iPhone Developers Give Apple Vote of Confidence in Wake of Jobs DepartureApple this week entered a new era, an era with Steve Jobs no longer at the helm. Analysts have already weighed in on the impact Jobs has had and how Apple will fare moving forward, but IndustryGamers also wanted to get the perspective of the iPhone and iPad developers who've come to depend on the iOS ecosystem Apple has made so popular in the games business.
Developers seem confident that Apple will be just fine without Jobs steering the ship. In fact, the timing may have been just right for Jobs to step down, in advance of the iPhone 5 likely being revealed.
"Steve's departure gives us all pause, no doubt, but I am sure his impact will endure."
"I really don’t think anything will change. Apple is 100% devoted to his vision and I believe he will represent an ideal that will last for decades to come. I think they are smart with the timing of the announcement - right before the release of the iPhone 5. This way whatever negative spin it generates will be forgotten once they release their new product and have a record breaking Q4," observed Dave Castelnuovo of Bolt Creative.
"The amazing renaissance of the independent game developer we are experiencing is the unquestionable responsibility of Steve Jobs. It may not have been what he was aiming at but the disruption to the game development business has been profound and irreversible. Steve's departure gives us all pause, no doubt, but I am sure his impact will endure. After all, there's no reason to believe he hasn't chosen his successor with as much attention to detail as everything else he did," added David Whatley of Simutronics.
As for one of the main challenges Apple faces on the gaming front, it may simply be a way to foster better discovery on the overly crowded App Store. "Steve Jobs is a true visionary in terms of product and marketing. The keys for Apple are now delivery and discovery. They do the first very well - the store is extremely elegant. The biggest barrier right now is discovery. Apple has a golden opportunity to innovate, have brilliant human capital, and I am sure that they will continue to delight users," stated Seth Gerson of AltEgo.
Other developers, instead of analyzing Apple's future, simply wanted to thank Jobs for what he's done. Epic Games VP Mark Rein, whose company published the blockbuster iOS hit Infinity Blade, commented, "Steve Jobs: thank you for everything you've done as CEO of Apple, one of the greatest companies in the world. Best wishes for your health."
