[NewsPoster]

The man who was Steve Jobs' successor to the role of Apple CEO in the 80s says that current CEO Tim Cook is doing "a terrific job" in running the world's most valuable company, and expressed confidence that Apple would continue to do well because "Apple makes great quality products" which will continue to find a lucrative audience. John Sculley told CNBC Asia during a recent interview that he feels Cook has been in correct in "not trying to be Steve Jobs [because] only one person could be Steve Jobs, and that was Steve."

"Steve could make the big creative leaps," Sculley said, expressing the sentiment that the role of creative head had been divided up among other executives. "What Tim is doing is continuing the Apple philosophy of no compromise and quality of their products and great styling." While acknowledging that rivals may come along that will be larger in market share -- "[Android as a platform] already has" -- he said that he thought that "[analysts] are giving Apple a bum rap on what is still a great company with great products."

Sculley advised Cook to "ignore critics" and continue to focus on quality, customer satisfaction and profitability. While Apple's stock has fallen 23 percent over the past 12 months, it has already erased half of that descent in recent gains, leaving it just 10 percent down from its 2013 start price in January, and up 25 percent since Jobs' passing in October of 2011. The company's stock overall is up 402 percent across the last five years, where Cook was acting CEO more often than not during Jobs' medical leaves, eventually becoming the official CEO shortly before Jobs' death.

[iphonerulez]

Tim Cook may be doing a good job but Apple's share price is still in the toilet. I'd hate to see what Apple's share price would be if Tim was doing a poor job. Overall, Apple's share price is just sucking while most tech stocks have seen gains. Even post-PC era Microsoft stock is doing better than Apple is and that's with a slow-selling Windows 8, a poor-selling Surface RT tablet and mediocre Windows Phone sales.

[Spheric Harlot]

The thing is, share price is of little relevance to anything other than share price.

If Apple had been focused on improving share value over the past fifteen years, they would have been bankrupt by 2002.

Investors have no clue about how Apple actually works, and have shown time and again that their best interests run 180 degrees counter to what Apple actually needs to do in order to stay ahead in the game they're playing.

And pointing at Microsoft is a pretty painful argument: their share of personal computing is at just over 30% (down from 90% just five years ago). Share value of a dying business model is betting money on borrowed time.

[AndreiD]

And this just show how irrational the stock market really is.

[besson3c]

Just a matter of time before somebody posts in here attempting to paint the line between Apple's stock price and the death of Jobs.

[sammaffei]

Jobs reign gave us: Apple II, Macintosh, iMac, iBook, AirPort, iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTunes Store, AppleTV, Siri (Apple acquired the tech when Steve was still alive)

Sculley's reign gave us: Apple IIGS, Performa, Newton, PowerPC, QuickTake, Powerbook
Cook's reign gave us: Rehashed iPhone / Rehashed iPad / Rehashed AppleTV / Maps with an apology

And you wonder why the stock was at it's highest when Steve was running the show?!?

[Spheric Harlot]

How long as Cook's reign lasted, compared to the TWENTY-FIVE of Jobs? And how many innovations per year does that equate to?

[DiabloConQueso]

sammaffei, you forgot to list the new Mac Pro under Cook.

You also failed to mention the convoluted mess of PowerPC model numbers (7100, 7200, 7300, 7500, 7600, 8100, 8200, 8500, 8600, 9500, 9600, 9650, 9650N, etc.) that caused all manner of supply chain issues and unsold warehouse inventory under Sculley.

You can make anyone out to look like anything when you cherry-pick like you did.

[Doodpants]

@sammaffei: Incorrect. Apple's stock was at its highest in September 2011, i.e. nearly a year AFTER Steve's death.

[Doodpants]

Oops, I meant September 2012, i.e. last year.

[NeutrinoMan]

Who the f-bomb cares what Sculley thinks? He almost destroyed Apple. In fact, if that idiot thinks Cook is doing a terrific job, that's a huge negative for Cook as far as I'm concerned.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by NeutrinoMan 

Who the f-bomb cares what Sculley thinks? He almost destroyed Apple. In fact, if that idiot thinks Cook is doing a terrific job, that's a huge negative for Cook as far as I'm concerned.

Why is he an idiot, rather than just a failure at being Apple's CEO during that time period?

[Flying Meat]

"Keep up the good work, Brownie."