It was all about starting from scratch. There's another one. You know, we didn't start off well at maps. Things are overhyped in the short term and underhyped in the medium term. But this, I don't think any of us saw this. What's it like to have a chat with one of the driving forces behind the Apple online store, iTunes, iCloud, Maps, Apple TV Plus, even the latest F1 movie? I had that opportunity. Eddy Cue, senior vice president of services, was traveling around Asia, stopped in Singapore. We're at the Marina Bay Sands Apple Store and he was so giving with his time. We talked a bit about Apple Intelligence as well. So maybe some insightful things for you guys out there because obviously this is a big week coming up for Apple. So with that, hope you guys enjoy the chat and let me know what you guys think in the comments section. Enjoy.
Great. How do you like Singapore?
It's an amazing city spirit. The fact that there's so many people from around the world, so positive.
It's exciting. Very, very exciting. We had a, we met a few singers, directors, musicians. It was just, it's just an amazing place.
Oh, fantastic. Yeah. I mean, there's so much talent here. I mean, that's the one thing. I've been here for 19 years.
And it just blows me away the talent and obviously it's kind of this big hub for everything going on.
So, why did you come here 19 years ago?
Long story short, entertainment industry. So, I was doing a lot of it in LA and California. Actually worked at Apple previously before I moved here. And I had some opportunities. I shot a film here in 2004. Came back in '07 to do promotion on it. And I thought, you know, let's give Asia a shot because it's so uniquely different. You know what I mean? And it worked out. It worked out. I got to do a lot of things, radio and TV and tech and do all this.
My first time was 30 years ago.
Yeah, we used to have our manufacturing of Macs here.
So, the manufacturing facility was here. I still remember standing up top looking at a line of Macs going down the manufacturing line.
So, it's very cool. I mean, what was that like from now to then? I mean, in terms of just the growth of Asia, but then also all that experience.
It's hard to picture. I mean, I always look at it. I still remember a moment. It's like whenever you went anywhere, you'd see like maybe one person using an Apple.
Like a Mac or something like that. Yeah. And I remember once taking a redeye sitting at the airport waiting to board and there was a couple people with Macs, a bunch of people with iPods, and I was like, 'Oh my god, we've actually like made it.' And so it's amazingly cool. I think it's been a tremendous amount of work, but it's been so much fun to watch.
And when you see a store like this, I mean, did you guys ever think when you joined Apple what 36 years ago that this would be where Apple is at today?
Well, the way I met Steve was I helped build the online store and I remember Steve, we got done, he said, 'You know, one day I want to have retail stores.' And I remember thinking like, 'That's kind of crazy.' I was like, 'Retail stores?' Really? At the time all the retail computers things were going under or whatever. And so it's hard. So, it's hard to imagine retail stores at the time. But, you know, you can see like our products are products you have to touch and feel and see. They're not commodity products. And so, I could see that. But this, I don't think any of us saw this. And so this is just one of the best stores in the world. And it's amazing.
I mean, when you look at it, I mean, it's an engineering marvel like a lot of your stores are, but then it's so simple in a lot of ways to the outside world. And I mean, I guess that kind of relates to the services that you look after, Apple TV Plus and Maps and iCloud. By the way, congratulations on F1 the movie.
Yeah, I heard it just topped Superman for a global box office. That's awesome.
It did. It's a personal favorite. I'm a huge F1 fan. I'm looking forward. I can't make the race this year here. I've been wanting to come, but I'm coming. It's on my calendar to come next year.
Okay. Are you going to go to Vegas?
I will be there. That's an easier trip.
But the race is very late at night there, right?
Yeah, they're finally moving it up now.
Because it's a disaster, right? I mean, I was like they've put a time that doesn't work for anybody.
So, yeah, it's finally getting moved up a couple hours, I heard.
Yeah, because it's like freezing cold in the desert there that time. Yeah. I'm from Vegas originally.
There you go. Born and raised.
So, I was thinking the first year was like 11:00 p.m. at night or something. It was nuts.
