[tutelary]

Without fighting over his current state of health, the likelihood of it happening, etc, replace Steve with someone that makes sense in your mind.

My choice: Reggie Fils-Aime, current President of Nintendo of America. If you've ever seen him speak publicly, you already know why. Reggie is one of the only people in business who can create a reality distortion field as powerful as Steve's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Fils-Aime

Apple absolutely needs a strong orator to replace Steve, Phil Shiller's teddy bear act just doesn't cut it, even though Phil appears to be a nice, capable individual.

[Landos Mustache]

We went though this a year ago. nobody gave good suggestions.

I don't think Nintendo's CEO is a good choice because Nintendo copies Apples designs all the time, not the other way around.

Also Apple doesn't just need a sales man, they need a visionary.

[Velocity211]

Ballmer?

[angelmb]

A visionary besides Steve?, Jonathan Ive of course.



I guess Reggie's keynotes would be funny as hell

[imitchellg5]

There is no replacement for Steve.

[Landos Mustache]

Originally Posted by angelmb

A visionary besides Steve?, Jonathan Ive of course.

For design.. yes.

I get the feeling he has no clue about technology though and without steve guiding the designs it would be less then spectacular.

Remember Ive was there before Steve came back.

[itai195]

I like what Reggie is doing at Nintendo, but I must be crazy because I don't think he's an engaging public speaker at all. His talk at E3 was a snooze and he comes across as quite a phoney IMO. Not even close to what Jobs is capable of.

[Kerrigan]

I can envision Apple becoming like Gateway when Jobs leaves. Without any visionary guy at the top, they will just start selling pathetically designed computers as they fade into obscurity.

It will be the "Dark Ages" all over again, except this time there won't be any Steve to come back to the rescue, and MS won't be forced to keep Apple afloat.

[tutelary]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

I can envision Apple becoming like Gateway when Jobs leaves. Without any visionary guy at the top, they will just start selling pathetically designed computers as they fade into obscurity.

It will be the "Dark Ages" all over again, except this time there won't be any Steve to come back to the rescue, and MS won't be forced to keep Apple afloat.

this is what most disturbs me about investing in the mac.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by tutelary

Apple absolutely needs a strong orator to replace Steve

Why?

[tutelary]

Originally Posted by Doofy

Why?

Because Apple needs more than anything to drive NEW USERS into its grasp. You dont do that with someone up there fumbling around on stage and being a weak speaker. Part of leading is speaking, bluntly. If Apple were subjected to several Phil Shiller WWDCs and Various Expos in a row the stock would drop like a rock.

[Jawbone54]

Reggie Fils-Aime is a fake, stiff, emotionless public speaker. I loved the Nintendo keynote, but NOT because of Reggie. In fact, I would say that I loved it in spite of Reggie. Reggie is no Steve Jobs. Reggie might not even be a Roz Ho. Okay...so that last one way a lie.

[jckalen]

How about Noah Wyle?

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by tutelary

Because Apple needs more than anything to drive NEW USERS into its grasp.

The only people who watch Steve speak are people who already have Macs. I've never met anyone who doesn't already have a Mac who even knows what Steve looks like.

People don't buy product because the CEO of the company is a good speaker - they buy product because they like the look of it, like the price or like the features.

Apple getting their hands on NeXT was way more important than getting Steve back.

[tutelary]

Originally Posted by Doofy

The only people who watch Steve speak are people who already have Macs. I've never met anyone who doesn't already have a Mac who even knows what Steve looks like.

People don't buy product because the CEO of the company is a good speaker - they buy product because they like the look of it, like the price or like the features.

Apple getting their hands on NeXT was way more important than getting Steve back.

I think a great many people, in trying to get their friends into macs, get them to watch keynotes, as keynotes are targeted specifically at telling people what is different and better about the mac. Its certainly much easier than me trying to explain it to x random family member myself.

[Kerrigan]

I think the Stevenotes are important because it creates a media frenzy, and one of Apple's greatest assets is its favourable media coverage after every little release.

Without Jobs, I doubt that Apple would get its product releases on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as frequently as they do now.

[Y3a]

Billy Mays! He can SELL ANYTHING!!

[starman]

Who ever posts after me.

[Visnaut]

Hmm, I could get used to public speaking.

I've been a mac user since I've been six. That's enough qualifications, right?

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by Landos Mustache

For design.. yes.

I get the feeling he has no clue about technology though and without steve guiding the designs it would be less then spectacular.

Remember Ive was there before Steve came back.

I think I understand your point of view, or at least how you are focusing it, but even so, what kind of knowledge about technology would Ive need?, being an industrial designer he got a great background about a bunch of fields, from science of materials to how colors work… [he] couldn't care less about netburst, level 2 cachés and such stuff. What really matters is to understand e.g. the processing point of view, to be able to do things that were previously told were impossible to create.

Ive told once "It's sad and frustrating that we are surrounded by products that seem to testify to a complete lack of care. One object speaks volumes about the company that produced it and its values and priorities", for sure, Ive was working for Apple before Steve came back, but the Design Team -with Robert Brunner as head by then- was unable to give theirs projects that 'sex-apple', mainly because the guys in front of Apple weren't design driven, they didn't care about the obsessive attention to the detail Steve has, in such a scenario there is not much you -as designer- can do.

There aren't many industrial designers (and their respective teams) that can look back and say that they not only influenced their company, but the entire industry.

So, inside Apple and besides Steve, Ive is easily, my personal hero. You, as designer, has to understand it.

[WinsOBoogi]

I picture Phil Schiller being the "transitionary" figurehead, and then Ive taking over eventually.

[Monique]

Apple needs someone with a personality; I guess Ive would be the one; but can he be a businessman? Can he choose the right people to do the business part of it. Steve will be very hard to replace and unless he is in his grave, he propably won't be leaving Apple soon.

[Salty]

That Scott guy wasn't bad at the last keynote. That said is Ive still in Job's good graces? I really haven't seen him around much lately.

[davecom]

jobswiak (spelling)? But I hope Mr. Jobs has at least another decade in him to take us through to The Next Big Thing.

[Rumor]

Buy Apple or I will terminate you.

[Salty]

You know, they should just bring in Carly

[cjrivera]

If he can make millions of $$$ from crap like the "Pocket Fisherman" & the "Mr. Microphone", imagine what he could do with great products like the Mac and iPod.

I think I'm going to hold off my next purchase of an iPod until it not only plays music, but can also scramble an egg inside the shell! "No more slimy egg whites!"

[Rev-O]

Ellen Feiss of course. She already has experience in marketing Apple products!

[Nexus5]

Nexus5.

[n8236]

Steve has already helped build the foundation of Apple's design and infrastructure, so in the end I don't think it will matter who takes over as long as he/she continues the path of his design philosophy. The fact that Steve gives Apple great presence is more of a bonus than anything else in helping promote an already good product.

I agree with those think products sell, no CEOs. Perhaps Steve's kids will one day become a mirror of him. I think Apple could use a female's touch on the executive level

[demograph68]

Originally Posted by cjrivera

If he can make millions of $$$ from crap like the "Pocket Fisherman" & the "Mr. Microphone"

Those products are God's gift to America you freak!

I say give it all to Google. Quick and painless.

[rickey939]

The anaconda snake from "Snakes in a Plane"...