Examining Angela Ahrendts' five-year tenure as head of Apple Retail

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 43
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    jdw said:
    The devil is in the details, and unfortunately this article doesn't dive into the details of what Angela Ahrendts actually did.  The article speaks in more general terms about things many of us already knew.  At least I did.  Indeed, I had watched that TED talk prior to even seeing this article.  I watched it because I wanted to know more about Angela Ahrendts in order to perhaps figure out what she did (in detailed terms) at Apple for all that compensation she received.  

    Of course she had a thrill at Apple.  Of course Tim Cook praised her (he hired her, after all).  And sure Apple Stores increased, as they likely would have under another Apple retail executive, and revenues increased as a result.  But what are the specific changes she made in Apple Stores, and do customers welcome those changes?  Comments I read in the forums indicate the changes she made were not desirable, but is that the general consensus of most people who visit Apple Stores?  These are the things that the tech media (including AppleInsider) need to sleuth out.  Such would make a better article because it would be much more informative.
    Its hard to tell how old she is.    Is this a firing or a retirement?    She probably has enough money that she can retire.    We will only know if she lands another spot within a couple years.

    I don't like going to the Apple store because there tends to be too many people.    The biggest impact on the store has probably been people with problems with the MB and MBP keyboards and the battery replacements last year.      Apple needs fewer people getting things fixed to make browsing at the store more enjoyable.  Otherwise usual order on-line.   If I browse at the story 2 or 3 times I tend to give in and buy-which I shouldn't do.


  • Reply 22 of 43
    And how exactly has the Apple retail experience for customers improved during her tenure? At the Apple Store nearest me, AS 2.0 has entirely drained the magic and uniqueness from a visit. Deirdre O'Brien and Apple would do well to bring back what worked for 1.0.
  • Reply 23 of 43
    My only complaint with Apple Stores is that every one I've ever been in is far too noisy for my comfort.  I have to shout to be heard, and be shouted at to hear.  And no, my hearing is not abnormally deficient.  It's well within "normal" for adult humans a decade younger than me.
  • Reply 24 of 43
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    entropys said:
    6502 said:
    Retail + People

    Or, in Tim's words:

    Refrigerator + Toaster

    I see retail strike three in the not too distant future.
    Dude, she's been with Apple for over 20 years.  I think they know what she can do and what she can't do.  Oh right, she one of those "diversity hires" that you were whining about, so of course she's worthless.
    So?O’Brien was doing corporate HR. Even as it seems she was good at that, it says nothing about how she will do running retail. Sorry, running both! Think about that.
    Taking care of people is a large part of running a retail store, and she will have people helping and advising her.

    I would imagine Apple know what they’re doing in appointing her.
  • Reply 25 of 43
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


  • Reply 26 of 43
    65026502 Posts: 380member
    6502 said:
    Retail + People

    Or, in Tim's words:

    Refrigerator + Toaster

    I see retail strike three in the not too distant future.
    Dude, she's been with Apple for over 20 years.  I think they know what she can do and what she can't do.  Oh right, she one of those "diversity hires" that you were whining about, so of course she's worthless.
    Um, I don't think you can judge someone on how well they're going to run retail stores vs. how well they've run HR. One's a refrigerator and one's a toaster. If an HR person can run retail, then I guess running retail isn't all that hard. I thought you might need some background in retail to run retail, but perhaps it is like pharmacy - if you can count to 60, you're a pharmacist.

    I hear the janitor VP is taking over iOS development.
  • Reply 27 of 43
    I guess the era of ultraluxe is over.  I was never impressed with her focus or her vision. 
  • Reply 28 of 43
    carnegiecarnegie Posts: 1,077member
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


    Ms. Ahrendts was in charge of Apple's brick and mortar operations and the online Apple Store, not the App Store. Mr. Cue is in charge of Apple's online content stores.
  • Reply 29 of 43
    glynhglynh Posts: 133member
    Did anyone else think that second picture was a scene from Sex and the City?  On a closer look, she doesn't look like Sarah Jessica Parker, but the first-glance resemblance is there.
    Did anyone else think that the keyframe of that first video looks like the interviewer on the right has a bare ass?

    <chuckle>
    edited February 2019
  • Reply 30 of 43
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    carnegie said:
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


    Ms. Ahrendts was in charge of Apple's brick and mortar operations and the online Apple Store, not the App Store. Mr. Cue is in charge of Apple's online content stores.
    Not since 2017, it’s Federighi now. 
  • Reply 31 of 43
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member

    k2kw said:
    jdw said:
    The devil is in the details, and unfortunately this article doesn't dive into the details of what Angela Ahrendts actually did.  The article speaks in more general terms about things many of us already knew.  At least I did.  Indeed, I had watched that TED talk prior to even seeing this article.  I watched it because I wanted to know more about Angela Ahrendts in order to perhaps figure out what she did (in detailed terms) at Apple for all that compensation she received.  

    Of course she had a thrill at Apple.  Of course Tim Cook praised her (he hired her, after all).  And sure Apple Stores increased, as they likely would have under another Apple retail executive, and revenues increased as a result.  But what are the specific changes she made in Apple Stores, and do customers welcome those changes?  Comments I read in the forums indicate the changes she made were not desirable, but is that the general consensus of most people who visit Apple Stores?  These are the things that the tech media (including AppleInsider) need to sleuth out.  Such would make a better article because it would be much more informative.
    Its hard to tell how old she is.    Is this a firing or a retirement?    She probably has enough money that she can retire.    We will only know if she lands another spot within a couple years.


    She’s 58. 
  • Reply 32 of 43
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


    The App Stores are not normally considered part of "online retail", which typically means web browser based and dealing with physical inventory. The App Stores are apps.
  • Reply 33 of 43
    carnegiecarnegie Posts: 1,077member
    carnegie said:
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


    Ms. Ahrendts was in charge of Apple's brick and mortar operations and the online Apple Store, not the App Store. Mr. Cue is in charge of Apple's online content stores.
    Not since 2017, it’s Federighi now. 
    Mr. Federighi is in charge of iOS and macOS. Mr. Cue is in charge of the content stores - at least, according to Apple.
    edited February 2019
  • Reply 34 of 43
    carnegie said:
    carnegie said:
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:

    The AppStore and MacAppStore are worse. A few years ago if I wanted to find a particular type of program, say a Game I'd go to Games and there would be a menu I could select RPG, or Puzzle, or whatever and get a list of those. Now if this menu is there I sure as heck can't find it. I just have to hunt through lists of programs and hop the description tells me enough to go on. Or I can try to search for Text Editor or Risk-like game and hope that it can figure it out. It usually doesn't.

    Worse yet if I know what I want to buy, I can search by name. I guarantee the program I just asked for by name will not be the first hit. Usually there are several totally wrong ones that are paid placements that show up first, then there are a few obviously wrong ones, before I find the one I am actually searching for.

    In these areas I can't rate Ms. Ahrendts tenure very highly.
    She doesn’t and never managed the App Stores as far as I know. Remember Cue and Schiller taking about them?

    I understood she was in charge of all retail, both brick and mortar and online. If not then mea culpa.


    Ms. Ahrendts was in charge of Apple's brick and mortar operations and the online Apple Store, not the App Store. Mr. Cue is in charge of Apple's online content stores.
    Not since 2017, it’s Federighi now. 
    Mr. Federighi is in charge of iOS and macOS. Mr. Cue is in charge of the content stores - at least, according to Apple.
    Ah sorry, you're correct — I was only talking about the App Stores — misunderstood the use of "content" here but I realize you mean music/video/etc now.
  • Reply 35 of 43
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    k2kw said:

    I don't like going to the Apple store because there tends to be too many people.   
    Here in Japan, I don't like going to my nearest Apple Store (Nagoya) either, but it's because it's a 45 minute drive from my home and then I have to pay for parking!  So while I'm in the store my mind is half on merchandise and half on the timer that adjust the fee I have to pay for silly parking.  If there was a store closer with free parking, I'd probably visit more.  My kids often want to go.  But let me tell you, their desire to go has absolutely nothing to do with anything Angela Ahrendts did during her tenure at Apple.  They just want to touch Apple products in a strictly Apple environment.  My own desire to visit an Apple store will probably increase when Apple returns a good keyboard, MagSafe, the SD card slot, and the extension power cord back to the MBP where they belong.  Until then, I'm hoping for other big changes at Apple so they start to remember us, their customers, without whom, Apple would not exist.
  • Reply 36 of 43
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    jdw said:

    My own desire to visit an Apple store will probably increase when Apple returns a good keyboard, MagSafe, the SD card slot, and the extension power cord back to the MBP where they belong. 
    So, never.
  • Reply 37 of 43
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    So, never.
    "Never say 'never'!"  So I won't either.  But it is clear that Apple isn't appealing to me.  And I am not unique among the citizens of this planet.  

    All said, Apple needs to do more to get me (and those like-minded) excited again.  You remember when that was -- back in the day when Apple would reveal a great product and most everyone in the media would proclaim, "Wow!  They've done it again!"  To do that should be easy.  Apple just needs to Think Different.
  • Reply 38 of 43
    jdw said:
    So, never.
    "Never say 'never'!"  So I won't either.  But it is clear that Apple isn't appealing to me.  And I am not unique among the citizens of this planet.  

    All said, Apple needs to do more to get me (and those like-minded) excited again.  You remember when that was -- back in the day when Apple would reveal a great product and most everyone in the media would proclaim, "Wow!  They've done it again!"  To do that should be easy.  Apple just needs to Think Different.
    I'm not sure what you mean. I'm still amazed at what they accomplish. My 2018 MBP is incredible, and I love the keyboard. I have an SD card reader if I ever need one, and the lack of MagSafe literally doesn't affect me one iota. The iPhone X is the best iPhone I've ever owned. I have major gear lust for the Apple Watch 4, and can't wait to get my hands on the second gen AirPods and a new iPad Pro and Pencil 2 this year. If you're not impressed by these things then I don't know what to tell you. If by "back in the day" you mean the original iPhone reveal, yeah that isn't going to happen very often. I'm of the opinion that people complaining about stupid shit like extension cords (really?) aren't going to be pleased by anything they do. The idea that *they* need to Think Different to appeal to *you* is absurd.
  • Reply 39 of 43
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    jdw said:
    So, never.
    "Never say 'never'!"  So I won't either.  But it is clear that Apple isn't appealing to me.  And I am not unique among the citizens of this planet.  

    All said, Apple needs to do more to get me (and those like-minded) excited again.  You remember when that was -- back in the day when Apple would reveal a great product and most everyone in the media would proclaim, "Wow!  They've done it again!"  To do that should be easy.  Apple just needs to Think Different.
    I'm not sure what you mean. I'm still amazed at what they accomplish. My 2018 MBP is incredible, and I love the keyboard. I have an SD card reader if I ever need one, and the lack of MagSafe literally doesn't affect me one iota. The iPhone X is the best iPhone I've ever owned. I have major gear lust for the Apple Watch 4, and can't wait to get my hands on the second gen AirPods and a new iPad Pro and Pencil 2 this year. If you're not impressed by these things then I don't know what to tell you. If by "back in the day" you mean the original iPhone reveal, yeah that isn't going to happen very often. I'm of the opinion that people complaining about stupid shit like extension cords (really?) aren't going to be pleased by anything they do. The idea that *they* need to Think Different to appeal to *you* is absurd.
    What's truly absurd is when people who are satisfied expect those who are not satisfied to be just as satisfied as themselves.  Sorry, but the world is not a clone of you.  Apple should appeal to as many people as it can.  To do that, it's best not to take away things they once gave us (and satisfied a lot of us) in the name of extremist minimalism.  We pay much more for Macs than for PCs, so to skimp on "the little things" like an extension power cord is too "absurd."  I use the cords that came with my mid-2015 MBP 15" and MacBook AIRs (2017 edition) all the time, and for the price I paid, they should come in the box and not be a separate purchase, especially when they came in the box in the past.  Again, you are perfectly satisfied by Apple, and that's great.  But let's play nice and admit that not everyone can be perfectly satisfied with the same things that satisfy you.  It's easy to worship everything Apple does and bash your fellow Apple fans, but a little empathy goes a long way and is appreciated.  I doubt I'll get that, but I stand by my previous words wholeheartedly regardless.  Apple thinking different amounts to not being stingy with the little things that some of us consider important.
    edited February 2019
  • Reply 40 of 43
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    lkrupp said:
    Apple retail is yet another example of the whole world telling Apple it would fail miserably, much like the whole world told Apple they would surely fail in the smartphone arena. Thankfully for us Apple doesn’t listen to its critics. As for the curmudgeons and naysayers that populate Apple centric tech blogs, well, nobody listens to them, least of all Apple.
    By opening its own retail stores Apple was already listening to 'critics', and very late at that.

    In truth it was really responding to market realities just as it is doing now with price reductions, three (instead of two) new models each year, wider product spread etc.

    These moves are in line with some critics but out of line with others. Things aren't black and white when it comes to criticism.

    If you prefer black and white, iPhone sales  were flat for years before contracting. There is a harsh reality.

    IMO Apple Retail Stores played a huge role in the iPhone's success (independently of who was running retail). They seem to have lost focus of late and moved away from the core purpose of Apple retail.
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