Q&A: Was Steve Jobs the Walt Disney of the consumer electronics world?

Question by Chris C: Was Steve Jobs the Walt Disney of the consumer electronics world?

People are looking for comparisons between Jobs and other industry luminaries. Like Leonardo da Vinci, Edison etc. While Jobs had great vision he was not so skilled either as a product designer or a programmer, but he had great vision and focus; and lead a team of talented engineers very effectively. Similarly Walt Disney was no great artist but was an effective figurehead and man of vision. Furthermore it is hard to recall any other name associated with Apple or Disney except their founders – despite the obvious talent that lay behind the leaders. Is such a comparison fair? Let me know.

Best answer:

Answer by PoohBearPenguin
I wouldn’t put Jobs in the same category as Da Vinci or Edison, but comparing him to Disney seems somewhat apt. As you point out, Jobs’ real strength lay in his vision and leadership skills. He didn’t create the computer, or even the original Apple Computer, but it was his vision that created the Home Computer. Likewise he didn’t invent the MP3 player, but it was his vision that brought it to the mainstream market bundling it with iTunes.

However, unlike Jobs, Disney did create Mickey Mouse, and one of the first animated shorts to incorporate sound. Later Disney also created Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck. He created other characters as well, like Clarabell Cow but they haven’t survived as well as the others. So in this regard, Disney is closer to Bill Gates than Jobs.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Do electronics companies make all the parts for their products themselves?

Question by Angel: Do electronics companies make all the parts for their products themselves?

Or do they outsource?

My friend said that all electronics companies made every part of their products themselves in their own factories, but my other friend says that a lot of electronics companies outsource the making of the parts for their products to other, smaller factories.

Which is it? Do electronics companies outsource ever? My friends are fighting about it right now lol!!

Thanks. 🙂

Best answer:

Answer by I. B. Zoxx
Nearly all of them do, including Apple.
Most Apple products are produced by Foxconn in China. Perhaps you recall reading articles about how Foxconn mistreats their employees, and Apple is under pressure to improve working conditions for them.

Following the launch of the smartphone, The Wall Street Journal reported an executive saying the iPhone 5 is “the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled. To make it light and thin, the design is very complicated.”

According to a Reuters report, iPhones assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry, the entity of the parent Foxconn Technology Group, was finding it hard to cope with the massive demand for iPhone 5 units since the Sept. 21 launch.

Analysts have earlier reported that Foxconn has expanded production of iPhone 5 to its other unit, Foxconn International Holdings (FIH), which typically makes non-Apple products, to address the shortfall. However, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal on brokerage reports.

Add your own answer in the comments!