"Increase Collaboration Across Hardware, Software & Services"
A bombshell in the form of a press release with the above title was released late this afternoon. The explosion echoed throughout the technology and business world.
In the little more than a year since Steve Jobs passed away, there have been countless stupid statements invoking his name in regards to a decision Apple has made. I've resisted because it's impossible to know what would have happened. I'm not even going to do it in light of today's Apple press release.
In what may be the biggest restructuring of Apples’s leadership team in over a decade, the headline news is that Scott Forstall is out and Jony Ive “will provide leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company in addition to his role as the leader of Industrial Design.”
I will say this. Apple is now fully Tim Cook’s company. Tim has made many decisions since his elevation to CEO, but they all pale in comparison to this one. Scott Forstall has been with Apple since Steve Jobs returned. He’s the man most responsible for the success that is iOS. We're all going to find out if there is a capable successor to take the reigns.
Jony Ive has long been universally respected for his design skills. That he’ll have a role overseeing the UI across the product line seems like a great move on the surface. My big fear is that his talents will be spread too thin. Again, we’ll see.
I'll have more to say in a follow up post. I leave you with links to many other comments on today's events. The times, they are a changing.
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