FormethatmanwasWillyWonkaandeverytimeIwenttoCupertinoIwasCharlievisitingtheChocolateFactory.Idon’tmindsayingthattherewasnoonealiveintheworldIadmiredmoreandnooneIwantedtorileless.Iwillcometomystory,butfirstthebackground.Iamsureyouknowmostofit.
OutsideApplehewentontocreateNeXTIncononeofwhosecomputersTimBerners-LeewrotetheprogramsandprotocolsofhisinventiontheWorldWideWeb.
InswiftanddazzlingsuccessioncameMacBooks,iPods,iPhones,iPads...therehadneverbeenacorporatestorylikeitinourlifetime.Ragstorichestoragstorichesagaindoesn’tdoitjustice.
SufficetosayIhavewatchedthefortunesoftheBigAfromadistanceandfromcloseupformorethan30years.SomepeopleloveFerraris,tifositheyarecalled.SomepeopleloveAppleproducts.Fanboiswearecalled.Andyes,thatistherightspelling.Iapologise.
IthasbeenmanyyearssincetheApplestorywasastoryofDavidfacinguptothebrutalIBMGoliathorastoryofStGeorgepiercingthesideofthefire-breathingMicrosoftdragon.Applehasbeenthebigmanoncampusforadecadeormorenow.Campus.Moreonthatlater.
Thelegendgoeslikethis:theSteveJobslegacywasoneofalmostmaniacalmicro-managementwhenitcametocreatinganewproductandofalmostBarnum-likemasteryofhooplaandrazzmatazzwhenitcametoselling.
AsJobssoterriblyandsadlysickenedandfinallywithdrewfromthecompany,thequestionaroseonWallStreetandinthepagesofthetechpress:Couldthecompanysurvivewithoutitsgreatimpresario“Callhimhucksterorcallhimgenius,heisApple.”Thatwasthecry.
ButsinceJobs’sdeathApple’sfortuneshavenotgoneintodecline.Infactthegrowthgraphhasclimbedevermoresteeply.Thefiguresaresimplyincredible.
HasTimCookdonethisbythrowingagreycorporateblanketoverAppleBytighteningeveryfinancialandfiscalscrewItseemsnot.TimCookhasdonewhatSteveJobsdidbutmoreso.Hehasreinforcedtheethosofdesign,design,design.Hehasoverseenthelaunchofdazzlingnewproductsandsoftwareevolutions.Cookhasputdesignevenmorefrontandcentrethaniteverwas.
Design,likefoodinBritain,usedtobesomethingyoudidn’ttalkabout.Itwasflash,faintlyunmanlyandfranklyforeign.Yes,ofcourseafellowsometimeshastogetoutarulerandaRotringtomakeatechnicaldrawingwhichmightshowhowsomethingfunctionalandusefulcouldlook.
Butyoudon’tgoabouttheplacecallingitdesignwithacapitalD.Howpretentious.Emperor’snewclothes.Nonsense.AllabitDanishandweird.Nobodycanaffordtobelievethatanymore.TherewasatimewhenyouwouldhearthatApple’ssuccesswastheresultofaherdmentalityfuelledbychicearlyadopters,foolswhoweresoonpartedfromtheirmoney.TheonlyfooltodaywouldbesomeonewhostillbelievedthatthisexplainedtheApplephenomenon.
JonyIve,themanatthecentreoftheCupertinogiant’ssuccessunderbothJobsandCook,isentirelyandquiteexhaustinglypassionateabouteverylastdetailthatgoesintohiscreations.
ThedevelopmentcostsanddevelopmenttimesofeverythingfromthosefirstiPodstothenewlineofApplewatcheswerefarhigherandfarlongerthananyothercompanyinthesectormighttolerate.
Andasaresulttherevenuesfromthoseproductsarefar,farhigherthananyothercompanycandreamof.ThemoreIvespendsintimeandmoneythemoredesirabletheproductsandthehighertheincomestheyderive.SteveJobscollaboratedwithIveinclose,ofteninterfering,waysthatthequietlyintenseEnglishmanadmittedheoftenfound“maddening”,forallthathelovedhimabsolutely.
TimCookvaluesIvejustashighlyaseverJobsdid.AfewyearsagohegavehimresponsibilityfortheHumanInterface(HI)departmentontopofhisroleasheadofIndustrialDesign(ID),effectivelygivinghimcontroloftheentiresweepoftheAppledesignprocess.
IDisaboutthephysicaldevicesthemselveswhileHIisabouttheimages,interactions,sounds,flowandfeelofthesoftwarethatweinteractwithasweusethem.
Withcontroloverboth,Ivehasbeenabletomigratethemobileanddesktopoperatingsystemsfromtheirold-fashionedskeuomorphicrenderingofappiconsasrealworldrepresentations(ringbindersandeventornpageeffectsonthecontactsandcalendarsapps,forinstance)intoabrighter,clearersetofexquisitelydesignedimagesthatspeakforthemselves.Ive’sinventivenesscanperhapsmoststarklybeexpressedbyrevealingthathehasnearly5,000patentstohisname.Togiveyousomepointofcomparison,Edisonwasgranted2,332.
IfnothingelseIvehasdoneBritainahugefavour.ApplehasrecentlydevelopedastandardBritishpowerplugwhoseprongsfoldelegantlybackflushintotheirbody.Easilystowed,noagonyifaccidentallytrodon.AseparateandwhollydifferentsolutiontothatofferedbytheMuPlugwhichsolvestheprobleminanotherway.
“Ittookagestosolve,”Ivesayswistfully.
Andthatisthepoint.Nooneelsecaresasmuch.Ofcourseittookages,becauseanythingworthdoingdoes.Peoplewhotakepainstotheextentheandhisteamdoareveryveryrare.
Takepackaging.OnthisissuealoneApple’sdesignteamshouldbehugged.Everyparceltheyshipopenseasily,withoutscissorsorknivesorpainfulgruntingandwrestling.
Perfectlythoughtoutlittlestripsunziptheboxes.Onceopen,otherexquisitelyorigami-inspiredsolutionstothewrappingproblemcompoundthebuyer’sdelight.Ifyouwanttobecynicalaboutit,they“addvalue”,butthatisthevirtuouscircleofgooddesign.Doneforitsownends,butcarryingwithittheadvantageofextracommercialworth.
ButIcametoCupertinoinCalifornialastweektolearnmoreaboutachangethatIhadheardwasintheair.
Asoneapproaches1InfiniteLooponepassestheCompanyStore,whereallthingsApplecanbebought.IfoundaT-shirtthatsaid:"Ivisitedthemothership-JustsoyouknowhowsadIam."
TimCookjoinedmeforajuiceundertheparasolsthatshadethepatiooutsideCafféMacs,thecampus’scafeteria.Yes,campus.InAmericaitisnotonlyuniversitiesthatdescribetheirheadquartersasacampus.
CooktellsmethatJonyIvedesignedthetablesthatwe’resittingat.Roundwhite/greymarbledisks.AtleastIthinkthey’remarble.TheymightwellbeanewmaterialcalledIvelonorJonathanite.ExceptthefamouslymodestIvewouldbridleatsuchvanity.
I’mnotthesortofpersonwhooftengetstomeetpeopleofrealpowerandpositioninthecorporateworld.Butmyloveoftechnologyhasatleastledmetogettoknowafew.InsomewaysmeetingamanlikeCookissimilartomeetingagreatathleteormusician.Youalwayscometothesameconclusion:“Thatperson,”yousaytoyourself,“didn’tgetwheretheyarebyaccident.”
Andwheretheyareinhiscase,isinchargeofthemostvaluablecorporationontheplanet.Cookisendearinglyhonestaboutthe“shocking”,“unexpected”,“enormous”rateofgrowthinthecompany.“Inexcessofourexpectation”’ishowhefinallyphrasesitinmoreestablishedbusiness-speak.Hehasafairoldchunkofsharesandoptions,butheannouncednotlongagothatonceanephew’scollegeeducationispaidforhewillbegintoridhimselfofhisentirefortune.Theonewhodieswithmoneyinthebankloses,aboutsumsuptheNewPhilanthropy.
This,astheclerkSternsaysofOskarSchindler’slist,isanabsolutegood.
“MaybeitshouldbecalledtheSteveJobsCampus”Isuggest.“Oh,Stevemadehisviewsonthatveryclear,”saysCook.
Wetalkabouttheoldcampus,theonewe’resittingin.Fully23yearsold,it’sagrandseigneurbySiliconValleystandards.Imakethepoint,hopingthatIdon’tsoundinsultingtomyhostcountry,thatAmericaninfantilism(soapparentinthepappychildren’sfoodthatadultseatandthechildren’sfizzysweetdrinkstheydrinkandthechildren’scomicbookfilmstheywatch)wasalsoquiterifeinSiliconValleycampuses,althoughnotinApple’s.
“Well,youcantellmewhatyouthink.Whydon’twetakeyouaround”
Herises,bidsmefarewelluntiltomorrowandpadsacrossthedeckingofthepatiotohisnextmeeting.Ifeelvery,veryprivileged.NooneisallowedtoseeAppleCampus2.Iheardsomeonesaythateventheconstructionworkershavetowearblindfolds.
ButfirstIhadanappointmenttoseeJonyIve.
Untilnow,Ive’sjobtitlehasbeenSeniorVicePresidentofDesign.ButIcanrevealthathehasjustbeenpromotedandisnowApple’sChiefDesignOfficer.Itisthereforeanespeciallyexcitingtimeforhim.
Insidethefableddesignstudio(clothsoverthelongtableshidingtheexcitingnewprototypesfrompryingeyeslikemine)Jonyhastwopeoplewithhim.TheytoohavebeenpromotedaspartofIve’snewrole.
OneisRichardHowarth,EnglishasVimto.“RichardisgoingtobeournewheadofIndustrialDesign,”saysJony.“AndthisisAlanDye,thenewheadofUserInterface.”Dyeisatall,amiableAmerican.
Theyshowmearoundtheirdepartments,eachofwhichgiveofftheairofafriendlywell-stockedstudentyart-room,latestideasadorningthewalls,booksontheshelvesforreference,everythingfrommedievalGermantypographicalmanualstoDamienHirst’sRelics.
WhenIcatchupwithIvealone,Iaskhimwhyhehasseeminglyrelinquishedthetwodepartmentsthathadbeensosuccessfullyunderhiscontrol.“Well,I’mstillinchargeofboth,”hesays,“IamcalledChiefDesignOfficer.HavingAlanandRichardinplacefreesmeupfromsomeoftheadministrativeandmanagementworkwhichisn’t…whichisn’t…”
“Whichisn’twhatyouwereputonthisplanettodo”
“Exactly.Thosetwoareasgoodasitgets.RichardwasleadontheiPhonefromthestart.Hesawitallthewaythroughfromprototypestothefirstmodelwereleased.Alanhasageniusforhumaninterfacedesign.SomuchoftheAppleWatch’soperatingsystemcamefromhim.WiththosetwoinplaceIcan...”
Icouldfeelhimavoidingthephrase“blueskythinking”...thinkmorefreely”
“Yes!”
ItisthefruitofalongstandingandfriendlycollaborationbetweenAppleandFoster+Partners—youmightsaybetweenSirJonathanIveKBEandLordFosterofThamesBankOM.NormanFosterisofcourseknownforallkindsofarchitecturalcoupsdetheatre,fromWembleyStadiumandtheMillauViaducttoLondon’sGherkinandtheReichstaginBerlin.
HeisnowembarkingonthelargestprivateconstructionprojectinAmerica.TheoneinCupertinothatTimCookpromisedmeIcouldvisit.
TheAppleCampus2site,notsomanymilesfromInfiniteLoop,isinsanelyvast.Thegreatfeatureisaring,ahugecircularbuildingfourstoreyshighabovegroundandtwobelow.Itsoutercircumferenceisamilelong.
IarrivetherewithTimCookandJonyIveinajeepdrivenbyDanWhisenhunt,themanageroftheproject.Jonyisimmediatelyexplainingtomethewaytheheatingworks(somethingaboutusingoutsideair,naturalventing…I’msobadatunderstandingthissortofthing).Thereismuchtalkofprecastconcretemoulding,terrazzoandvoidslabceilings.Youwouldthinktheywerebuildinganinternationalairportsoepicisthescale.Otherbuildingsincludecarparksfor6,000vehiclesandatheatrewhichwillallowAppletostageitsproductlaunchesandpressconferencesonsite.
Atpresent,InfiniteLoopaccommodates5,000employees.AC2willcopewith13,000.Iamtolditsenergyusewillbe100percentrenewable.Eightypercentofthesitewillbeopenspace,thoughthicklywoodedwithtrees.
Jony’ssignaturewillbeeverywhere.Theoakchairs,thedeskswhichpeoplecanraiseorlowerwithlittlebuttons.Foster+Partnershave70or80workingontheprojectinLondonandanother40onsite.Itisamassiveundertaking.
Iwonderifthereisanothercompanyintheworldwhoseleaddesignerfashionsthepatiofurnitureusedbytheemployees,thevitrinesintheretailoutlets,theflowofanimageswipedonascreen,thebevellingandsweepofthecurveofatelephoneandthepackagingofawatchstrap.
Somuchtechnologicalsavvycombinedwithsomuchartistry.
Thatremindsme,I’veleftastoryhanging.HowIannoyedSteveJobs.
InJanuaryof2010theturtleneckedtechmessiahhadtakentothestageoftheYerbaBuenaCentreinSanFranciscotolaunchabrandnewproductcalled,muchtotheworld’samusementandderision,theiPad—“soundslikeafemininesanitaryitem!”somehooted.
Jobsstoodinfrontofagraphicrepresentationoftworoadsmeeting.
“IseeApple,”hesaid,“asexistingattheintersectionoftechnologyandtheliberalarts.”(Note:theliberalartsinthiscontextdoesnotconnoteLeft-leaningpolitics.ItisAmericanforwhatwewouldcall“thehumanities”).
Iwaspresentandsatintheaudiencewonderingwhyhehadleftoutthethirdroad.SevenweekslaterIwenttoseehimat1InfiniteLoop.ItwasthenthatIriledhim.IpickedhimuponwhatIsawasalacunainhismetaphor.
“Surely,”Isaid,“therearethreeroads.Isn’tittruertosaythatAppleexistsattheintersectionoftechnology,theliberalartsandcommerce”
“WhywouldyousaythatWhywouldyousaythat”
Oops.Helookedseriouslyannoyed.
“ButthisisAmerica,”Istammered,“isn’tcommerceagoodthing”
Hedrummedhisfingersandshiftedhiscross-leggedpositiononthechairhesaton.
“Hm…”
It’snotasifhecouldhitme,orfireme.Buthehadthatpowerfulqualityof...Idon’tknowwhatonecallsit...Personality.
“Yeah,you’reright.Commerce.There’sthatroad.Iguess.”
ButIcouldseethathewasstilluncomfortablewithaccepting“thatroad”intotheimageofApplehehadcast.ItwasthelasttimeIeversawhim.
IthinkIwasright.Theroadmarked“commerce”shouldhavebeenthere,butIwishIhadn’tsaidit.