Innovation Missing From Apple

by Colin Berkshire

I give Tim Cook a lot of hell. I have lambasted him for several years. He lacks vision, he stifles innovation, and he extorts customers. Tim Cook is a lot like Microsoft’s [retired] Steve Ballmer.

But the fact is that since Steve Jobs’ iPad, Apple hasn’t had a single new hit product. Not Apple pay. Not Apple watch. Not Homekit. Not HomePod.

When I bring this up to Apple employees they enthusiastically disagree. But these employees can’t point to anything except revenue growth. I maintain that this represents nothing more than momentum from the flywheel that was spinning when Steve Jobs died.

Apple staff next turn to the [wrong] excuse that the smartphone business has matured and that there are few opportunities except to raise prices. They point to Apple’s long list of product flops as a sign that they are trying to innovate.

Innovation isn’t a string of product failures. You get zero points for creating something that flops. Even if it is new. And, “trying” doesn’t count.

Apple is in trouble.