In an article over at The Guardian, creative director Ken Segall, who worked with Steve Jobs for 12 years and also led the team behind Apple’s legendary Think different ad campaign, has said that Apple’s massive growth was due to Jobs’ love of simplicity but now, things have changed as people are seeing complexity in expanding product lines, confusing product names, and the products themselves. “Tim Cook’s Apple isn’t as simple as Steve’s Apple”, says Segall.
He writes that four years ago, Steve’s love of simplicity could be seen in Apple’s hardware, software, packaging, marketing, retail store design, even the company’s internal organization. But now under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple is selling three different iPhones, four different iPads and three different MacBooks. The Apple Watch comes in seemingly infinite combinations of sizes and bands. “The Apple universe is exploding with complexity! Or is it?”.
“So, yes, Apple’s product lines have become more complicated. But really, are they that complicated? The company’s entire selection of products can easily fit on an average-size table. When a company cares about simplicity, it offers the right choices – not endless choices.
I have zero doubt that Apple believes deeply in the power of simplicity. Simplicity is at the heart of the company’s products and the foundation of its vision for the future. But simplicity is a matter of perception, and it’s hard to ignore the fact that Apple is struggling to present a simple image to its customers”.
Segall also notes that the flaws and complexities now seem to be creeping into Apple’s products more frequently. “There is serious work to be done in rebuilding the perception of simplicity that helped Apple become the world’s most valuable company”.
Do you guys agree with Segall?
