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Tim Cook Speaks About Apple Maps, Samsung, and Apple's Future in TV Interview with Brian Williams

Thursday December 6, 2012 9:38 pm PST by Juli Clover
Tim Cook has held the reins at Apple for over a year now, and this evening, he gave his first official television interview with Brian Williams on NBC's Rock Center, where he spoke about his role as CEO after Steve Jobs, lamented about the Maps debacle, and revealed a few hints about what's to come for Apple in the future. The full video is embedded below.

The first part of the interview focused on his first year as CEO, and what it was like to follow in the footsteps of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Cook was humble and personable as he explained that Jobs taught him to "just do what's right."

When asked about Apple's Maps application, which has faced significant criticism and resulted in the restructuring of the company, Cook told Williams that Apple "screwed up," and is "putting the weight of the company behind correcting it."


Part 1

Cook also touched on the ongoing conflict between Samsung and Apple, after Williams played a Samsung commercial for the Galaxy S3 that attacks Apple's iPhone, branding it as uncool.
We love our customers. And we’ll fight to defend them with anyone. Is it thermonuclear war? The reality is, is that we love competition, at Apple. We think it makes us all better. But we want people to invent their own stuff.
In one interesting section of the interview, Williams asked Cook if Apple would last, and how the company would avoid becoming like Sony, popular in the 80's and 90's before fading into the background. Cook reiterated Apple's drive to focus on a small number of products.
We’re very simple people at Apple. We focus on making the world’s best products and enriching people’s lives. I think some companies — maybe even the one that you mention, maybe they decided that they could do everything. We have to make sure, at Apple, that we stay true to focus, laser focus — we know we can only do great things a few times, only on a few products.
The juiciest details of the exchange between Williams and Cook, which were leaked in teasers earlier this afternoon, came in the second part of the interview, where Williams focused on the Apple television, the death of Steve Jobs, and the U.S. production of Apple products.


Part 2

Cook commented on the much rumored Apple television set, mentioning, as revealed earlier, Apple's "intense interest" in the market, but he revealed little beyond that, speaking cryptically about his love of "The Jetsons."
It’s a market that we see, that has been left behind. You know, I used to watch “The Jetsons” as a kid. I love "The Jetsons." We’re living “The Jetsons” with this. It’s an area of intense interest. I can’t say more than that. But …
He also went into more detail about Apple's plans to bring production back to the United States, confirming that next year, one of the Mac lines will be produced in the United States.
You know, this iPhone, as a matter of fact, the engine in here is made in America. And not only are the engines in here made in America, but engines are made in America and are exported. The glass on this phone is made in Kentucky. And so we’ve been working for years on doing more and more in the United States. Next year, we will do one of our existing Mac lines in the United States.
Williams ended the interview trying to get a few more tidbits on Apple's plans for the future, but this is all Cook had to say:
Our whole role in life is to give you something you didn’t know you wanted. And then once you get it, you can’t imagine your life without it. And you can count on Apple doing that.


Tag: Tim Cook
[ 195 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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a0me
87 months ago

It's a market that we see, that has been left behind. You know, I used to watch "The Jetsons" as a kid. I love "The Jetsons." We're living "The Jetsons" with this. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that. But ...

It's obvious. Apple is making a flying car.

Rating: 30 Votes
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kristoffer4
87 months ago

Seriously how is this guy our CEO?


Our CEO? Do you work at Apple? :confused:
Rating: 27 Votes
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topmounter
87 months ago
Tim needs to quit drinking the kool-aid and BE the kool-aid.
Rating: 17 Votes
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Radio
87 months ago
Wow so scripted.

Tim Cook hasn't offered anything new. He's on a strick course of setting good PR.

Watch the post interview with Brian Williams & joshua topolskyi of the verge. They pretty much agree that Tim cook was a robot
Rating: 17 Votes
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macs4nw
87 months ago

Cook was limited about how much he could reveal without tipping his hat to the competition Tricky situation. Handled nicely by Cook Apple is still creative and at the prime of its run


The negative comments here aren't Tim Cook's "performance"'s fault, they are the fault of too many people who spend far too much time being too anal-y privy of the tech world and Apple business.
To the otherwise WORLD, this interview will be very revealing. Apple has been getting MAULED by the manipulative, criminally BS media in all these subjects. Tim had to set an interview, and set the record straight, once and for all. People OBSESS with finding shortcomings from Apple, anything they can nitpick, holding Apple up to a level they wouldn't dare any other company. I think the interview was great. Tim speaks like a strong and well thought out CEO who has the culture of Apple's artful product-driven "magic" within him as well. Remember, Tim is the businessman, it's his ability to seek TALENT that will make Apple. He just appointed Jony Ive to be "Steve Jobs 2.0" in terms of creative, so he's already doing the best job possible.


Agreed x2.

.....Proving once again how Apple has big entertainment in their pocket.....


Regrettably not so, cause if that was true, the rumored APPLE TV, wouldn't be far off.

Wow so scripted. Tim Cook hasn't offered anything new. He's on a strick course of setting good PR. Watch the post interview with josh topolski of the verge. They pretty much agree that Tim cook was a robot


Cook interviews like a politician. Brian: <Question> Tim: "You know Brian, <Generic Apple Talking Point>"
.....What's the point of interviewing someone who can't reveal anything new? :rolleyes:


Why so many negative comments on here about Tim Cook? He was in my opinion much more likable and approachable than I've seen him before at product launches. Also, he has to walk a fine line between answering the questions without seeming to be evasive, and yet not revealing so much that it would hurt the company's future plans. Steve may have been more charismatic, but in spite of some suggestions to the contrary on here, he was never any more forthcoming when faced with similar questions.

Tim has a difficult job to do, and pretty big shoes to fill; imho he's doing a pretty good job so far, and he deserves our support.
Rating: 13 Votes
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AdeFowler
87 months ago
He looked a bit thin /s

I cant understand why everyone's saying he's like a robot. He answered the questions exactly how Jobs would have; like a good politician. And as for not being as charismatic as Steve,... who is?
Rating: 12 Votes
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arn
87 months ago
click on article link to see videos. They are NBC's players. Won't appear on iOS devices.
Rating: 11 Votes
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Technarchy
87 months ago
Good interview.

I think Tim is quite personable.
Rating: 11 Votes
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Devie
87 months ago
Never liked him on the stage, but here he was better.

He isn't a Jobs. Its not fair to look at him like that. He hasn't got the ability to pull someone into anything. As the interview said, he's a business man. Jobs was a visionary turned business man.
Rating: 11 Votes
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seanjs
87 months ago
Jeez, I wish they'd just let Cook talk. Williams is talking/narrating 2/3rds of the time and then giving Cook 20 second sound bites that don't say anything. Very frustrating.
Rating: 10 Votes

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