Senior VP Eddy Cue portrayed as Apple's "dealmaker" in new book

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014


A soon-to-be-released book promising an inside look at Apple has characterized Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue as a "dealmaker" crucial to the company's negotiations with carriers, record companies and movie studios.



Fortune's Adam Lashinky is set to release his new book, , next week. MacNN reports that the author Cue as a "problem solver" at Apple, first for late co-founder Steve Jobs and now for Tim Cook, the company's current chief executive.



According to the book, Cue led the first talks with AT&T about the iPhone and was responsible for closing deals with record companies, movie studios and TV producers for iTunes. The executive is also credited with transforming the ailing MobileMe into iCloud and persuading Jobs to select ARM processors instead of Intel chips for the iPhone.



Cue, who has spent 23 years at Apple, played a prominent role in the establishment of iBooks and the creation of iLife. He also reportedly led negotiations with News Corp to help launch the iPad-exclusive The Daily that showed off Apple's in-app subscription service.





Apple's Eddy Cue, left, with News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch jointly unveiled The Daily in February 2011.







Last September, Cue's efforts were rewarded with a promotion to Senior Vice President. His duties include oversight of the iTunes Store, the App Store, iBooks, iAd and iCloud.



As part of his promotion, he was awarded 100,000 restricted stock units worth more than $37 million at the time. Half of the shares will vest in 2013, while the remaining shares will vest in 2015.



Cue is also reported to play a part in Apple's education event in New York City on Thursday. The Cupertino, Calif., company is that Apple will release a "Garageband for e-books" tool that could "digitally destroy" the textbook publishing market. Apple Vice President of iWork Roger Rosner, who reports to Cue, has also been named as having been "closely involved" in developing a new "digital-textbook service."







Cue isn't the only executive that Lashinsky profiled in his new book. Apple's senior vice president of iOS Software, Scott Forstall, was portrayed by the author as the company's "CEO-in-waiting." The book describes Forstall as "the total package" and suggests he is likely to succeed Cook.



"Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired -- and Secretive -- Company Really Works" is available for preorder from Amazon in , and editions. The book is scheduled for release on Jan. 25.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    Is this all part of the jockeying for position, power and importance, post-Steve Jobs?



    If so, I'll be selling my AAPL stock soon because their vision is turning inward and everyone starts to get greedy without the stern taskmaster watching over them.
  • Reply 2 of 9
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Is this all part of the jockeying for position, power and importance, post-Steve Jobs?



    If so, I'll be selling my AAPL stock soon because their vision is turning inward and everyone starts to get greedy without the stern taskmaster watching over them.



    What exactly would make you come to that conclusion? I fail to see anything in this story that implies anything negative. Just sell all your stock if you're that edgy.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    "My name is Eddy, I'm gonna make you a deal you can't refuse."
  • Reply 4 of 9
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I'm guessing Lashinsky didn't get any info from current employees and former Apple employees are notorious for not sating much. So I'd love to know where he's getting all this inside info and how much of it is true. It seems like the book will make for good gossip and not much else.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    kibitzerkibitzer Posts: 1,114member
    The article doesn't mention it but ... yes ... the book can be preordered on iBooks as well.
  • Reply 6 of 9
    al_bundyal_bundy Posts: 1,525member
    but i thought steve jobs did everything at apple?
  • Reply 7 of 9
    To me this just confirms the abundance of management talent at Apple Inc. and the existence of a corporate culture based on the often-touted creative DNA at the heart of their business. I have no doubt Forestall is a dynamic presenter or that Cue is and was the master negotiator. But like Sir Jony Ives and the departed Ron Johnson, I think they were all given a platform to do their best work and were encouraged to do expand their talents. Steve Jobs was able to install this kind of atmosphere at Pixar, allowing it to come up with some of the more remarkable animated entertainment we have ever seen. I think the same kind of initiative is at work in current management at Apple.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    "My name is Eddy, I'm gonna make you a deal you can't refuse."



    Just as I thought exactly...
  • Reply 9 of 9
    So much for Forstall being CEO-in-waiting, heh?
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