A lesson Steve Jobs took from an old piece of furniture still guides how Apple builds its products, according to the company's new CEO, John Ternus. Before taking charge of Apple, Ternus oversaw its hardware engineering teams through multiple generations of devices. He says the principle holds even for the company's lowest-priced devices.
Ternus shared his thoughts soon after the MacBook Neo was launched earlier this year. He brought up a story about the late Apple co-founder that he counts among his favourites, using it to explain why Apple cares so much about parts of a product that buyers rarely see.
The Back of a Chest of Drawers
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
The anecdote is a simple one. While moving a chest of drawers, Jobs pulled it away from the wall and took a look at its back. He reflected on the carpenter who made it, noting that the back had been finished as beautifully as the rest of the piece, even though nobody was ever likely to see it.
Ternus said the story is never far from his mind, as he feels it captures exactly what Apple does.
Since the days of the first Macintosh, Apple has treated the inside of its hardware and its hidden surfaces with as much engineering precision as the outer casing.
ALSO READ | John Ternus Net Worth, Salary, Career, Family & More — All You Need To Know About Apple CEO
No Shortcuts on the MacBook Neo
According to Ternus, the MacBook Neo is proof of this approach. Its affordable price, he indicated, has not come at the cost of design or how well it is built.
"Here is our most affordable Mac we've ever made, and it's absolutely beautiful. And if you open it up and look inside, it's just as beautiful," he said.
Ternus noted that this applies to every Apple product, from the iPhone Pro Max to the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro, and the MacBook Neo is no different. In other words, Apple's entry-level devices are built to the same standards as its flagships.
ALSO READ | Who Is John Ternus? Meet Apple's New CEO Taking Over From Tim Cook
A Hint at Apple's Future
Ternus also sees this attention to unseen details as a guide for the road ahead under his leadership.
He said that thinking about the story has been good for him, since it probably offers the clearest clue to Apple's future direction. "We're going to keep pushing in that same way," Ternus said.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
