Tim Cook discusses Steve Jobs, personal privacy, and Apple's role as a social leader

Posted:
in General Discussion edited March 2015
Apple CEO Tim Cook waxed nostalgic about his relationship with the late Steve Jobs, reiterated the company's commitment to its customers' privacy, and discussed his thoughts on Apple's ability to influence social change during a sit-down with German tabloid BILD earlier this week.


Tim Cook meets with Bild editors Kai Diekmann and Julian Reichelt | Via Twitter.


Steve Jobs was "by far the best teacher I ever had," Cook told BILD's Sven Stone and Nick Star, saying Jobs taught him to ignore sales goals or awards and simply take pleasure in building great products. Cook worries that Jobs's outsized personality overshadows his other qualities, but vowed not to let the mercurial Apple co-founder be forgotten.

"His office is still there, with his name on it. And it will always be there as long as I'm here," he said.
Tim Cook said Steve Jobs's office will remain at Apple's headquarters as long as he is CEO of the company.
Moving to the hot-button issue of personal privacy, Cook continued to distance Apple from companies like Google and Facebook, which depend on collecting user data for their advertising-based businesses to thrive. Apple only asks customers for information when it can help improve their products, he said, and customers have a right to withhold information whenever they wish.

Cook somewhat surprisingly praised NSA leaker Edward Snowden, whose revelations of widespread government surveillance have caused major problems for U.S. technology firms, including Apple.

"If Snowden accomplished anything for us," Cook said, "then it was to get us to talk more about these things. Our values were always the same."

Referring to the company's newly-open attitude toward working conditions in its supply chain, Cook expressed his belief that Apple can leverage its size to play a major role as a social leader.

"We are working on our social responsibility," he said. "In the past, we just kept everything secret. But as Apple grew larger, we realized that we can actually change something more in the world, if we are extremely transparent in social issues such as privacy, security, education and environmental protection."

That openness does not extend to future products, however. On the rumored Apple Car, Cook remained mum.

"I have read the rumors. I can't comment on that," he said.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 28
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    sog35 wrote: »
    Mr Cook help us fight privacy breaches.

    Do so by releasing AppleSearch and AppleVideo (youtube alternative)

    Make them pure search engines and a pure video sharing site.  And make them with very few ads.  And make them with ZERO tracking and spying.

    Its nice to say Google should stop spying but without a decent alternative what are people suppose to do?

    Gives a great alternative.

    Hear, hear.
  • Reply 2 of 28
    danielswdanielsw Posts: 906member
    Mr. Cook remains the worthy chosen captain and pilot of the ship that Steve & company first built.

    Love the adventure of the "unkowns" of future products!
  • Reply 3 of 28
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    [quote]That openness does not extend to future products, however. On the rumored Apple Car, Cook remained mum.

    "I have read the rumors. I can't comment on that," he said.[/quote]

    Hmm..Apple just added vehicles to its list of company activities in a Swiss filing:

    http://tinyurl.com/nzva4d
    [QUOTE]Vehicles; Apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water; electronic hardware components for motor vehicles, rail cars and locomotives, ships and aircraft; Anti-theft devices; Theft alarms for vehicles; Bicycles; Golf carts; Wheelchairs; Air pumps; Motorcycles; Aftermarket parts (after-market parts) and accessories for the aforesaid goods.[/QUOTE]
  • Reply 4 of 28
    sog35 wrote: »
    Mr Cook help us fight privacy breaches.

    Do so by releasing AppleSearch and AppleVideo (youtube alternative)

    Make them pure search engines and a pure video sharing site.  And make them with very few ads.  And make them with ZERO tracking and spying.

    Its nice to say Google should stop spying but without a decent alternative what are people suppose to do?

    Gives a great alternative.


    Also not denying the car rumor is interesting.  If they really were not developing a car he could have easily said they are not developing a car.  It is my belief that Apple leaked the car rumor to multiple media sources last month.

    Agreed.

    As far as I'm concerned, Tim Cook saying that he can't comment on the iCar rumour confirms that Apple are, indeed, seriously developing a car.

    I think the timing of this huge rumour is telling. Whilst I'd love to see the Apple Watch sell a ton, I don't think it will. I think Cook realises this, due to the lack of interest that they have no doubt seen both in public and internal surveys. As such, rather than let the negative launch of the Apple Watch overwhelm them, Cook has chosen to release the iCar rumour so as to change the narrative and give hope to bigger things. After all, they could have quite easily chosen to delay the large signings from Tesla, Mercedes and others until after the Watch launch. The fact that these have happened only shortly before it is, in my humble opinion, the writing on the wall for the fate of the Watch, sadly.

    When you think back to Jobs, he tended to be more forthright in denying rumours, to the extent of saying that Apple were not bringing out whatever the rumour was.

    Cook's non-denial is affirmation of the iCar. It's just a question of when and what, now.
  • Reply 5 of 28
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,178member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Hmm..Apple just added vehicles to its list of company activities in a Swiss filing:

    http://tinyurl.com/nzva4d
    As mentioned by ninetofive, don't read much into that. It's common to list any and all categories that might be applicable. it doesn't mean that Apple is now planning an iPlane too. :D
  • Reply 6 of 28
    On another note, I'm very pleased to see Cook praise Snowden.

    I hope that this may help lead to the U.S. Government granting him immunity to prosecution in the States, though I'm probably being hopelessly naive.
  • Reply 7 of 28
    gatorguy wrote: »
    rogifan wrote: »
    Hmm..Apple just added vehicles to its list of company activities in a Swiss filing:

    http://tinyurl.com/nzva4d
    As mentioned by ninetofive, don't read much into that. It's common to list any and all categories that might be applicable. it doesn't mean that Apple is now planning an iPlane too. :D

    I think there's too much smoke for there not to be a fire, now.
  • Reply 8 of 28
    It's lovely to see Tim remembering Steve; the strength of his feeling really comes through.
  • Reply 9 of 28
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    On another note, I'm very pleased to see Cook praise Snowden.

    I hope that this may help lead to the U.S. Government granting him immunity to prosecution in the States, though I'm probably being hopelessly naive.

    Only if Rand Paul becomes the next president do I think he'd be pardoned.
  • Reply 10 of 28
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,287member
    You are a class act, Mr. Tim Cook.
  • Reply 11 of 28
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Also not denying the car rumor is interesting.  If they really were not developing a car he could have easily said they are not developing a car.  It is my belief that Apple leaked the car rumor to multiple media sources last month.


     

    Nope, think about it.  If Cook&Co were to shut down rumors that are not true, what do you think the media response would be?  Simple, manufacture rumors designed to solicit such responses from Apple.  In this manner, the media, through the process of subtraction, could develop a very clear picture of what Apple IS doing based upon a long series of denials about specifically what it is NOT doing.

     

    Rumor #1: Apple to add GPS to second generation Watch.

    Rumor #2: Apple to add LTE to second generation of Watch.

    Rumor #3: Next generation MacBook to include fans, no change to cooling mechanism.

    Rumor #4: Next generation MacBook with Retina display to be called simply MacBook, slotted between Air and Pro.

    etc...

     

    If Apple studiously denied rumors that were not true, then it wouldn't take long before we'd know, through a series of more and more detailed rumors/denials, exactly what Apple is up to behind closed doors.  This is the reason Apple and others make it their habit to neither confirm nor deny any rumors.

  • Reply 12 of 28
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Nope, think about it.  If Cook&Co were to shut down rumors that are not true, what do you think the media response would be?  Simple, manufacture rumors designed to solicit such responses from Apple.  In this manner, the media, through the process of subtraction, could develop a very clear picture of what Apple IS doing based upon a long series of denials about specifically what it is NOT doing.

    Rumor #1: Apple to add GPS to second generation Watch.
    Rumor #2: Apple to add LTE to second generation of Watch.
    Rumor #3: Next generation MacBook to include fans, no change to cooling mechanism.
    Rumor #4: Next generation MacBook with Retina display to be called simply MacBook, slotted between Air and Pro.
    etc...

    If Apple studiously denied rumors that were not true, then it wouldn't take long before we'd know, through a series of more and more detailed rumors/denials, exactly what Apple is up to behind closed doors.  This is the reason Apple and others make it their habit to neither confirm nor deny any rumors.

    Only if Apple keeps all product development hidden from the supply chain until the last minute will they be able to keep future projects secret.
  • Reply 13 of 28
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post





    Only if Apple keeps all product development hidden from the supply chain until the last minute will they be able to keep future priducts secret.



    While that's true, it doesn't take away from my point.  

  • Reply 14 of 28
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post



    It's lovely to see Tim remembering Steve; the strength of his feeling really comes through.

     

    Get ready, sog's going to belittle Cook for creating an altar to Steve.

  • Reply 15 of 28
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I still think there's too much smoke around this car stuff. And those suggesting otherwise are doing so because they think it's silly for Apple to be entertaining the idea of building a car so therefore it can't possibly be true. So it has to be the more reasonable idea of Apple working on software for other car companies dashboards. Except that Apple is not known for being a piece of technology in someone else's product. And there are no indications that car companies are interested in letting Apple own their dashboard. Especially if Apple's intention is to be in lots of cars. I'm sure Honda doesn't want their dash/infotainment system looking just like Toyota's.
  • Reply 16 of 28
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    I still think there's too much smoke around this car stuff. And those suggesting otherwise are doing so because they think it's silly for Apple to be entertaining the idea of building a car so therefore it can't possibly be true. So it has to be the more reasonable idea of Apple working on software for other car companies dashboards. Except that Apple is not known for being a piece of technology in someone else's product. And there are no indications that car companies are interested in letting Apple own their dashboard. Especially if Apple's intention is to be in lots of cars. I'm sure Honda doesn't want their dash/infotainment system looking just like Toyota's.

     

     

    Yes.

     

    Also, the timing works quite well. CarPlay was released, what two years ago? and it hasn't exactly set the auto industry on fire. Maybe Apple now realise that it will only be a compromise, like the Motorola Rokr, and that they will have to build their own hardware for the software.

     

    As to the iCar: I feel quite open about this. Apple have various options for fuel:

     

    They could use just electricity. This looks quite likely, but limits its appeal significantly. Don't think it will become mass market if this is the case. Even if batteries improve a lot, there is almost no infrastructure compared to fossil fuels, so it would take decades to achieve large sales.

     

    Petrol or diesel only (gas). This seems unlikely. 

     

    Hydrogen/LPG. Possible, but unlikely.

     

    Hybrid. Possible, but unlikely. This option would appeal the most to me, and I think it would be the only way they would break into the mass market arena. Can you make a hydrogen/electric hybrid? I don't know. Petrol/electric hybrid would be best.

  • Reply 17 of 28
    @BFrost. "...Whilst I'd love to see the Apple Watch sell a ton, I don't think it will. I think Cook realises this, due to the lack of interest that they have no doubt seen both in public and internal surveys...."[/quote]
    Citations please, or is this simply your assumption?
  • Reply 18 of 28
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

     

    Can you make a hydrogen/electric hybrid? I don't know. Petrol/electric hybrid would be best.


     

    A hydrogen powered vehicle IS a hydrogen/electric hybrid.  Hydrogen is used in a fuel cell that generates electricity to power electric motors.  

  • Reply 19 of 28
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post



    ...

    As far as I'm concerned, Tim Cook saying that he can't comment on the iCar rumour confirms that Apple are, indeed, seriously developing a car.

    ...

    Cook's non-denial is affirmation of the iCar. It's just a question of when and what, now.

     

    Get ready for...

     

    RolloverGate

    CrashGate

    Crash_and_Burn_Gate

    I_Lost_My_Keys_Gate

    DWIGate (but officer, it drives itself...)

    TailGate ????

    AntennaGate ???? (you're not driving it right)

    iSkid but it will have iTractionControl

    BendGate (honest, I didn't see the bend in the road)

    ...

     

    Police will issue tickets via AirDrop

  • Reply 20 of 28
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pacificfilm View Post



    @BFrost. "...Whilst I'd love to see the Apple Watch sell a ton, I don't think it will. I think Cook realises this, due to the lack of interest that they have no doubt seen both in public and internal surveys...."[/quote]

    Citations please, or is this simply your assumption?

     

    Sounds like the iPad launch...

     

    http://www.phonearena.com/news/Exactly-how-well-is-the-new-iPad-selling_id28920

    http://thenextweb.com/apple/2010/04/01/neat-complete-list-positives-negatives-ipad-handson-reviews/

     

    Just a couple citations for a little background.  Let's see where the AppleWatch sits in a few years time.

Sign In or Register to comment.