4 ms·

Tim Cook has an MBA, would you say his actions demonstrate a pattern of short term bottom line focus?

scarface74 7y ago
There have been a few execution failures like the MacBook keyboards and the trash can Mac Pro. But Apple will still stick to something long term even if it isn’t an immediate success. The AppleTV would have been cancelled years ago by any other company. For a tech company to invest billions on creating content like AppleTV+ is something that most non entertainment companies wouldn’t even try. The Apple Watch has seen dramatic continuous improvement over years and the iPad didn’t come into own until 2015 with both the pro models and iOS improvements. It was just a big iPhone during the first three years.
- JoshTko 7y ago
  None of these are clearly indicative of short term thinking. The keyboard was simply a mistake of prioritizing thinness over reliability. AppleTV is a long term play to own home media (which may or may not work) and the massive investment into iPad software is indicative of long term planning to evolve it into a platform separate from iPhone.
  - scarface74 7y ago
    That’s just what I said in the first paragraph. But Apple will still stick to something long term even if it isn’t an immediate success
    - JoshTko 7y ago
      Both of your statements, 1. MBA types are exclusively short term focused 2. Apple makes long term strategic efforts, can't be true then.
      - scarface74 7y ago
        I never said that.... I said Apple would still be floundering without the “MBA types” like Cook who got operations under control and Schiller who was over marketing
- Wowfunhappy 7y ago
  I have no comment on your larger argument but this feels like a weird point to make: > The AppleTV would have been cancelled years ago by any other company. If the AppleTV didn't exist, what would that change? AppleTV+ (the service) does not need AppleTV (the hardware) in order to exist, nor do I think one benefits the other. Apple is primarily using iPhones and iPads to push AppleTV+. The service is also available on non-Apple hardware, such as smart TV's. > For a tech company to invest billions on creating content like AppleTV+ is something that most non entertainment companies wouldn’t even try. Amazon? Netflix?
  - scarface74 7y ago
    Netflix was in the business of sending video to people’s home. Sending video electronically was a natural evolution. They didn’t have a choice but to create their own videos or they would both be beholden to studios and be a commodity. The Apple TV was introduced in 2006. They kept pursuing it for over a decade and it still hasn’t gotten that much traction. The difference is that all of the other hardware choices are slow, ad ridden (Roku has hard coded buttons on their remotes that go to the highest bidder) and privacy invasive. They also have another avenue to push Apple Arcade. The AppleTV is much better integrated with Apple’s other offerings from the phone to the watch to the HomePods.

There have been a few execution failures like the MacBook keyboards and the trash can Mac Pro. But Apple will still stick to something long term even if it isn’t an immediate success. The AppleTV would have been cancelled years ago by any other company. For a tech company to invest billions on creating content like AppleTV+ is something that most non entertainment companies wouldn’t even try. The Apple Watch has seen dramatic continuous improvement over years and the iPad didn’t come into own until 2015 with both the pro models and iOS improvements. It was just a big iPhone during the first three years.

JoshTko 7y ago
None of these are clearly indicative of short term thinking. The keyboard was simply a mistake of prioritizing thinness over reliability. AppleTV is a long term play to own home media (which may or may not work) and the massive investment into iPad software is indicative of long term planning to evolve it into a platform separate from iPhone.
- scarface74 7y ago
  That’s just what I said in the first paragraph. But Apple will still stick to something long term even if it isn’t an immediate success
  - JoshTko 7y ago
    Both of your statements, 1. MBA types are exclusively short term focused 2. Apple makes long term strategic efforts, can't be true then.
    - scarface74 7y ago
      I never said that.... I said Apple would still be floundering without the “MBA types” like Cook who got operations under control and Schiller who was over marketing
Wowfunhappy 7y ago
I have no comment on your larger argument but this feels like a weird point to make: > The AppleTV would have been cancelled years ago by any other company. If the AppleTV didn't exist, what would that change? AppleTV+ (the service) does not need AppleTV (the hardware) in order to exist, nor do I think one benefits the other. Apple is primarily using iPhones and iPads to push AppleTV+. The service is also available on non-Apple hardware, such as smart TV's. > For a tech company to invest billions on creating content like AppleTV+ is something that most non entertainment companies wouldn’t even try. Amazon? Netflix?
- scarface74 7y ago
  Netflix was in the business of sending video to people’s home. Sending video electronically was a natural evolution. They didn’t have a choice but to create their own videos or they would both be beholden to studios and be a commodity. The Apple TV was introduced in 2006. They kept pursuing it for over a decade and it still hasn’t gotten that much traction. The difference is that all of the other hardware choices are slow, ad ridden (Roku has hard coded buttons on their remotes that go to the highest bidder) and privacy invasive. They also have another avenue to push Apple Arcade. The AppleTV is much better integrated with Apple’s other offerings from the phone to the watch to the HomePods.