We’ve arrived at something of a crossroads for the world’s favorite smartphone manufacturer and maker of shiny things. On August 24, 2011, Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO and Tim Cook took over. Today, September 1, Cook leaves the CEO role as new CEO John Ternus steps in.
Fifteen years ago, Apple had to prove that it could survive without Steve Jobs. We now know the answer to that question. Yes, it could — but it stopped behaving quite so much like the maverick company that had thrived on innovation, arrogance, and boldly striking out into new territory. Under Cook, Apple became more disciplined, more predictable, and increasingly focused on refining its established product lines.
