The Fate of Apple in the Post-Jobsian Era
Written By Gregg Mojica
When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs stepped down from the position of CEO in August of 2011, the technology world immediately dreaded the day when Apple would no longer be lead by Jobs. Steve Jobs, who had battled Pancreatic cancer for several years past, took an indefinite medical leave from Apple in February of 2011. Images of a stauntly gaunt and feeble Jobs appeared on the web within days, acting as omens for what was to come. Jobs died on October 5, 2011, the day after Apple announced the iPhone 4S.
For decades, Jobs was known as one of the greatest innovators of all time. Many consider him the Edison of our generation and a visionary whose products revolutionized industries forever. Steve Jobs guided Apple from a startup in a garage into a multibillion dollar company a matter of years. He dazzled the world with the Apple I, Apple II, and Macintosh. Then he was fired. After a series of quarrels with fellow executive and CEO John Sculley, the board of directors reduced Jobs’ role to merely that of a puppet and Steve left the company he helped start in shame. Jobs searched for what to do next and eventually founded NeXT, a high end computer company which never caught on, and the animation company, Pixar. Jobs found success at Pixar, now one of the world’s most important animation studios. When he retuned to Apple in 1997, Jobs launched what is coined the “most successful turn-around in the history of business.” He successfully guided Apple, which had flirted in bankruptcy, into an world renowned company with a secret agenda. Apple launched the iMac to much success, then the iPod, iPhone and iPad; many now ask if Apple could keep its momentum. Apple has been an innovative company, but was Jobs the only man behind the magic?
Only time can answer that question. However, Apple has yet to release its latest new, breakthrough product. A careful observer would notice that about every three years Apple Inc. releases an entirely new product. In 1998 it released the iMac, in 2001, the iPod, in 2004 the Mac Mini, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. So 2013 should have been the year the world was to see Apple’s latest gadget. With the year about to close and the rumor mill not pointing to any upcoming press conferences, it is highly unlikely that Apple will release another product this year. After all, it just launched the iPad Air, iPhone 5s and 5c, iPad Mini with Retina display, iOS 7, and OS X Mavericks.
Apple has long rumored to be developing a television The late Steve Jobs’ official biography even hints at an “iTV” in the near future. More recently, however, various patent files and rumors have pointed to an “iWatch” expected to debut early next year. Nevertheless, are the iTV and iWatch enough to keep Apple afloat in the highly competitive market it helped to create?
Apple CEO Tim Cook might have been great as CFO, but he’s not the one who should lead Apple. Jobs exemplified two important sides of Apple: innovation and a charisma. Cook displays neither of those two qualities as well as Jobs. Just watching an Apple Keynote shows Cook’s lack of charisma. Executives such as Phil Schiller, Craig Federagi, and the now fired Scott Forstall display far more enthusiasm and energy that Cook does. Without the ability to dazzle crowds, Cook often defers to his Senior Vice Presidents at keynotes.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Apple is innovation. Under Cook, Apple has made many controversial moves. The firing of former head of iOS Software, Scott Forstall, in October of 2012 allegedly lead to the creation of iOS 7, an operating system praised by some and loathed by others. Most recently, Apple launched a “cheaper” iPhone, the iPhone 5c, made of plastic and cheaper quality than the premium iPhone 5s. Apple’s advertising places the iPhone 5c above the 5s, a move which suggests that it cares about the cheaper 5c more than the innovative 5s. Nevertheless, the lack of new ‘category’ has left many wondering when it will come. It seems as if Apple is packaging more and more into its existing products without releasing a completely new device. CEO Tim Cook has hinted more the once to Apple’s next revolutionary product, but Apple has yet to release anything.
Despite Jobs’ legacy as a great innovator, credit often falls short of the people who truly deserve it. Jony Ive, Apple’s legendary industrial designer, has played a key role throughout the years in designing iMacs, iPods, iPhones, and iPads. Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller has also played an influential role at the company. Apple still retains many of the individuals who served under Jobs and helped to design some of Apple’s greatest hits.
One cannot even count the legions of software developers and hardware engineers who have made these products possible. Apple today retains many of those same people who once served under Jobs, a good indication that the company has a strong future. Apple also has over $110 Billion -- a number that’s not going anywhere in the next few years (if not increasing). With that much cash, it can easily stay afloat in the market. But with increasing competition from Google and other companies, Apple truly needs another hit product.
If Apple can produce another hit like its iPhone, iPad, or iPod, columns like this one would have no reason to exist. Time will tell.