Forstall's Departure May Be 'Positive' for Apple

[Michael Essany]

As MMi's Phillip Swanson reported Monday, longtime Apple executive and one-time Steve Jobs confidante Scott Forstall is being (allegedly) forced from his position at Apple in response to his refusal to sign a letter of apology relating to the embarrassing Apple Maps debacle.

Yet, surprisingly, the loss of Forstall isn't necessarily being viewed as a big negative for Apple. In fact, with celebrated designed Jony Ive now getting a bigger role at Apple in Forstall's absence, investors should no longer be as concerned as they once were about Ive's possible departure.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said this morning that Ive will likely remain with Apple for the "foreseeable future." And that should ease the minds of many during yet another tumultuous executive shakeup. "This, combined with Tim Cook's nine years remaining on his contract with Apple, suggests the two most critical management figures will be in place for the longer term," Munster said.

Since Steve Jobs passed away last October, it is believed that Forstall has been an unmanageable personality in some ways around Apple, causing stress and frustration among many high-level officials at the company. Consequently, the scuttlebutt around Apple today is that Forstall's exit has resulted in a number of Apple executives celebrating the loss.

Source: Barron's

Tech Trader Daily - Barrons.com

[RICO_]

Until they fix the "Apple Maps debacle" they really have nothing to celebrate about. You still have a problem to fix.

[Gervs]

This article echoes my comments on the previous article about Scot Forstall's departure, well all except the bit about worried shareholders, I don't give a frak about them. And, YES I do want a medal.

[cgfusion]

OMG, get over the Maps, I travel all the time and have no problem with the Map app. Try looking up and reading road signs....the world got along for a long time without Map Apps and SmartPhones.

[teej1410]

If Ives ever leaves, I might painfully switch over to mostly using Android.

[unison999]

The world got along without Apple and iPhones also, people used simple cellphones or pay phones so what is your point?

It might not be a problem for you, it is for others.

[barondebxl]

modmyi is the biggest Isheep website. I dont see how this could be positive, he is a familiar face and people like him. He is actually one of 2 people that i like at apple. the other was Steve. rest of them are douches.

[feidhlim1986]

Why two posts about Forstall but none about Apples head of Retail also leaving?

[*T*]

If Ives ever leaves, I might painfully switch over to mostly using Android.

Same.

[Charlymanson]

OMG, get over the Maps, I travel all the time and have no problem with the Map app. Try looking up and reading road signs....the world got along for a long time without Map Apps and SmartPhones.

You have no idea what maps is missing, for one : Transit times, Another - Street View - Also there is barely any restaurants visually added onto the maps. You may think its perfect, but its lacking in many places. And also, people have been using maps since the the medieval times, smartphones just allow the maps to be compressed in a small form factor.

[Mrteacup]

Im pretty sure if apple fired him they dont exactly think that will be a bad thing for the company..

[iH85CH001]

OMG, get over the Maps, I travel all the time and have no problem with the Map app. Try looking up and reading road signs....the world got along for a long time without Map Apps and SmartPhones.

I agree.

Apple has been firing a lot of people lately.

[steve-z17]

I think we'll see less skeuomorphism with Forstall gone, which will be a good thing. He really had a hard-on for that stuff. Having Ive over the outside and now the inside (software) will be very good! The Maps thing isn't that big of a deal. I find errors using google maps all the time. No one is perfect, especially with a new release like that. At least they're fixing all the submitted errors and then some!

[BhadKarma]

Maps works perfect for me in Canada. I was impressed with the navigation too...

[iLoveWindows&iPhone]

You have no idea what maps is missing, for one : Transit times, Another - Street View - Also there is barely any restaurants visually added onto the maps. You may think its perfect, but its lacking in many places. And also, people have been using maps since the the medieval times, smartphones just allow the maps to be compressed in a small form factor.

Oh nooooooo!!! You can't use street view to look at the "restaurants" you are so obsessed with!! Your life must REALLY suck now! I bet times are really tough for you right now....but hang in there! I'm sure Apple Maps, in the not to distant future, will have the ability for you to virtually stare at your favorite restaurants all day. Hopefully for you, it will also be able to teleport you directly to your favorite eating spot, eliminating the need for you to exert any physical or mental energy whatsoever!

The new Maps is awesome. Deal with it. Ya it doesn't help people who take the bus. But if your taking the bus....should you really even own a iPhone??? Perhaps buying a car first would be a better approach.

[Gervs]

modmyi is the biggest Isheep website. I dont see how this could be positive, he is a familiar face and people like him. He is actually one of 2 people that i like at apple. the other was Steve. rest of them are douches.

If you would have bothered to read this story on a proper news site and not on an "isheep" website like this one, you would know that the maps thing was just an excuse and the real reason he was let go was because he was a douche bag, or "abrasive and brash" was how the non-isheep news sites reported it. And because of this he was rubbing our exec's on his level the wrong way. This combined with the fact that jobs is no longer here to save his ***, Forstall had to go. And yes it's positive coz iOS can finally lose the tackiness from its UI, at first it was fine but it's been 5 years and iOS was becoming the Porche of smartphone UI's.

Just because someone is a good speaker, showman or even a genius (forstall was not a genius) doesn't automatically exempt them from having a douche bag personality.

[jaas75]

Oh nooooooo!!! You can't use street view to look at the "restaurants" you are so obsessed with!! Your life must REALLY suck now! I bet times are really tough for you right now....but hang in there! I'm sure Apple Maps, in the not to distant future, will have the ability for you to virtually stare at your favorite restaurants all day. Hopefully for you, it will also be able to teleport you directly to your favorite eating spot, eliminating the need for you to exert any physical or mental energy whatsoever!

The new Maps is awesome. Deal with it. Ya it doesn't help people who take the bus. But if your taking the bus....should you really even own a iPhone??? Perhaps buying a car first would be a better approach.

Dude that was totally uncalled for, specially the bus part, i guess you have never visit NY city where having a car is a bad idea compared with public transportation.
thats my 2 cents at least

[vbuen323]

OMG, get over the Maps, I travel all the time and have no problem with the Map app. Try looking up and reading road signs....the world got along for a long time without Map Apps and SmartPhones.

4 REAL!!! Some people are just morons and need a "smart phone" to get through life.

[quidam_brujah]

OMG, get over the Maps, I travel all the time and have no problem with the Map app. Try looking up and reading road signs....the world got along for a long time without Map Apps and SmartPhones.

I travel all the time too... just got back from Greece. Maps app was HORRIBLE. First, showed EVERYTHING in Greek. I don't read Greek. Second, searches showed WRONG LOCATIONS -- even when inputing exact addresses it was wrong most of the time. I had to use Google Maps via browser if I needed a 'live' map. Your solution of reading road signs doesn't really help plot a path, which is the primary function of the Maps app. And yes, the world got along for a long time without apps & smartphones, just like they did penicillin and electricity. However, if you pay for something you kind of expect it to work -- like penicillin and electricity.

Reading road signs... you might well suggest, 'why complain about your sextant -- just use an astrolabe: they worked fine for a hundred years!'