The most interesting tidbit from Reuters’ new profile of Apple CEO Tim Cook is about his response to the infamous iOS Maps fiasco and how it paved the way for a major review of Apple’s mobile operating system. According to Reuters‘ sources, Cook bypassed the advice of former iOS boss Scott Forstall when he issued a formal apology for the app and then decided that iOS as a whole needed to go in a new direction. Forstall was ousted from his post shortly afterwards and was replaced by Jony Ive, Apple’s longtime hardware design guru who would spend the next several months working to put his own unique stamp on Apple’s mobile platform.
“The vision that Tim had to involve Jony and to essentially connect two very, very important Apple initiatives or areas of focus — that was a big decision on Tim’s part and he made it independently and very, very resolutely,” Bob Iger, CEO of Walt
If a recent poll showing that consumers prefer the new iOS 7 design to older versions of the platform is indicative of a renewed enthusiasm for iOS, then it looks as though Cook will be able to credit one of his company’s biggest failures with sparking another success.
