The CEO doesn’t believe Apple will fade away like other players in the industry

Dec 7, 2012 12:03 GMT  ·  By
NBC Rock Center anchor Brian Williams with Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer
   NBC Rock Center anchor Brian Williams with Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer

Speaking to NBC’s Brian Williams in his first television interview, Tim Cook touted Apple as a highly-focused company, one that doesn’t try to do everything just because the technology is there.

Analysts are all-eyes on Apple as the world’s most valuable company has been showing signs of weakness recently.

The company’s stock has taken a tumble following a series of events that ended with the firing of several key executives, as well as the repositioning of others who weathered out Hurricane Tim’s wrath.

Following Apple’s reported executive shakeup last month, Tim Cook agreed to have an open discussion with NBC’s Rock Center anchor Brian Williams, to let the world know how Apple is doing, and what its direction is.

In the interview, Williams touched on quite a few sensitive subjects, including the issues surrounding Apple’s Chinese suppliers, the iOS Maps debacle, Steve Jobs’ legacy, and Apple’s vision of the future.

On the last topic, Cook said, “We’re very simple people at Apple. We focus on making the world’s best products and enriching people’s lives.”

Williams mentioned Sony as a company that once had Apple’s level of fame and fortune but eventually lost massive amounts of market share to rival gadget makers.

Cook replied saying his company is all about focus, suggesting there’s very little chance of that happening to Apple.

“I think some companies, maybe even the one that you mention, maybe they decided that they could do everything. We have to make sure, at Apple, that we stay true to focus, laser focus. We know we can only do great things a few times, only on a few products.”

Williams also asked the CEO whether he regards Samsung as a mortal enemy, hinting at Steve Jobs’ “thermonuclear” war declared on copycats.

“We love our customers,” Cook said. “And we’ll fight to defend them with anyone. Is it thermonuclear war? The reality is [...] we love competition, at Apple. We think it makes us all better. But we want people to invent their own stuff,” he said.