Tim Cook’s leadership been a subject of constant debate amongst Apple observers ever since he took over from former CEO Steve Jobs. Jobs was of course an innovator who led the creation of revolutionary new products like the Mac, iPhone and iPad, and most people wondered how Apple would keep its innovative edge with the lack of Jobs’ vision.
With this year’s WWDC, however, we’ve learnt that while Tim Cook certainly doesn’t have Jobs’ vision, he’s capable of running various teams at Apple efficiently, letting them collaborate so that new features aren’t specific to iOS or Mac, but are applicable to the entire Apple ecosystem.
The New York Time’s report gives us a look at Tim Cook’s leadership style, his minimal involvement in product development unlike his predecessor, and his focus on philanthropy and the environment.
Apple’s design chief Jony Ive is quoted in the article saying that both Cook and Jobs’ management style focus on Apple’s main mission — innovation:
“Honestly, I don’t think anything’s changed,” he said. And that includes the clamor for some exciting new thing. “People felt exactly the same way when we were working on the iPhone,” Mr. Ive added.Cook is less involved in active, hands-on development of new products, and is instead interested in the broader implications:
“It is hard for all of us to be patient,” Mr. Ive said. “It was hard for Steve. It is hard for Tim.”
“Steve established a set of values and he established preoccupations and tones that are completely enduring,”
If Mr. Jobs was maniacal about design, Mr. Cook projects “quiet consideration,” Mr. Ive said. Mr. Cook digests things carefully, with time, which Mr. Ive said “testifies to the fact he knows it’s important.”
Lower-level employees praise Mr. Cook’s approachability and intellect. But some say he is less hands-on in developing products than his predecessor. They point to the development of the so-called iWatch — the “smartwatch” that Apple observers are eagerly awaiting as the next world-beating gadget. Mr. Cook is less involved in the minutiae of product engineering for the watch, and has instead delegated those duties to members of his executive cabinet, including Mr. Ive, according to people involved in the project.Cook has long promised that Apple would enter new product categories this year, but has yet to deliver on this front. NYT’s report says that the iWatch, the next big thing Apple is expected to launch, will launch in Q4 2014, with a focus on health and fitness. The company is also expected to launch not one, but two new iPhone variants this year, both with much larger display size than today’s iPhones. While the iPad mini, launched under Tim Cook, saw successful sales numbers, the iPhone 5c hasn’t lived up to Apple’s expectations. Analysts and observers will be closely watching how Apple’s strategy of selling two iPhone 6 variants plays out in terms of sales.
For the entire Tim Cook profile, visit the source link below.
[via NYT]
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