Ads on Apple TV+ and the Joe and Jobs A.I. Show - TMO Daily Observations 2022-10-13

There is talk again/still that Apple may try an ad-supported tier for Apple TV+. TMO writer Nick deCourville tells us why people think so and what such a thing might look like. Also – Joe Rogan interviewed Steve Jobs this week, except – obviously – no he did not. Sure sounds like it though… Nick and Ken talk about that creepy, creepy conversation.

Tripp Mickle's Book 'After Steve' Covers Apple's Rise to Trillions

Wall Street Journal correspondent Tripp Mickle has a book coming out called After Steve with an eye-catching subtitle, “How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul.” It goes on sale May 3, 2022 and is available to preorder today. From the website: “His research shows the company’s success came at a cost. Apple lost its innovative spirit and has not designed a new category of device in years. Ive’s departure in 2019 marked a culmination in Apple’s shift from a company of innovation to one of operational excellence, and the price is a company that has lost its soul.”

Steve Jobs Returned to Apple 25 Years Ago

This week marks a major landmark in Apple history. It’s 25 years since the company acquired NeXT and Steve Jobs returned. MacRumors has a good reflection on the episode.

“With this merger, the advanced software from NeXT will be married with Apple’s very high-volume hardware platforms and marketing channels to create another breakthrough, leapfrogging existing platforms, and fueling Apple and the industry copy cats for the next ten years and beyond,” said Jobs. “I still have very deep feelings for Apple, and it gives me great joy to play a role in architecting Apple’s future.” Jobs initially returned to Apple as an advisor, making his first appearance at Macworld San Francisco in January 1997 to announce details of how Apple planned to incorporate NeXT technology into future releases of Mac OS. Jobs went on to replace Amelio as the company’s interim CEO just nine months later, and he ended up dropping the interim title and remaining CEO until stepping down in August 2011 due to health issues.

Steve Jobs Tried to Get Michael Dell to License macOS on Every Machine he Sold

There has been lots of conversation and reminiscing about Steve Jobs on the tenth anniversary of his passing. One of those with a story is Michael Dell. He recalled how Mr. Jobs wanted macOS on every Dell machine, and to be paid a license fee for it. As CNET noted, such a deal would have had a profound impact on the future of computing.

“He said, look at this — we’ve got this Dell desktop and it’s running Mac OS,” Dell tells me. “Why don’t you license the Mac OS?” Dell thought it was a great idea and told Jobs he’d pay a licensing fee for every PC sold with the Mac OS. But Jobs had a counteroffer: He was worried that licensing scheme might undermine Apple’s own Mac sales because Dell computers were less costly. Instead, Dell says, Jobs suggested he just load the Mac OS alongside Windows on every Dell PC and let customers decide which software to use — and then pay Apple for every Dell PC sold. “It could have changed the trajectory for Windows and Mac OS on PCs. But obviously they went in a different direction.”