Tim Cook believes Apple's 'laser focus' will keep it from becoming Sony
In an extensive interview with journalist Brian Williams, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said why he believes Apple will remain relevant for years to come, rather than slipping into irrelevance like companies that became cultural phenomenona in the past.
Williams asked Cook whether it's possible for Apple to stop from becoming Sony, noting that when he was a child, having a Sony Trinitron TV in one's home was a big deal.
Cook declined to refer to Sony by name after the question from Williams, but did discuss how some companies in the past decided that they could do everything. Apple won't do that, he said.
"We have to make sure at Apple that we stay true to focus ? laser focus," Cook said. "We can only do great things a few times, only on a few products."
NBC revealed that it took months of meetings and negotiations to get Cook on the record for Thursday's interview. It was the first time he had appeared on television for such a discussion.
Williams asked Cook whether it's possible for Apple to stop from becoming Sony, noting that when he was a child, having a Sony Trinitron TV in one's home was a big deal.
Cook declined to refer to Sony by name after the question from Williams, but did discuss how some companies in the past decided that they could do everything. Apple won't do that, he said.
"We have to make sure at Apple that we stay true to focus ? laser focus," Cook said. "We can only do great things a few times, only on a few products."
NBC revealed that it took months of meetings and negotiations to get Cook on the record for Thursday's interview. It was the first time he had appeared on television for such a discussion.
Comments
You heard it here first, folks.... Tim Cook will introduce the Apple Trinitron television set next year.
The plural of "phenomenon" is "phenomena."
I really hope Tim Cook didn't say "phenomenons."
I'm also hoping Apple splits in two if Tim Cook has no interest in the pro market.
This 'Apple might become Sony' meme is one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard. There's literally nothing in common with the 2 companies or their history, and absolutely no parallels except incredibly superficial ones that lazy journalists and bloggers can cling to in order to make their shitty page views. An article bashing the hell out of Apple in Forbes I read yesterday literally made my head hurt, by the sheer falseness of every single claim. Don't understand how the **** these people get paid to spread their bullshit.
He's not correct about that. Even if they do have laser focus, they could still be pushed in to irrelevance by companies simply doing more interesting things.
Such as real-world things, software is all virtual. Eventually people are going to lose their fascination with software and the Internet and start caring more about solid objects again such as amazing new medicines or buildings or vehicles.
"Phenomenons" does exist, indeed:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/phenomenon
You're right... Apple and Sony don't have much in common as corporations or through their heritage.
But the question was.... will Apple ever slip into irrelevance (like Sony has with televisions, for instance)
In the context of what was said in the interview... Brian Williams said when he was a child having a Sony Trinitron was a big deal.
Nowadays... Sony TVs aren't a big deal anymore.
They weren't talking about Apple as a whole and Sony as a whole. It was more about Sony no longer being the first company you think of for consumer electronics.
And I think that extends beyond TVs... do people go crazy for Sony phones, tablets and VAIO computers?
Nope.
The bottom line is... 20 years ago Sony was THE consumer electronics company. Now... not so much.
Will Apple ever get into that situation sometime in the future?
Remember linegate? The big scandal when Trinitron displays had horizontal wires running across them, making thin black lines in two places?
Yes I do - now that you remind me.
This 'Apple might become Sony' meme [...] made my head hurt, by the sheer falseness of every single claim. Don't understand how the **** these people get paid to spread their bullshit.
It start from the top and the whole operation get paid by the consumers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Scrip
You're right... Apple and Sony don't have much in common as corporations or through their heritage.
But the question was.... will Apple ever slip into irrelevance (like Sony has with televisions, for instance)
In the context of what was said in the interview... Brian Williams said when he was a child having a Sony Trinitron was a big deal.
Nowadays... Sony TVs aren't a big deal anymore.
They weren't talking about Apple as a whole and Sony as a whole. It was more about Sony no longer being the first company you think of for consumer electronics.
And I think that extends beyond TVs... do people go crazy for Sony phones, tablets and VAIO computers?
Nope.
The bottom line is... 20 years ago Sony was THE consumer electronics company. Now... not so much.
Will Apple ever get into that situation sometime in the future?
I hope so. Why? If Apple is always number 1, something is wrong and we are losing too much without knowing. Also... Apple can do awesome comebacks, and they risk a lot with every new product category, so sh*t can happen (not right know with so much money, but in 20 years, who knows).
Quote:
Originally Posted by strobe
I really hope Tim Cook didn't say "phenomenons."
I'm also hoping Apple splits in two if Tim Cook has no interest in the pro market.
Oh... he has an interest in the pro market, but only for those that are willing to learn and evolve, aka the ones that matter.
The others (puppets to better minds) can go to Dell and HP, they will fit quite well there.
Big difference between Sony and Apple is that Apple has an OS, this is the drug that keeps people hooked.
That was no *gate, it was a feature of Trinitron!
Ignoring and/or missing the start of the MP3 player market didn't work out so bad for Apple...
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
Ignoring and/or missing the start of the MP3 player market didn't work out so bad for Apple...
And the phone market, and the tablet market...