Tim Cook Says Apple Working on 'Some Really Great Stuff' in New Product Categories

[mccldwll]

That's my point


As for the time span being short and give Cook some time, well he's been promising new products, such as last year and nothing. Additionally the rumor of the iWatch and iTV (or what ever they'll be called) have been rampant. Apple has not been able to roll out a smart watch and that delay is allowing their competitors a leg up.

Apple also spends a lot less in R&D then MS, Google and Samsung, so its hard to innovate at the same level when you spend less.

Just my $.02. I'm not hating Apple but rather, I hate to see them seemingly lose their fire and tenacity under Cook.

1. Cook did not promise new products in 2013. He promised hardware, software and services in late 2013 and in 2014. Gruber has discussed this.

2. Apple has not rolled out a smart watch. That's much different than saying that it "hasn't been able to roll out a smart watch." Samsung rolled one out to total yawns because it was such a piece of junk. Others have introduced smart watches, but they haven't had any success either. No competitor has has gotten a "leg up" because of Apple's schedule. In fact, if and when it introduces a smart watch, Apple will be raising a leg on its "competition". Apple didn't have the first MP3 player, but when introduced, it owned the market.

3. It is well established that there is little correlation between R&D spending and innovation. Aside from the obvious example of msft, Dediu has explored this misconception:

http://www.asymco.com/2012/01/30/yo...edium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Asymco+(asymco)

4. Obviously, Cook doesn't have the dynamic personality of Jobs, but there is absolutely nothing to indicate that Apple is losing its "fire and tenacity" under Cook. His reputation is one of strength and quiet resolve and that certainly was Jobs' assessment of Cook. A CEO running around the stage like an over-caffeinated gorilla didn't work out that well for mr. softy.

 

[macfacts]

Um, 2014 just started. Is Apple required to release new products on some fixed timeline? What if the stuff they're working on just hasn't been ready to go to market? Should they go to market with a product that's not ready or is crap like Galaxy Gear?

You make it sound as if Apple waits until their products are perfect before releasing. Please explain why iOS 7 is so buggy, why every update people wish safari was snappier, why iPad 3 was released when 6months later iPad 4 was released, why the first iphone demo had a fake cellular reception signal indictor showing full bars.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Cook has been saying this for two years, and then we get iPhone 5c(heap) and iPhone 5s(hit) and more of the same in the iPad sector. The only really new and innovative thing Apple did was create an awesome new Mac Pro, yet Apple is doing nothing to promote that product because everyone seems to only care about the iOS.

I have no doubt that Apple has a lot of great ideas cooking in their labs, unfortunately he doesn't seem to have the same ability as Jobs did in refining products and bringing them to market.

 

[TallManNY]

New Cat

Well something is coming. And he is obviously excited about it enough that he can't not make hints about it.

I think it will be iBand and an update to a $200 price point Apple TV. I have no idea what the iBand will get, but I'm hoping it is focused on health benefits and not on telling time or duplicating my iPhone.
I'm guessing the hockey puck gets a stronger processor and 32 GB of storage, maybe even a USB connection. It connects to the App Store and starts getting some Apps that are designed for it. Control is done through an updated Remote App for your iPhones, iPads and other Bluetooth enabled controllers.

 

[nazaar]

uhm.... you've been singing the same tune since you took over. The track is stuck on repeat.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

Cook has been saying this for two years, and then we get iPhone 5c(heap) and iPhone 5s(hit) and more of the same in the iPad sector. The only really new and innovative thing Apple did was create an awesome new Mac Pro, yet Apple is doing nothing to promote that product because everyone seems to only care about the iOS.



I have no doubt that Apple has a lot of great ideas cooking in their labs, unfortunately he doesn't seem to have the same ability as Jobs did in refining products and bringing them to market.

I'm a bit surprised that Cook has not been removed from his position already when they should have. For a guy to keep talking BS, I would've asked for another shuffling around and replace him to get things moving. Tim is NOT the guy to run Apple. He doesn't have the gift of charisma and swagger. To me, it's intellectually insulting for Tim to rehash the same speech over and over again.

He's covering something up that Apple doesn't want people to find out.

 

[vomhorizon]

To me, it's intellectually insulting for Tim to rehash the same speech over and over again.

Thats a company policy thing..Apple has never talked about future plans in the media and have always controlled information release. Tim cook does not seem to want to change that policy at apple. It just so happens that every media chap and his mother wants to know what apple has in the pipeline..and tim cook is sort of forced to stick to the same script..The media should just stop asking him about future plans (even they know that apple is going to spill the beans before they officially launch the product)..but they need to sell airtime and stories..so they keep on pressing apple on and on...If apple was totally transparent with their future plans..this forum wouldn't exist

His performance has been quite good in my opinion. Product lines are doing rather well..We dont know what is cooking in the labs, so don't know how he is managing R&D..few hickups, some minor others not so..but thats something every manager has to deal with..IOS7 was a major step for them, and at the back of sweeping changes following the maps debacle..its understandable that apple woudl take some time get back into the groove following major strategic changes in ios..the 5c sold extremely well given its market strategy..for it to be a viable investment all it had to do was to sell in greater numbers than the traditional sales of discounted previous gen iphones....The sort of charisma and swagger that you are speaking off is not the ONLY requirement for a succesfull business manager..In fact folks without any popular personality traits have gone on to do rather well for themselves..Tim cook is tim cook..he aint steve jobs..apple would be doomed if they go on and look for someone that tries to be another jobs..

 

[Thunderhawks]

Cook has been saying this for two years, and then we get iPhone 5c(heap) and iPhone 5s(hit) and more of the same in the iPad sector. The only really new and innovative thing Apple did was create an awesome new Mac Pro, yet Apple is doing nothing to promote that product because everyone seems to only care about the iOS.

I have no doubt that Apple has a lot of great ideas cooking in their labs, unfortunately he doesn't seem to have the same ability as Jobs did in refining products and bringing them to market.

And Cook will be saying the same thing every year. Whoever gets upset by that or can't see that it's just to say something doesn't get the platitudes game:

That is the same as a coach of a sports team saying:

"We came well prepared and our guys toughed it out in the end. They showed great leadership in the locker room and let's not forget the opponent gave us a great effort. Our hats off to them.
We made the necessary half time adjustments and I want to thank my coaching team to come up with a great game plan.

The game could have gone either way, but I am glad we prevailed.

rah, rah, yada , yada

As for innovation: If it was that easy, everybody including YOU would do it.

Today's innovation isn't discovering something. To me it is more how to put existing technologies together and do something which was previously done one way only in a new different way.

Until that next thing is ready , they will milk the existing products with spec updates and if in these matured product categories something new comes along it will be integrated.

 

[Rogifan]

You make it sound as if Apple waits until their products are perfect before releasing. Please explain why iOS 7 is so buggy, why every update people wish safari was snappier, why iPad 3 was released when 6months later iPad 4 was released, why the first iphone demo had a fake cellular reception signal indictor showing full bars.

No they don't. But if they're working on new categories (payments, wearables, TV etc.) I'd rather they take their time and hopefully not have a 1st gen product that is a dud. My hope is they're working on stuff that people aren't expecting. Personally I think it's a good sign that we haven't seen any hardware leaks yet. Maybe this year we really will be surprised at a keynote rather than yawning because almost everything was leaked beforehand.

----------

I'm a bit surprised that Cook has not been removed from his position already when they should have. For a guy to keep talking BS, I would've asked for another shuffling around and replace him to get things moving. Tim is NOT the guy to run Apple. He doesn't have the gift of charisma and swagger. To me, it's intellectually insulting for Tim to rehash the same speech over and over again.

He's covering something up that Apple doesn't want people to find out.

And yet this is the guy Steve Jobs felt was the right man to run Apple. Does this mean Steve had horrible judgement?

 

[mccldwll]

Cook has been saying this for two years, and then we get iPhone 5c(heap) and iPhone 5s(hit) and more of the same in the iPad sector. The only really new and innovative thing Apple did was create an awesome new Mac Pro, yet Apple is doing nothing to promote that product because everyone seems to only care about the iOS.

I have no doubt that Apple has a lot of great ideas cooking in their labs, unfortunately he doesn't seem to have the same ability as Jobs did in refining products and bringing them to market.

Cook has not been saying this for 2 years. Further, the 5c did exactly what it was supposed to do: it replaced the past practice of offering last year's model as a $100 cheaper option. Had the 5 been offered, many not caring about the improved performance and touch ID would have opted for 5 which looks like the 5s. The 5c pushed many into stepping up to the higher asp 5s. And, while Cook may not have Jobs' skills at refining (who knows) Cook's skills are certainly greater at bringing products to market in the numbers Apple now produces.

 

[Rogifan]

uhm.... you've been singing the same tune since you took over. The track is stuck on repeat.

Apple is never going to announce what's in the pipeline so what do you expect him to say when asked that question? Personally when asked I wish could would simply grin and say "that's for me to know and you to find out". Don't get in to semantics on what constitutes a new product.

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Or it's the fact that Apple always markets their 'premium' materials in every product. They are proud to use a lot of aluminum and glass, and so when they released a plastic iPhone, it was, for some, a step back and not in line with Apple's design philosophy.

At the end of the day, however, I agree with you and believe the 5C is a great phone. It just isn't 'the best' and that's what we've come to expect from Apple.

I think the true problem was that if they hadn't released the 5C, people could buy the 5 and have a phone that essentially 'looks' just like the newest flagship 5S.

But Apple has used plastic in the past and I don't remember any one at Apple ever saying that plastic (in general) was bad. My guess is the majority of 5C owners don't think of themselves as owning an inferior product and don't give a damn what other people think.

For 2014 my guess is we will see a flagship phone in two sizes similar to the iPad and the 5C will drop to the free on contract phone, perhaps with updated colors.

 

[G4er?]

New product Categories.

Like a mid range mid sized headless Mac?
Hey they haven't had one so it would definitely be new.

 

[jbunker7]

I always read his voice with Martha Stewart's accent. They sound a lot alike. Tim could be discussing a sufflet and you'd never know!

Just looked at one of her interviews http://www.bloomberg.com/video/mart...s-are-not-experts-ERw6xWfeSCKd~bRGzSsHxQ.html

My God, they have the exact same manner of speaking. Same pauses. Same phrases. She's the female, fashion/domestic version of Tim.

 

[vernmc]

Quit worrying about Wall Street and make great products.

Seems to me Jobs said something like "Make great products and the press and stock price will take of themselves". I think more companies need to do that. Companies today seem to be focused on the stock price so it is like Wall Street is running their companies.

 

[Mazeman]

So, under Cook, "changing the world" is now off the table?

 

[vomhorizon]

So, under Cook, "changing the world" is now off the table?

That would be the case if the next few things apple makes arent as "game changers" as the iPad or iPhone were

 

[mccldwll]

I always read his voice with Martha Stewart's accent. They sound a lot alike. Tim could be discussing a sufflet and you'd never know!

WTH is a sufflet??

 

[Arran]

WTH is a sufflet??

A really, really small soufflé? Perfect for smuggling into jail

 

[osx11]

Apple also spends a lot less in R&D then MS, Google and Samsung, so its hard to innovate at the same level when you spend less.

Considering how relatively few products Apple sells, their billions in R&D is a lot. Don't forget when comparing Apple to Samsung: Samsung makes everything from smartphones to TVs to Refrigerators to 500 foot long container ships.

 

[mccldwll]

I'm a bit surprised that Cook has not been removed from his position already when they should have. For a guy to keep talking BS, I would've asked for another shuffling around and replace him to get things moving. Tim is NOT the guy to run Apple. He doesn't have the gift of charisma and swagger. To me, it's intellectually insulting for Tim to rehash the same speech over and over again.

He's covering something up that Apple doesn't want people to find out.

Unreal. Uninformed. (any further comment on the above _______would be deleted immediately).

 

[LostSoul80]

New iPhone! And perhaps slightly updated Macs! And maybe even a new Apple TV! Can't wait.

Or can I?

 

[sofila]

Apple executives have repeatedly said that they are only interested in making the best products in the world, not generating revenue for revenue's sake.

that's why they charge the impossible for any incremental memory storage size

 

[timborama]

Wolf... Story is getting old.

 

[koban4max]

Oh...i thought Cook was about to discuss his retirement.

 

[Rad99004]

Any new product/category Apple announces is going to be scrutinized to death. I'm sure Cook & Co. know this and want to make sure there isn't another maps fiasco. Samsung can release a POS like the Galaxy Gear and no one cares. If Apple releases a wearable device that's not ready for prime time the stock will get hammered, there will be calls for Cook to be fired and the Apple is doomed meme will be louder than ever.

Are there any new consumer products/categories out there that are making you go "wow" and wondering why Apple isn't doing something similar? Whenever "iWatch" stories come up most of the comments are that people don't care and haven't worn a watch in years. In fact, of all the rumors floating out there the only one that seems to have people interested is an Apple TV box with an App Store. Aside from a larger iPhone (which isn't a new category) what exactly do people want to see from Apple? What is the new product that they're waiting for?

Touch screen Laptops, a device like the Surface(iPad with keyboard and track pad) and like you mentioned Apps for the Apple TV. I also want to be able to run IOS apps on OSX since the Mac App Store has very few apps. Last a controller designed by apple for playing games on OSX.