Apple SVP of Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield to retire - Page 2

Congratulations Bob.  Well done. Very well done.  

 

Honestly I don't know, but it stands to reason that Apple will not grow forever and that at some point inertia will set in once again. I don't foresee an immediate end to spectacular growth, but I do see a disturbing trend toward emphasis on money as an incentive, versus the incentives Steve Jobs had been known for, a desire to be the best in the world, fear of irrelevance, pressure to outperform, etc. Tangible benefits are starting to overtake the intangibles. Not a promising trend.

To be fair you did infer the faltering thing.

I just hope he doesn't pop up at another company with 5 x the salary.

OK, I'll go out on a limb here ... I think Apple has a long way to go.

It's funny how some think that if you release major OS updates at rates faster than Windows releases a service pack that it, too, must be a service pack.


I said the closest thing right after I commented on all the "claims" that Apple was going to fail simply because of some internal change. I admit I was using a bit of hyperbole but I thought my mention of the crazy comments and simply stating closest thing, as opposed to sure thing, that my comment would be read to show how much I think Mansfield means to the Mac (which isn't even Apple's biggest product category) but I see it was taken in a negative, fatalist way in which I had intention. The most blatant proof of this is that myapplelove agreeing with me.


PS: I do think Apple will be a trillion dollar company.

"In other news, Samsung has poured every cent they have into hiring Bob Mansfield, formerly of Apple Inc."

So what you're saying is you founded the company that we have to thank for these commercials?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAXo3Wr_nYU

Bob Mansfield has done an excellent job. The engineering in the laptops seems to be very well done. The Mac Mini is pretty good. I've read that the iMacs get too hot and that bothers some people. Maybe the new guy will have the balls to tell Johnny Ive that he needs to give the components more room for cooling or more vents and a fan.

 

Does anybody think that the next iMacs will have soldiered on RAM and hard drives that can't be accessed just so the units can be super thin? Maybe Bob came up with that idea for the iPad and Ive will be implementing it on the next generation iMacs.

 

I was visiting the Vizio site this week and their version of an all in one desktop has the computing parts built within the base of the stand, not in the screen enclosure like the iMacs. Did Apple do it that way originally for the iMacs or did they always have the components combined with the screen? I got into Apple computers in 2008 and don't know much of the history of the products.
 

Since iMac hard drives have always been hard to get to, I'm actually surprised they haven't done this yet (at least partially).

Straight from Mountain Lion (hush, I'm posting these images… everyone has them anyway, just smaller)…

eMac (OS X no longer includes a G3 iMac icon, despite no G4 or G5 product (plenty of icons) being able to run the last two versions…):



G4 iMac:



Of particular note is that the computer icons used in OS X aren't product images. All the pictures on their website are, but these are renders. It's strange. They look very real, but they're not.

View the images standalone to see them full size. The forum shrinks them for some stupid reason.

I didn't read your comment in any fatalistic sense whatsoever. I read it matter of fact, Mansfield was a mac figurehead, instrumental in apple's success, if there's anyone other than Serlet from the old guard who's departure could be interpreted symbolically as a change to an uncertain direction for apple it would be him. To me way much more than Schiller and only second to Ive. And if you might have noticed I didn't make a comment relating his departure to a decline in quality in his specialty at apple. I only said that its been amply evident in the case of Serlet that no one could fill his shoes. It would presumptuous of me to assert that there wouldn't be the appropriate hardware talent in apple of all places to take up his role and do so successfully.
Edited by myapplelove - 6/28/12 at 8:36pm

I hope that Bob will sit for an interview with a good business writer at an appropriate time. He's been a key factor in Apple's success over the past decade.

Perhaps, it is more remarkable that these folks stay on at Apple (or any other company) and continue to work so passionately for so long when they are so wealthy at such a young age.

 

Not a business writer, hopefully. A good writer who truly gets technology (i.e. not Isaacson)

Perhaps a few iMacs get hot. I have two at home and a whole bunch at work that don't.

All the best to Bob for his past endeavours.

 

I imagine working at Apple for seven years would be like running the 100 meter dash for the same period of time so I can't blame him for getting out while he's still young enough to enjoy the finer things in life and spend time with his family.

 

Thank you for your contributions to humanity, Bob!

 

 

I don't know why you bother including reasoning in any of your posts considering we all know they'll be negative about Apple regardless of the topic.

 

You're not fooling anybody with your 'I'm just looking at the facts and being reasonable' speech.'. Give up and go find a hobby that you enjoy.

 

 

Actually, I've heard that the next step in Samsung's 'innovation' cycle is attempting to clone Apple employees without their knowledge.

 

Keep an eye on all your hair and nail clippings, guys!

 

 

I'd also like to see this occur with a ton of people who have worked at Apple. That would be extremely interesting!

Edited by GTR - 6/28/12 at 9:44pm

Article.

 

And here I was thinking they were called midichlorians...

 

Thanks for setting me straight! ;-)

From left to right, iPad, 27" iMac, iPod nano.

 

Yeah I'm going to miss his ugly mug. It was nice to see the elves that make the magic happen have their 15 minutes of fame. 

 

MacBook Pro Retina. An unbelievable piece of design, let alone engineering. It's almost as thin as the iPhone. Massive performance ~ benches at close to the highest of all stock Apple computers. Let's think about that for a second.

Edited by sr2012 - 6/29/12 at 1:29am

There could be a number of reasons for his departure, but I do have to agree that it could very well be like running the 100 yard dash every day of the week working in that position for Apple.

 

And he could very well think that his health and his family are more important, while at the same time seeing from the inside what we don't from the outside, that Apple is in great shape to continue long after he is gone.

 

So, any way it shakes out, thanks Bob for all you've done for us consumers! Enjoy!

 

But there is a better than even chance that Bob himself disagrees with you, since Apple executives tend to be democrats.

Mansfield has been in the company since 1999, but has been Senior VP for all of two years. The guy is around 52. Something ain't right here. I am not saying he was fired, but a departure like this, so soon after a major promotion, is rarely a sign that everything is OK. Somebody was unhappy with somebody or (hopefully not) there is a health issue.

 

I think Bob had to step up to the plate in a major way, and he did. But whether it is sustainable in the long term is another question. It is Apple, after all. I don't think it's a major weird thing, perhaps just Bob having to face reality on what his role is, and what it was going to be.

 

And there will always be only one Steve Jobs. People say he was a dick, but he certainly had staff that believed in him 100% and stuck it out despite Steve supposedly being this brash, abrasive guy.

Because he wants to enjoy retirement while he can still have sex?

And that private funding is ultimately sponsored by the fact that United States have a strong army. I won't go into the fine points, if you can't find out why that you're too stupid to understand explanations, and if you can find out why, I'd insult your intelligence by explaining.

 

Just as a quick example, Ivy League was fundamentally sponsored through the River of Pearls war and opium trade, and that's only the 19th century.

 

Your reasoning, once broken up to its components, is "luck and strength should be the only differentiator". Men have actually outgrown that line of thinking somewhere around 10000 BC.

This sort of comment is just uncalled for. If you are truly more knowledgeable and intelligent, it would be apparent. If you have to make that claim yourself and insult someone to score a point, then you are just revealing your inferiority and insecurity. Play nice and you might earn the respect you crave.

Chances are that at least some of those reporting directly to Steve Jobs (reportedly at least 15 VPs and SVPs) started losing motivation after his departure. Culture is changing. Or they were loyal to the man more than to the company. When one is that successful and that wealthy, it actually is remarkable that he hasn't left sooner. All to say, I see a very natural occurrence here and nothing unexpected.

Mansfield first showed up on Apple's executive page in June 2008 as SVP Mac Hardware Engineering.  Though I think he was reporting to Cook; I don't think he ever reported directly to Jobs.  

In May of 2004 Jon Rubenstien's title was changed from SVP Hardware Engineering to SVP iPod Division and Tim Cook took over Mac engineering.  Tim Bucher took over Ruby's role but less than a year later he filed suit for wrongful termination.  After he left Cook appointed a team led by Mansfield, Dan Riccio and Jony Ive to oversee the Mac business.

It seems a bit odd Mansfield would leave now, but maybe he wants to go out on top (rMBP is a high note to go out on).  Or maybe he's just burned out and needs a change.

Indeed. Windows XP with Squares. That's Windows 8. Windows Vista 64bit? My gawd, how many weeks of my life was wasted on getting the damn PC to recognise more than 2GB of RAM.

NEVER AGAIN Microsoft. NEVER AGAIN.

The thing is that Steve was running at a different pace than the rest of the world, particularly in the last decade. It will take Apple and consumers, particularly, another 10 years to catch up with everything that he put in place. Look at the iTunes Store now. Then watch the 2003 All Things D Steve interview when iTunes Store was first launched. Not much difference in essence, though of course very different in sophistication.

LOL. I'm sure Samsung also promised him his pick of Samsung laptops to use at work.

It's always been a tough one. The iMac G5 was horrendous. The Quicksilver G4 was lovely but like a wind turbine. Intel Core 2 Macbook/Pros were still very noisy. Retina MacBook Pro ~ perhaps the best form factor and noise level for that level of performance. Apple, like always, was always pushing the very edge of technology and it backfired on them. But since the MacBook Air and now Retina MBP with asymmetric fans (it does help, honestly, I tried 2012 non-Retina MBP versus Retina MBP)... Apple has got a grip on it now.

I think the iPad was a collective Apple thing, with a lot of Steve in the mix. Basically they wanted a clean slate (pun unintended)... And thought, what if we threw out the idea of a "computer"? We just want a piece of glass that does cool stuff, the consumer need not care about the rest... RAM, hard disk, GPU, fans, noise, battery, charging... That's why the Retina Macbook is (to borrow Dick A's terminology) is the best pre-iPad device and the iPad is the best post-iPad device. Nothing will come close through to 2015. Not to mention once Retina MacBook Air 13" comes along, bye bye anything else for people that can "afford" it and like Apple.

For non-flat screen iMacs it was one unit, like a TV. "Sunflower" G4 as a poster showed above was all components in a base, which made the screen very manoeuvrable and quirky-sexy. iMac G5 went flat like today's iMac because I think if it was "Sunflower" the heat from the base would have melted the screen on top. I exaggerate, but the iMac G5 was pretty horrendous thermally. Steve saved Apple many times over. Switching to Intel... My goodness, if he didn't do that.

Yeah Isaacson captured the human side but he was a bit off on the tech side, he kept saying Microsoft was "open" and Apple "closed"... I mean, Xbox360? Hello? Arguably Microsofts most successful product in recent times, and it's closed, wall-garden, etc...

I don't think burned out but he can see he's put in his heart and soul and Apple will only ask for more, because that's just what Apple is. So, time to exit stage right on that high note.

I know I shouldn't answer to THAT. I guess I'm as childish as you are calling me :p

So, here's my answer. I did not say I was MORE intelligent or MORE knowledgeable. I did not insult him either. What I did is simply make a point, and say that either he's intelligent and can prove that point without me doing it (basically, I was admitting to laziness) or he's not intelligent and then it's not worth spending time to prove my point to him.

 

All in all, someone insulted someone else. That was you calling me "inferior", "insecure" and "craving for respect". All things I'm not. What I am, however, is incapable of not answering to comments on the internet, like the famous XKCD drawing. I don't think it's that bad ;)

All in all, I forgive you for insulting me, and I hope you understand I did not insult anyone ;)

Peace to you :D

Hmmm, let's see.  The internet?  Established with taxpayer dollars, by legislation introduced by, wait for it, Al Gore.  Medical breakthroughs?  All based on research funded by taxpayer dollars.  Even private companies that develop drugs are simply adding the last rung to a ladder built with taxpayer dollars.  Infrastructure?  taxpayer dollars.  Safe food?  Taxpayer dollars.  

 

These executives who get wealthy, they do so because they grew up in a society built with taxpayer dollars.  They benefited from the most, so the least they can do is contribute their fair share.

 

Your nonsense about private funding is barely worth responding to.  Ivy League schools?  Where do you think the money comes from for most of the research grants to scientists and engineers at those schools?  Never mind that public universities educate many times as many students.   And the military, privately funded?  LOL.  Fox News droids can be spotted so easily...

A job well done Bob.  Thanks for helping to make the greatest tech on earth!  Enjoy your youth & retirement!

 

Continually?   I don't think so (although I'm not an accountant).    But I did have options.   The year I exercised the options (which meant selling the shares), I paid taxes on the gain, although I don't remember whether it was taxed as capital gains or ordinary income.      But those are shares that are already cashed out and he won't have to pay any additional taxes on them.    On shares that he already (and still) owns that he cashes out, he's only going to pay at the long-term cap gains rate of 18%.     If he's got some good deductions, he might even be able to get it down to what Mitt Romney pays: 14%.       

 

Only pre-tax 401K/SEP money gets taxed as ordinary income and that's because the compensation that came from wasn't taxed when you put it away.

 

I'd love to pay only 18% federal taxes, but I'm not rich enough, so I have to pay at a much higher rate. 

 

If there's a tax accountant watching, they can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I'm correct.  

I think if you sell your stock you pay capital gains. Then your stock is in the form of cash. If you put the cash in a bank and get interest you will be charged on the interest income. That's why IRAs, 401Ks, [Superannuation in Australia], are good because you are only taxed on retirement or something like that so you can draw on the money when your marginal tax rate is low.

So I think there is still this double taxation, which I haven't realised before. Because the government cannot (or is not bothered to) know what cash earning interest was originally from stock sold which you paid capital gains tax on.

Yeah, an accountant should clarify this but I think this is the case for US, UK, Australia.

EDIT: LIGHT BULBBB

Wow. Man are we getting screwed. Yes, if you sell stock and take a capital gain you will pay capital gains tax. But if you take that cash from the sale then put it in a bank, you are also taxed on the interest from that cash. Because you have made a gain (capital gain), which is taxed, then after that, you are seen to be making more gains (interest income), which is taxed as well.

If you sell a stock, you pay capital gains, but if you use that money to buy more stock, you won't be taxed until you sell it, upon which you will only be taxed a lower (usually) capital gains tax. So for example, if Bob sold all his Apple shares, and he has say, $2 million lying around (probably orders of magnitude more, but let's keep it simple). Firstly, no way he would put that all in regular interest-bearing savings accounts in the US. Heck, Australia will give you 6% for that $2 million per year, just taking 10% off the interest on the Australian side, and, as we know, who knows what the US side will do, maybe nothing?

Bob will probably put that $2 million dollars into property (the government cannot tax you as your house increases in value, only when you sell it, etc)... Or perhaps more stock (the government cannot tax you if your mutual fund goes up, only when you sell it, even then only if you made a profit).

Now do we see why the 1%, those holding stocks, accountants, tax lawyers and what not rule the financial roost? How the system is designed to absolutely destroy personal savings practices?

The house always wins.

Clearly the financial system is geared towards untenable asset bubbles such as stock prices and property prices, which inherently do not ensure reasonable determination of their market prices.

The tax advantages fuel the asset bubble which fuels more tax advantages. So much for "trickle down". Maybe down your pants when the stock and property market dives off a cliff.

But savings in a bank? Pfft that's only for dweebs. Being taxed every single day that your money supposedly "works for you", at a much higher rate to capital gains... *Sigh*
Edited by sr2012 - 6/29/12 at 9:20am

Long term capital gains tax doesn't mean you are taxed over a long term, it means if you hold that stock for a certain period of time you will pay a capital gains tax of a certain amount, incurred at the time of sale of the stock (i.e. has to be paid for that financial year).

Once that stock becomes something else, the government still has a right to tax you whatever that is... If it is in other assets like stocks, then you don't pay straight away, but you still ~have~ to pay it when you sell, and if it is in cash, you will be taxed on the interest at your marginal tax rate.

So once you cash out your stock, deductions aside, unless that cash is earning 0% or less interest, you will ~continue~ to be taxed on the money you made (i.e. the money Bob earned by Apple giving him stock and the money Bob earned from that stock making more money and the money Bob earned from the stock becoming cash that earns interest).

OK peace y'all time for some Xbox360. G'nite.

 

You're not secretly Bill Gates in disguise are you? lol

 

Could be Tim wants to build a new team around him to freshen things up. 52 seems very young to retire so I suspect there is more to this than we know.

How about he retires and enjoys himself / family and life for a bit. Now he can walk, talk, run, skip, hop, see and enjoy stuff, and there is plenty of stuff to enjoy. If he gets bored in a few years, then he can go back to work. But if you are lucky enough to be able to sit back, travel and enjoy life while you are still young and healthy, I say "Go for it!" and good for him.

 

Nothing hurts me more, then to see folks have to work until they are 72 or older, then watch them try to do things, but they can't because they are to hurt, sick, poor to enjoy life. With many American's living into their late 70's, 80's - hey simply get out there and smell the roses.

 

We know if he is like most folks he will get bored and need to get back into it, so take a break, the world isn't going to pass you by or disappear … yet.

 

Hell, if nothing else, there is a REAL good chance, his family wants to get to know him again.

 

Skip

 

I predict a nice big book and extensive book tour in his future.