Jobs Biographer Walter Isaacson: 'Execution is What Really Matters,' Apple is the Best

Friday January 31, 2014 1:49 pm PST by Juli CloverEarlier this month, Walter Isaacson, the man who wrote the best-selling biography of Steve Jobs, garnered some attention when he told a CNBC interviewer that the "greatest innovation today" was coming from Google, not Apple.

Yesterday, Isaacson did an interview with Bloomberg TV, where he clarified his original statement and noted that while he believes Google is the more innovative company, with a clearer integrated strategy, Apple is better than Google at bringing products to fruition.

I will say one thing about the comment I made about Google being the most innovative. Innovation is great, but it ain't everything. It's not the whole equation. Execution is what really matters. Apple is the best at execution.

During the interview, Isaacson also commented on the iPhone 5c and Apple's ability to make lower cost products, noting that he believes Apple’s unwavering focus on quality will not allow it to produce subpar products to compete in the low end device market.

I don't think Apple will ever be great at doing low end. It really makes insanely great products to use the phrase Steve used 30 years ago, when he launched the Mac. What I think is going to have to happen is that they're going to have to figure out a whole new set of disruptive products.

You've heard Tim Cook hint about that; whether it's television or a wearable watch, I don't think Apple's going to do well trying to be in the commodity low end race with Samsung and others.

Apple made one of its first attempts into the mid-range market with the 2013 debut of the iPhone 5c, which it sold for $100 less than its flagship iPhone 5s. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently revealed that the launch of the iPhone 5c resulted in some inventory problems for the company, as it had underestimated people's desire for the iPhone 5s.

The company expected a more balanced demand for both phones, which led to iPhone 5s inventory shortages. Due to the lack of demand for the iPhone 5c, it remains unclear if Apple will continue on with both a higher-end and a mid-tier phone for future releases. A recent report from The Wall Street Journal suggested that while Apple will release two phones in the future, it will abandon plastic casings.

As Isaacson suggested, Apple is rumored to be working on several products that have the potential to be "disruptive." The company is said to be close to the launch of a revamped Apple TV product that will incorporate games, which could severely impact the existing console market, and the much-rumored Apple smart watch is also on the horizon.

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Apple Seeds OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 Build 13C48 to Developers [Mac Blog]

Apple Seeds OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 Build 13C48 to Developers - Mac Rumors window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '263507923666566', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; e.async = true; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); Front Page Mac Blog iOS BlogRoundups AirPortApple TViMaciOS 7iPad AiriPad miniiPhone 5ciPhone 5siPhone 6iPod classiciPod nanoiPod shuffleiPod touchiWatchMac miniMac ProMacBook AirMacBook ProOS X MavericksThunderbolt Display Buyer's Guide ForumsGot a tip for us? Share it... Push Twitter Facebook RSS a. Send us an emailb. Anonymous formclose (x)Apple Seeds OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 Build 13C48 to DevelopersThursday January 30, 2014 7:59 pm PST by Juli CloverApple today seeded build 13C48 of OS X 10.9.2 to developers, marking the fourth beta iteration of 10.9.2. The release comes a week after the third OS X 10.9.2 beta, build 13C44, and a little over a month after the first OS X 10.9.2 beta.


The update is available to registered developers through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store as well as through the Mac Dev Center.

Apple continues to ask developers to focus on mail, messages, graphics drivers, VoiceOver, VPN, and SMB2. Earlier betas of OS X 10.9.2 began allowing Mac users to block people on iMessage and FaceTime, as can be done in iOS 7, and also introduced FaceTime Audio.

Related roundup: OS X Mavericks [ 43 comments ] Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Google+ Top Rated Comments(View all)

Merode9 hours ago at 06:41 amWhat is reasonable scaling ? It's a 4K display. If you want lower resolution don't get a 4K display.

Scaling is not reducing resolution.
Scaling is keeping high resolution and just making UI larger (which is perfectly fine and reasonable).Rating: 6 PositivesSvP11 hours ago at 04:56 amThanks for your sources. Very convincing. ;)

you're kindof being an ass, but i wanted to see for myself: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6008?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_USRating: 6 Positivesdjgamble11 hours ago at 04:38 amThat's the theoretical hardware support. It does not mean that OS X 10.9.0-10.9.2 is the best OS for 4K displays.

The BEST OS for 4K displays... let's throw some subjective squabble out there rather than answering the actual point.

It clearly proves that Apple supports 4K displays (MULTIPLE 4K displays.) Some aren't supported and there will be subjective flaws...etc as usual, but there is support for 4K displays. Saying there isn't is incorrect...Rating: 6 Positivesslime7316 hours ago at 11:05 pmHas anyone checked whether 10.9.2 exposes any new OpenGL extensions / functionality?

If you download the OpenGL Extensions Viewer (https://itunes.apple.com/app/opengl-extensions-viewer/id444052073?mt=12) and go to the "OpenGL", "Extensions", or "Report" tabs, you can see a list of what your system supports.

For reference, here is what's displayed in Mac OS 10.9.1 on my system:



Rating: 6 Positiveschfilm10 hours ago at 05:44 amStill, OSX does not support any reasonable scaling modes for those 4k displays!Rating: 5 PositivesshurcooL14 hours ago at 01:55 amApple does not support 4K displays @ the moment.

That statement is false.



Rating: 5 Positivesmcarling14 hours ago at 01:02 amDoes anyone know whether or not HiDPI support is provided for external 4K monitors?

I doubt that, because Apple does not support 4K displays @ the moment.

Apple are selling a 4K monitor: http://store.apple.com/us/product/HD971LL/A/sharp-32-pn-k321-4k-ultra-hd-led-monitor

You are saying that Apple do not support the monitor they are selling?

Other 4K monitors, such as Dell, also work in 10.8.5 and 10.9.1 but only at native resolution.Rating: 4 Positivestalmy9 hours ago at 06:45 amScaling is not reducing resolution.
Scaling is keeping high resolution and just making UI larger (which is perfectly fine and reasonable).

IMHO a major weak point in OS X (compared to Microsoft Windows) is the lack of scaling, period. I don't feel that the doubling it does for Retina Displays counts, although it would certainly be useful for a 4K display.Rating: 3 Positivesmcarling15 hours ago at 12:02 amDoes anyone know whether or not HiDPI support is provided for external 4K monitors?Rating: 2 PositivesJuicyJones8 hours ago at 07:23 amStill, OSX does not support any reasonable scaling modes for those 4k displays!

Scaling is not reducing resolution.
Scaling is keeping high resolution and just making UI larger (which is perfectly fine and reasonable).

Quartz Debug comes with Xcode and will allow you to enable HDPI mode on a non retina display. Check it out.Rating: 1 Positives
[ Read All Comments ]Front Page StoriesRumored 'Healthbook' App for iOS 8 Suggests Significant Health Component to iWatch37 minutes ago on Front PageApple is developing a new app expected to be released alongside iOS 8 that collects and organizes information and data points related to the users health, including fitness statistics from the new M7...37 commentsJobs Biographer Walter Isaacson: 'Execution is What Really Matters,' Apple is the Best2 hours ago on Front PageEarlier this month, Walter Isaacson, the man who wrote the best-selling biography of Steve Jobs, garnered some attention when he told a CNBC interviewer that the "greatest innovation today"...39 commentsProtestors Rally Against 'Candy Crush Saga' Developer with Deluge of Candy-Themed Games7 hours ago on Front PageKing, the developer behind mega-hit Candy Crush Saga, was recently awarded a UK trademark on the term "candy" for use in video games and is awaiting approval on a similar trademark in the...96 commentsApple CEO Tim Cook Heads to Ireland to Visit Government Officials, Company Facilities8 hours ago on Front PageApple CEO Tim Cook is currently in Ireland visiting the company's facilities in Cork and preparing to meet with government officials this afternoon, according to a report from TheJournal.ie. The...51 commentsAnalyst Skeptical About Imminent Launch for 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro'23 hours ago on Front PageA rumored 12.9-inch iPad may still have significant development time left, according to an analyst at IHS, a supply chain research firm. According to CNET, IHS analyst Rhoda Alexander said there were...124 commentsMajor League Baseball Rolling Out Thousands of iBeacons for Opening Day23 hours ago on Front PageNext week, Major League Baseball will begin rolling out thousands of iBeacons in ballparks around the country according to a source familiar with the plans who shared them with MacRumors. The...38 commentsApple Hires Chief Medical Officer From Pulse Oximetry Company Masimo, Possibly for iWatch Team1 day ago on Front PageOver the course of the last year, Apple has made several hires from the medical and sensor field, presumably to bolster the team of experts working on its much-rumored smart watch project, and...44 commentsApple Snaps Up Several '.Guru' Domain Names on Launch Day1 day ago on Front PageThe first of hundreds of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) began rolling out this week, and it should be no surprise that Apple is looking to protect names related to its products and brands. ...72 comments• PayPal Angling for Mobile Payment Partnership with Apple (131)• 'SwiftKey Note' Brings Contextual Word Suggestions and Autocorrect to iOS with Evernote Integration (76)• Apple Details Pressure-Sensitive Touchscreen in New Patent Application (36)• Apple Looking to Take Arizona Sapphire Plant Live in February for 'Critical' Component (57)• Nintendo Confirms No Games Coming to iOS, But Service App in the Works (129)• Google Selling Motorola Mobility to Lenovo for $2.91 Billion (381)• iCloud Website Error Hints at Upcoming iCloud Bookmarks Feature (46)Rumors by ProductiPhone - iPad - iPad Mini - iPod
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Apple Hires Chief Medical Officer From Pulse Oximetry Company Masimo, Possibly for iWatch Team

Thursday January 30, 2014 3:10 pm PST by Juli CloverOver the course of the last year, Apple has made several hires from the medical and sensor field, presumably to bolster the team of experts working on its much-rumored smart watch project, and MacRumors today learned of another high-profile sensor expert that has joined the company.

Michael O'Reilly, M.D., formerly the Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Medical Affairs at Masimo Corporation, left his position in July of 2013 to take on a role at Apple, possibly on the iWatch team. News of O'Reilly's employment at Apple was first leaked to MobiHealthNews last week and when contacted for comment earlier today, Masimo told MacRumors it "could not dispute" what had been reported.

While O'Reilly was at Masimo, the company developed several cutting edge pulse oximetry devices, including the iSpO2 Pulse Oximeter that connects to the iPhone and gives readings via an accompanying app. The iSpO2, which takes its readings from a finger, is designed to measure both oxygen saturation in the blood and pulse rate, with technology that allows it to take readings during movement and with low blood flow.

The iSpO2 Pulse Oximeter for iPhone
While it is not clear what position O'Reilly holds with Apple or how his pulse oximetry expertise will be used by the company, he does join a number of other hires in the medical field that have reportedly been recruited for the iWatch team. In 2013, Apple hired several scientists and executives from notable sensor companies like AccuVein, C8 MediSensors, and Senseonics, and two weeks ago, another report pointed to two additional hires in the sensor field.

Reports have suggested that Apple's smart watch project, the iWatch, could focus heavily on health sensors and biometrics, possibly including features like a pedometer and a heart rate monitor. Apple's multitude of hires in the health field does suggest, however, that the company could include even more advanced sensor technology in the iWatch or in a future product.

With the addition of O'Reilly, Apple has now hired employees with expertise in pulse oximetry, vasculature visualization (vein finding), non-invasive glucose monitoring, blood chemistry monitoring via microneedle, heart/breath rate monitoring, and fitness. Notably, several hires have also had experience with low-profile, non-invasive biosensor devices.

On his LinkedIn page, O'Reilly is also listed as both an Adjunct Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan and a Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care at the University of California, Irvine.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook Heads to Ireland to Visit Government Officials, Company Facilities

Friday January 31, 2014 7:38 am PST by Eric SlivkaApple CEO Tim Cook is currently in Ireland visiting the company's facilities in Cork and preparing to meet with government officials this afternoon, according to a report from TheJournal.ie. The specific reason for Cook's visit is unknown, but Apple has maintained a significant presence in the country for several decades.

The CEO of Apple will be meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny later today after addressing staff in the company’s Cork office this morning.

Tim Cook spoke to employees in Apple’s Hollyhill premises about the firm’s future plans. The Taoiseach will take a tour of the facility later today and meet with Cook.

Apple's Hollyhill facilities in Cork, Ireland (Reuters/Michael MacSweeney)
Apple, which has 4,000 employees at its Hollyhill facility, has used its Irish base for decades as its home for operations in Europe and elsewhere, with the company coming under scrutiny last year for its corporate structure funneling revenue through subsidiaries located in the country in order to minimize its tax burden.

Apple has steadily increased its workforce in Cork as the company has grown in recent years, and Cook and Kenny are likely meeting to at least help maintain the long-standing relationship between Apple and Irish officials, perhaps with an eye on the company's future plans.

Earlier this month, Cook traveled to China to help launch sales of the iPhone on China Mobile, the world's largest carrier.

Update: TheJournal.ie has updated its article, quoting Kenny as saying that he and Cook discussed Ireland's participation in EU-wide conversations about clarifying tax issues.

Kenny didn’t say if it was himself or Cook who brought the subject up, but said that the Apple CEO was “exceptionally happy” with the work the Cork office has done.

When asked whether this would mean further investment from the company, Kenny said that it was a matter for Apple to decide, but said that for now, the company is “very happy with the results from Cork and they want that to continue.”

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Apple Releases iOS 7.0.5 for iPhone 5s/5c With Fix for Network Provisioning in China

Apple today released iOS 7.0.5 for the iPhone with a minor maintenance update to correct network provisioning in China for some iPhone 5s and 5c models sold in China, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Customers receiving iOS 7.0.5 outside of China will likely see no benefit from the update as it is designed to correct network provisioning within the country.

The update, which arrives as Build 11B601, is only available for some models of the iPhone 5s and 5c sold in China and some European/Asia Pacific iPhone models compatible with China's networks (those that are identified as iPhone 5,4 and 6,2):

iPhone 5s
A1457 (UK/Europe)
A1528 (China)
A1530 (Asia Pacific)

iPhone 5c
A1507 (UK/Europe)
A1526 (China)
A1529 (Asia Pacific)

The update comes more than two months after the release of iOS 7.0.4, which included additional bug fixes and a repair for an issue that caused FaceTime calls to fail for some users.

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Apple Looking to Take Arizona Sapphire Plant Live in February for 'Critical' Component

Wednesday January 29, 2014 10:18 pm PST by Husain SumraApple is aggressively pursuing the launch of its new sapphire plant in Mesa, Arizona for a "critical new sub-component", according to documents obtained by 9to5Mac. The company is aiming to open the plant by February.

Furnaces for sapphire glass production.
The documents reveal that James J. Patton, Apple's Deputy Director of Global Trade Compliance, requested expedited approval from the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to approve two requests that would allow Apple to meet its "aggressive go-live timeline" for February 2014. Recently, both Apple and manufacturing partner, GT Advanced, have been recruiting potential employees for the sapphire plant.

In addition, the documents indicate the sapphire plant would be used to create a "critical new sub-component" for use in Apple's consumer electronics. Apple currently uses sapphire glass to protect the iPhones' camera lenses and the iPhone 5s' Touch ID home button, but Apple's language in the documents suggests something more could be in the works.

Project Cascade will conduct high-tech manufacturing of intermediate goods/components for consumer electronics. All finished components will be exported. This high-tech manufacturing process will create a critical new sub-component of Apple Products to be used in the manufacture of the consumer electronics that will be imported and then sold globally. By pulling this process into the U.S., Apple will be using cutting edge, new technology to enhance and improve the consumer products, making them best in class per product type.

While it's not clear what a "new" sub-component could be, Apple could be looking to create full-screen displays made out of sapphire. Sapphire could also be used to protect the display on Apple's much-rumored iWatch.

The report also includes information on some of the other materials that will be utilized in the plant, like diamond cutting wire, which as 9to5Mac points out, is currently used in iPhone and iPad assembly to create bezels.

Just a couple days ago, Taiwan's Apple Daily reported the company's assembly partner Foxconn had begun an initial 100 unit run of an iPhone with a sapphire glass display. Last week, an Apple patent application for an Apple device with a sapphire glass display was also discovered.

Sapphire has been seen as a potential successor to high-strength glass for display covers, although Corning claims Gorilla Glass 3 is stronger than sapphire glass at a lower cost. Apple has reportedly experimented with sapphire glass displays before, but found them infeasible. It is possible, however, that advances in material and production technology have allowed the company to revisit the possibility.

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