Jobs is out

[custosnox]

Steve Jobs has stepped down from being CEO of apple.  How this plays out should become interesting.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/24/steve-jobs-resigns-as-ceo-of-apple/

[ZYX]

Not much of a surprise, he hasn't seemed too enthusiastic about it lately.

[custosnox]

I just wonder how it will end up playing out.  There are still a few routes Apple can take, and I really think they were already on the precipice, and now it's time to find which way they fall over it.

[Gaspar]

They aren't going anywhere.   

[custosnox]

They aren't going anywhere.   

Yet

[Hoss]

Yet

Remember how well HP was run until they got a new CEO.  While that's an extreme example, there no one saying it couldn't happen.

[custosnox]

Remember how well HP was run until they got a new CEO.  While that's an extreme example, there no one saying it couldn't happen.

I personally think that Apples one size fits all attitude towards their product has put them at a disadvantage with other platforms coming out to rival them.  I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[swake]

I personally think that Apples one size fits all attitude towards their product has put them at a disadvantage with other platforms coming out to rival them.  I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Yeah, I hear WebOS is great!

[Hoss]

Yeah, I hear WebOS is great!

snap!

[custosnox]

Yeah, I hear WebOS is great!

I was referring more to the Android part of the market.

[sgrizzle]

Not much of a surprise, he hasn't seemed too enthusiastic about it lately.

You mean with fighting pancreatic cancer, having a liver transpplant and being mostly bedridden on medical leave since January?

Yeah, he should really quit being so lazy.

[Gaspar]

You mean with fighting pancreatic cancer, having a liver transpplant and being mostly bedridden on medical leave since January?

Yeah, he should really quit being so lazy.

Slacker!

[Townsend]

Yeah, he should really quit being so lazy.

Dude, totally.  He's really been letting me down.

[Conan71]

Unfortunately, I'm taking this as a sign his health issues may have become terminal.

Although he's got a major cult following, Apple is far bigger than Steve Jobs.

Considering Apple's sales numbers, profits, and incredibly well-received product launches over the last few years there's nothing to worry about and no other shoe to drop.  They've earned a lot of converts to their product line in the last few years.  Without a doubt, Jobs is one of the most amazing (if not THE most) business success stories in global history.  He has contributed product ideas and been an inspiring presence at Apple, but let's face it, he's not the sole reason for the company's success.  There's a very good leadership team which has been carefully groomed and tutored under him.

When I bought my first Apple product two years ago, an iPhone, I didn't buy it because of whether or not Steve Jobs was a the helm.  I also now have a Mac Book and both my kids are on them as well.  Next computer FMC gets will be an Apple product.  Personally, I see a much better product in the integrated hardware and software platforms from Apple and their service is top notch.

I think the corporate culture he leaves behind him will far outlive his time at Apple.  I'm quite well aware Apple went into a funk when he departed the last time, but I believe many lessons have been learned from that and they have incredibly successful platforms to build on.

[sgrizzle]

I personally think that Apples one size fits all attitude towards their product has put them at a disadvantage with other platforms coming out to rival them.  I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Technically they make 18 different iPads and like 9 or 10 different phones. Just like when the iPod was first released, they only had one model for years and then split the lines out into 3 or 4 models per line with different colors/capacities in each model. Expect the same in the phone and tablet markets, but at present, manufacturing can't keep up with the simplified lineup as it is.

Apple's 2009 model, the iPhone 3GS is currently the #2 selling smartphone on the market. Clearly, it's not hurting them.