New Apple CEO John Ternus has different priorities to his predecessor, Tim Cook. Ternus has been focusing on an aspect of Apple that, under Cook, has long remained a second thought.
Apple insider Mark Gurman, in his newsletter Power On, details how precisely John Ternus differs from Tim Cook and why this might just bring back that Apple magic.
The design teams reported to Ternus, not Cook
Ternus also showed off the iPhone Air last year so the public knew about him beforehand. | Image by Apple
Gurman reveals that, ever since the departure of Jony Ive, Apple hasn’t really had a design chief. The different design teams simply reported to COO Jeff Williams, but Williams only got the job because of his close relationship with Tim Cook. Williams was a manufacturing expert who, apparently, had no background in design.
Last year, Jeff Williams retired from Apple and Cook announced that the design teams would now report directly to him. That, according to Gurman, wasn’t exactly true.
Apple’s design teams began reporting to Ternus instead. Cook was preparing him for eventually succeeding him as CEO.
What would bring that Apple magic back for you?
1 Votes
He’s mimicking Steve Jobs
This is where it gets interesting, in my opinion. According to Gurman, even though Ternus interacted with the design teams often even before they started reporting to him, he has “immersed” himself in that department of Apple ever since becoming CEO.
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Sources inside the company reveal that Ternus works hands-on in the studio multiple times a week. In fact, he will sometimes visit the department more than once in a single day.
This is heavily at odds with how Cook reportedly used to interact with the design department. According to Gurman’s sources, Cook barely spent an hour at the studio once a month.
What Ternus is doing is very similar to what Steve Jobs used to do. Jobs also took a direct approach with the design department. And though not everything that came out of Apple was received well by consumers, many of the company’s products were most definitely iconic pieces of tech.
Is this the return of that Apple magic?
It's a simple thing, but the iPhone Duo's folding animation blew people away. | Image by PhoneArena
For many tech enthusiasts and Apple fans, the “Apple magic” of old represents a time when the company was unique and kept things fresh. Over time, though Apple became a very successful company, it fell into a rhythm of familiar annual releases.
This year’s Apple event — the first one hosted by Ternus as CEO — seemed to bring back that feeling again. The iPhone Duo helped immensely, of course, but the entire event itself was structured in a very refreshing manner.
If Ternus really is diving head first into the design department, then this might signal a return to form for the company. Apple has taken some similar steps recently, like releasing the MacBook Neo, and the new CEO’s focus on design might mean that more of such releases are coming.
However, Ternus also has some less popular ideas on how to run the company. Understandably, many Apple fans are not on board with layoffs and increasing subscription prices.
John Ternus might get more flak from consumers than Cook did. | Image by Reddit
It very well might be, given what we know is coming
A foldable iPhone was just the start. | Image by PhoneArena
Under Ternus, Apple is going to enter several new markets. The smart home hub is mere days away from being announced and the company is diverting resources away from the Apple Vision Pro to focus on smart glasses. In addition, the MacBook Pro is about to pick up a touchscreen.
I loved the Apple event this year and the aforementioned MacBook Neo really is excellent value for your money. Given how the iPhone Duo seems to have brought foldable phones into the mainstream, I can honestly see a return of that Apple magic that so many of us yearn for.
Not every new design needs to be a hit, of course, but it is super encouraging to know that the CEO of Apple is once again obsessed with how the company’s devices are constructed. Good, bad, excellent, or downright awful, it would be a treat to see more unique products from Apple once again.
John Ternus, Tim Cook, and that Apple magic of old:
Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
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