Apple CEO Tim Cook one year later: Important moments
After Steve Jobs’ resignation, Tim Cook took over as Apple’s CEO on Aug. 24, 2011.
Here are the most significant 10 Apple moments during his first year on the job.
1. Charitable matching program -- Sept. 8, 2011
It didn’t take long for Cook to start shaking things up in Cupertino, Calif. He instituted a charitable matching program that equaled employees’ donations to nonprofits, dollar for dollar. That was in stark contrast to Jobs, who reportedly told employees that giving away money was a waste.
2. Cook delivers his first keynote, introduces the iPhone 4S -- Oct. 4, 2011
The iPhone 4S was Jobs’ baby, but its premiere marked Cook’s first big launch as CEO. The 4S’ introduction left some disappointed and Cook hardly spoke -- leaving most of the presenting to others at Apple -- but this was our first glimpse at life at Apple after Jobs.
3. Jobs passes -- Oct. 5, 2011
Just one day after Cook introduced the iPhone 4S, the man who co-founded Apple and later brought it back from the brink of collapse passed away. Cook no longer had his predecessor to turn to for guidance.
4. Apple reveals it has nearly $100 billion in cash -- Jan. 24, 2012
As Apple delivered its first quarter earnings of the year, the company revealed it had $97.6 billion in cash. While much of this was, of course, still attributable to Jobs’ steering of the company, it gave Cook a safety cushion. Wall Street called on Apple to share the wealth and pay dividends.
5. The new iPad is revealed -- March 7, 2012
Cook unveiled the third generation iPad, but broke from tradition. Rather than calling the new device the iPad 3 he simply referred to it as the “new iPad.”
6. Cook announces dividends -- March 19, 2012
In a move that left no doubt Apple was now Cook’s company, he announced Apple would begin paying dividends to shareholders -- something Jobs hated. As Apple’s pile of money kept growing, Cook announced the company would pay out $2.65 a share each quarter.
7. Cook visits China -- Late March 2012
After facing tough criticism for years from many observers about labor conditions at many of Apple’s suppliers, Cook visited China. The Apple CEO toured a Foxconn plant and took a look at the working conditions, a move that was received positively by many observers.
8. Cook unveils MacBook refresh at Worldwide Developer Conference -- June 11, 2012
At the 2012 WWDC, Cook introduced not one but 10 new MacBooks, including the 15-inch MacBook Prowith Retina, which the company called “the most beautiful computer we have ever made.” He also introduced the iOS 6 mobile operating system.
9. Apple leaves environmental registry, comes back and admits mistake -- Summer 2012
Apple informed the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool that it was unlisting all of its products and would no longer submit them for ratings. This angered many people, and Apple received a swift and thorough backlash, including one from San Francisco city officials, who decided they would not use city funds to purchase Apple computers.
A few weeks later, Apple said leaving the registry was a mistake. The reversal showed Cook would admit when he was wrong -- a characteristic Jobs rarely, if ever, showed.
10. Apple becomes the most valuable company in the world, sort of -- Aug. 20, 2012
When Apple’s market value hit $623.5 billion this week, the company broke the nominal record set in 1999 by its bitter rival Microsoft. This more than anything marked how far Apple has come since Jobs returned to the company in the mid-1990s. And it showed how it has continued growing since Cook took over.
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