Analyst: Apple doesn't need Jobs forever

Steve has done a lot for Apple. He has totally transformed the company. And when he had just started a small company called NeXt with NeXt OS and softwares, Apple was scared like hell and purchased the company......

I guess they have not yet learnt from the past and want to repeat their deeds.... Come what may, they will have to get Steve back if he is alive...

If Steve wants, he can go to M$ and Google and shut Apple in a few days !!!!


Take care of your health Steve !


- Well-wisher

Things are going to be different without Jobs. But Apple already had made their name. Thanks to Steve Jobs.

Apple can't pay Steve's golden parachute (a.k.a. all his accumulated stock options when he sells them).

The media's "morbid fascination" with Jobs comes from simple observation, Dave: the man does NOT *look* healthy. Every public appearance since mid last year in fact is very morbid to me indeed; I've seen many a billionaire 50-something year old guy trotted across the 'tubes and waves and they all have that "alive" look about them. Steve seems to be going thru the motions, more and more.

As others have stated, people, specifically Apple's most devoted customers, in their minds do an Apple == Steve Jobs thing, and you know, he isn't going to live forever.

His "values" are *deeply* embedded into the Apple Corporate DNA...these things won't change in a year.

If Apple wants to make sure the stock doesn't tank whenever the guy gets a cold, or someone *says* he's got a cold, Apple can solve this easily by acting *slightly more* like a normal corporation than a cult of personality.

Other people work there. Other people *do actual work* there :)

The problem is, Apple doesn't really present itself to the public in such a way that makes the average shareholder believe this is how it works.

Here is an idea...do a product intro that is earth-shattering...and let someone else step into the limelight and hold the damned clicker.

Do a couple of these with an *obvious* "right hand man" right next to Jobs.

Otherwise, when he goes, the stock drops to $20/share because "the street" doesn't have any clue who in heaven is going to run the place for the next round.

Personally, I think he only has a couple years left in him at this point, at his current pace, with his current multi-corporation workload. Even if he's pulling the stings behind the scenes from his retirement villa somewhere, Apple needs a new face.

Not necessarily a Jobstronic 2.0, but someone that projects the same "technology should be simple, functional and beautiful" vibe...maybe with a little less of his mix of "aw shucks!" and hyperbole. :)
-K

When Steve leaves - hopefully it won't be a surprise - the stock will tank for a bit. I don't care who is chosen as successor, while Jobs is at Apple, Jobs IS Apple. On the other hand, Jobs is also a micro-managing corporate fascist who wields a heavy hand when it comes to what even the users can do with the technology. I can see Apple improving in some significant ways after he goes. He makes some goofy choices. The Mac Cube was one, and not having DVR capabilities in the AppleTV is another. Ive's has great design vision. I don't see Apple's pool of great ideas drying up any time soon after Steve steps down.

"Which is worse? The media's morbid fascination with Steve's retirement or death, or the notion that he's too dumb or self-important to have created a plan of succession?"

Son, you don't seem to understand. Steve Jobs... has to die.
It cannot be stopped. The purpose is too great.
Throughout history people have found it necessary to engage in... ritualistic human sacrifice for harvest.
Only difference is that now we like to watch people put to death through magazines and photographs.

To learn more visit http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/164365

;)

Quote: "I assume Ezra isn't either, but it's safe to say she's right about that."

Make that "he" — Ezra is a male name, as in the Bible's Book of Ezra.

Ezra Gottheil was a long time employee of Lotus, and a school friend of its founder Mitch Kapor.

Well if you guys don't need him, give him to me! :D

(1) I agree very much with Danny (from Scotland) above, when he refers to Steve Jobs commitment to doing things really well, and also to not release a feature if it cannot be done well.

There are few people in technology, or any business, who can stick to these values the way Steve Jobs does.

Additionally I would say that the commitment to simplicity, which requires making tough value judgements is very rare, especially in software where the culture is one of adding features to solve problems. Jobs is very unusual in that regard and we have no idea how that transfer of values has progressed.

(2) Also agree with the post from Frank Lowney above re questions that need to be asked. The original author at top says "I'm certain that a plan is in place today which will ensure the company's future.", but she is not certain at all. Let's not live on blind hope. I am 40 and plan to live to 100, so I need Jobs values to last another fifty years or so cos I'm going Mac and I'm NEVER going back.

For me the issue is largely about taste. Steve's taste is excellent. And this is reflected across very many levels of Apple activity. There will be other folk with good ideas, good marketing savvy, excellent management skills etc. But the soul of Apple is the unflinching commitment to do things really well, to a standard that satisfies someone who has insanely high standards. And, if that's not possible, Apple under Steve is prepared to simply not do things (or not release them). This kind of unflinching commitment is relatively rare. Apple won't be the same company without it, and not easy to see Apple doing it without Steve.

My point here is borrowed / adapted via Chairman Gruber: http://daringfireball.net/linked/2008/08/02/mpt-free-software-usability

Anyone who's not seen and heard Steve on taste (and Bill Gates' lack of) will appreciate this clip (in this instance with fun extras from Andy Hertzfeld and Bill Gates himself): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBISzVRmYIM

Danny