Sounding Off: What next for Apple?

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  • RA's tech columnist ponders life after Jobs.
  • Sounding Off: What next for Apple? image
  • This week saw the news that many Apple devotees have expected, but which most have lived in fear: Steve Jobs' resignation as CEO of the company. If you consider his achievements: the launch of the iPod, iTunes Store, iPad, App Store and, though all these products and more, a meeting of facility and design which has achieved mass appeal... well, you can see why this feels like a watershed moment. The news has led plenty of spectators to wonder whether Apple's Midas touch is now gone. Surely no one can lead the line in the way Jobs has. And there's little doubt that Jobs' successor, Tim Cook, has big shoes to fill. But for all of those panicking that Apple will never be the same again, there is solace to be drawn. Jobs' recommendation that Cook be appointed shows the world that Apple have been preparing for life after Jobs. Since his return to Apple HQ after serious health problems, my guess would be that Jobs' time has been spent ensuring Apple immediate future with a range of products designed to continue its success. Rumours of the iPhone 4G (or 5, depending on which gossip sites you read), as well as an iPad 3 have existed for months now. I'd even go so far as to speculate that Jobs has overseen at least one additional development of the OS X operating system, which would mean that both Lion and whatever comes next are his own, direct vision. This may well be true of the next range of hardware products too, so while Apple may miss Jobs' showmanship through his keynote presentations, I think his presence will be felt for a considerable while longer. Jobs' departure will also serve as a chance for the company to right many of the wrongs of his tenure as well. Pro Tools has only become compatible with Lion within the last few days, for instance, and with the lack of third-party support for the array of the plug-ins that I run, there's no way I would consider updating my main music computer to the new OS yet. I'm by no means alone. Trusting the developers who take the time to build and refine their products for your OS is something Apple need to take more seriously and, perhaps under new stewardship, they will. In the meantime, I wish Apple well, as they've provided innovation in both hardware and software which is peerless in recent times. Jobs was so central to these developments that, whether you own Apple technology or not, he's owed a debt of gratitude. In the meantime, the smart money suggests that we should expect big announcements soon. Something tells me that Apple's dipped share price won't stay low for long.
RA