Michal Marek We have already informed you about the recent changes in Apple's top management. The company head of iOS Scott Forstall will leave, along with head of retail sales John Browett. Executives like Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi had to add responsibility for other divisions to their current roles. Probably the most pressing current issue is Siri and Maps. Eddy Cue took you under his wing.
This man has been working for Apple for an incredible 23 years and has been the top man in the division since the launch of iTunes in 2003. Eddy Cue has always been a very important link in dealing with record companies and a perfect counterweight to the uncompromising Steve Jobs. But for the company's current CEO, Tim Cook, it may play an even more important role. Two of the most problematic and perhaps the most key projects of the current Apple were entrusted to Cue's care - the voice assistant Siri and the new Maps. Will Eddy Cue become the great savior and man to fix everything?
This forty-eight-year-old Cuban-American, whose hobby is collecting sports cars, certainly already has his great merits. Otherwise, he would understandably not have received such an important task. Cue played a major role in creating the online version of the Apple Store and was behind the creation of iPods. In addition, Cue was responsible for the successful transformation of MobileMe into the revolutionary and forward-looking iCloud, which is considered the future of Apple. After all, approximately 150 million users already use iCloud today. Perhaps its greatest success, however, is the iTunes store. This virtual store with music, movies and e-books makes iPods, iPhones and iPads extremely desirable multimedia devices and Apple such a valued brand. After Scott Forstall was fired, it was no surprise to any observant Apple fan that Eddy Cue received a promotion and a $37 million bonus.
Diplomat and multimedia content guru
As I have already indicated, Eddy Cue was and still is a great diplomat and negotiator. During the Jobs era, he signed many important contracts and settled many major disputes between Apple and various publishers. For the "evil" man Steve Jobs, such a person was, of course, irreplaceable. Cue always knew whether it was better to back down or, on the contrary, stubbornly stand by his demands.
A shining example of this Cuo advantage was a conference in April 2006 in Palm Springs, California. At the time, Apple's contract with the giant Warner Music Group was ending, and the negotiations for a new contract were not going well. According to reports from the server CNET, before his appearance at the conference, Cue was contacted by representatives of the Warner publishing house and familiarized with the then typical demands of larger companies. Warner wanted to eliminate the fixed price of songs and make iTunes content available on non-Apple devices. Company representatives argued that individual songs simply do not have the same value or quality and are not created under the same circumstances and conditions. But Cue couldn't be fooled. On stage in Palm Springs, he said in a calm voice that Apple does not have to respect Warner Music Group's demands and can remove their content from iTunes without delay. After his speech, a contract was signed between Apple and this publishing house for the next three years. The prices remained as Apple wanted them to be.
The terms between Apple and music publishers have changed in various ways since then, and even the single price offered for songs has disappeared. However, Cue has always managed to find some reasonable compromise and keep iTunes in a functional and quality form. Could another Apple employee do this? He showed the same relentlessness as in Palm Springs many more times. For example, when one developer wanted to negotiate a lower fee for publishing an app on the iTunes App Store, Cue sat back in his chair with a stern expression and put his feet on the table. Eddy Cue knew the power he and iTunes had, even if he didn't abuse it unnecessarily. The developer left empty-handed and found it difficult to speak to someone's feet.
By all accounts, Eddy Cue has always been a very exemplary employee and a kind of multimedia guru. If the mythical Apple TV became a reality, he would be the one who would create its content. People from the music, film, television and sports industries describe him as a person who does his work with enthusiasm, and in his spare time he wants to improve himself and penetrate the secrets of the media business. Cue always tried to look good in the eyes of the people he dealt with. He was always nice and friendly. He was always willing to attend to work matters and was not shy about sending gifts to his co-workers and bosses. Cue made friends with many important people from all areas of his work. Bob Bowman, executive director of Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), described Eddy Cue to the media as brilliant, brilliant, considerate and persistent.
From a college basketball player to a top manager
Cue grew up in Miami, Florida. Already in high school, he was said to be very friendly and popular. According to his classmates, he always had his own vision to pursue. He always wanted to study at Duke University and he did. He received a bachelor's degree in economics and computer technology from this university in 1986. Cue's great passion has always been basketball and the Blue Devils college team he played for. His office is also decorated in the colors of this team, which is full of posters and former players of the team.
Cue joined Apple's IT department in 1989 and nine years later was instrumental in launching Apple's online store. On April 28, 2003, Cue was at the conceptual helm of the launch of the iTunes Music Store (now just the iTunes Store) and the project achieved incredible success. This music business has sold an incredible 100 million songs in a year. However, it was not a short-term and fleeting success. Three years later, one billion songs have already been sold, and by this September, 20 billion songs had been distributed through the iTunes Store.
Paul Vidich, former manager of Warner, also commented on Eddy Cuo.
“If you wanted to be successful, you couldn't compete with Steve Jobs. In short, you had to leave him in the spotlight and quietly do his job. This is exactly what Eddy always did. He didn't aspire to be a media star, he just did a great job."
the last paragraph contains 2 errors in the form of the word "Diky" and part of the sentence "one billion songs sold" :) feel free to delete the comment - nice article btw. ;)
Fixed, thanks :)
Excellent article. A similar article would be suitable for other Apple Leadership.
A great article that I read in one sitting. Thanks!
Thanks to both of you for your support. :-)
A really great read! I am looking forward to the next :-)
Error in the first paragraph: Probably the most burning CURRENT
Very good article!
I hope Edie moves the Siri thing before my iPhone 5 dies. An interesting function, but it sucks when it doesn't write sms, dial a contact, etc... Giving the Swiss 21 mega$ for a second timer is fine... but having such poor language support for a key function of your OS. Siri will soon begin to put third-party apps on the tail after Google, which has already conquered it. A new wind ... and the orderly wants it!