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New Apple VP to address product quality

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jul 22nd 2010 at 10:00AM

If you thought Apple wasn't serious about quality you haven't been paying much attention for the past decade. In addition to making better hardware every year (with the exception of iBook keyboards), Apple has now promoted Jeff Williams to Senior VP of Operations; he'll be working alongside Tim Cook (Apple's COO, possibly the successor-designate to Steve Jobs) to ensure the company's products are of the highest quality.

Williams will also keep an eye on the supply chain management side, a critical element in keeping costs low while pushing quality into the stratosphere. As AppleInsider reports, Williams cut his teeth at IBM before moving to Apple, and his expertise in supply chain management shone as he helped get the pieces for the iPod back when it was largely "off the shelf" components -- the shelves being mostly located in China. Williams was instrumental in global rollouts of the iPod and, more recently, the launch of the iPhone. We hope his new position will improve Apple's track record for quality gear.

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If you thought Apple wasn't serious about quality you haven't been paying much attention for the past decade. In addition to making better...
 

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Janne

Jordan: "It's not that I come in here and only whine about Apple, it's just that that's what people like you seem to selectively seek out. I've stated many times what I like about Apple."

Oh really? I have NEVER seen you say anything positive here. Never. At best you manage to be neutral, but even those are rare. Usually it's nothing but whining and complaining. I don't have to "seek out" those coents, because if I see a comment from you, it's always whining and complaining.

No, I don't think that everyone should be cheerleading Apple all the time. But that said, I find it really strange that you come here with the intention to whine and complain all the time. It gets really old, really fast. Seriously, what's the point? We get it already: you dislike Apple.

July 23 2010 at 2:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Janne

@Jordan Win you over? Looking at your endless whining in this board, it's next to impossible.

Ots strange to watch some people (like you) go to Apple-related websites, an constantly whine in them how they hate everything related to Apple. Why spend your time talking about negative things, when you could be talkkm about positive things? Instead of whining about Apple, why not go to some Dell-website, and profess your love or Dell instead? How about spending your time in some Android-website where you could talk about how great Android is?

But no. You come here month after month just to whine about Apple. Why? Since ou hate everything related to Apple, why do you even care what they do? Why spend so much time wallowing in negative things?

July 22 2010 at 3:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Janne's comment
bzeltz

Perhaps you could comment on the article instead of trying to drive away those with opinions that stray from the stereotypical apple lover script.

That said, I love OS X and the wonderful apple customer service I've received. What I don't love is that my $2000 macbook pro has had 3 battery failures, 2 powercord issues and one logic board replacement and that my mother's hard drive failed 3 months after getting her new macbook.

I'm very hopeful that Apple will improve QC so that I can feel comfortable spending another 2 Grand next year.

July 22 2010 at 10:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
VanillaSpice

@ Jordan -

First you say, "no, I don't just whine. That's you being selective."

But then you say, "I just whine because I don't want to make positive comments."

So ... you DO just whine after all.

"I'm not gonna go around 'Good job Apple!'. That's pointless. Putting blame where blame is needed and keeping companies on their toes, that's smart."

Smart? No. Trolling? Yes. You repeatedly blame Apple when blame is *not* needed.

July 22 2010 at 10:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
digitalsedition

Kinda weird to have a guy whose responsibility has been supply chain be responsible for ensuring that the design of a product is sound. While a supply chain person should obviously be responsible for making sure quality goods arrive in the appropriate volumes at the appropriate times (something the company still struggles with), I'm not sure where that intersects with the R&D, product design and testing groups.

July 22 2010 at 2:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ilkyone

"We hope [...] will improve Apple's track record for quality gear."

That's funny! Sort of like hoping for the best to even further separate itself from the pack.

Have you guys even paid attention to the problems HTC, motorola, HP, and Dell have been facing lately? Apple is bar none the best.

July 22 2010 at 10:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to ilkyone's comment
Mike

Well good, they have 1 year before the iPhone 5 to win me back. Returned my iPhone 4. If the iPhone 5 is the same case as iPhone 4 I will not buy it.

July 22 2010 at 10:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Mike's comment
redcard

See you guys later then, eh.

Jordan, all your comments get downranked anyway, cos all you do is take what other trolls have said on other sites and post it here a day later

July 22 2010 at 12:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Name

If Louis CK were reading this, he'd have a few words for you

July 22 2010 at 1:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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