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Eddy Cue: Apple's dad-dancing problem-solver | Eddy Cue: Apple's dad-dancing problem-solver |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Officially he's Apple's senior vice president of internet Software and services, an executive who has risen up Apple's ranks since joining the company in 1989. | Officially he's Apple's senior vice president of internet Software and services, an executive who has risen up Apple's ranks since joining the company in 1989. |
But to insiders, Eddy Cue's known as the company's Mr Fix It, a man tasked with turning around the company's biggest, most-damaging slip-ups. | But to insiders, Eddy Cue's known as the company's Mr Fix It, a man tasked with turning around the company's biggest, most-damaging slip-ups. |
And more recently, he's been dubbed Apple's senior vice president of dad-dancing, thanks to an awkward, if lovable, rhythmic display at the launch event for his latest project, Apple Music. | And more recently, he's been dubbed Apple's senior vice president of dad-dancing, thanks to an awkward, if lovable, rhythmic display at the launch event for his latest project, Apple Music. |
Since that launch, the executive has faced scrutiny over how Apple plans to butt its way into the streaming music industry, currently dominated by Swedish company Spotify. | Since that launch, the executive has faced scrutiny over how Apple plans to butt its way into the streaming music industry, currently dominated by Swedish company Spotify. |
Cue's answer was a tantalising three-month trial where people will be able to try out Apple Music without having to pay the $10-a-month it'll cost thereafter. | Cue's answer was a tantalising three-month trial where people will be able to try out Apple Music without having to pay the $10-a-month it'll cost thereafter. |
Sounds like a nice idea, but Apple's decision to not pay out any royalties during that period has provoked the wrath of the most powerful force in music: Taylor Swift. | Sounds like a nice idea, but Apple's decision to not pay out any royalties during that period has provoked the wrath of the most powerful force in music: Taylor Swift. |
Now, Cue - a man known to drive a hard bargain in Apple's name - must turn problem-solver once again. | Now, Cue - a man known to drive a hard bargain in Apple's name - must turn problem-solver once again. |
Veteran | Veteran |
Cue is an avid basketball fan and sports car collector who, as well as working for Apple, also sits on the board at Ferrari. | Cue is an avid basketball fan and sports car collector who, as well as working for Apple, also sits on the board at Ferrari. |
He has a reputation for being good at small talk and approachable, not a trait shared by too many of his high-ranking Apple colleagues. | |
In his time at the company, Cue has a track-record of making ambitious ideas work. | In his time at the company, Cue has a track-record of making ambitious ideas work. |
In a firm known primarily for its hardware, he has emerged as a key figure in looking after the nuts and bolts of its software - and thus is regarded, according to the Wall Street Journal, as one of chief executive Tim Cook's "chief deputies". | In a firm known primarily for its hardware, he has emerged as a key figure in looking after the nuts and bolts of its software - and thus is regarded, according to the Wall Street Journal, as one of chief executive Tim Cook's "chief deputies". |
When the company was launching the iTunes music store, it was Cue who was responsible for getting record labels on board. | When the company was launching the iTunes music store, it was Cue who was responsible for getting record labels on board. |
His negotiations paved the way for Apple to go from nowhere to a dominant position in music retail in just a few years. | His negotiations paved the way for Apple to go from nowhere to a dominant position in music retail in just a few years. |
Other successes in Cue's portfolio include the phenomenally successful App Store and storage service iCloud. | Other successes in Cue's portfolio include the phenomenally successful App Store and storage service iCloud. |
According to some reports, it was Cue who pushed the idea of Apple releasing a smaller iPad, later known as the iPad Mini. | According to some reports, it was Cue who pushed the idea of Apple releasing a smaller iPad, later known as the iPad Mini. |
Failure fixer | Failure fixer |
He was also given the unenviable task of sorting out Apple Maps, arguably Apple's most embarrassing failure in recent times. | He was also given the unenviable task of sorting out Apple Maps, arguably Apple's most embarrassing failure in recent times. |
The software, released in a state that the company later acknowledged was not good enough, was widely ridiculed by technology enthusiasts - and missed its opportunity to win users over from Google's map app. | The software, released in a state that the company later acknowledged was not good enough, was widely ridiculed by technology enthusiasts - and missed its opportunity to win users over from Google's map app. |
But there are signs, under the stewardship of Cue, that Apple Maps is turning it around. | But there are signs, under the stewardship of Cue, that Apple Maps is turning it around. |
New features - like public transit updates - have started to appear, and the company has sent out camera cars to capture street level images, like Google's Street View. | New features - like public transit updates - have started to appear, and the company has sent out camera cars to capture street level images, like Google's Street View. |
In the dock | In the dock |
Cue has been notorious for driving a hard line to get Apple the best deal. | Cue has been notorious for driving a hard line to get Apple the best deal. |
Even before Taylor Swift's open letter slating the Apple Music trial, Cue and his team had been locked in negotiations with labels it wanted on board with Apple Music. | Even before Taylor Swift's open letter slating the Apple Music trial, Cue and his team had been locked in negotiations with labels it wanted on board with Apple Music. |
In particular, independent labels were arguing for months over what kind of deal they would get - a debate which intensified when it emerged Apple would be offering the free trial without paying royalties. | In particular, independent labels were arguing for months over what kind of deal they would get - a debate which intensified when it emerged Apple would be offering the free trial without paying royalties. |
Cue's hard line in negotiating on behalf of Apple found him in a courtroom in 2013. | Cue's hard line in negotiating on behalf of Apple found him in a courtroom in 2013. |
Apple was found guilty of "facilitating a conspiracy" with publishers to raise the price of e-books by switching to an agency model. | Apple was found guilty of "facilitating a conspiracy" with publishers to raise the price of e-books by switching to an agency model. |
It meant, simply, that publishers could set the price of books, not retailers. | It meant, simply, that publishers could set the price of books, not retailers. |
Cue led those negotiations. The judge was presented with emails said to show him standing firm on demanding publishers make the change. | Cue led those negotiations. The judge was presented with emails said to show him standing firm on demanding publishers make the change. |
Cue and Apple had hoped moving to this model would mean Amazon would no longer be able to offer heavily-discounted e-books as a way of driving sales of its Kindle device. | Cue and Apple had hoped moving to this model would mean Amazon would no longer be able to offer heavily-discounted e-books as a way of driving sales of its Kindle device. |
In response, Apple said: "We've done nothing wrong." | In response, Apple said: "We've done nothing wrong." |
A Swift solution | A Swift solution |
In posting her open letter, Taylor Swift's argument was that labels and artists shouldn't have to subsidise a promotion orchestrated by the richest company on earth - one which has $195bn in cash at hand. | In posting her open letter, Taylor Swift's argument was that labels and artists shouldn't have to subsidise a promotion orchestrated by the richest company on earth - one which has $195bn in cash at hand. |
The solution to this particular PR blunder is simple: Apple will now pay royalties during that three-month period. | The solution to this particular PR blunder is simple: Apple will now pay royalties during that three-month period. |
But the disgruntled noises from the music industry won't stop there. | But the disgruntled noises from the music industry won't stop there. |
Cue will still face a lot of discontent over the deal artists are getting from streaming music. | Cue will still face a lot of discontent over the deal artists are getting from streaming music. |
But he won't be alone - the complaints of Swift et al extend way beyond Apple. You won't find any of Swift's music on Spotify either, remember. | But he won't be alone - the complaints of Swift et al extend way beyond Apple. You won't find any of Swift's music on Spotify either, remember. |
It's clear those in the music industry are deeply worried about a future where people stream their music rather than buy it. | It's clear those in the music industry are deeply worried about a future where people stream their music rather than buy it. |
Convincing them to stay on Apple's side presents by far Cue's biggest challenge to date. | Convincing them to stay on Apple's side presents by far Cue's biggest challenge to date. |
Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC | Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC |
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