Rumors about Tim Cook stepping down

[Cmaier]

“as early as next year”

I doubt it.

Tim Cook could step down as Apple CEO ‘as soon as next year’ - 9to5Mac

The Financial Times reports that Apple has stepped up its preparations for the handover of the CEO role from Tim Cook. Here are the details.

9to5mac.com

 

[cbum]

Anyone know anything about John Ternus?

 

[Cmaier]

Anyone know anything about John Ternus?

Seems like a pretty good product guy.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Just before I hit post reply I realized what I typed is probably not allowed. So I'll just vaguely say there is something that now needs to be done in this country to do business at Apple's level that Cook probably finds profoundly disgusting and no longer wants it to be part of his life or legacy. That is probably factoring into his retirement should it happen.

 

[Cmaier]

Just before I hit post reply I realized what I typed is probably not allowed. So I'll just vaguely say there is something that now needs to be done in this country to do business at Apple's level that Cook probably finds profoundly disgusting and no longer wants it to be part of his life or legacy. That is probably factoring into his retirement should it happen.

Maybe. Or maybe he just wants to enjoy life and has all the money he’ll ever need.

 

[rdrr]

Just before I hit post reply I realized what I typed is probably not allowed. So I'll just vaguely say there is something that now needs to be done in this country to do business at Apple's level that Cook probably finds profoundly disgusting and no longer wants it to be part of his life or legacy. That is probably factoring into his retirement should it happen.

Didn't Tim and the tech bros already go East to bring Gifts of Frankincense & Myrrh?

I do think he might just have enough money, and you never know when your health is going to decline. Enjoy retirement and get while the getting is good.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Didn't Tim and the tech bros already go East to bring Gifts of Frankincense & Myrrh?

They did but out of all of them I can see him being the most disgusted about it and as most have learned that's not a one off. More will be expected. And we only know about what is made public. I'm sure its ongoing behind the scenes, especially as some new business crushing mandate gets thrown on the table out of the blue.

 

[Nycturne]

Maybe. Or maybe he just wants to enjoy life and has all the money he’ll ever need.

Especially at 65, it's okay to look for your hat and pass the torch. And if he is going to try to become chairman of Apple's board, he'll still have input for years to come.

But honestly? If I was 65, had more than enough to retire on, and could still have some level of control while being able to not be there every day? Yes. Done. Let me go ride the rails across Europe for awhile.

 

[dada_dave]

I dunno he seems to be enjoying himself at the soirée tonight. If disgust is his concern, then he hides it well.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I dunno he seems to be enjoying himself at the soirée tonight. If disgust is his concern, then he hides it well.

Admittedly I could be wrong but people at that level know how to put on a show when required. It just seems to me that he genuinely celebrates diversity while other tech CEOs saw it as a lead weight around their neck they were more than happy to cut free. I haven't heard of any "we're done with DEI" initiatives at Apple while some other corporations went fully on board with it. He also seems like somebody who believes respect and admiration needs to be earned, not demanded by somebody who clearly doesn't deserve it while other CEOs are more open to publicly debasing themselves to increase their wealth and power. I'm not saying they are happy about it. I'm saying they are less concerned about what that does to their image. The perception is Apple has more pedigree than META and Amazon and should be above these games.

 

[dada_dave]

Admittedly I could be wrong but people at that level know how to put on a show when required. It just seems to me that he genuinely celebrates diversity while other tech CEOs saw it as a lead weight around their neck they were more than happy to cut free. I haven't heard of any "we're done with DEI" initiatives at Apple while some other corporations went fully on board with it. He also seems like somebody who believes respect and admiration needs to be earned, not demanded by somebody who clearly doesn't deserve it while other CEOs are more open to publicly debasing themselves to increase their wealth and power. I'm not saying they are happy about it. I'm saying they are less concerned about what that does to their image. The perception is Apple has more pedigree than META and Amazon and should be above these games.

Perhaps, but this is definitely affecting their image.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Perhaps, but this is definitely affecting their image.

That's mainly what I am saying. Nobody was shocked or disappointed when Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg decided to enthusiastically play ball. Many were when Cook joined in. I'm sure he is keenly aware of that and would be relieved if that is no longer part of his life or responsibility.

 

[rdrr]

That's mainly what I am saying. Nobody was shocked or disappointed when Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg decided to enthusiastically play ball. Many were when Cook joined in. I'm sure he is keenly aware of that and would be relieved if that is no longer part of his life or responsibility.

IMO I think it's more than Cook doesn't want to have it a part of his responsibility, I think it's more that he would want to get out before something happens or a perception that he/Apple is supporting one ideology over another, and would permanently tarnish the legacy he has built. Plus, don't discount the pressure that the entire job of CEO puts on one's health.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

IMO I think it's more than Cook doesn't want to have it a part of his responsibility, I think it's more that he would want to get out before something happens or a perception that he/Apple is supporting one ideology over another, and would permanently tarnish the legacy he has built. Plus, don't discount the pressure that the entire job of CEO puts on one's health.

Exactly. Get out before things really go sideways, not the least of which could include economic and trade disasters which will be out of Apple’s control but would still put the CEO in the spotlight. Apple is held to a higher standard by many and is expected to be above all this in execution and results.

 

[Roller]

That's mainly what I am saying. Nobody was shocked or disappointed when Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg decided to enthusiastically play ball. Many were when Cook joined in. I'm sure he is keenly aware of that and would be relieved if that is no longer part of his life or responsibility.

I agree. Cook is very different than those three, but he has a fiduciary responsibility to Apple and its shareholders, so he does what he thinks is best for the company.

 

[dada_dave]

I agree. Cook is very different than those three, but he has a fiduciary responsibility to Apple and its shareholders, so he does what he thinks is best for the company.

Typically fiduciary responsibility doesn’t include things that are blatantly illegal like bribes - you know like hand delivering gold bars and donating to an ostensibly public building that is actually a politician’s vanity project. And even beyond illegal activity, many companies have ethical standards that extend beyond those.

Finally, that excuse of “fiduciary responsibility” has been used for so many sins by so many companies for so long that I think it’s time we maybe move past that. Further, it wasn’t always the case that this was considered even a publicly traded company’s primary duty (though admittedly some of those eras were worse).

 

[dada_dave]

Exactly. Get out before things really go sideways, not the least of which could include economic and trade disasters which will be out of Apple’s control but would still put the CEO in the spotlight. Apple is held to a higher standard by many and is expected to be above all this in execution and results.

So lay it on Ternus instead of taking all the bad press with you? The upcoming decisions don’t suddenly go away if that’s Tim Cook’s goal.

 

[Roller]

Typically fiduciary responsibility doesn’t include things that are blatantly illegal like bribes - you know like hand delivering gold bars and donating to an ostensibly public building that is actually a politician’s vanity project. And even beyond illegal activity, many companies have ethical standards that extend beyond those.

Finally, that excuse of “fiduciary responsibility” has been used for so many sins by so many companies for so long that I think it’s time we maybe move past that. Further, it wasn’t always the case that this was considered even a publicly traded company’s primary duty (though admittedly some of those eras were worse).

I trust Cook to refrain from participating in illegal activity or going beyond Apple’s ethical boundaries, though there is always room for interpretation. Even if he was wrong to do what he did, I think he was acting in good faith.

 

[dada_dave]

I trust Cook to refrain from participating in illegal activity or going beyond Apple’s ethical boundaries, though there is always room for interpretation. Even if he was wrong to do what he did, I think he was acting in good faith.

? Those examples are both actual things that happened, Tim Cook delivered a solid gold bar direct to Trump and Apple is “donating” money to Trump’s ballroom. That’s what we call bribery. At best you can maybe say Trump is extorting it which would relieve Tim/Apple of illegality, but for that we’d have to see Apple’s and Cook’s internal communications. The line is pretty damn thin.

Yes Cook is far better than almost any of the rest of them and the pressure must be enormous, but being better than the likes of Zuckerberg or Bezos shouldn’t be worth plaudits. That’s a low bar not trip over.

Edit: Oh and I should say that Cook has otherwise been a great CEO of Apple. I haven’t agreed with everything he or Apple as a whole has done, but this isn’t coming from a MacRumors forum poster where anyone who isn’t Jobs sucks (or god forbid the few holdouts who think Scott Forrestal was wronged).

 

[Roller]

? Those examples are both actual things that happened, Tim Cook delivered a solid gold bar direct to Trump and Apple is “donating” money to Trump’s ballroom. That’s what we call bribery. At best you can maybe say Trump is extorting it which would relieve Tim/Apple of illegality, but for that we’d have to see Apple’s and Cook’s internal communications. The line is pretty damn thin.

Yes Cook is far better than almost any of the rest of them and the pressure must be enormous, but being better than the likes of Zuckerberg or Bezos shouldn’t be worth plaudits. That’s a low bar not trip over.

Edit: Oh and I should say that Cook has otherwise been a great CEO of Apple. I haven’t agreed with everything he or Apple as a whole has done, but this isn’t coming from a MacRumors forum poster where anyone who isn’t Jobs sucks (or god forbid the few holdouts who think Scott Forrestal was wronged).

That companies do these types of things even in normal times, albeit at a lower level, is indeed unfortunate. In the current circumstances, the pressure to play along is far greater. As you say, Cook feels that and is probably torn between acting honorably and doing what he feels is best for the company overall. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear that Trump has threatened Apple in private. Personally, I find it all horribly cringeworthy, but I’m willing to give Cook some grace based on what I know about him. I suspect that this experience will increase his desire to retire.