Yesterday Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off “D10: All Things Digital” (http://allthingsd.com/category/conferences/), the tenth annual gathering of high-tech elite billed as “conversations with the most influential figures in media and technology.” Here are the highlights of his comments:
° The Apple TV is doing well, though still a “hobby.” Last year Apple sold 2.8 million of the set-top boxes; so far in 2011, the company has already sold 2.7. He wouldn’t comment on the rumored “iTV” except to say that Apple continues to look into the television arena, which needs improving.
° Tablets won’t replace the personal computer for every task, but will replace it for some.
° Concerning the Mac: “we’re never going to make the most personal computers,” but “we’re going to make the best.”
° Apple will “double down” on security to make sure its product secrets aren’t launched, but will be more “transparent” when it comes to environmental concerns and factory conditions.
° Steve Jobs’ death was the “saddest day” of his life.
° Per Jobs’ request before he died, Cook is doing his own thing at Apple, not trying to always guess “what Steve would do.”
° Cook would love for there to eventually be an Apple product entirely made in the U.S., but the company is creating more and more jobs here.
° “Apple has not sued anyone over standards essential patents that we own, because we view that it’s fundamentally wrong to do that. The intention was some payment be made. And we can always argue about the payment, and there has to be a forum for resolving those disputes.”
° Facebook and Apple are much alike. Look for the companies to do more together.
° Customers love Siri, and Apple has some great things coming to it in the weeks and months ahead.
° Apple has no plans for a dedicated gaming console.
° He’s never been as amazed as he is by “all the things I cannot talk about today.”
