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Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

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Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#51

Post by Spooky23 »

tptacek wrote: post #45
Animats wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is in some ways easier, because there's no real threat to their cash cow, search ads. Apple has to stay ahead of competition in phones. That competition is now quite good, and usually cheaper. As CEO of Apple, Cook is expected to deliver the Next Big Thing. So far, he hasn't, and he's running out of time. (Cars? Tough, low-margin business. VR? Niche market. Watches? Tried that. Robots? Not ready yet. Voice AI?…

Can you flesh out an argument that Cook and/or Apple is "running out of time"?

They can't scale their "magic".

Working on the watch means that they aren't working on the Mac or the iPad. They are a victim of their own success in that a successful, well thought out, and profitable product like the watch is viewed as a neutral.

They've also flopped on the TV.

That said, their ability to execute is amazing.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#53

Post by throwaway274739 »

adamlett wrote: post #12
icpmacdo wrote: post #2

PG talked about this in his talk 'before the startup' "Larry Page may seem to have an enviable life, but there are aspects of it that are unenviable. Basically at 25 he started running as fast as he could and it must seem to him that he hasn't stopped to catch his breath since. Every day new shit happens in the Google empire that only the CEO can deal with, and he, as CEO, has to deal with it. If he goes on vacation…

Who is PG?

Proctor & Gamble. Huge, diversified corporation. Google 'em.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#54

Post by robhu »

feelix wrote: post #42
apozem wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cook has his edges. He's supposed to be a demanding, logical boss. > One day back then, he convened a meeting with his team, and the discussion turned to a particular problem in Asia. “This is really bad,” Cook told the group. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes into that meeting Cook looked at Sabih Khan, a key operations executive, and abruptly asked, without a trace of emotion, “Why are you s…

Aside from all the other issues with this, you need a visa to get into China. And you need a ticket out to get in. I imagine this applies to you even if you're pretty high in Apple management.

Possibly he already had a visa.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#55

Post by dekhn »

TekMol wrote: post #4
icpmacdo wrote: post #2

PG talked about this in his talk 'before the startup' "Larry Page may seem to have an enviable life, but there are aspects of it that are unenviable. Basically at 25 he started running as fast as he could and it must seem to him that he hasn't stopped to catch his breath since. Every day new shit happens in the Google empire that only the CEO can deal with, and he, as CEO, has to deal with it. If he goes on vacation…

I wonder why he can't hire a "Sub CEO" whose job it is to handle 90% of the shit. Mission statement: "Act like the CEO. But you are allowed to pass the hardest 10% of your tasks to Larry. 10%. Not more.".

Technically, Larry is the CEO of Alphabet, while Sundar is CEO of Google. Larry doesn't deal with daily shitstorms- that's Sundar's job.

By the way, Sundar is a genius- absurd level of memory recall, extremely logical (vulcan-class), and pretty personable.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#56

Post by kkhire »

k-mcgrady wrote: post #23
Animats wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is in some ways easier, because there's no real threat to their cash cow, search ads. Apple has to stay ahead of competition in phones. That competition is now quite good, and usually cheaper. As CEO of Apple, Cook is expected to deliver the Next Big Thing. So far, he hasn't, and he's running out of time. (Cars? Tough, low-margin business. VR? Niche market. Watches? Tried that. Robots? Not ready yet. Voice AI?…

>> "Watches? Tried that." I don't understand how people think they've tried the watch and failed. They've put out ONE version. The first iPod was Mac only and therefore didn't sell very well. When the iPhone launched you had to buy the device outright - no subsidy and it was lacking features that other phones had for quite a while. It was a few versions before it really took off. I think people shrugging off the watc…

inherent problem with the watch is that it's not a standalone device, its an extension of the phone.

but you're right, there's alot of revisionist history when it comes to apple product success during Jobs era. iPhone didn't become this massive product til 2010 when the 4 was released. that device changed everything for them

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#57

Post by dekhn »

apozem wrote: post #22
helloworld wrote: post #18

In Tim Cook, it's interesting to see a leadership style that's so different from the Jobs/Ellison mold. Cook seems to have a very humble manner, and he emphasizes listening to and learning from people both inside and outside Apple. In the startup world, I wonder whether founders can find success in emulating Cook -- or whether a harder-edged, harder-driving style is required.

Cook has his edges. He's supposed to be a demanding, logical boss. > One day back then, he convened a meeting with his team, and the discussion turned to a particular problem in Asia. “This is really bad,” Cook told the group. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes into that meeting Cook looked at Sabih Khan, a key operations executive, and abruptly asked, without a trace of emotion, “Why are you s…

I find this such a funny example. Because you know, driving immediately to the airport and buying a ticket is really going to make a difference. No- not really. That's not a logical request at all. It's just demanding.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#58

Post by tptacek »

Spooky23 wrote: post #51
tptacek wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you flesh out an argument that Cook and/or Apple is "running out of time"?

They can't scale their "magic". Working on the watch means that they aren't working on the Mac or the iPad. They are a victim of their own success in that a successful, well thought out, and profitable product like the watch is viewed as a neutral. They've also flopped on the TV. That said, their ability to execute is amazing.

That's an answer to somebody's question, but not to mine.

Re: Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple ‘is sort of a lonely job’

#59

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

mwfunk wrote: post #48
tomdell wrote: post #29

I like this - "The first all-new device during his tenure, the Apple Watch, is not yet a mega hit." - as if some day it just is going to be a mega hit.

I interpreted that as, someday it might yet be a mega hit. It's still a relatively new product that's only had one iteration, and even though it didn't set the world on fire, it didn't bomb either. Most tech companies iterate on things a few times before giving up on them, unless they are just fundamental market failures like the iPod HiFi. What did you like about that statement? Your interpretation made it sound lik…

I certainly don't agree with it. Wearables have a lot of potential, but wearable watches are fundamentally not a great idea - for practical reasons (screen too small, limited battery life) and for marketing reasons (can't compete at the low end, certainly can't compete at the lifestyle/status display high end).

Watch isn't even primarily a watch - it's an iPhone remote. And that's getting into rarefied meta-product territory.

So unlike the iPhone and the home computer, both of which have obvious use cases, Watch is still trying to define a compelling reason for existing.

But this just highlights the current Apple problem. Cook designs products using a very simple heuristic - smaller, bigger, thinner, more colours: basically good enough.

Jobs used to use a different heuristic - magical, original, creative, obviously useful, with world-beating production values.

It's a completely different approach. And you can see that in Watch.

Watch has no magic. It's good enough - barely, more or less. But that's all it is.

And if you're aiming for good enough instead of magical, it's too easy to fall short and end up with not quite good enough - which is where many Apple buyers are feeling the current product lines are heading.

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