Neil Hughes
RBC Capital Markets and ChangeWave recently conducted a survey of 3,091 respondents between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, asking them about a hypothetical scenario in which Jobs might depart Apple, the company he co-founded. Of those surveyed, 93 percent said they would likely continue buying Apple's products or would not actively change their purchasing decisions if Jobs were not at the helm.
The latest results are a change from June 2008, when a previous survey found that 18 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to buy Apple products if Steve Jobs were not with the company.
Analyst Mike Abramsky said the results show that Apple may be bigger than its CEO. Consumers may now have a higher comfort about the company without Jobs at the helm than they did in the past, thanks in part to its success in 2009 with Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook at the helm.
The last time Jobs was on medical leave, the company's stock rose 144 percent, revenue increased by 20 percent, and the company shipped 25 million iPhones.
After Jobs announced in January that he would take a medical leave of absence but remain CEO, investors have been concerned about the possibility of Apple without Jobs at the helm. But many analysts on Wall Street believe that Apple has a deep bench of executive talent that is qualified to lead the company into the future.
Abramsky said the new survey could show that Apple has transitioned in the minds of consumers over the past few years into a company that isn't just about Jobs, its charismatic leader and chief salesman.
"Consumers have had 3 years to evolve their perception of the Apple brand around its creative new products, cutting edge innovation, iTunes/App Store ecosystem and premium quality positioning — beyond the buying pull of Apple's iconic CEO," he said.
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
41 Comments
Steve has built an incredible team and an incredible culture that will endure for a long long time. Not to mention the amazing pipeline that we can expect to keep flowing with surprises for both us, and the competition.
Steve has built an incredible team and an incredible culture that will endure for a long long time. Not to mention the amazing pipeline that we can expect to keep flowing with surprises for both us, and the competition.
I think that pretty much sums it up. I'll definitely keep buying Apple's products as long as the quality, service and ownership experience remain the same or better (with or without SJ).
What a moronic survey.
No one buys Apple stuff because they are Steve Jobs fans. They buy Apple stuff because it's generally awesome, and Steve is a big part of that. Would you ask a Starbuck's addict if they would stop going to Starbucks if [whoever the CEO/founder is] left the company? Of course not. Would they stop going if, after he left, the coffee wasn't as good? Of course.
Public opinion polling in this case is pointless.
Kind of an odd survey. Why would anyone stop buying products from a company simply because the CEO changes, holding all else constant? That would be weird.
The bigger issue is whether the exit of Jobs affects the desirability of future (not current) Apple products, due to the lack of his input. That's something that nobody knows for sure, but we can all guess about.
My guess, as I've said before, is that the exit of Jobs might have a short term (next 2-5 years) positive effect as Apple starts to introduce products that people want, but that Jobs wouldn't ship. In the longer term, though, the negative effects of his absence might be felt as Apple *might* start to lose strategic vision/focus. But who knows.... it just really depends on the individuals who run the company after he leaves, and it's very hard to predict how that will go.
Jobs? absence has already impacted the company. This is evidenced by the fact that there have been no major moves from the company since Jobs took leave. Seems like an extended period compared to Apple?s norm. The last major announcement (Verizon gets iPhone 4) came just before his temporary departure. Certainly, Apple will continue to operate when Jobs leave, but it will probably transition to a more traditional operation versus a pioneer of the industry.