Daily Management Review

Two mistakes of Apple's CEO


08/15/2016


Apple’s CEO Tim Cook told about two biggest mistakes corporations during his work as the company’s in an interview with The Washington Post. According to him, the company should not have developed Apple Maps application, neither should Apple have hired its former top manager John Browett for development of its retail network.



iphonedigital via flickr
iphonedigital via flickr
Cook noted that the map service was seriously criticized, and he had to personally apologize to users for poor quality of the product. "The Maps were a mistake. But we are quite honest to ourselves to admit that it was not our finest hour. We had the courage to find another way to do it. It is important. This is the only way for a company to learn from its blunders ", - he said.

The second mistake of Apple’s CEO was invitation of John Browett to join the company as a person in charge of development of the corporation’s retail network. "He did not fit into our ideological environment - that's how I would describe it. We talked a lot with him and decided to hire him, that was a mistake", - said Cook. Browett himself noted that quitting from Apple was the "best moment of his life". 

In addition, Cook told the publication of promising regions yet to be covered by Apple’s technology. According to him, those are India and China. "One of the most important things that we did in India is a mobile infrastructure. There are major investors who have invested in laying 4G technologies". - said Tim Cook.

There also was a talk about the corporation’s history, in particular, death of its founder Steve Jobs. Tim Cook confided that he hoped to the bitter that his boss would have recovered. He added that he had never be hopeful of Jobs’ chair. "I'd feel like a traitor if I occupied his post before the tragedy", - said Apple’s CEO. He stressed that he considered Steve Jobs irreplaceable.

As for the company’s outlook, Tim Cook mentioned creation of technologies of augmented reality (AR). However, he refused to disclose specific plans of Apple in this regard. "Yes, virtual reality - this is what we are doing now, but it remains a mystery even today", - he said.

In addition, the reporters wanted to know at least some parts of the Apple Car project. The journalists tried to cast a light on the project Titan, but Tim Cook refused to answer questions about Apple Car. The company’s head explained that he could not talk about not officially announced yet.

The Washington Post published the interview Tim Cook on August 13. It was timed to the fifth anniversary of his tenure as Apple CEO. There, Cook also told reporters about falling sales of smart phones, and his decision to reveal his sexual orientation. According to him, he decided to do it when he learned that LGBT teens perceive him as a role model. 

source: washingtonpost.com