Technology-juggernaut Apple has been rocked by a series of firings in the aftermath of the botched release of iOS 6.
According to a report by Reuters long time Apple executive, and top lieutenant to Steve Jobs, Scott Forstall has been forced out by CEO Tim Cook because of his apparent refusal to take responsibility for the much maligned maps application in iOS 6.
Reportedly, Mr. Forstall was requested to sign a public ‘apology’ letter for the map application, but refused to do so. Mr. Cook signed the letter instead.
Apple says Mr. Forstall will depart the company at the end of the year.
While Mr. Forstall leaves the company on less than desirable circumstances, his legacy will be fondly remembered by many in Apple: he ran the mobile software team with ‘clockwork’ like efficiency during the last days of the original iOS development cycle. He is largely credited with being the force that allowed the original iPhone to be delivered to consumers on time and in a relatively bug-free state.
Mr. Forstall’s firing comes in the wake of the firing of newly hired retail chief John Browett, who was recently hired from U.K electronics retailer Dixon’s. Mr. Browett, who was tasked with the next phase of international expansion of Apple’s retail chain, was apparently not liked by middle management.
With this executive shuffle, and a almost certain slowdown of growth, Mr. Cook has laid out the defining challenge of his executiveship: management of the C-level suite. Can Apple maintain its talent when it has lost the creativity edge in the tablet and smartphone space to competitors? Only time will tell.
This new CEO of apple seems like a bit of a **** to me. Hes laying people off here and there. Lawsuits 24/7. If only Steve Jobs didn’t die.
If Jobs didnc’t die the suits would still have happened, but there would have been purpose to the suits that probably would have negotiated a leveraged deal. The talent and structure of Apple has been falling apart with the loss. Sad to see these things happening. Maybe something new will come of this.
Have you lived under a stone the last centery? Steve Jobs was the one who started this suing circus. It´s hilarious that Apple complain when other companies copy them since alot of Apple products designs were shamefully plagarized from former Braun products. The design of the original iMac, iPod, Mac Pro and the calculator used in their software. On top of that, Apple was not the first company to make cellphones with one giant screen.
I don’t think it was Job’s death that was the catalyst for this. Apple’s been headed this way for some time. Too much growth and hype in too small a time frame. When you’ve reached #1 status (or are at least perceived or presented as such by the media) you’ve only got down to go.
apple needed a scapegoat, they found one in this guy.
watch as he gets hired by microsoft
I’m not surprised about Apple having problems at all. And it’s not like they’ve never had their troubles in the past (if ppls memories aren’t that short-termed). But outside of their iPod classics (I own an older 80GB version), I’ve never really been a big fan of Apple and their products.
Apple folks have to find something more serious and convincing to throw at the customers. Because as of now what they are doing is just “unveiling’ new iphone and ios every 9 months or so. Ppl are not that ready to digest evrey new ipads and iphones just having some more features than the previous one.If Steve had been alive than he also would not be changing his gadgets every 6 months.Revolutionary i-devices might have made it a largest brand but they cant ignore their computing business. Otherwise their fall is foreseeable.
it just works.
Sad really as company management often complete drop the
ball when it comes to understanding people make companies and top talent it the
way companies succeed.