IT Management - CIOInsight
Home arrow IT Management arrow 9 Questions Every CIO Wants to Ask Apple's Tim Cook

IT Management Slideshow:
9 Questions Every CIO Wants to Ask Apple's Tim Cook

By Don Reisinger on 2011-09-27


When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs made the surprising decision in August 2011 to step down as CEO of and become chairman of the board, many CIOs couldn’t help but wonder what the future would look like for the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm. (Editor's Update: Jobs passed away Oct. 5, 2011, at age 56.) Will Apple stay the same or will it drastically change under the leadership of new CEO Tim Cook? As one might expect, in the time that Cook has been leading Apple, not much has changed. What’s more, Cook himself has said that he has no plans to change how the company operates since, he believes, that it’s doing what it must to be competitive (and dominant) in the marketplace. Over the years, CIOs have had a love-hate relationship with Apple and Jobs. And the same might be said for Apple and Jobs towards CIOs. But with a new CEO comes a new opportunity to rekindle that relationship, and see, once and for all, if Apple really can be a friendly to enterprise customers while maintaining its consumer pizzazz. Here are the 9 questions we're betting you'd like to ask Apple CEO Tim Cook right now.

LATEST STORIES

BLOGS
 
  • of
When will iPhone 5 launch?
After much rumor and speculation surrounding the latest version of the iPhone, it looks like iPhone 5 is set to be unveiled on Oct. 4. It's time for Cook put all that speculation to rest.

Will iPad 3 come with 4G?
More than anything else, the iPad 2’s lack of 4G connectivity is a problem for CIOs. After all, the faster an employee’s Web speed, the more work they can get it done. That’s why it might be worth asking Cook if the iPad 3 will come with 4G. If not, forget it and move on to something else.

How much influence does Steve Jobs still have?
Over the years, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs wasn’t the most enterprise-friendly CEO. Rather than cater to corporate users, he expected them to follow his lead. And in many cases, they balked. As chairman of Apple’s board, Jobs undoubtedly will remain involved in the fate of the company, even as he battles serious health issues.

Can we expect enterprise-friendly cloud solutions?
Apple's iCloud is a consumer-focused Web-based service that syncs content across computers and iOS-based devices. Although iCloud isn’t really designed for enterprise users, it's likely to crop up in the workplace just as other Apple products and solutions have.

Where are the mobile enterprise features?
Apple's iOS 4 has a host of fine enterprise features, such as remote wipe, remote device management, and more. That said, CIOs want more, and CEO Tim Cook needs to let them know if Apple plans to deliver the enterprise goods.

Is there an enterprise roadmap?
Now that Steve Jobs is no longer CEO at Apple, it remains to be seen whether the company will shift its focus a bit and offer up an enterprise roadmap for corporate-friendly products in the coming years. Unlikely? Sure, but it never hurts to ask.

When will Mac OS X be corporate-friendly?
The company’s latest release, Mac OS X Lion is as consumer-focused as prior editions. But will that change under Cook? Speculation abounds that Apple could look towards the enterprise eventually to expand its business and buoy profits. Could that happen with the next version of Mac OS X?

Where’s the enterprise MacBook?
Apple is delivering some of the nicest computers in the market. And yet, the firm’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks are still not all there for enterprise users. With HP poised for a tumultuous few years in the PC space, this could be Apple’s shot to offer enterprise-ready MacBooks. Will it take the chance?

How strong is Apple’s security, really?
Over the years, Apple has touted its security, saying that it’s far better than Windows security. But is that really the case? Apple’s critics say that the company’s operating systems haven’t been tested, and that’s why users experience less trouble. Maybe CIOs should check with Tim Cook to determine what the deal is, once and for all.

  • More slideshows

FEATURED SPONSORED VIDEOS

FEATURED SPONSORED ARTICLES

Erasable E-Paper Saves Trees, Cuts Costs

Why Smart Companies Should Adopt the Lessons of Gaming

Interest in Mobile WiFi Hotspots Fuels New Solutions

A Closer Look at Public Cloud Security

View More Articles

  Brought to You By
Click Here



 

Advertisement

Sponsored Links
  • Try Windows Azure free for 90 days

  • Introducing the world's first family of systems with integrated expertise

  • FREE Securing Smartphones & Tablets for Dummies Book from Sophos
  • 77% of the Fortune 500 Manage Content Securely with Box.
  • Leverage your virtual computing environment with Dell.
  • Build an IT Infrastructure That Delivers the Future
  • 5 New Technologies That Will Change Enterprise ITAdvertisement
  • eWEEK Quick LInks

     
    Close this advertisement