Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke about the company’s progress as it approaches its 50th anniversary, during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning in conjunction with the release of the book Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue.
Cook explained that Apple, which was founded in 1976, is preparing to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary on April 1. However, he noted that the company’s culture is not so much focused on celebrating the past as always being preoccupied with what’s next.
He added that Apple used to focus on developing existing products and seeking to invent new things before users realized they needed them. According to Cook, this way of thinking is what has made the company different throughout its history.
Cook also touched on the influence of Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple who died in 2011, stressing that the principles he established still form the core of the company today. He explained that Jobs believed in the necessity of developing products that enrich the lives of users, which is the approach that Apple is trying to maintain and continue.
Cook also pointed to an important piece of advice that Jobs left him before his passing, which is that the company should not get caught up in trying to think about what Jobs would have done in each situation, but rather continue moving forward with confidence. Cook believes that this trend helped Apple continue to innovate without remaining captive to the past.
Speaking about Apple’s position today, Cook described the company as a unique case in the world of technology, stressing that its experience is difficult to replicate. He said that Apple stands in a special position among technology companies, considering that it is “in a category of its own.”
