Apple exec Eddy Cue 'overextended,' falling asleep in meetings
The stresses of heading up Internet Software and Services at Apple may be getting to Eddy Cue, who may even sometimes fall asleep during meetings, according to a new profile.
Eddy Cue will occasionally "fall silent, shut his eyes and tilt his head back," The Information said on Wednesday, citing several former Apple workers as well as an "outside partner" as sources. While people at the meetings have been sometimes been unsure if he was just staring at the ceiling, one source said that Cue began snoring on at least two occasions.
The profile suggests though that Cue isn't lazy or inattentive, but likely "overextended." The executive oversees Apple Music, iTunes, Apple Maps, Apple Pay, iCloud, and much more, even the high-budget TV shows slated for 2019. These segments have become increasingly important to the company -- services revenue jumped 31 percent year-over-year in the June quarter.
Under this workload, Cue has allegedly "failed to intercede in conflicts" at "important moments," the report adds.
One example involves the company's $3 billion Beats takeover in 2014. The two companies ran into culture clashes so severe that there were "almost literally fistfights over design aspects, features, aesthetics," one source said. As a team was preparing for the launch of Apple Music in 2015, Cue was allegedly in absentia when it came to mediating between groups.
The executive is also claimed to have had little interest in some of the businesses he's been responsible for, such as iBooks, now known as Apple Books. After Apple was punished for antitrust violations for instance, Cue reportedly claimed that "no one reads books anymore" in a subsequent meeting.
Similarly he was once in charge of Siri, the company's voice assistant, but supposedly showed boredom when presented with data about its performance. He fell asleep during two meetings, one ex-Apple employee said.
Cue has been with Apple since 1989, and is credited with helping to found not just iTunes and the App Store but even the company's general online store. Despite some failed efforts, he has also sometimes turned around Apple projects, for example evolving MobileMe into iCloud. His performance has made him extremely wealthy, receiving millions each year in salary, bonuses, and stocks.
Eddy Cue will occasionally "fall silent, shut his eyes and tilt his head back," The Information said on Wednesday, citing several former Apple workers as well as an "outside partner" as sources. While people at the meetings have been sometimes been unsure if he was just staring at the ceiling, one source said that Cue began snoring on at least two occasions.
The profile suggests though that Cue isn't lazy or inattentive, but likely "overextended." The executive oversees Apple Music, iTunes, Apple Maps, Apple Pay, iCloud, and much more, even the high-budget TV shows slated for 2019. These segments have become increasingly important to the company -- services revenue jumped 31 percent year-over-year in the June quarter.
Under this workload, Cue has allegedly "failed to intercede in conflicts" at "important moments," the report adds.
One example involves the company's $3 billion Beats takeover in 2014. The two companies ran into culture clashes so severe that there were "almost literally fistfights over design aspects, features, aesthetics," one source said. As a team was preparing for the launch of Apple Music in 2015, Cue was allegedly in absentia when it came to mediating between groups.
The executive is also claimed to have had little interest in some of the businesses he's been responsible for, such as iBooks, now known as Apple Books. After Apple was punished for antitrust violations for instance, Cue reportedly claimed that "no one reads books anymore" in a subsequent meeting.
Similarly he was once in charge of Siri, the company's voice assistant, but supposedly showed boredom when presented with data about its performance. He fell asleep during two meetings, one ex-Apple employee said.
Cue has been with Apple since 1989, and is credited with helping to found not just iTunes and the App Store but even the company's general online store. Despite some failed efforts, he has also sometimes turned around Apple projects, for example evolving MobileMe into iCloud. His performance has made him extremely wealthy, receiving millions each year in salary, bonuses, and stocks.
Comments
He was never right for the Siri team.
So , Eddy ,if you are reading this, keep at it.
"During meetings, Mr. Cue is sometimes known to fall silent, shut his eyes and tilt his head back, leaving other participants to wonder whether he is staring at the ceiling or sleeping, said several former Apple employees and one outside partner present on multiple occasions when it happened over the past few years. In at least two of these situations, Mr. Cue began snoring, one source said…
In interviews with more than two dozen people who have worked with him, Mr. Cue is described as a leader of intelligence and empathy, with a loyal following at Apple. But others who have worked with him say he seems overextended and, at important moments, has failed to intercede in conflicts—for instance, during the creation of the company’s subscription music service, Apple Music, when former employees of Beats, which Apple acquired, battled with counterparts at iTunes.
“Apple tries to do too much with too few people,” said one former Apple executive, who like most people interviewed for this story requested anonymity to avoid the disfavor of one of the tech industry’s most powerful companies. “That sometimes backfires. Eddy is the best example of that at Apple. He’s always doing too many things.” "
https://www.ped30.com/2018/09/05/apple-eddy-cue-asleep-switch/
I'm glad there is dissent at meetings and people fighting for their ideas. But preferably not literally of course.
If this is true, it speaks poorly on Tim Cook for not divvying up his workload. Not like they can't afford it.
The fact that this story so carefully emphasizes the low hanging fruit of siri's failings definitively suggests ulterior motives.
Of course, from the outside, it's impossible to know if cue is mismanaging/neglecting his responsibilities, or if he truly just has too much on his plate. But either way, something needs to be done, if it hasn't been done already. The mismanagement of the services under eddies purview speaks for itself:
-maps: cue: "how hard could it be" - maps was taken over and reorganized by other executives [very exciting to see the new changes starting to take affect though]
-siri: obviously a disaster based on all the reports, and the fact that it's still struggling even after being handed off to Craig (hopefully it's undergoing a massive overhaul); siri is still terrible in all its implementations.. playing music via homepod is more trouble than it's worth for anything outside of a narrow set of tasks (I basically only use it for homekit commands and as an airplay speaker at this point).. apple tv siri can't find basic TV shows, even ones I've purchased, often directs me to the wrong place to view videos, etc.. siri still has difficulty with basic tasks like messaging, phone calls, or reminders (cuts you off too soon, difficulty understanding words, no way to edit on the fly), can't do more than one command at a time (the answer is to set up dozens of scenes or shortcuts??).. on and on..
-apple home still lacking in some key areas, like reliable fire/CO alarms, home security, automatic shades, air conditioning units [Phillips lights/sensors work great though, I have about 30 of them]
-apple pay (an amazing service that sells itself every time someone sees me use it) being beaten out in usage numbers by one single app, the starbucks app (even though starbucks accepts apple pay) [at least there have been some apple pay promotions lately, nice that CVS finally caved]
-anything search related.. mail and maps especially (maps is improving)
-media/culture push has not been very successful, with several failed video attempts thus far, and IMO Apple music should have taken off quicker and be more popular as the default, siri capable service for iOS; why isn't apple taking the lead in music? where are all the apple sponsored concerts that should be taking place? why did they cancel the London one? they have a clear advantage in music that they continue to squander, and instead seem to be focusing on a yet to be released video service, which has no indications yet that it will be successful.
All of these services have been having issues for YEARS.. how friggin long does it take to get more homekit options on the market?
I hope Apple fixes these things sooner rather than later. These are unforced errors that have significant, practical consequences for the customers using (or who want to use) the Apple ecosystem.
For this particular "news" article, how were these off the record employees, ex-employees found then convinced to provide the information written in the article? Were there payments involved for the information or did everybody just volunteer the information? If payments were involved, there should be laws the media has to adhere to that compels them to divulge these payments.
In either case, why did the employees, ex-employees participate with the development of this article? Was it absolutely that important to them they share embarrassing information about Eddy Cue with the world? Since the answer is obviously yes, then why hide behind USA, UK media protection laws to express grievances then pretend -- in this case -- to like Eddy Cue?
Also, what compelled the Informant to investigate Eddy Cue then write a hit piece article about him? Is the Informant investigating other Apple executives for similar hit pieces? How about executives at other companies?
I have not read the article, nor do I intend to read the article. What I am very interested in is discovering who these off the record people are then expose them to the world to give them a taste of what they have done. For the author, editors of the article, I am very interested in exposing their embarrassing moments to let them taste what they have forced Eddy Cue to taste.
Apple does not have any financial limitations. They can afford to hire almost ANY executive they want.
If they want to continue growing and not alienating existing customers, they really need to divvy up the workload so ALL of the executive team can get back to focusing on the details of their work!
Honestly, the one factor helping their growth more than anything right now is a lack of real competition. Microsoft and Google are doing everything they can to push their former customers to Apple!
"You can’t have it both ways. Cook is a genius, the best person for the job and his lieutenants are not up to the job.
In my estimation, Cook does not suffer incompetence in the slightest (Scott Forestall and John Browett come to mind). Just because we, as outsiders, can’t see what Cue is doing doesn’t translate to incompetence.
Eddy Cue, the leader of the company’s sprawling internet initiatives—from its music and video businesses to its maps service.
That Services is growing at an extended (4) year 30+% average compound rate is all I need to know about his effectiveness."
I would note that there are a number of pulmonary conditions, sleep apnea being well known, that have prominent symptoms that Eddie is showing in these meetings.
I get tired enough at work to nearly fall asleep as well. Nothing to see there.
Sleep apnea!? C'mon Tmay, I'm all for having a balanced discussion, but I don't think remote-diagnosing of sleep apnea is a realistic factor, particularly since there are several treatments.. tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy, CPAP, modafinil, armodafinil..
As for the growth in services, I don't see that as being much of a factor since it's likely that the vast majority of that revenue piggybacked on the success of the App Store and the sale of iOS devices.
It's quite common especially for senior males to have sleep disorders, so why wouldn't I bring that up for discussion?