What's next for Apple?
SAN FRANCISCO -- Steve Jobs, high-tech's brightest star for more than a quarter century, left Apple in better shape than nearly any other American company: flush with cash, rolling in revenue, the envy of innovators everywhere.
So how can Apple possibly replace a cultural figure that Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt once called the best CEO of the past 50 years? That is likely to be a popular parlor game in Silicon Valley for the foreseeable future.
"The job calls for a world-class leader, requiring vision, creativity and cojones," says Leander Kahney, author of Inside Steve's Brain.
Whether Apple CEO Tim Cook— who took over for Jobs in August and brings an impressive résumé— can keep Apple humming like Jobs did remains an open question. Industry analysts who closely study the company's every move are somewhat mixed. Apple's iPhone 4S event on Tuesday, some said, underscored a lackluster showing from Cook.
"Tim's not Steve," says Gartner analyst Van Baker. "He's much more low-key. He's much more laid-back."
Added Kevin Dede, Brigantine Advisors' Apple watcher: "Tim Cook's first presentation as Apple's full-time CEO was underwhelming by many assessments."
Jobs was legendary for splashy product launches shrouded in secrecy and rehearsed to perfection. He often made witty snipes at rivals and had the timing of a deft stage actor. And, of course, his "one more thing" tagline, said with dramatic effect at the end of a masterful presentation, usually revealed a show-stopping product that elicited gasps from the rabid Apple faithful.
Dede says concerns may persist for Apple to demonstrate it can continue to introduce crowd-pleasing products.
But others think judgment should be held back for now. Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu advised people not to underestimate Cook . Wu said, "We don't think Steve Jobs picked Tim without him having somewhat of a 'vision thing.'"
Indeed, Cook and his team of executives were handpicked and trained by Jobs to carry on the Apple Way — imbued with Jobs' penchant for perfectionism, clean and simple design, and impeccable taste.
Plus, as Apple's other co-founder, Steve Wozniak, said in an interview earlier this year, Apple is multiple companies — not just one anymore. Its tentacles extend to the music, cellphone, tablet and advertising markets.
"Even if everyone fell asleep, this is a $70 billion company," says Lou Mazzucchelli, an analyst who spoke to Jobs. "Apple knows its product roadmap the next few years. The execution may be a little different, and it will be interesting to see how its decision-making process changes. He was the final arbiter of taste within the company. How is that going to evolve? One person? By committee?"
Jobs inspired
For the tech industry, the loss of Jobs is immeasurable. He wasn't just a CEO who orchestrated Apple's turnaround and parade of hits. He was a pop-culture icon who gave consumers products that they didn't know they badly needed. And the products worked flawlessly. His product vision was unrivaled. For that, he's been a beacon to tech visionaries all over the world.
"It's like the world lost a John Lennon," Wozniak said in a video with the Associated Press. "I mean, Steve was just clearly the most outstanding business thinker."
