#17 Cracks show at Apple in the post-Jobs era

At Apple's campus in Cupertino, Calif.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

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If it just didn't work, the thought on some people's minds became whether quality at Apple has begun to slip with the intensely detail-driven Steve Jobs no longer at the helm.

Some examples of flubs included an ill-received overhaul of the built-in maps software in iOS, which CEO Tim Cook later described as something the company "screwed up"; some very bad TV commercials featuring one of the company's "Genius" support crew; and changes to Apple's retail operations which brought cut hours and -- in some cases -- layoffs at the company's stores.

Moreover, some were disappointed in the lack of exciting features in the latest iOS and OS X releases, along with the lifespan of the third-generation iPad, a device that was replaced just seven months after its debut.

There were also signs of internal strife, with the pending departure of iOS software chief Scott Forstall and immediate exit of John Browett, who headed up the company's retail unit.

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