The results reported during Apple’s Q2 2016 earnings call has sparked an ongoing dialogue questioning Tim Cook’s lack of creative vision as Apple’s CEO. Most recently, American music industry analyst and critic, Bob Lefsetz drew a parallel between Bob Dylan and Steve Jobs, describing the influential icons as innovators that possessed an unstoppable force of dynamic intuition. However, while addressing Cook’s performance and role as Apple’s CEO, the music analyst said, “Apple without Jobs is like The Doors without Jim Morrison”. Lefsetz goes on to declare that Apple’s “creative genius is gone”. Whether Lefsetz’s prediction regarding Apple’s dim future is right or wrong, I do believe since 2007 (i.e. the release of the first generation iPhone), the company stopped establishing itself as a future thought leader in the landscape of technology, music, and film.
As an independent filmmaker and Apple “fangirl”, I must admit, it’s been difficult to watch one of history’s most innovative technology companies reach a point of stagnant ideation and saturation of product development. With regards to the film and television industry, since the early 2000’s, Apple’s Final Cut Pro was the leading professional editing software —containing over 50% of the creative market share, giving Apple a substantial lead over any other software, including Avid, Media Composer and Adobe’s Premiere. Final Cut was not only a popular editing suite amongst major film studio productions but was also widely used by independent and student filmmakers alike.
In 2011, during my first semester at film school, I will never forget the intense feeling of disappointment that was collectively shared amongst the student and faculty body when Apple announced it would be retiring Final Cut Pro 7 and replacing the software with Final Cut Pro X, a weaker product with stripped down features and numerous bugs.
Long story short, Final Cut Pro X was not received with open arms and over the past five years, Apple’s Final Cut lost its dominating stature in the film industry. In fact, many consider the once revered program to be “dead”. Alternatively Avid, Media Composer has taken over the professional market and is now considered the industry standard while Adobe’s Premiere Pro is frequently used for indie and student film productions. Since the release of Final Cut Pro X, it feels as though Apple has forgotten the creative role it once played in the production of great cinema. For example, Final Cut Pro was once used to edit movies like The Social Network (2010) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011); both films won the Academy Award for “Best Editing”.
I don’t want to even begin to address Apple Music and it’s awkward, lackluster presence in the world of streaming music. However, I do want to posit the question: “when will Apple play a role again as a tool for the creative mind and inspire us to follow in the footsteps of Steve Jobs' innovative legacy?