Santa Steve dishes free iPhones, next-gen iPod and Mac hints

[AppleInsider]

Addressing employees in Cupertino on Thursday, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs spoke confidently about his firm's ongoing product strategy and later vowed to equip all full-time staffers with a complimentary iPhone for their service and dedication.

ArsTechnica, which compiled a thorough report from the 11:00 a.m. company-wide meeting, notes that Jobs "discussed the gravity of the iPhone on Apple's business as well as how he perceives the parts played by the rest of the company."

The Apple co-founder reportedly described the handset's impending launch as an effort "to put the third leg onto a chair with only two legs" -- the first two legs being the company's Mac and iPod businesses.

Jobs added that some of the Mac systems coming out over the next year will be "off the charts." He similarly hinted that the company was working on next-generation iPods that, like iPhone, would run an embedded version of the Mac OS X operating system.

In closing out his speech, which took place at the Apple Town Hall on the company's Cupertino campus, Jobs delighted those in attendance by announcing that all full-time Apple employees would be given a free 8GB iPhone by the end of July -- around the time Apple expects initial demand for the handset to subsided.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[syklee26]

man I need to get a job at Apple.

[xflare]

"Off the Charts" eh? We've heard that kind of talk many times and not much has come of it.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by xflare

"Off the Charts" eh? We've heard that kind of talk many times and not much has come of it.

Please substantiate.

[MusLtngBlue]

Any jobs open for video editing for Apple? I'd gladly make more iPhone commercials and videos for them full time

[Abster2core]

[QUOTE=AppleInsider;110408 Jobs added that some of the Mac systems coming out over the next year will be "off the charts."[/QUOTE]

Suggest to take a minute to read the original article to appreciate the emphasis of his presentation. http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...n-the-pipeline

[Porchland]

Originally Posted by xflare

"Off the Charts" eh? We've heard that kind of talk many times and not much has come of it.

Maybe there will be a secret feature. ;0)

It's probably nothing, but I thought it was interesting that Jobs described Mac, iPod and iPhone as the company's three legs. A few months ago, Apple described to analysts that Mac, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV would be the company's for main product areas.

I don't think the comment was intended to play down Apple TV; it's just iPhone hype.

[aplnub]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Please substantiate.

Top secret features we can't show you...
The year of HD...
3 Ghz G5
Did Steve say Leopard was on time as well a few times before the push back?

Do we really need to make a list... He is a marketing machine at this point with good ideas.

[Buck]

Mac news! MAC NEWS!!! FINALLY!
Off the charts!
My heart's just thawed.

[josa92]

Originally Posted by Buck

Mac news! MAC NEWS!!! FINALLY!

thank the LORD JESUS

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by aplnub

Top secret features we can't show you...
The year of HD...
3 Ghz G5
Did Steve say Leopard was on time as well a few times before the push back?

Do we really need to make a list... He is a marketing machine at this point with good ideas.

I see where you are going and you basically have some valid points, though I can't recall JObs ever stating there would be a 3GHz G5, but to say that "not much has come of it" when there are countless other successes and innovation coming from Apple is a blatant lie.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

He similarly hinted that the company was working on next-generation iPods that, like iPhone, would run an embedded version of the Mac OS X operating system.

I think we all saw this coming. OS X marketshare is jumping. R&D may have gone up for porting to the iPhone but they will surely go down as a whole in the long run.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

... Jobs delighted those in attendance by announcing that all full-time Apple employees would be given a free 8GB iPhone...

According to Wikipedia, Apple had 17,787 employees as of September 2006. That is a lot of $600 phones. But is it really all that generous? Apple gets free press, makes employees happy and Apple and AT&T still get the monthly dues from all those 2 year long contracts.

[JohnnyKrz]

The first leg is the Mac business, which Steve addressed by saying that they have the "best Macs" in the new product pipeline ever right now, and that the stuff coming out in the next year is "off the charts." Wow, sounds juicy.

Of course the current Macs are the best ever right now. The next ones will be better than that and so on. Otherwise, they'd be going backwards instead of forward.

[Marvin]

Originally Posted by josa92

thank the LORD JESUS

Why do people always look on the bright side when involving Jesus? I say we've had nothing for a year therefore condemnation be upon Jesus and his iphone.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Jobs added that some of the Mac systems coming out over the next year will be "off the charts."

Over the next year as in next year?? Why aren't they off the charts this year?

Still we wait. (I should make that my signature)

Originally Posted by aplnub

3 Ghz G5

PPC IS DEAD!! Also, you couldn't have picked a higher clock speed?

We already have 3 GHz Intel chips. 5 GHz would have been better. Even so, PPC IS DEAD, Apple like being able to run Windows too much hence all the speak of bootcamp, Parallels, VMWare. The compilers are better, the chips are cheaper, the software support is better, the temperatures and power consumption is lower, no way are they going to go backwards. It'll be quad cores all round and good graphics cards.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by haoqfu

what does "Off the charts" mean?

Anywhere between amazing products and saying something to get off his back.

[AISI]

Originally Posted by Porchland

It's probably nothing, but I thought it was interesting that Jobs described Mac, iPod and iPhone as the company's three legs. A few months ago, Apple described to analysts that Mac, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV would be the company's for main product areas. I don't think the comment was intended to play down Apple TV; it's just iPhone hype.

He mentioned the AppleTV but obviously it's not as important as the Mac, the iPod, or the iPhone.

The first leg is the Mac business […] He said that the second leg is the iPod and iTunes. […] The third leg of the chair, Steve hopes, will be the iPhone business. […] He added that he hopes for the fourth leg to become the Apple TV, but focus is on the iPhone for now.

[kenaustus]

Originally Posted by aplnub

Top secret features we can't show you...
The year of HD...
3 Ghz G5
Did Steve say Leopard was on time as well a few times before the push back?

Do we really need to make a list... He is a marketing machine at this point with good ideas.

The 3 Ghz G5 is probably the best known of your 3 points. Steve J did say 3 gigs in a year during the WWDC and very shortly after that a senior VP from IBM walked on stage and said the same thing. It doesn't take a very high IQ to realize that Apple was dependent on IBM to deliver the chip so Apple could deliver the 3 gig Mac. So who blew it? Steve J for believing IBM could deliver, or IBM for failing to deliver, creating the greatest FUBAR since Moto?

Leopard delays? It did happen and the reason was made very clear - the need to shift resources to the iPhone. Again, we have a situation where Apple is dependent on a critical 3rd party - this time ATT. It will be years before we get the real story of the final few months developing the integration of the iPhone and ATTs infrastructure, but I have a feeling that Apple was responding to the need to work with ATT to get it right. Again, even a person with a below average IQ can work out which product had the highest priority for technical talent.

If you don't believe that much will come of the iPhone you are actually part of a fairly large group of people. The consumer market will let everyone know in 6 to 12 months who is right, but I wouldn't want to bet against Apple on this one.

[sethwalt]

though I can't recall JObs ever stating there would be a 3GHz G5

PPC IS DEAD!! Also, you couldn't have picked a higher clock speed?

I swear I'm not trying to flame anyone, but some of you seem to have short memories! The whole 3Ghz G5 thing was a rather infamous chapter in Apple history a few years back and arguably was a if not the major motivating factor for the whole Intel switch.

Here's an article link (first time posting a link, so I hope this works as intended) found from a quick Google search:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06...le_g5_promise/

[BlackSummerNight]

LOL

Originally Posted by aplnub

Top secret features we can't show you...
The year of HD...
3 Ghz G5
Did Steve say Leopard was on time as well a few times before the push back?

Do we really need to make a list... He is a marketing machine at this point with good ideas.

[BlackSummerNight]

Good lord, are you Steve Jobs son.

Originally Posted by kenaustus

The 3 Ghz G5 is probably the best known of your 3 points. Steve J did say 3 gigs in a year during the WWDC and very shortly after that a senior VP from IBM walked on stage and said the same thing. It doesn't take a very high IQ to realize that Apple was dependent on IBM to deliver the chip so Apple could deliver the 3 gig Mac. So who blew it? Steve J for believing IBM could deliver, or IBM for failing to deliver, creating the greatest FUBAR since Moto?

Leopard delays? It did happen and the reason was made very clear - the need to shift resources to the iPhone. Again, we have a situation where Apple is dependent on a critical 3rd party - this time ATT. It will be years before we get the real story of the final few months developing the integration of the iPhone and ATTs infrastructure, but I have a feeling that Apple was responding to the need to work with ATT to get it right. Again, even a person with a below average IQ can work out which product had the highest priority for technical talent.

If you don't believe that much will come of the iPhone you are actually part of a fairly large group of people. The consumer market will let everyone know in 6 to 12 months who is right, but I wouldn't want to bet against Apple on this one.

[pt123]

Nice, a $599 bonus for Apple employees.

[parky]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I see where you are going and you basically have some valid points, though I can't recall JObs ever stating there would be a 3GHz G5, but to say that "not much has come of it" when there are countless other successes and innovation coming from Apple is a blatant lie.


I think we all saw this coming. OS X marketshare is jumping. R&D may have gone up for porting to the iPhone but they will surely go down as a whole in the long run.

According to Wikipedia, Apple had 17,787 employees as of September 2006. That is a lot of $600 phones. But is it really all that generous? Apple gets free press, makes employees happy and Apple and AT&T still get the monthly dues from all those 2 year long contracts.

These free phones won't be much use to all the Apple staff outside the USA.
I guess they will give them to all USA employees, for the rest the would just be paperweights as there are no networks to support them.

[MajorMatt]

I wonder what Apple considers full time? If it's 40 hours then few employees will get a free iPhone. We all know there are few people in such jobs working 40 hours, as companies try to avoid giving away the perks.

WAIT : Is this for Apple store or all employeees?

[Wojciechowski]

Originally Posted by solipsism

According to Wikipedia, Apple had 17,787 employees as of September 2006. That is a lot of $600 phones. But is it really all that generous? Apple gets free press, makes employees happy and Apple and AT&T still get the monthly dues from all those 2 year long contracts.

Are all 17,787 employees full-time? The Article said only full timers get one.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Porchland

Maybe there will be a secret feature. ;0)

It's probably nothing, but I thought it was interesting that Jobs described Mac, iPod and iPhone as the company's three legs. A few months ago, Apple described to analysts that Mac, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV would be the company's for main product areas.

I don't think the comment was intended to play down Apple TV; it's just iPhone hype.

AppleTv is the forth leg.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I see where you are going and you basically have some valid points, though I can't recall JObs ever stating there would be a 3GHz G5, but to say that "not much has come of it" when there are countless other successes and innovation coming from Apple is a blatant lie.

He did say that, but people don't seem to realize that IBM must have assured him first.

I think we all saw this coming. OS X marketshare is jumping. R&D may have gone up for porting to the iPhone but they will surely go down as a whole in the long run.

I'd rather see the R&D stay up there. As a percentage, Apple doesn't spend much for a high tech company.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by AISI

He mentioned the AppleTV but obviously it's not as important as the Mac, the iPod, or the iPhone.

Not yet.

[mrtotes]

Apple employee: Yippee!! free iPhone worth $600.

AT&T: That'll be $37 activation fee.

Apple employee: Oh, okay

AT&T: And the cheapest plan is $60 for 24mths.

Apple employee: Presses F8 and does a quick calculation. Oh what? $1440. Doh

[Kickaha]

Except that, given most Apple employees are probably tech-heads to begin with, they're paying for a cell plan already... don't forget to subtract that from your total.

[kenaustus]

Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight

Good lord, are you Steve Jobs son.

Nope - I'm almost old enough to be his father if I "got lucky" in my early teens - and I didn't.

I'm also old enough to remember the 3 gigs in a year statements from Steve J and the IBM VP and have always found it odd that everyone forgets the IBM VP part of the Keynote.

I've also been in situations where 3rd parties have caused some painful, last minute efforts to get a project out. Unfortunately it was generally me, myself and I that had to put in the very long hours to get close to the deadlines. Painful experiences make it easy for me to understand Apple's shift in resources to the iPhone and the resulting delay of Leopard.

[solipsism]

Posting here for lack of a better place...
This is a portion of The Colbert Report where Steve is begging for an iPhone yet again (air date: 27.06.2007):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ZSlGwD2cg&v3

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Wojciechowski

Are all 17,787 employees full-time? The Article said only full timers get one.

Not sure. The numbers mentioned permanent and temporary. I assume that most of the permanent (where the figure is from) are fulltime.

The cost is apparently 12M retail, which means about 20k. I hope Apple also gives it to new employees who came in under the past year specifically to work on the iPhone.

[1984]

Originally Posted by melgross

AppleTv is the forth leg.

It's a bit wobbly.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Jobs added that some of the Mac systems coming out over the next year will be "off the charts.

LOL, he says this every year. He better either mean a multi-touch tablet or a new iMac with a touch screen keyboard by golly.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by 1984

It's a bit wobbly.

Right now. But, apparently, it's out of the mouth of Steve.

I know of a product that coming out in either October, or November, that's being manufactured by someone I know. It is a wireless streaming product that can also accept Ethernet. It includes the power amplifier, and as he said "kick ass" speakers.

It is being made for a major US computer manufacturer, but he couldn't say which, due to confidentiality.

I was left with his Cheshire-Like smile to wonder if it was for Apple.

[wilco]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Not sure. The numbers mentioned permanent and temporary. I assume that most of the permanent (where the figure is from) are fulltime.

That's a lot of masturbating!

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

In closing out his speech, which took place at the Apple Town Hall on the company's Cupertino campus, Jobs delighted those in attendance by announcing that all full-time Apple employees would be given a free 8GB iPhone by the end of July -- around the time Apple expects initial demand for the handset to subsided.

In a completely unrelated event, Apple today also announced that, due to changes to their compensation packages, emplyees will now make $20 less a paycheck then before.

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by wilco

That's a lot of masturbating!

Man, I'd hate to work for the cleaning crew at Apple. That could get nasty in there.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by wilco

That's a lot of masturbating!

It's nice to know that we can always count on you.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Marvin

Over the next year as in next year?? Why aren't they off the charts this year?

If you ever had your hands on the 8-core you wouldn't ask. Unfortunately, this is the case of the horse before the cart. Fortunately, this is the case of the horse before the cart.

Until now there is only a couple of applications that can take benefit of its power and/or structure. And its not for most if any of the participants here.

And what about the new MacBook Pro? Just got the new one last week. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, and to me, off the charts vs any other laptop I've had or seen.

[addabox]

Originally Posted by Kickaha

Except that, given most Apple employees are probably tech-heads to begin with, they're paying for a cell plan already... don't forget to subtract that from your total.

Word. It's amazing how many people have abruptly seized on TCO for the iPhone to make a big scary number that's supposed to make us think it's only for the wealthy.

As if all those $40 talk plans out there don't really count, and the iPhone is the first time we have to consider long term costs.