Report: Revamped Siri to Be at the Core of Apple's New AI Strategy

[heretiq]

TC has a Masters in BusAdmin and his major skill was as a fulfillment director at IBM. Supply Chain guru.

Yes. It’s puzzling to me that the TC haters seem to be oblivious of this easily ascertained fact and publicly refer to him as “just a marketer“ — which has zero basis in fact. I think it speaks to their character: very quick to hate, and very slow to learn.

 

[Motorola68000]

Hmm .. Marketing?? Where does that even come from given the fact that Tim Cook is an Industrial Engineer ?? PSA: Earning a Duke MBA did not make Tim Cook a marketer — it made him a smarter Engineer and business leader than uninformed and unaccomplished MR pundits.

Further, purchasing NeXT was a necessary, but not sufficient element of Apple‘s resurrection. Steve Jobs had help in turning around Apple and it was Tim Cook that provided the help in creating the structure that could realize Jobs’ vision and provide the foundation of today’s Apple. That is why Steve Jobs chose Tim Cook to lead Apple and advised him to follow his own, proven good judgment. If you’re interested in the facts, here’s a starting point:

Some highlights:









So, please, if you’re going to disparage someone at least do your homework to avoid self-impeachment.

Tim Cook had no part in the engineering of NeXTOS, no part in the iMac and no part in the reconstruction of Apple from a near bankrupt company.

His engineering qualification wasn't exactly high level was it? BSc in Industrial Engineering from Auburn, and did you forget his jobs? Very much NOT engineering. Virtually all about procurement including COO of the 'reseller division' at Intelligent Electronics.

This is not an anti Tim Cook post. He has performed well for shareholders and Apple, but let no one believe he has been instrumental in the innovation brought about by Steve, as in the last few years we've seen great technological advancements by TSMC and others, but with Apple we've had quite a lot of glitz too, and that's never done it for me or my customers.

With Steve we had a genius prepared to think outside of the box, with Tim we have someone who ponders how much they can charge for the box.

 

[Motorola68000]

Hmm .. Marketing?? Where does that even come from given the fact that Tim Cook is an Industrial Engineer ?? PSA: Earning a Duke MBA did not make Tim Cook a marketer — it made him a smarter Engineer and business leader than uninformed and unaccomplished MR pundits.

Further, purchasing NeXT was a necessary, but not sufficient element of Apple‘s resurrection. Steve Jobs had help in turning around Apple and it was Tim Cook that provided the help in creating the structure that could realize Jobs’ vision and provide the foundation of today’s Apple. That is why Steve Jobs chose Tim Cook to lead Apple and advised him to follow his own, proven good judgment. If you’re interested in the facts, here’s a starting point:

Some highlights:









So, please, if you’re going to disparage someone at least do your homework to avoid self-impeachment.

The difference is I comment about what I know....I was privileged to be there!

 

[heretiq]

The difference is I comment about what I know....I was there!

If that is the case, your vantage point was obscured because you clearly missed some consequential and verifiable facts about Tim Cook’s contributions to Apple’s recovery and why Steve Jobs hand-picked Cook as his successor. We are all free to choose our beliefs, but none of us can change the facts.

 

[Motorola68000]

Yes. It’s puzzling to me that the TC haters seem to be oblivious of this easily ascertained fact and publicly refer to him as “just a marketer“ — which has zero basis in fact. I think it speaks to their character: very quick to hate, and very slow to learn.

Tim Cook nor anyone else should ever be referred to with the precursor of "JUST". It does not do him or anyone else any favours and is disrespectful.

Tim, even though I know he had no part in the recovery of Apple, via Steve's NeXT, which cost Apple around $400m to get him and NeXT back, no one should doubt the success he has had with regards Apple's trading performance.

Now I never ever spoke to Woz, but I did speak to Steve on several occasions, and whilst he (and his team) at NeXT were contemplating and working on NeXT OS, and it was really this that set Apple on the path to what it is today, and the OS's even today has its roots very much in NeXT OS.

Even the Internet we know of today, is attributed to Tim Berners-Lee, but what many do no realise is that THREE individuals (and their respective teams) were really responsible for even that, and TWO in particular for the NeXT OS's capabilities which set it apart from other OS's and still today remains the basis for all Apple OS's.

Up until then there was no WYSIWYG, and indeed even the early Macs, whilst innovative had to try to construct image output by hook or by crook, but nothing like what the screen showed, often using tints, geometrics and patterns, let alone not designed with a unix kernel.

One other unsung hero here that is often missed, where Steve and Tim are well known, is Chuck Geschke one of the nicest guys I've ever spoken to, and where I was systems director for a large organisation involved in research.

At the time we were looking to future applications of computer technology in phototypesetting and print technology, and I was asked to speak to Chuck, as he was said to be working on something useful to us. I phoned from the UK at the appropriate time and spoke to Chuck, and his passion for what he was doing shone through, but I wasn't at that stage aware that Chuck was founder of that little company Adobe. The software he was working on was called PostScript, which had the potential of making WYSIWYG a reality, by vectored graphics.

When I spoke to Steve it was just what he wanted to know about, and he embedded display postscript into NeXT OS, to create a formidable new OS that was comparatively secure with the ease of use of the GUI, but the security of Unix and the ability to actually produce what you saw.

Indeed Tim Berners-Lee was instructed to use the NeXT computer, which led to the what is attributed as the birth of the internet.

At no stage though was Tim Cook on this scene.

Apologies to others involved as no doubt many played their part in the respective teams.

Now some may look stuff up, some may believe in what they see in the media. I was there!

 

[Motorola68000]

If that is the case, your vantage point was obscured because you clearly missed some consequential and verifiable facts about Tim Cook’s contributions to Apple’s recovery and why Steve Jobs hand-picked Cook as his successor. We are all free to choose our beliefs, but none of us can change the facts.

Steve 'hand picked' Tim Cook....I rest my case. By then Apple was on the road to recovery, Steve had been brought back to apple at a cost to Apple of $400m and the work he did on NeXT OS is what brought that recovery.

Did Tim Cook work with Steve on NeXT OS? NO. Was he a founder of Apple: NO. Did he help Steve set up the first real PC rendering software: NO. Pixar MacRenderman went on to evolve to Pixar, and we know what happened to Pixar.

Look this is not discrediting Tim for his efforts at Apple, or his performance for the company and shareholders has been noted, but with no disrespect to him, but Apple's phoenix like change and success was via Steve.

 

[heretiq]

Tim Cook had no part in the engineering of NeXTOS, no part in the iMac and no part in the reconstruction of Apple from a near bankrupt company.

His engineering qualification wasn't exactly high level was it? BSc in Industrial Engineering from Auburn, and did you forget his jobs? Very much NOT engineering. Virtually all about procurement including COO of the 'reseller division' at Intelligent Electronics.

This is not an anti Tim Cook post. He has performed well for shareholders and Apple, but let no one believe he has been instrumental in the innovation brought about by Steve, as in the last few years we've seen great technological advancements by TSMC and others, but with Apple we've had quite a lot of glitz too, and that's never done it for me or my customers.

With Steve we had a genius prepared to think outside of the box, with Tim we have someone who ponders how much they can charge for the box.

Engineering is a broad field with many disciplines. Tim Cook operated at the highest level of Industrial Engineering at IBM and Compaq. His contributions were in the areas of manufacturing and logistics. It was Tim Cook‘s contributions that allowed Jobs vision, I’ve‘s designs and the effort of countless others at Apple to have the meaningful, global scale and impact that it did when Apple was struggling to survive .. and even now as Apple is leading the field. The genius of this work is often unappreciated or taken for granted by lay people who have very little understanding of what it takes to run a successful basic manufacturing business — and even less understanding of what it takes to operate effectively at billion-users scale.

 

[Motorola68000]

You make good points. There was good reason for Apple to spend $700 million to acquire NexTOS and bring Jobs back to the fold. But there was also a good reason that Steve Jobs (probably the greatest influence on American daily life in the 20th century) himself hand picked Tim Cook to run Apple. He wanted Apple to survive and prosper in the long term, and Cook was and is the right man for that effort.

Is it time for Cook to retire? Possibly. Should Apple let him pick his successor? Maybe, maybe not. I'm not in a position to opine on that.

Good post, and those who criticise my post should actually read what Tim Cook had to say as to why having previously turned down approaches from Apple, when Steve was back at Apple decided to join:

"Cook decided that he should at least meet with Steve Jobs, he told Charlie Rose in 2014. “Steve created the whole industry that I’m in,” he said, adding that Jobs was “doing something totally different.”

I think that says it all.

 

[heretiq]

Tim Cook nor anyone else should ever be referred to with the precursor of "JUST". It does not do him or anyone else any favours and is disrespectful.

Tim, even though I know he had no part in the recovery of Apple, via Steve's NeXT, which cost Apple around $400m to get him and NeXT back, no one should doubt the success he has had with regards Apple's trading performance.

Now I never ever spoke to Woz, but I did speak to Steve on several occasions, and whilst he (and his team) at NeXT were contemplating and working on NeXT OS, and it was really this that set Apple on the path to what it is today, and the OS's even today has its roots very much in NeXT OS.

Even the Internet we know of today, is attributed to Tim Berners-Lee, but what many do no realise is that THREE individuals (and their respective teams) were really responsible for even that, and TWO in particular for the NeXT OS's capabilities which set it apart from other OS's and still today remains the basis for all Apple OS's.

Up until then there was no WYSIWYG, and indeed even the early Macs, whilst innovative had to try to construct image output by hook or by crook, but nothing like what the screen showed, often using tints, geometrics and patterns, let alone not designed with a unix kernel.

One other unsung hero here that is often missed, where Steve and Tim are well known, is Chuck Geschke one of the nicest guys I've ever spoken to, and where I was systems director for a large organisation involved in research.

At the time we were looking to future applications of computer technology in phototypesetting and print technology, and I was asked to speak to Chuck, as he was said to be working on something useful to us. I phoned from the UK at the appropriate time and spoke to Chuck, and his passion for what he was doing shone through, but I wasn't at that stage aware that Chuck was founder of that little company Adobe. The software he was working on was called PostScript, which had the potential of making WYSIWYG a reality, by vectored graphics.

When I spoke to Steve it was just what he wanted to know about, and he embedded display postscript into NeXT OS, to create a formidable new OS that was comparatively secure with the ease of use of the GUI, but the security of Unix and the ability to actually produce what you saw.

Indeed Tim Berners-Lee was instructed to use the NeXT computer, which led to the what is attributed as the birth of the internet.

At no stage though was Tim Cook on this scene.

Apologies to others involved as no doubt many played their part in the respective teams.

Now some may look stuff up, some may believe in what they see in the media. I was there!

Attributing Apple’s comeback to just its acquisition of NeXT and the return of Steve Jobs is shortsighted at best. Steve Jobs famously said “Real artists ship” and at the time of Jobs’ return Apple manufacturing was a mess and could not ship — so having the best OS and best designs would get you nowhere if you couldn’t deliver the products that made them meaningful. It was Tim Cook that solved this problem. It’s perplexing that someone who was purportedly there would miss this, .. but nonetheless the facts are there. Look it up.

 

[Motorola68000]

Sadly with the greatest respect you've got no real understanding of what happened. Steve Jobs return that definitively transformed Apple....to this day. Indeed his return would not and could change what was already in the pipeline, and anyone involved in manufacturing knows that a new manufacturing line takes some while to get up and running let alone incorporate NeXT innovations let alone procurement for its production and anyone would be stuck with the existing situation and devices temporarily as otherwise there would be no cashflow whatsoever. Indeed it was Steve who made massive changes to production to safeguard Apple's existence on his return, which is a matter of fact?
He cut the number of devices significantly, but again that could not happen immediately before better products were produced, but as an example Mac Performa 5260/5270 discontinued; Performa 5280 discontinued; 5400 series discontinued, 6360, 6400. Powermac 5260, 5400, 6300, 6400, 7215, 7600, Powerbook 190/190c; 5300 series; 1400c/cs; duo 2300c; duo 280c, along with servers 8550, 500 and 700. That's just to 1997.

Now companies discontinue products all the time, but Apple required some hard decisions that Steve took. But the new OS introduced the fundamental reason for founding Apple...ease of use, and productivity. Ironically the PostScript side of things was I believe (if memory is correct) amended to avoid paying licensing fees whereas utilising a product from it....the PDF was free under GPLv2

Then of course we had the introduction of the iMac in 1998 which was an immediate commercial success, Apple's fastest selling computer.

 

[citysnaps]

Do you mean Tim Cook took over when Steve Jobs had created the Apple we know today, ...

Using computer GUI technology invented at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), which Jobs was exposed to during a tour of their nearby laboratory.

Also... a big hat-tip needs to go to Doug Englebart who invented the computer mouse while working at nearby SRI (Stanford Research Institute) in Menlo Park.

Credit needs to go to those who had vision, allowing Apple to become what it is today

 

[Motorola68000]

Using computer GUI technology invented at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), which Jobs was exposed to during a tour of their nearby laboratory.

Also... a big hat-tip needs to go to Doug Englebart who invented the computer mouse while working at nearby SRI (Stanford Research Institute) in Menlo Park.

Credit needs to go to those who had vision, allowing Apple to become what it is today

Never suggested for even a nanosecond that Steve 'invented' the GUI its common knowledge it was via Xerox. Steve visited in 1979 and also perused the Alto which I seem to believe utilised Doug's mouse invention, albeit the mouse was constructed by Bill English. Agree with comment on Doug Englebart who did so much on human/computer interaction, and even with Steve, there were so many backroom people who all helped make things happen.

With computerisation even today we often misjudge and think of things happening at the touch of a mouse or the press of a button, but innovation and technology has so many dedicated people involved. Hats off to them all. I never believed I would see the technological advances I have in my 72nd year, but sadly humanity doesn't seem to have learned much along the way. Still fighting and killing each other and I just hope that AI doesn't learn that.

 

[DeepIn2U]

John G. Hired years ago to improve Siri. Nothing to date. Craig & John just spent "weeks" evaluating AI chat. Based on this they realized Siri is behind. WTH. What were they doing in previous years?? I hope for the best, but am really concerned that Apple can no longer manage its way to excellence WRT software. Where is Forstall -- he might be the nicest guy, but he got a lot done ??

Abslutely.

So much done, no kissing arse to the CEO, and not playing around video after video season after season. This is work, and work needs to be done. After the video release you play about with family and friends or during interviews without actually skipping or side-stepping questions.

Anyone else notice during video interviews Craig and the rest don't make so many jokes or waste people's time?
Notice how this ALL started AFTER jobs' death and AFTER Forstall was gone? Like the 2 of them showed up too many of hte lazy staff members that didn't pull their weight.

 

[AHDuke99]

If this is true this makes me want to dump my Apple stock.

This more than anything else makes me question what in the actual **** they have been doing.

I tend to assume they are a lot smarter than me and have access to information I don't.

But my god, it took them until just LAST YEAR to realize that Siri is absolute garbage? ChatGPT came out in 2023. People in the know were talking about it before that. And they spent billions on a CAR?!

And NOW they realize the iPhone is threatened? After the horses are gone and the barn door is rotting off its hinges?

I actually did sell some of my Apple stock after the $110B buyback was announced. It feels like Apple is being left behind in the AI revolution, and it isn't something they can just develop in a short time. The fact Apple feels like $110B can be better spent on buying back stock rather than on R&D tells me a lot.

 

[v3rlon]

AI? Given the ability for this thread to stay on topic rather than devolve into Tim Cook hate, natural intelligence doesn't seem all that smart either.
I use Alexa over Siri for two things:
1. Easily set multiple named timers.
2. Voice activate routines, must of which are jokes. like when I told my family that to interrupt a command, the had to say "Alexa, quit" instead of "Alexa, Stop."
This would result in the robot saying, "I'm sorry. I thought we were having a conversation."

 

[coolfactor]

Way before AI, Siri has been inferior to google for years. In my view, Apple has been riding the coat tails of Steve Jobs for so long, they just got too complacent. I’ve been running ChatCPT and MS CoPilot, with the later being more fluid and natural. Apple needs a home run, and if they can get out of their own way, they may be able to turn things around. 🤷‍♂️

You've been running ChatGPT and MS CoPilot ... on your Apple devices?

Seems that Apple has delivered on their core strengths.. making technology accessible through well-designed hardware and software platforms.

Apple doesn't need to directly compete on every frontline. They need to keep a strong focus on their role in the mix. A platform provider upon which individual solutions can be reached.

 

[DeepIn2U]

View attachment 2376690
Let's gooooo -- WWDC is gonna be dope.

LOL ... still even more creepy than the original. Would love to see one of his latest works with him going nutso about this product. That scene alone would be a barrell of laughs.

 

[v3rlon]

Its pretty obvious now that Tim and Apple really believed they could coast the next decade on just tiny updates and the sheep will just lap it up as always.

Google is once again leading the charge in mobile innovation while Apple sticks a new button on the iPhone for the 2nd year straight and thinks Siri has been acceptable for a decade.

its clear now the iPhone is really the dumbest "smart"phone you could own.

Can you (or anyone else) tell me what you are doing with Google or Amazon that is so impressive? I mean this in all seriousness.

I have smart-homed more than anyone I know. I make computer chips for a living, and have engineering co-workers galore, and in a building full of computer geeks, I am near the front of the pack. No one is even remotely close to what I am doing.

We have a couple of stores dedicated to making homes smarter, and I have gone in looking for more ideas, and came back with nothing except maybe making the blinds smart.

What is it, other than multiple named timers, that you are getting out of the competition that Siri can't deliver?
I can turn on the TV, the lights, the ceiling fan, change the temperature, lock the front door, turn ice plus on my fridge, play music, movies, get directions, send a text, call someone, make an appointment, set a reminder or alarm, or find out who has the taller quarterback.

What I can't do is certain custom routines, like the M3gan trick I listed earlier. I don't think Siri tells knock knock jokes. Neither of those is a deal breaker.

I can't get either of them to make the smart lights flash red and play the Star Trek red alert sound effect when it is time for my kids to head out to the school bus, but I haven't tried in a while, either.

 

[dk001]

Can you (or anyone else) tell me what you are doing with Google or Amazon that is so impressive? I mean this in all seriousness.

I have smart-homed more than anyone I know. I make computer chips for a living, and have engineering co-workers galore, and in a building full of computer geeks, I am near the front of the pack. No one is even remotely close to what I am doing.

We have a couple of stores dedicated to making homes smarter, and I have gone in looking for more ideas, and came back with nothing except maybe making the blinds smart.

What is it, other than multiple named timers, that you are getting out of the competition that Siri can't deliver?
I can turn on the TV, the lights, the ceiling fan, change the temperature, lock the front door, turn ice plus on my fridge, play music, movies, get directions, send a text, call someone, make an appointment, set a reminder or alarm, or find out who has the taller quarterback.

What I can't do is certain custom routines, like the M3gan trick I listed earlier. I don't think Siri tells knock knock jokes. Neither of those is a deal breaker.

I can't get either of them to make the smart lights flash red and play the Star Trek red alert sound effect when it is time for my kids to head out to the school bus, but I haven't tried in a while, either.

Consistency.

Far too often from Siri I get the “look what I found …” or “I can’t…”. Or I change something with Siri on one of my other items and nada.

I have a smart home (mostly - multiple temp sensors, lights, sound, and fans) and use / test a number of mobile devices (iOS and Android). No Alexa. My car uses Sync 4 and has a monster screen. I have Maytag, Nest, Sony, Phillips, Blink, and various other additional items. I love to cook and the ability to vocally do multiple timers …

I get consistently better results using using Google than I do from Siri. Even Bixby is better than Siri.
When it comes to controlling my home items, I got tired of interaction with Siri and non-Apple items was inconsistent and frequently had issues after an iOS update.

With the numerous items, I get better results with Google. Far too often I cannot count on Siri. It is that simple for me.

Maybe if Siri was my only option and I put effort into trouble-shooting or finding work-arounds my experience might be better. I just want it to work when I need it.

 

[v3rlon]

Consistency.

Far too often from Siri I get the “look what I found …” or “I can’t…”. Or I change something with Siri on one of my other items and nada.

I have a smart home (mostly - multiple temp sensors, lights, sound, and fans) and use / test a number of mobile devices (iOS and Android). No Alexa. My car uses Sync 4 and has a monster screen. I have Maytag, Nest, Sony, Phillips, Blink, and various other additional items. I love to cook and the ability to vocally do multiple timers …

I get consistently better results using using Google than I do from Siri. Even Bixby is better than Siri.
When it comes to controlling my home items, I got tired of interaction with Siri and non-Apple items was inconsistent and frequently had issues after an iOS update.

With the numerous items, I get better results with Google. Far too often I cannot count on Siri. It is that simple for me.

Maybe if Siri was my only option and I put effort into trouble-shooting or finding work-arounds my experience might be better. I just want it to work when I need it.

Consistency? I get a better read on the words I said from Homepod or my phone than the Alexa devices (2) in use. Alexa isn't terrible, but Siri is better. I was attributing it to better microphones. My wife has a lot of misses on both. I was guessing she doesn't speak as clearly, as loudly, and she varies the pitch of her voice more. (they may be dumb as bricks, but don't baby talk to one).

"Here is what I found..." is a perfectly acceptable answer to me as long as it is right, to a question like "How tall is Steph Curry?"

 

[Tagbert]

…

What is it, other than multiple named timers, that you are getting out of the competition that Siri can't deliver?
I can turn on the TV, the lights, the ceiling fan, change the temperature, lock the front door, turn ice plus on my fridge, play music, movies, get directions, send a text, call someone, make an appointment, set a reminder or alarm, or find out who has the taller quarterback.

…

BTW I agree with you but pointing out that you can set multiple timers with Siri. just say “set a 30 minute meatball timer” and “set a 3 minute pasta timer” . This was possible on the Homepod for a while but came to phones and other Sirii maybe in iOS 17.

 

[Tagbert]

Consistency.

Far too often from Siri I get the “look what I found …” or “I can’t…”. Or I change something with Siri on one of my other items and nada.

I have a smart home (mostly - multiple temp sensors, lights, sound, and fans) and use / test a number of mobile devices (iOS and Android). No Alexa. My car uses Sync 4 and has a monster screen. I have Maytag, Nest, Sony, Phillips, Blink, and various other additional items. I love to cook and the ability to vocally do multiple timers …

I get consistently better results using using Google than I do from Siri. Even Bixby is better than Siri.
When it comes to controlling my home items, I got tired of interaction with Siri and non-Apple items was inconsistent and frequently had issues after an iOS update.

With the numerous items, I get better results with Google. Far too often I cannot count on Siri. It is that simple for me.

Maybe if Siri was my only option and I put effort into trouble-shooting or finding work-arounds my experience might be better. I just want it to work when I need it.

True but none of them are really very good. I hope that some better AI will make them more flexible and better able to handle problems.

 

[v3rlon]

BTW I agree with you but pointing out that you can set multiple timers with Siri. just say “set a 30 minute meatball timer” and “set a 3 minute pasta timer” . This was possible on the Homepod for a while but came to phones and other Sirii maybe in iOS 17.

Really? I missed that somehow. I may have to take a harder look at all my Alexa Routine silliness and fire that robot.

 

[Delgibbons]

Consistency.

Far too often from Siri I get the “look what I found …” or “I can’t…”. Or I change something with Siri on one of my other items and nada.

I have a smart home (mostly - multiple temp sensors, lights, sound, and fans) and use / test a number of mobile devices (iOS and Android). No Alexa. My car uses Sync 4 and has a monster screen. I have Maytag, Nest, Sony, Phillips, Blink, and various other additional items. I love to cook and the ability to vocally do multiple timers …

I get consistently better results using using Google than I do from Siri. Even Bixby is better than Siri.
When it comes to controlling my home items, I got tired of interaction with Siri and non-Apple items was inconsistent and frequently had issues after an iOS update.

With the numerous items, I get better results with Google. Far too often I cannot count on Siri. It is that simple for me.

Maybe if Siri was my only option and I put effort into trouble-shooting or finding work-arounds my experience might be better. I just want it to work when I need it.

Exactly. Siri = Tell me the result ffs don’t make me look at the screen and interact. Might as well just google it at that point.

 

[Motorola68000]

Engineering is a broad field with many disciplines. Tim Cook operated at the highest level of Industrial Engineering at IBM and Compaq. His contributions were in the areas of manufacturing and logistics. It was Tim Cook‘s contributions that allowed Jobs vision, I’ve‘s designs and the effort of countless others at Apple to have the meaningful, global scale and impact that it did when Apple was struggling to survive .. and even now as Apple is leading the field. The genius of this work is often unappreciated or taken for granted by lay people who have very little understanding of what it takes to run a successful basic manufacturing business — and even less understanding of what it takes to operate effectively at billion-users scale.

He did operate at a high level but not in innovation? His expertise was fulfilment at IBM finally being director of North American fulfilment and VP of corporate materials at Compaq.

But I'm not in the bash Tim Cook brigade nor will I be. He has been good at what he does, but what he does is not innovation in my opinion, and he certainly didn't step in and save Apple, being appointed by Steve where Tim acknowledged Steve was effectively one of a kind.

Steve though needed someone like Tim, which is why Steve appointed him and why Tim after rejecting Apple's advances agreed to join Apple.

For the progression of the company I doubt Steve could have done it alone, as business and innovation do not always go hand in hand, but as a driving force for innovation and the effective saviour of Apple that was in danger of becoming yesterday's company, he was the catalyst.