Jonathan Ive: 'Our Goal Isn't to Make Money'

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Posted July 30, 2012 at 8:48pm by iClarified

Jonathan Ive, Apple SVP of Industrial Design, says the company's goal isn't to make money, but to make good products. He made these comments speaking at the British Embassy's Creative Summit, reports Wired.

"We are really pleased with our revenues but our goal isn't to make money. It sounds a little flippant, but it's the truth. Our goal and what makes us excited is to make great products. If we are successful people will like them and if we are operationally competent, we will make money," he said.

Ive notes that when Steve Jobs returned to Apple "his observation was that the products weren't good enough" and "his resolve was to make better products." Previous attempts to save the company from bankruptcy had focused on cost savings and revenue generation.

"I refute that design is important. Design is a prerequisite. Good design -- innovation -- is really hard," said Ive. "We say no to a lot of things that we want to do and are intrigued by so that we only work on a manageable amount of products and can invest an incredible amount of care on each of them."

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Jonathan Ive: 'Our Goal Isn't to Make Money'

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Fa12 - July 31, 2012 at 8:07am

All apple products are designed to fall soon after the warranty and are designed by way that it's going to cost You fortune to repair it. Old macbook 1.8"hdd = 380$!!!! retina mac battery around 300-400$ and so on and so on

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justabrake - July 31, 2012 at 12:53am

If it wasnt to make money then why didn't anttenar gate get a recall and stick those rubber bumpers you know where

f1982 - July 31, 2012 at 10:38am

Other companies focus on the finance and design products to that end. Apple design great products and then price them to make money. It not being their main focus and starting point does not mean it doesn't matter! Apple isn't a charity, and doesn't pretend to be.

NoGoodNick - July 31, 2012 at 12:38am

'our goal is to make a shit-ton of money, that we have to wipe our asses with thousand dollar bills and have money burning parties'

tdtran1025 - July 31, 2012 at 12:14am

Yeah right! From the management point of view, A has made so much $ with your "great products". How about lower the prices, increase margins for contractors and employees so that they will swear to loyalties to the company. Your gross margins are absurd! Telcos are fighting back by pushing Android products so save themselves from bankruptcy. Sprint has felt the pain from mortgaging their company to carry the iPhone. At the end of the year when MS enters the phone and tablet market, Apple products will fall back into the niche market, akin to those during Job's first term at Apple, if the premiums are kept too high. This lesson was well learned by MS.

B-Unit - July 30, 2012 at 11:18pm

As someone who has worked at Apple Retail, Jonny boy, do you hear what you're saying??? Go talk to someone in one of your stores who's making under $10s an hour and not making quota for attaches. Screw it, go talk to someone who exceeds their quotas and is still making under $10.

1a0d054 - July 30, 2012 at 8:56pm

I have always loved apple, but do not escape from the fact that your gold is to make money.. Why sueing all other companies then? That doesnt make your products better.

m_thoroughbred - July 30, 2012 at 9:14pm

No but it helps protect their intellectual properties. Don't get me some of the patents dispute these companies argue over are dumb. But non the less they believe that they are protecting company. As far as their goal isn't to make well you want to make good product you have to make money

Neal Shafto - August 1, 2012 at 2:58am

I am all for making a profit, margins in the 40% area is not just covering cost and patents it is gouging the customers who seem to be brainwashed by the quality of the product and the marketing to keep Apples profits high. Where is the commitment to the sales personal, if the $$$$$ is not the value for the company, pay fair wages, generate the product in North America and give the shareholders what they are entitled to a dividend.