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Steve Jobs - Courage
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Steve Jobs - Courage

Apple's Approach to Success

In this section, Apple's approach to success is discussed, focusing on their strategy of choosing the right technologies and making wise decisions.

Choosing the Right Technologies

  • Apple's success lies in carefully selecting which technologies to invest in.
  • They look for technical vectors that have a future and are on an upward trajectory.
  • By choosing wisely, they can save themselves from unnecessary work and focus on emerging technologies.
  • Examples include transitioning from 5-inch floppy disks to 3.5-inch floppy disks and adopting USB technology early on.

Eliminating Outdated Technologies

  • Apple has a history of getting rid of outdated technologies.
  • They were the first to remove floppy disk drives with the iMac in 1998.
  • Serial and parallel ports were also eliminated, with USB becoming the preferred choice.
  • Optical drives were phased out with the MacBook Air.

Making Bold Choices

  • Sometimes Apple's decisions may seem premature or crazy to others.
  • However, they believe in picking technologies that will be successful in the long run.
  • The iPad may lack certain features, but it is a deliberate choice based on what makes a great product.

Listening to Customer Feedback

  • Apple pays attention to market feedback and adjusts their choices accordingly.
  • They aim to create the best products for customers by focusing on technologies they believe in.
  • Customers ultimately decide if their choices are successful or not.

Courage of Convictions

This section highlights how Apple stands by its convictions when making product decisions, even if it means facing criticism.

Standing Firm

  • Apple acknowledges that some people may disagree with their choices and criticize them.
  • They are willing to face criticism because they prioritize creating the best products for customers.

Focus on Key Technologies

  • Apple directs its energy towards technologies they believe are on the rise and will benefit customers.
  • They prioritize what makes a great product and leave out features that don't align with their vision.

Customer's Choice

  • Customers pay Apple to make choices and create the best products possible.
  • If Apple succeeds, customers will buy their products, but if they fail, customers won't.

Conclusion

Apple's success lies in their strategic approach to technology selection and product development. They carefully choose technologies with future potential, eliminate outdated ones, and focus on creating the best products for customers. Despite facing criticism at times, Apple stands by its convictions and listens to customer feedback to ensure they deliver exceptional products.

Video description

This is a clip from the D8 Conference, recorded in 2010. Steve Jobs is talking about the courage it takes to remove certain pieces of technology from Apple products. This happened after the iPad was introduced without support for Flash, just as the iPhone, back in 2007. This clip adds some perspective into the debate of Apple's new AirPod and the decision to remove the traditional analog audio connector from the iPhone 7. This kind of decision is not new to Apple. The interview occurred 6 years ago, and Steve Jobs was already using the word "courage" to explain why the company does things the way it does.