Apple's evolution from Steve Job's innovation to Tim Cook's operation

 

 

 

Tripp Mickle profiles the Apple CEO’s journey of evolving Steve Job’s culture of innovation to Tim Cook’s logistical operations and services colossus in the August 7 Apple News edition of the Wall Street Journal.

 

Under Cook’s leadership, the focus has shifted from product innovation to logistical efficiency, and to generating more recurring revenue from Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV.

 

I'm a big fan of Tim Cook. He made some tough decisions early in his career at Apple. In the late 1990's Cook shuttered all US manufacturing operations, shifting them overseas. Tough call, had to be done as part of returning the company to profitability (the other part being Steve Jobs decision to focus on the consumer rather than business, introducing the fruitful colorful eye-straining iMac and iBook). 

There is a story to be written about China’s rise in advanced manufacturing and the role Apple played while Cook was head of Operations. Did you know more than three million Chinese are employed in Apple's supply chain?

I respect Apple's public positions on the environment and human rights, however I didn't know until I read Tripp's story that Apple's data centers in China, where customer information is stored, are run by a state-owned Chinese company.

When Tim Cook talks I listen. He has publicly stated when Apple's legacy is written "it's greatest contribution to mankind will be about health." That's the kind of innovation I eagerly look forward to. When, not if, that happens, it will be about integrating forthcoming software into existing hardware platforms: Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. 

I would love to see Apple upend the health insurance industry by putting patients in control of their health data, so they can deal directly with providers, rather than having to go through the insurance bureaucracy.