Cook Says Apple’s Recent Management Changes Are About Collaboration

In his long interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook talked about the recent changes in management that left iOS chief Scott Forstall and retail boss John Browett out of jobs. Cook explained these decisions and his deep belief in collaboration that he and Steve Jobs felt is very important.

Here’s what Cook had to say of the matter:

“So the changes—it’s not a matter of going from no collaboration to collaboration. We have an enormous level of collaboration in Apple, but it’s a matter of taking it to another level. You look at what we are great at. There are many things. But the one thing we do, which I think no one else does, is integrate hardware, software, and services in such a way that most consumers begin to not differentiate anymore. They just care that the experience is fantastic.

So how do we keep doing that and keep taking it to an even higher level? You have to be an A-plus at collaboration. And so the changes that we made get us to a whole new level of collaboration.”

Cook went on to really praise and highlight the skills of Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, and Craig Federighi in their areas of expertise, saying they’re the best at what they do. Cook also made it clear that Apple’s increased collaboration is not about working towards a merger of iOS and OS X, which some have speculated:

“We don’t subscribe to the vision that the OS for iPhones and iPads should be the same as Mac. As you know, iOS and Mac OS are built on the same base. And Craig has always managed the common elements. And so this is a logical extension. Customers want iOS and Mac OS X to work together seamlessly, not to be the same, but to work together seamlessly.”

Cook says these changes take collaboration to “a whole new level” and “that’s what it’s all about.”

Image Credit: TechBeat

Kaylie lives in Ottawa and got her first Mac in 2007 and is now a fan for life.