In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about the recent shakeup in management that saw iOS chief Scott Forstall, and retail boss John Browett both out of jobs.
Tim Cook to Bloomberg, via MacRumors:
So the changes—it’s not a matter of going from no collaboration to collaboration. We have an enormous level of collaboration in Apple, but it’s a matter of taking it to another level. You look at what we are great at. There are many things. But the one thing we do, which I think no one else does, is integrate hardware, software, and services in such a way that most consumers begin to not differentiate anymore. They just care that the experience is fantastic.
So how do we keep doing that and keep taking it to an even higher level? You have to be an A-plus at collaboration. And so the changes that we made get us to a whole new level of collaboration.
Highlighting Eddy Cue’s knowledge of services, Jony Ive’s design skills, Bob Mansfield’s experience with silicon and wireless, and Craig Federighi’s history of overseeing both OS X and iOS, Cook was careful to explain that the increased collaboration was not with the idea of, as some have speculated, working toward a merger of iOS and OS X.
“We don’t subscribe to the vision that the OS for iPhones and iPads should be the same as Mac,” said Cook. “Customers want iOS and Mac OS X to work together seamlessly, not to be the same, but to work together seamlessly.”
Forstall was reported to quickly take credit for successes, and just as quick to place blame on others for failures. He also reportedly refused to sign an open letter from Tim Cook that apologized for problems with the iOS 6 Maps app. An omission said to have sealed Forstall’s fate at Apple.
