Apple Looking to Hire Samsung Battery Experts and Other High-Tech Employees

Apple is probably trying to poach from Samsung's two-week-old sCar department, brought together only by rumors of Apple making a car :P

Tim Cook has just gone big.

Where are all those who criticised him 1-2 years ago?

It is interesting how just a few years ago people were questioning whether Apple needed to replace Tim Cook, there were rumors that the board was pressuring him to innovate faster etc. Heck just last month Engadet ran an article wondering when Apple became the boring one. Now with rumors of Apple doing R&D in the automobile space these same concern trolls are fearful that Apple is losing its focus, no longer believes in 'a thousand noes for every yes' etc. So basically no matter what Apple does it can't win. It's either too boring of losing focus.

And why not? Strengthen your own ranks while diminishing those of your strongest rivals. :p

Unlike Apple, Samsung have removable battery experts? ;)

Tim Cook has just gone big.

Where are all those who criticised him 1-2 years ago?

Still here. Big Concepts do not equate to Big Realization. I still have big $ bets on Apple and Cook but he has yet to fully prove himself as the successor of Jobs as an idea guy. We will get a better glimpse of that as the Apple Watch rolls out, and of course between 2015 and 2020 Apple needs to have other all-new products. It can't just depend on the iPhone. 2020 is a long time away in corporate fiscal years.

I don't get the Tim Cook hate. The man picked by the venerated Steve Jobs has only increased the company's profit every single year since becoming CEO. Increased the company's sphere of influence in many areas of society. Increased the company's social and philanthropic endeavors. Increased the company's green initiatives and attention to humane labor practices and influenced other companies to follow suit. Holy crap that's a lot of sentence fragments. :) He's done other things as well, but I think my point is clear. When judging a business, and not "my favorite company", it's hard to argue with the success of Cook's tenure at the helm.

He doesn't engender the cult of personality of Jobs, but so what? Jobs achieved success one way and Cook another. As a CEO, based on any quantitative data, I really can't think of any who've done a better job. Qualitatively, he hasn't done bad either. Neither Apple, Tim Cook, nor Steve Jobs is/was perfect; revisionist history notwithstanding. Comparatively speaking, CEO to CEO, I would put Cook's record against pretty much anyone else's.

To tie this back to the OP (apologies for the off topic rant), he is again demonstrating sound logic. Get the best battery people you can get to work on your EV. If rumor of the car is true, Cook is acquiring top level talent to try to make the project a more successful endeavor. He could have gone with the super secret double pinky swear in-house only route and more than likely failed. There's no guarantee the rumored project will be a success, but I doubt it will be because a lack of prep and planning.

TLDR; How many better CEO's are actually out there? What do people think a CEO's purpose is?

Sorry for length.

It is interesting how just a few years ago people were questioning whether Apple needed to replace Tim Cook, there were rumors that the board was pressuring him to innovate faster etc. Heck just last month Engadet ran an article wondering when Apple became the boring one. Now with rumors of Apple doing R&D in the automobile space these same concern trolls are fearful that Apple is losing its focus, no longer believes in 'a thousand noes for every yes' etc. So basically no matter what Apple does it can't win. It's either too boring of losing focus.

If Apple were moving more aggressively into TV or VR that wouldn't be boring or losing focus. Apple is a consumer electronics company... EVs are not consumer electronics. Swapping out a gas engine for a battery doesn't magically move automotives from one market into another.

Samsung has been involved in many different tech sectors. Their cars are not popular at all though.

Doesn't change the facts that they're still involved in the automotive sector since 1998.


what the bloody fudge does popularity have to do with it?:rolleyes:

I think its why people are so polarized with him though.

He ACTS the rock star. But lacks the charisma that Jobs had...

But, when regards to financials. Growth, and actual delivery, he's doing everything right, right now. at least from a Corporate / Finance standpoint.

100% agree. He tries to act the rock star but it ain't in him. Doesn't need to be in my opinion. Just keep doing what you said: driving growth and actual delivery. That's what CEO's do.

Image (http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2014-09-09/0909_tim_cook_healthcare_970-630x420.jpg)[COLOR="#808080"]

I think its why people are so polarized with him though.

He ACTS the rock star. But lacks the charisma that Jobs had. So when he does it, it comes accross as fake, or contrived. When Cook speaks, you can easily detect the "Apple Reality Distortion Field". When Job's spoke, you tended to miss it and believe what he was selling easier.

But, when regards to financials. Growth, and actual delivery, he's doing everything right, right now. at least from a Corporate / Finance standpoint.