple, unless that role now is now being filled by someone like Jony Ive.

Enough with the Jonnie Ive role - he is a product designer - a function that he is OUTSTANDING at but only a portion of what makes Apple - Apple. He has not been responsible for the OS, nor the software, nor the retail push, nor the ecosystem, nor, nor, nor.

Tim Cook is touted as an operational guy - Apple ecosystem and innovation are the keys for Apple's future. I incorrectly predicted that Cook would not get the nod. My prediction was wrong - I still fear that my assessment may be correct.

Only time will tell - but, in his role, spending time on reporting structure and promotions is, well - time will tell.

 

[lllll]

Jony Ivy should have been the CEO, not cook. Ivy has the same talent and vision has Jobs. He's the brain. Cook is just the chef. Ivy is the manager.

 

[Mersailios]

I'm sure that Apple is in good hands with Tim Cook behind the wheel.

 

[Snowshiro]

Cook is making sure to rely upon the expertise of other executives such as Jony Ive, Phil Schiller, Scott Forstall, and Eddy Cue to help forge Apple's path forward.

I find it ridiculous that in the wake of Jobs' death, numerous writers seem to think he singlehandedly designed every major Apple product for the last decade.

What the **** do these people think the guys listed above were doing during this time? Jobs was a good salesman, and had strong opinions about how he wanted products to integrate. He knew what he liked and didn't like. But he had no deep technical or creative skills of his own. Jobs's genius was his ability to nurture the talent of others and recognize good work when he saw it (just like back in the day when Wozniak did all the engineering). As long as Cook does the same he has nothing to worry about.

 

[CalWizrd]

he's weak and soft, he's nothing like steve. people will start to take advantage of that, apple is doomed.

You know him that well, do you?

 

[Cloudsurfer]

In his biography, Jobs said his daughter Eve had the right attitude to run Apple one day. Who knows

 

[*LTD*]

In his biography, Jobs said his daughter Eve had the right attitude to run Apple one day. Who knows

Well she's already part of his name.

Just add and S and a T.

Steve.

 

[See Flat]

Don't forget that Jobs was also responsible for John Sculley becoming CEO, so that's not necessarily a convincing argument.

That was 27 years ago. Not a reference.

 

[foxnews1]

So far, everything I've heard about Cook sounds 100% better than Jobs.

if it sounds too good to be true, then it is not true. No one is perfect. Jobs is known best for his vision, design, and firm with his goal. He will not bend to shareholders or small customer short-sighted demands and scarify long-term greater good. but people hate him for his brutal leadership and communication to customers. if Tim Cook is well liked with his leadership and communication to customers, then his vision will not be as good as Jobs. again, No one is perfect.

No once can replace Jobs, a visionary CEO. under Jobs, Apple has the second largest market cap right now, just behind Exxon. This is the peak, and it would take more than one Jobs to make it larger. Tim Cook is not Jobs unfortunately.

beside running a company like a regular CEO, Jobs has visions and execute well to achieve those visions. Normal CEO just know how to run a company but has no or little vision. Yahoo and Microsoft CEO are the example.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Jony Ivy should have been the CEO, not cook. Ivy has the same talent and vision has Jobs. He's the brain. Cook is just the chef. Ivy is the manager.

No he's not, he's the designer. Designers are not CEOs. Completely different skill set. Tim is the right guy for the job, especially if he's able to carry on Job's vision & passion without some of Jobs' destructive attributes.

 

[Deedlez]

I'm sure Tim will have a very different style to Steve. Let's hope his "gentler" approach doesn't mean Apple will lose it's current edge.

The next 18 months will be interesting, as I expect by then we will be moving beyond the products that Steve was involved in. We'll see the mettle of the people that have taken over the reins.

Will they be daring enough to come out with a product like the iPad - something that didn't really have a market before it appeared?

 

[iSayuSay]

Yeah Tim Cook is a great leader with great PERSONALITY
Steve Jobs is a great leader with great VISIONS

You can say Steve is a jerk for a person, but that's what it takes to make his visions work. On the other hand people like Tim makes Apple more humane and warm. The combination of both make Apple being good and great at the same time.

Well you can't have them all, not even Steve. I wish Steve could be a softer person, humble and all .. but still determined, but he just can't.

All in all I wish Tim luck for the long future on Apple throne

 

[musser]

Support

What he (and APPLE) needs right now is support. Until he shows me otherwise, he HAS my support.

 

[foxnews1]

I find it ridiculous that in the wake of Jobs' death, numerous writers seem to think he singlehandedly designed every major Apple product for the last decade.

What the **** do these people think the guys listed above were doing during this time? Jobs was a good salesman, and had strong opinions about how he wanted products to integrate. He knew what he liked and didn't like. But he had no deep technical or creative skills of his own. Jobs's genius was his ability to nurture the talent of others and recognize good work when he saw it (just like back in the day when Wozniak did all the engineering). As long as Cook does the same he has nothing to worry about.

Did you read an article on CNN last year about Jobs being Design Perfectionist?

He is not just a salesman. He created Apple and took apple to the second largest market cap. if you are talking about salesman, that would be Michael Dell.

He might not design everything but his vision was what made him different than any CEO.

 

[MacSince1990]

I have a lot of respect for Tim Cook, and the more I hear about him the more I like him.

"The Cook."

I know it was a typo (last paragraph), but I think it's catchy.

I totally agree! I think we should start calling him this It kinda seems appropriate, too.. implying creativity in the foods he prepares (Apples >_>), and a sense of control over the company.

----------

He needs to bring Apple back on schedule.

iCloud music matching anyone?
Where is iOS 5.0.1?
And axe the iPad Music app group.

Oh yeah, Apple's really running off the rails

 

[chuckles:)]

He seems like a good CEO from what we've seen so far. Not the showman jobs was, but we'll see how he's performing in a few years when the first products from under his watch start to trickle out.

 

[foxnews1]

Yeah Tim Cook is a great leader with great PERSONALITY
Steve Jobs is a great leader with great VISIONS

You can say Steve is a jerk for a person, but that's what it takes to make his visions work. On the other hand people like Tim makes Apple more humane and warm. The combination of both make Apple being good and great at the same time.

Well you can't have them all, not even Steve. I wish Steve could be a softer person, humble and all .. but still determined, but he just can't.

All in all I wish Tim luck for the long future on Apple throne

if you look at the history of the world, great leaders are brutal. their personalities are unique and often disliked. being softer and humble often resulted in a OK leader, not great.

No one is perfect.

 

[iSayuSay]

if you look at the history of the world, great leaders are brutal. their personalities are unique and often disliked. being softer and humble often resulted in a OK leader, not great.

No one is perfect.

Agreed .. you can say what you want, but people like Hitler, Mao ZeDong was a great leader, never been a great human though.

Well you can't expect a diamond to be as elastic as rubber and vise-versa. Because, sometimes things can only be solved with rubber too.

 

[SDAVE]

Good man. I have the upmost respect for Tim Cook.

utmost*

 

[DESNOS]

I like to think of Tim Cook as a new Apple product. Think of him as CEO 2.0 redesigned from the ground up. I think that given a chance, he can do great things, he just hast to remember what Apple is. I doubt he could do as good a job as Steve could, but Tim has been at Apple so long, I think he'll do well.

 

[FromaBuick6]

As long as he doesn't start running around the stage at the next product unveil shouting "Developers! Developers!" I think Apple will be just fine.

 

[eye]

I think Apple has just about run its course anyway, even if Jobs were still around. What's the next great original product? A tv? Please. There's nowhere else to go. It'll be the next ten iPhones and iPads and nothing new will break through and they'll slowly grow out of fashion. Oh, I think Apple will still be big, but I think it has reached its apex.

 

[movieator]

Might I mention one thing, also?

Tim Cook > Steve Ballmer.

Nuff said.