Technology: Apple chief hints at innovation in TV

Rancho Palos VERDES, Calif. - Apple Chief Tim Cook on Tuesday vowed that creativity would be in the company's "DNA" and suggested that products on the horizon could come in the area of television.

Cook was the star guest at the opening prestigious All Things Digital conference organized by the Rupert Murdoch owned technology news website in a resort in the Southern California city of Palos Verdes.

"We are going to introduce some great stuff," Cook said. "I think you will love it."

Cook refused to reveal details of products set for release by the Cupertino, Calif.-based maker of iPads, iPhones, iPods, Macintosh computers and Apple TV devices.

The first unveiling could take place when a June 11, when Apple kicks of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

"Juices flowing and we have some incredible things coming out," Cook said. "For years, Apple is focused on innovation, and it does not change."

While avoiding specifics, Cook said that the Apple TV business is "an area of intense interest to us."

Apple has long referred to Apple TV - boxes that route content from the Internet to television screens - as a hobby.

"We are not a hobby kind of company, as you know," said Cook. "The company tends to put a lot of wood behind a few arrows. We stuck to it."

Apple sold 2.8 million Apple TV devices last year, and almost that many in the early months of this year, according to Cook.

Apple's nascent iCloud online data storage service and close relationships with film and television studios that sell digital content to see with their gadgets could support a new Apple TV offering.

Last month, Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek noted that the improved outlook of display-related companies could be partly due to an early "ITV" production.

Cook spoke about lessons learned from late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who turned the helm to Cook in August of last year after becoming too ill to continue, and to find their own way of his predecessor's shadow.

"I learned a lot from Steve," 51-year-old Cook said during an interview with All Things Digital Kara Swisher writers and Walter Mossberg.

"It was the saddest day of my life when he died," he said. "But at some point last year some kind of shook me and said that it is time to enter. The sadness was replaced by this determination to continue the journey."

Lessons learned from Jobs included focusing on doing a few things exceptionally well, shunning the mediocrity, and casting the other side, according to Cook.

"He also taught me that the joy is in the journey," Cook said.

Cook recalled immediately Jobs home to discuss taking over as Apple's leader, saying, Jobs talked about how Disney had floundered after its legendary founder died, and decisions were made based on what Walt Disney would have done.

"Then he looked at me with those intense eyes, and he asked me to never do that, but to do justly," Cook said.

Under Cook's watch, Apple has implemented a philanthropic program matching donations made my employees and embarked on a campaign to improve the working conditions at plants in China where his gadgets are made.

When asked who he looked up to, Cook said that the list included Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, along with Disney chief executive Robert Iger, who is on the Apple board of directors.

In an indirect swipe at Microsoft's touting of its next generation Windows operating system as being designed to work on all kinds of devices, Cook said, software can power tables and personal computers without a sacrifice.

"You do not build the best products when you're trying to converge," Cook said. "If you force them together I think the PC is not as good as it could be, and the tablet is not as good as it could be."

Cook said Apple is "micromanaging" their contractors in China to improve the working conditions and to stop excessive bonus, which was "difficult" since there are employees who want to Rack up many hours to make extra money.

He referred to a patent wars being waged by Apple and other technology companies as a "pain in the ass," but argued that Apple's right to defend their creations.

"Apple can not take all of our energy and all our cares and finish a painting and have someone else put their name on it," said Cook.

He added that the notoriously tight-lipped company will "double-down" on a product secrecy.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Apple chief hints at innovation in TV

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