Unlike most bloggers, I haven’t yet mentioned Steve Jobs’s untimely death earlier this month, despite being a big fan of Apple’s products and having enormous respect for his passion, leadership and achievements.
As those who have read Strategy Execution will know, I explored Apple’s approach to executing strategy in great depth in the book via a strategy execution map, because it’s a super example of strategy execution mastery.
So, time to pay tribute to Steve Jobs, by quoting various technology-related predictions made over the years…
“Everything that can be invented has already been invented.”
– Charles H. Duell, Director of the U.S. Patent Office, 1899
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
– Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
“I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year.“
– Editor of Prentice Hall business books, 1957
“There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.”
– Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
“I’d shut [Apple] down and give the money back to the shareholders.”
– Michael Dell, founder & CEO of Dell, 1997
“Next Christmas the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput.”
– Sir Alan Sugar, 2005
“There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.”
– Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, 2007
“The most compelling reason for most people to buy a computer for the home will be to link it to a nationwide communications network. We’re just in the beginning stages of what will be a truly remarkable breakthrough for most people – as remarkable as the telephone.”
– Steve Jobs, 1985
