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As an apple alumnus, I believe it has to do with a culture of "laser focus" There is an internal course called "what makes apple apple" that you can take, but i

As an apple alumnus, I believe it has to do with a culture of "laser focus" There is an internal course called "what makes apple apple" that you can take, but it's not necessary to pick up one of the key pieces of culture: the importance of saying No to most things. Apple has built their reputation on high quality. To continue to deliver takes immense effort, even for incremental programs, and often almost if the talent internally shifts to whatever is new or deemed important, at the expense of everything else. So it's not that they don't know, it's not that they don't care. It's that they believe in sacrificing opportunities elsewhere so that they can focus on what is truly important. Another shift that happens internally is executive focus. Executives at apple are extremely hands on with products. They don't micromanage, but instead constantly judge whether a product is on course and has taste. We use to prepare monthly keynotes that went all the way to the top, hitting each executive along the way, who was interested in taking the pulse of every project underneath them. This approach does not scale to more than a handful of product lines per executive. There is a lot of risk inherent in this approach, because if they line up a home run with half the company over a few years and then you whiff, you could be in a tough spot. By that's exactly what apple does. And one of the advantages is that people are rarely worried about whether apple is committed to an entirely new product, because they go all in each time they move. For example, apple is absolutely committed to making the watch dominate the smartwatch market. It isn't a hobby for them. The solution the internal apple devoutiees would see to this problem is to cut the Mac mini entirely if it stopped selling, rather than refresh it. It is believed to not be worth splitting the companies attention. Edit: as other commenters have mentioned, apple is also not the largest maker of these products, just the one with the largest valuation. They have less, more focused talent, and larger margins. Edit edit: I just remembered the giant picture of Steve jobs in Infinite loop I used to walk past to lunch all the time that said "I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what's next." pretty much sums this up.

tim333 10y ago
I see what you are saying but you'd think you could update some of the chips in the mini without needing much company attention?
- unusximmortalis 10y ago
  Exactly.
- mattnewton 10y ago
  Apple doesn't just update chips and throw it over the wall. It is, for better or for worse, always a large scale qa, supply chain and engineering effort.
  - wineisfine 10y ago
    Still, I don't have the impression this was happening under Jobs. He would still had 2 guys in there, updating the chip in the Mini right now. Total neglect of 60% of their products (Mac pro, Mac Mini), and ditching complete other productlines (Cinema displays, Routers) at the same time, is unprecedented... I really think Cook is messing it up. Especially not even having the option of a regular keyboard on a 15" MBP, is almost insulting.
    - prirun 10y ago
      I am still using a Macbook Pro laptop from 2010, running Snow Leopard, because it does what I need and I haven't felt the need to upgrade it, other than install an SSD. I like Apple's stuff, though I'd never buy another Mac Mini: they're too damn hard to upgrade (disk). It's like doing microsurgery, and I'm no surgeon. Apple may be neglecting 60% of their products (not sure if that's accurate...), but if 60% of their products are generating 1% of their revenue, it seems like a good idea to neglect them. I think Apple has gone way beyond the days where "power graphics/media users" are important or even relevant to them. Every kid I know has an iPhone, wants to upgrade their iPhone, or "drops" their iPhone on purpose every 2 years, crushing the screen, so they "have" to get a new one using Mommy & Daddy's phone upgrade. One $10K PowerMac == 20 $500 iPhones. If it were your business, what would you focus on? Not saying I like it, because I still have a slide phone and don't give a shit about Apple's consumer products, and wish they still cared about a great developer machine. But I understand why they don't.
      - 10y ago
ScottBurson 10y ago
Total laser focus on one thing seems like a great mantra for building a company (or turning around a failing one). But for sustaining a company that's already successful, I'm not so sure. If you really believe there's a Next Big Thing that you can bet the company on and win, like the iPhone, then maybe it makes sense to let other product lines languish. But, now that most of the world's population carry a computer in their pocket at all times, what if there is nothing else that big that remains to be done? There's still lots of room for Apple to grow their existing Mac business. They've started to make inroads into the enterprise market, traditionally dominated by Windows. They could really press that. They could stay competitive in more markets than just the thin-and-light laptop market -- the Mini is one example, the high-end laptop market is another, and the workstation market is a third. Instead, they're apparently conceding these battles, and turning their massive resources toward finding another Next Big Thing, which may not even exist.
- mattnewton 10y ago
  Maybe, but that is what makes apple apple. They could also focus on pushing their mac line and lose all their top talent who want to work on something inspiring, and become the next Hp, a respectable hardware company that no one cares about the future of. Already they hemorrhage talent to sexier projects like tesla. Also, I don't think they will change for anyone or anything. Many of the executives have witnessed firsthand the death and resurrection of apple by Steve Jobs and seen the formula work again and again, from the iMac to the iPhone. They truely believe that they are either going to make products that makes a dent in the universe or go bankrupt trying.
- nextos 10y ago
  I agree. Is the Mac Mini so special it can't be updated by a small team periodically? Nope. It is in fact a quite mainstream machine, nothing too special about it. The uniqueness in the Mac Mini lies in Mac OS. No laser sharp focus is needed for incremental hardware updates. The Mac Pro has unique hardware, but between major redesigns it does not need any incredibly hard work. Just incremental improvements. I find it absurd too that a company with so much cash in the bank cannot keep a few people performing incremental improvements on their product lines. The Mac Pro for example, is hopelessly outdated now. I think they underestimate the compound effect of an ecosystem. Several little products, even if they don't bring in insane revenues such as iOS, can help attracting key users which are those that drive innovation. It also contributes to the overall experience of regular folks. For example, by discontinuing screens or routers, things are not as seamless as they once were.
bootload 10y ago
"I believe it has to do with a culture of "laser focus" " The problem with this ^focused^ (linear) thinking is the real value of apple in the past has been from ^diffuse^ (intuitive, unconscious wondering connections, slightly riskier) thinking. I know this is simplistic but the successful apple will be using both modes.
- mattnewton 10y ago
  I don't think that was meant by laser focus. I think it meant to really hone in on a few things that will have large impact, at the expense of linear improvements. Apple is in love with the big, sexy revolutionary unveiling and that thrill and opportunity is what they are laser focused on. If it doesn't get them to that point, they say No to it. That thing might require linear or divergent thinking to make work. But it's all this fixation on that end goal, that flash of excitement and freshness that they, their shareholders, the press and the majority of their users are all hooked on.
  - bootload 10y ago
    "Apple is in love with the big, sexy revolutionary unveiling and that thrill and opportunity is what they are laser focused on." Fair point. Direction at apple doesn't have Jobs for aesthetics. apple has long forgotten the brilliance of Woz and open access to hardware. We'll see how this plays out (as I type out on mbp kb).
jamesfmilne 10y ago
So we forego any updates on the Mac Pro for 3 years so that Apple can dominate the smartwatch market? /me shakes head in dismay
MaysonL 10y ago
So why isn't there somebody with total laser focus on the Mac Mini? The Mac Pro? iOS for the iPad? Seems to me that these are some of the functions that the supposedly functional Apple organizational structure is neglecting.
CoolGuySteve 10y ago
Apple is not above doing side projects if they integrate existing components. The early Apple TV and iPod Touch come to mind. IMO the bigger issue with the Mac Mini is that it used to be designed with very similar internals to the plastic/polycarbonate MacBook. When they discontinued those machines in favour of laptops with integrated RAM and storage, my suspicion is the design path became less clear and required more engineers.
nkkollaw 10y ago
You're saying that Apple is focused on providing the best quality possible. How is a 3-year-old PC good quality?
- techdragon 10y ago
  It was when they cared. The point is that they are utterly blind to anything beyond the release of the next big thing. It's like they are chasing exploding fountains of gold, with tunnel vision and no rear view mirrors.
derefr 10y ago
> It isn't a hobby for them. Can you explain what exactly was meant (in an internal-politics sense) back when the Apple TV was referred to in each keynote that mentioned it as a "hobby project"?

tim333 10y ago

I see what you are saying but you'd think you could update some of the chips in the mini without needing much company attention?

unusximmortalis 10y ago
Exactly.
mattnewton 10y ago
Apple doesn't just update chips and throw it over the wall. It is, for better or for worse, always a large scale qa, supply chain and engineering effort.
- wineisfine 10y ago
  Still, I don't have the impression this was happening under Jobs. He would still had 2 guys in there, updating the chip in the Mini right now. Total neglect of 60% of their products (Mac pro, Mac Mini), and ditching complete other productlines (Cinema displays, Routers) at the same time, is unprecedented... I really think Cook is messing it up. Especially not even having the option of a regular keyboard on a 15" MBP, is almost insulting.
  - prirun 10y ago
    I am still using a Macbook Pro laptop from 2010, running Snow Leopard, because it does what I need and I haven't felt the need to upgrade it, other than install an SSD. I like Apple's stuff, though I'd never buy another Mac Mini: they're too damn hard to upgrade (disk). It's like doing microsurgery, and I'm no surgeon. Apple may be neglecting 60% of their products (not sure if that's accurate...), but if 60% of their products are generating 1% of their revenue, it seems like a good idea to neglect them. I think Apple has gone way beyond the days where "power graphics/media users" are important or even relevant to them. Every kid I know has an iPhone, wants to upgrade their iPhone, or "drops" their iPhone on purpose every 2 years, crushing the screen, so they "have" to get a new one using Mommy & Daddy's phone upgrade. One $10K PowerMac == 20 $500 iPhones. If it were your business, what would you focus on? Not saying I like it, because I still have a slide phone and don't give a shit about Apple's consumer products, and wish they still cared about a great developer machine. But I understand why they don't.
    - 10y ago

ScottBurson 10y ago

Total laser focus on one thing seems like a great mantra for building a company (or turning around a failing one). But for sustaining a company that's already successful, I'm not so sure. If you really believe there's a Next Big Thing that you can bet the company on and win, like the iPhone, then maybe it makes sense to let other product lines languish. But, now that most of the world's population carry a computer in their pocket at all times, what if there is nothing else that big that remains to be done? There's still lots of room for Apple to grow their existing Mac business. They've started to make inroads into the enterprise market, traditionally dominated by Windows. They could really press that. They could stay competitive in more markets than just the thin-and-light laptop market -- the Mini is one example, the high-end laptop market is another, and the workstation market is a third. Instead, they're apparently conceding these battles, and turning their massive resources toward finding another Next Big Thing, which may not even exist.

mattnewton 10y ago
Maybe, but that is what makes apple apple. They could also focus on pushing their mac line and lose all their top talent who want to work on something inspiring, and become the next Hp, a respectable hardware company that no one cares about the future of. Already they hemorrhage talent to sexier projects like tesla. Also, I don't think they will change for anyone or anything. Many of the executives have witnessed firsthand the death and resurrection of apple by Steve Jobs and seen the formula work again and again, from the iMac to the iPhone. They truely believe that they are either going to make products that makes a dent in the universe or go bankrupt trying.
nextos 10y ago
I agree. Is the Mac Mini so special it can't be updated by a small team periodically? Nope. It is in fact a quite mainstream machine, nothing too special about it. The uniqueness in the Mac Mini lies in Mac OS. No laser sharp focus is needed for incremental hardware updates. The Mac Pro has unique hardware, but between major redesigns it does not need any incredibly hard work. Just incremental improvements. I find it absurd too that a company with so much cash in the bank cannot keep a few people performing incremental improvements on their product lines. The Mac Pro for example, is hopelessly outdated now. I think they underestimate the compound effect of an ecosystem. Several little products, even if they don't bring in insane revenues such as iOS, can help attracting key users which are those that drive innovation. It also contributes to the overall experience of regular folks. For example, by discontinuing screens or routers, things are not as seamless as they once were.

bootload 10y ago

"I believe it has to do with a culture of "laser focus" " The problem with this ^focused^ (linear) thinking is the real value of apple in the past has been from ^diffuse^ (intuitive, unconscious wondering connections, slightly riskier) thinking. I know this is simplistic but the successful apple will be using both modes.

mattnewton 10y ago
I don't think that was meant by laser focus. I think it meant to really hone in on a few things that will have large impact, at the expense of linear improvements. Apple is in love with the big, sexy revolutionary unveiling and that thrill and opportunity is what they are laser focused on. If it doesn't get them to that point, they say No to it. That thing might require linear or divergent thinking to make work. But it's all this fixation on that end goal, that flash of excitement and freshness that they, their shareholders, the press and the majority of their users are all hooked on.
- bootload 10y ago
  "Apple is in love with the big, sexy revolutionary unveiling and that thrill and opportunity is what they are laser focused on." Fair point. Direction at apple doesn't have Jobs for aesthetics. apple has long forgotten the brilliance of Woz and open access to hardware. We'll see how this plays out (as I type out on mbp kb).

jamesfmilne 10y ago

So we forego any updates on the Mac Pro for 3 years so that Apple can dominate the smartwatch market? /me shakes head in dismay

MaysonL 10y ago

So why isn't there somebody with total laser focus on the Mac Mini? The Mac Pro? iOS for the iPad? Seems to me that these are some of the functions that the supposedly functional Apple organizational structure is neglecting.

CoolGuySteve 10y ago

Apple is not above doing side projects if they integrate existing components. The early Apple TV and iPod Touch come to mind. IMO the bigger issue with the Mac Mini is that it used to be designed with very similar internals to the plastic/polycarbonate MacBook. When they discontinued those machines in favour of laptops with integrated RAM and storage, my suspicion is the design path became less clear and required more engineers.

nkkollaw 10y ago

You're saying that Apple is focused on providing the best quality possible. How is a 3-year-old PC good quality?

techdragon 10y ago
It was when they cared. The point is that they are utterly blind to anything beyond the release of the next big thing. It's like they are chasing exploding fountains of gold, with tunnel vision and no rear view mirrors.

derefr 10y ago

> It isn't a hobby for them. Can you explain what exactly was meant (in an internal-politics sense) back when the Apple TV was referred to in each keynote that mentioned it as a "hobby project"?