Hasta La Gadget!

Speaking this week on how the next generation of devices running iOS will be working under the influence of Jony Ive, Tim Cook made it clear that the “magic” was “at the intersection” of hardware, software, and services. This response was in response to a line of questioning from Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at the D11 conference this week, this in addition to chat about competition from Samsung and the influence of wearables on our near future. Mossberg asked if this, this being the next iOS, “is what Jony Ive has been working on?”

Cook responded with a simple “yes” before continuing on with mentions of ramping up innovation in the face of this Post-PC era we’re all a part of. Though Cook was not about to speak about specifics in the move of Scott Forstall that ended with Ive taking a different role, he was ready and willing to suggest that the new arrangement was top notch.

“Yes. What we did last fall was change things up — to really ramp up our innovation. The key in the post-PC era for having a great product is incredible hardware, incredible software, and incredible services, and to combine them so you can’t tell what’s what. The magic is at the intersection.” – Tim Cook

Cook continued by noting that their current arrangement was and is ready to “amp it up.” Noting how Jony “contributed significantly to the look and feel of Apple over many years,” Cook said the team at Apple knew “he could do that for our software as well.”

This will become apparent – more than likely – at Apple’s yearly developers conference taking place next month. That’s WWDC 2013, with a keynote starting things off on June 10th – SlashGear will be there, of course, and you’ll want to tune in without a doubt.

VIA: The Verge
SOURCE: AllThingsD

Tim Cook says Jony Ive influence on iOS was “magic” is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Today Tim Cook responded to an array of questions from Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, responding first to a question of Apple’s current state of business. Noting that in the year between here and last year’s interview, Samsung appeared to have “grown stronger”, working with an Android app store with “a number that’s higher” than Apples – Mossberg even added that Apple’s stock was down “significantly.” Cook was having none of it, responding to Mossberg’s “is Apple in trouble” with a clear “absolutely not.”

Speaking up about Apple’s place in the market, Cook suggested: “let’s zoom out and get perspective. We’re a product company, and we think about products. We’ve sold 85 million iPhones – 42 million iPads. More important than numbers : customers love them [Apple products]. Satisfaction ratings are off the charts – unprecedented – usage is off the charts.”

Responding to the notes on how Apple feels with “an unprecedented number of new products” to be proud of, according to Cook, Kara spoke up: “there’s still a sense… that there’s been an unprecedented downfall of the stock – and you have competent rivals now.”

Cook responded in kind: “We have always had competent rivals.” Appearing to have expected such a line of questioning, Cook continued, “we’ve fought against Microsoft, still fight against Microsoft in the PC space. We found against hardware companies that were viewed to be incredible hardware companies, like Dell.”

“But we’ve always suited up and fought. I don’t see that different today. … Our north star is always on making the best products. The best phone, the best tablet, the best PC, the best MP3 player.”

SOURCE: All Things D

Tim Cook responds to competition talk at D11: “Usage is off the charts” is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Just a year after Tim Cook sat down for his first non-financial interview as CEO of Apple, the man himself is back for yet another round. He’ll be seated in Rancho Palos Verdes, California tomorrow evening at the D11 conference, taking questions from hosts Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, and we’ll be liveblogging every moment of it. The interview is taking place with under a fortnight to go until Apple’s WWDC, where we’re expecting to see details on iOS 7, the Mac lineup and perhaps a glimpse at whatever the company is (presumably) cooking up in the wearables department. The action begins at 6PM PT (9PM ET) tomorrow, so feel free to bookmark this link and return at the time listed below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Mobile, Apple

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Source: Liveblog link

Apple CEO Tim Cook is an interesting person. He marched his way to the top of Apple’s corporate ladder through hard work and an uncommon intelligence that Steve Jobs, one of the most highly respected chief executives in history, respected. Tim Cook was able to earn the job that countless people around the globe would love to have. And he did it with grace and respect for his predecessor.

But since his tenure as Apple’s chief executive, Cook has done little to be like his predecessor. Cook doesn’t like to gloat about the current state of affairs at Apple, and design is not necessarily something that he thinks constantly about. When he holds keynote addresses or events for the press, Cook is content to offer up only some information, and then leave the big product announcements to his executives.

Even in his calls with investors or interviews with the media, Cook plays a downplayed rule, deciding to allow his company’s strong performance to do the talking. It’s a significant departure from his predecessor’s tack, and something that has taken some getting used to for the millions of Apple fans around the globe.

But given Apple’s recent troubles and the fact that Samsung and Google are increasingly causing trouble for Cook, might it be a good time for some change? Apple might still be the most important technology company in the world, but it’s in no way the dominating presence that it once was. And much of that seems to be due to Cook’s leadership.

“That’s not to say Cook is not a good leader”

Now, that’s not to say that Tim Cook is not a good leader. As we’ve seen in recent quarters, Apple’s sales and profit figures are hitting new heights, and his shareholders appear to be happy with his performance. But since Cook took over, Apple has lost something. The things that made the company so compelling in the first place are now a shadow of their former selves. And it might have everything to do with who is sitting in the CEO’s chair.

The problem is, Tim Cook doesn’t have the charisma or the attitude that Steve Jobs had. Part of Apple’s success was due to Jobs willingly telling anyone that would listen that his company was best. And when given the chance to show off the latest and greatest product, it was Jobs who captivated audiences, not his executives.

Tim Cook’s more subdued role might prove to be a mistake in the grand scheme of things. Apple seems to be a company that needs to have a chip on its shoulder. And Cook is lacking that certain chip.

The truth is, Apple is slipping. The company that was once the only dominant force in several markets is looking like one of a few competitors. Apple doesn’t appear to have the same air about it that it once did. And that might be due to Tim Cook’s desire to be, well, less Steve Jobs-like. But if you ask me, he needs to be more like Steve Jobs.

Does Tim Cook Need to Do A Better Job of Publicly Asserting Himself? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The CharityBuzz auction that would see a lucky bidder win a coffee date with Apple CEO Tim Cook has now ended, and after 86 bids were placed, the winning bid came in at a whopping $610,000, which was placed within the last half hour of the auction, after the price remained steady at $605,000 for quite some time.

The auction listed an estimated value of $50,000 for an hour-long coffee session with the Apple big wig, but it seems many fans thought it would be worth way more than that to hang out with the man. What’s perhaps even more impressive, is that all the funds are going to charity. Specifically, Cook is sending the money to the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.

The auction first went live last month, and the highest bid almost immediately skyrocketed to over its estimated value of $50,000, prompting many people to rethink just how high the auction would go. At the pace that the auction kept early on, we almost thought that it could exceed seven digits, but once the auction surpassed $500,000, bids started to slow down tremendously, with the final price landing on just over $600,000. That is still mighty impressive, however, and it makes the auction the highest-priced auction ever on CharityBuzz.

According to the auction details, the highest bidder will be able to bring one guest, both of which will go through background checks before meeting up, and each meeting will last between 30 minutes to one hour, although we’re not sure what factors will lead to a shorter or longer meeting with the Apple CEO. The auction listing also says that “polite manners and respect for the generous donor and adherence to any rules or parameters are a must,” so it seems like you won’t be able to give Cook a hard time over when the iWatch or iTV will launch.

VIA: The Next Web

Tim Cook coffee date auction ends at over half a million is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.