Apple CEO Tim Cook Faces 2012 in a Truly Post-Jobsian World

More, First: Steve Jobs was famous for releasing products slowly, when they were ready, and often maintained the ethos that what a product doesn’t have is what makes it unique. Jobs may be right on that, but there was no technical reason why the iPod Touch needed to wait through multiple iterations to finally get a camera. Likewise, Jobs may have scrapped ideas, like a 7-inch iPad, but now rumors are flowing that Apple may revive that product. Perhaps Cook was involved in that decision? Whereas Steve Jobs’ word was the final call, Cook may be more flexible and open to other opinions. More simply, a Cook-led Apple may be more publicly experimental (though not to the extent Google is).

Refocusing Apple’s Efforts: Jobs very well may have done this, but I see Cook as someone who will definitely want to laser-focus on a product lineup. That means out with the old and in with the new. With Xserve dead, Mac Pro shipping times slipping and MacBook and iPad sales continuing to climb, Apple soon could carry a limited selection of highly popular products, which could be helpful for attracting new customers and good for Apple’s bottom line. But don’t kid yourself: Out with the old could also mean out with old customers. If Mac Pros aren’t bringing in decent sales, the sad truth is those customers are no longer as important as the iPhone-campers on launch day.

Surprise the World: Just because Steve Jobs isn’t around anymore doesn’t mean Cook can’t wow the industry. Sure, Cook is more reserved and less animated, but Apple still is a company that will shape the world. Cook’s secondary job in 2012 will be convincing the public that Apple is still Apple behind the scenes and Cook can cary the company forward with both charisma and exciting products. The tech world knows this and has embraced Cook (keynotes have gone from “Steve-notes” to “Cook-keys” — get it?), but many of Apple’s consumers may not understand. My prediction is the launch of the iPhone 5 will both herald Jobs as a genius for the work he left behind, and propel Cook into the spotlight as a true personality at Apple.