Ondrej Holzman The year 2014 was marked by several big topics that concerned Apple and the world around it. The apple company's top management was changing, as was its product portfolio, and Tim Cook and his colleagues also had to deal with more than one case or court proceeding. What important things did 2014 bring?
Tim Cook's Apple
The fact that Apple is no longer ruled by Steve Jobs is evidenced by a different philosophy in the creation of new products as well as by the number of changes that Apple's top management has experienced in the past twelve months. CEO Tim Cook now has a team around him that he seems to trust completely, and he has filled many key positions with "his own" people. The Alabama native didn't forget the topic when making personnel changes either employee diversity, i.e. a matter that at the beginning of the year discussed.
In the really narrowest circle of managers who run Apple, two fundamental changes have taken place. After ten very successful years he retired CFO Peter Oppenheimer and Cook as his successor he selected the experienced Luca Maestri, who took office in June. We can consider it an even more significant change - at least from the point of view of the customer, on whom it should have a greater impact new head of retail and online sales, Angela Ahrendts.
The likeable fifty-four-year-old mother of three successfully managed the Burberry fashion house for eight years, but she couldn't resist the offer to work at Apple. Even before his official start in Cupertino in May she managed to win the British Empire Award. While this year, Ahrendtsová was apparently getting acquainted with a completely new environment, where instead of famous trench coats she has to devote herself to iPhones and iPads, in 2015 we could see the real effects of her activities. The new Apple Watch, for example, will go on sale, which could be Ahrendts' floor - connecting the technological world with fashion.
Tim Cook has expressed support for employee diversity and general support for minority rights throughout the year, and demonstrated it in August presentation of five key vice presidents on the company's website, among which there is no shortage two women, one even dark-skinned. At the same time, before the arrival of Ahrendts, Apple did not have any representative of the fairer sex in the innermost management. Since Steve Jobs' reign only a few of the most influential men remained in the same place. And although it is not talked about so much, the board of directors is also important for the executive director, especially from the point of view of trust, where the longest serving member, Bill Campbell, was replaced by another woman, Sue Wagner.
In 2014, Tim Cook not only strengthened his company with individuals, but practically constantly acquired new companies, hiding talent or in some way interesting technology. Then the May bomb about the largest acquisition in Apple's history went completely out of line, when bought Beats for three billion dollars. This also made Cook significantly different from his predecessor, when he was a single company spent seven times more than ever before. But the reasons for breaking the piggy bank they found; in addition to the massively successful portfolio of products with the Beats logo, Apple primarily acquired two men - Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre - who certainly don't plan to play second fiddle to Apple.
Telegraphically, there is still another change to be mentioned that could change Apple's appearance according to Tim Cook's ideas: longtime head of PR Katie Cotton, which became famous for its uncompromising approach to journalists, replaced by Steve Dowling. The last significant personality that Apple acquired in the past year then appoints Marc Newson, next to Jony Ive, one of the most respected product designers today.
Software summer as a start
While most of the aforementioned changes have been made to keep the Cupertino apple colossus running like clockwork, the end user won't notice them all that much. He is only interested in the final result, i.e. iPhone, iPad, MacBook or other product with the bitten apple logo. In this regard, Apple was not idle this year either, even though it made its fans wait for long months for really new products. In April though new MacBook Airs have arrived, but that was practically all that landed on the shelves from Apple in the first five months.
The traditional June developer meeting at WWDC brought an earthquake in the sense of new products. Until then, just us Tim Cook i Eddy Cue they assured that Apple was preparing such great products as, for example, the latter had not seen in his long career at Apple. At the same time, the June news was only a kind of swallow, only software products were presented. Apple v iOS 8 he has shown that he is willing to open up even more under Tim Cook, even if the general summer enthusiasm in September ends when a new mobile operating system is released in a fundamental way destroyed protracted problems, which ultimately contributed to the very slow adoption of iOS 8, which is not optimal not even now
It was much smoother arrival i autumn onset of the new operating system for Mac OS X Yosemite, which brought a big graphical change along the lines of iOS, several new functions again closely related to iOS and also upgraded basic applications. For the first time in history, you do too users could try out the new operating system before its official release to the general public.
The mobile revolution is coming
During the summer holidays, Apple let its fans breathe again. However, he himself was not idle and announced a surprising but very ambitious collaboration with IBM with the aim of dominating the corporate sphere. At least on paper it looked like an agreement as a very advantageous alliance for both parties, which was also claimed by the heads of both companies. In December, Apple and IBM showed the first fruits of their cooperation. During the year, Apple also caused excitement on the stock market - in May, the price per share once again crossed the $600 mark, so that in just six months, Apple's market value increased by almost 200 billion dollars. At the time, Apple's shares were no longer reaching such values because were divided.
Over the summer and after WWDC, the traditionally quiet Apple nevertheless decided that the autumn, just as traditional, whirlwind of new products will start earlier than usual. The main thing happened on September 9. After years of rejection, Apple joined the current trend in the mobile segment and introduced an iPhone with a larger display, even two iPhones at once - 4,7-inch iPhone 6 a 5,5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Although Apple - and especially Steve Jobs - had until then dogmatically claimed that a phone larger than four inches was nonsense, Tim Cook and his colleagues made a good choice. After three days of sales, Apple announced record numbers: 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sold.
With the new series of phones, Apple has taken a completely unprecedented step in terms of the number of new models and the size of their displays, although according to Cook, the significantly larger diagonals in Cupertino thought years ago. It was important, however, that such a large Apple phone did not reach the customer until now, but fortunately not too late. iPhone 6 Plus brought completely new horizons even its smaller brother, the iPhone 6, showed that there is plenty to choose from in Apple's menu this year as well. I actually do these are the best phones, that Apple has ever produced.
Although the new iPhones were a big topic, at least as much attention was paid to the second part of the September keynote. After endless speculation, Apple was finally supposed to introduce a product of a new category. Finally, for this occasion, for the first time since the death of Steve Jobs, Tim Cook reached for the legendary message "One more thing..." and immediately showed Apple Watch.
It was really only a demonstration - Apple was far from having its much-anticipated product ready, so here we are other a more information about Watch they were learning only during the rest of the year. The Apple Watch will not go on sale until the first months of 2015, so it is not yet possible to judge whether it will cause another revolution. But Tim Cook is convinced, that Steve Jobs would like a new fashion accessory, as the company also intends to do with its Watch present, he liked
However, even the third big news must not fall from the September event. Apple also - again after long years of speculation - entered the market of financial transactions and even o Apple Pay there was not as much media interest as for iPhones or Watch, the potential of this platform is huge.
End of an era
Since Apple wants to start a new chapter in its history with the Pay service, the Watch and finally the new iPhones, the negotiations probably had to end as well. For the sacrifice the now iconic iPod classic has dropped, which once helped Apple rise to the top. His a thirteen-year career will be written in an indelible font in the apple annals.
At Apple, however, they would certainly like it if the iPad was also remembered in a similarly significant way later. That's why the next generation and a new one came in October iPad Air 2 thanks to the slimming revolution became the best tablet yet. He was also introduced iPad mini 3, but Apple has done away with it and it is possible that it does not count on it in the future.
Similar disappointment prevailed among many with the newly introduced Mac mini. Its update was really long-awaited, but at least in terms of performance compared to the previous generation aggravated. On the contrary, it was what caught the eye of an apple fan iMac with Retina 5K display. Apple would certainly like to confirm with him very much strong sales of their computers.
Tim Cook after a busy September and October he declared, that the creative engine at Apple has never been stronger. The otherwise very closed head of Apple demonstrated his inner strength at the end of October, when in an open letter revealed that he is gay. However, the year 2014 brought not only a smile to Cook's lips, but also wrinkles more than once.
Courts, trials and other cases
This year was also a long one dispute between Apple and Samsung, where there is a fight for patents and above all the principle that the South Korean company copies the American one. At least according to Apple's claims. Even in the second was a big controversy verdict in favor of Apple, but the case is far from over and will continue into next year. At least in other countries, that's how it is not. The other court hearings that took place at the end of the year turned out to be much more interesting.
The case of artificially raising the price of e-books made it all the way to the appeals court, which will decide in the following months, but at the December hearing it was clear that the three-judge panel is more on Apple's side than on the side of the US Department of Justice, in whose favor it was originally decided. Even more successful for Apple's lawyers was the third major court event of the year - iPods, iTunes and music protection. It culminated in December and the jury was unanimous she decided, that Apple has not engaged in any illegal conduct.
From a slightly different perspective, but also a major inconvenience, Apple also had to deal with it in its production and supply chain. When he announced a grand deal with GT Advanced Technologies a year ago, which was supposed to provide the company with a sufficient supply of sapphire glass for future products, little did anyone know that in a few months GTAT declares bankruptcy. She was for Apple the whole situation unpleasant due to the fact that it was heavily publicized and also portrayed him as a harsh dictator, who does not like to bargain.
And in the end, even another "famous" did not escape Apple gate, or a case fueled by the media. The iPhone 6 Plus was supposed to bend to new owners in pockets and although eventually the problem wasn't that big at all and the big apple phone se he did not behave in any unpredictable way, for several days Apple was again in the spotlight. Because of that even gave a peek journalists to their laboratories and the whole background of the so-called bendgate is very interesting.
We can believe that the year 2015 will be similarly busy for Apple as the one that is just ending.
What Apple brought in 2014 - for example OS X 10.10 Yosemite - desktops, a cluttered system with oversaturated colors and ugly garish icons, and even uglier buttons - a real feast for the eyes. After iOS 7 and 8, another design gem... Thank you Apple. Thank you for thinking of the users who have supported you for many years - where is the normal 10.8, 10.9 and iOS 6? Where did you get it? You've never been mainstream - and now - your design is just as bad as Android and Windows 8...
I'm a little embarrassed about Apple for this year. They are changing their strategy quite a bit, which now has the task of winning the masses of people, and in my opinion, at the expense of the existing
customers. I understand that it is a company, so its goal is clear = profit. Apple
for me, it was a premium brand that went its own way, set trends and did not allow itself to be swayed by anyone or anything. Ever since the release of the iPhone 5C, Apple has had an effect on me
confused, he submits to others and what's worse, they "test customers for what they can stand".
Taking it in order (my view):
WWDC - brought more clutter to iOS for me (I'm not an OS device owner, and after this year I'm not sure I ever will be). Some functions are great (hand off, continuity). On the contrary, I found the matter concerning the developers quite strange. They got a complete "green light", so I'm afraid that the App Store will become just another Android Market full of all kinds of copies, not to mention security. I'd rather leave out the stuff about post-installation issues...
iPhone 6/6+, I personally am not a fan of it (protruding lens and display, stripes, for me loss of uniqueness, feeling of luxury), although it depends on everyone's taste. However, what struck me was the diagonal. Here, Apple has shown a preference for the Asian market (due to the size of the demand) - I'm not against the new display sizes (although Apple contradicted itself here, as with the iP 5C and the plastic), but I don't understand the omission of the 4-inch display.
iWatch - a bummer for me. You can see that although this is a product that Apple has been working on for a long time (I guess they said since the death of Jobs), it is as if the watch completes twelve in 5 minutes - moreover, I feel that the watch is not even complete yet. Design – I note again that it's up to everyone's taste, for me it's a throwback to a few years ago ("geek time" isn't worn much anymore). Features - better to leave until the official presentation.
Mac mini - downgrade
iMac - extorting money from customers when they offer the bigger one first
and more expensive model and hope that customers will not wait another year for a smaller a
cheaper (they did the same with Macbooks)
MacBooks - minimum (although this is more of a fault on Intel's side)
iPad - expected evolution, annoying little things for me like the volume button etc. With the previous iPad mini, I liked that you didn't actually choose your iPad by specs, just by size, which was nice. But now Apple has backed down and made differences (in my opinion due to iP6+ support)
Then also the case with U2, no Christmas event etc. etc. etc.
In short, this year was for Apple a sign of promises, numbers, the pursuit of records, retreating from the competition, abusing its position. Anyway, I wish Apple to do better next year and make us happier than this year (at least me :D)
A year in which Apple wiped out the customers who were still around Cook's ass, while attracting many new ones, especially in China. Money, delays with everything, a mouth full of crap like a copier, expectations were still escalating... Apple mainly keeps the existing ecosystem afloat, which is always one step ahead of the competition, even if it is currently stagnating. Software - one big processor, I don't understand how a company with such a budget can afford it. As if they employed a single programmer who is able to design and write code and he took a vacation from time to time. I'm really not used to such unfinished software from Apple. I can't guess how much of it is dilettantism and how much of it is strategy. I've been with Apple for 8 years, mainly out of inertia. With the exception of the MacBook Air 13", there were such upgrades and downgrades at the same time, and some vision or philosophy that was driving Apple is gone, or has changed so much that I can't see it, born from the scrapping of products that are a year or more old. If they let me down even with my retinas at the MBA, I'll be upset. I tried to be positive, but I didn't really succeed, so it's time for 2015 :-)
Thank you Jablíčkář for the great work in the past year. And to the others who cried in the comments today, I would remind them of an old truth: The only thing that is permanent in life is change.:0)
I will add my dross to the mill. I've been with Apple for a little over 6 years, i.e. a relatively short time, despite everything, I got completely into the so-called Apple ecosystem a long time ago, desktop+tablet+smartphone.
If I were to evaluate the year 2014 and Apple's direction from the position of a user (and Apple's driving force and promoter), I have to say that, like the other contributors in this thread, I have no idea what exactly Apple has been up to lately. Not everything is bad, it must have worked well with OSX, it just needs to be slightly fine-tuned. In addition, iOS8 has not been tweaked even a quarter of a year after its release(!). Freezes, application crashes, bugs where you will be surprised.. (tested on iPad Air, iPad 4, iPhone 5C and 5S)..
In fact, after the experience with iOS 8, I am very careful about the next update and hesitate whether to update to 8.2 at all. Because there is a risk that I will fertilize it again,
iOS has been disappointing since version 7. If it weren't for the tuned OSX, I probably would have switched elsewhere a long time ago. Because iOS is important to me as a user. In addition, it works like crap on a large display of new phones... which brings me to HW.
As for HW and the new iPhones, I have to say that I was VERY disappointed, both with the design and especially with the processing. I don't have a problem paying 20k for a phone, but I have to be sure what it's for. But what Apple demonstrated this year (2014) is truly a blast. The phones have a raised neck, 6+ also have problems with the construction (I know that not as much as was presented, but the problem is definitely there and it shouldn't be in this price tag).
Phones do not hold well in the hands and always have a lot of unnecessary dead space around them, which only increases their size and worsens their compatibility and therefore wearability.
Another thing is that the phone 6 and 6+ feels like a cheap Ausus in the hand. If I compare the processing of the 5S and 6, both are aluminum, but the dryness of the 6 simply struck me in the eye.
My final impression of Apple is that it is becoming too sure of its position and starting to feel that it can do no wrong. Something like Nokia had x years ago, when it was number one in phones in the world. The worst thing is that changes in the exchange rate usually take place when the company is still at its peak. If it's not, it's already too late.
I have been with Apple since 2010, since the launch of the iPhone 4. This year I completely switched to the Apple platform by purchasing a MacBook Pro. I currently use an iPhone 6, an iPad Air and a MacBook Pro 15″. Personally, I'm excited about the look and feel of iOS and OSX.
After all, the original systems looked a bit archaic to me (now with a longer distance). On OSX for sure, I only used Maverick there for a while and switched to Yosemite right after the update. I haven't encountered any problems so far, and I use all systems, both OSX and iOS, quite a lot for work and in private.
I just like the way Apple is going, both in terms of design and possibly functions, although I would like the option of dividing the screen into multiple active windows on the iPad.
Personally, I find the integration of SMS and calls between Yosemite and iOS8 very useful for users.
I'm satisfied so far and I definitely wouldn't change.
I still have a suggestion if it is feasible. It would be nice to do a poll here on the apple store to see how satisfied users are with Apple this year. I would be quite interested in the result... :)
Nice summary! This year, Apple got excited about the 5k iMac (it's simply divine) and disappointed with the big iPhones, which lost the unmistakable Apple look - they just look almost like Sam***gs from a distance
Otherwise, connecting iOS and Mac OS is brilliant, a huge thumbs up for hand off and continuity..
For me, the new iPhones are a nostalgic reference to the original iPhone in terms of design. Flats are bigger and thinner, they have a lot in common with the first generation.
I don't know about you, but when I see an iPhone 6/6+ in someone's hands, thanks to the stripes and the protruding lens, I have no doubt that it is from Apple's workshops. Well, the design has something to it, even if I was a staunch opponent of it.
Not to mention the 5K iMac, a beautiful machine. Disappointed by iOS, Yosemite is beautiful.
Well, the antenna stripes, if they will be in the next generation, they will force me to take the black version, because they are the only ones that don't look like an eyesore, but maybe it suits someone and it's a fact that they differentiate :-). iOS seems fine-tuned to me, but no significant shift or anything revealing.
I have conflicting emotions about this year. There are a lot of bugs in iOS8, e.g. when watching a meeting in the Czech TV application on the iPad, if someone calls you, or a low battery warning pops up, or you end it while the meeting is running, you won't be able to play the video in it. Paradoxically, not even in Safari and YouTube, only a restart helps. I've never had to restart my iPad as many times a day as I do now. The iPhone also freezes quite often.
The new iPad was very successful for them from the HW side. Even connected iOS and Mac OS. Hopefully he will remove the bugs quickly.
Merry Christmas to the Jablickare editorial team and all Jablickers. Thank you for the inspiring articles!
Hello, the error in the CT application is an error of the application as such and not iOS8. I admit it's a very annoying bug that requires many times to restart the device, but it's caused by the developers' inability to port this app to the new iOS8 environment.
Hello Petra, but this means that the application is able to "inoperate" not only itself, but also the entire iOS environment (the video then does not work even in Safari, YouTube, etc.), the ČT application has nothing to do with this, because the operating system would should not allow it to affect the running of other applications as well. In my opinion, this is an iOS8 bug. Or should Apple remove this application from the AppStore and thus force the developer to fix the error.
Although I don't like it, I have to sit back. I've had an iPhone 10 for 6 days (it's not a plus) and it's already bent. She probably won't be such a duck that she failed 6. So now I'm just considering where to complain, whether in CR or in the USA. I'm just pointing out that I know that Apple will solve it, that is, at least the one in the USA for sure, as always quickly and without problems, i.e. they will replace it with new ones :-))))
Replace with a new one and keep wearing it in a case, it's ideal directly from Apple, for example http://store.apple.com/cz/product/MGR62ZM/A/kožený-kryt-na-iphone-6-černý?fnode=47 … it will add thickness, but it won't put as much pressure on it in the pocket
Can I ask. Do you wear your phone with the display out? When I put my phone in my pocket, the display always goes automatically to my leg. I note that this is not a challenge to your post, but a simple question.
ooo, according to the photo, the protruding lens must be a real mess when someone refuses to wrap their jewelery in rubber...