Tim Cook "a better manager than Steve Jobs" new book says

Now that Tim Cook has been in charge of Apple for more than three years, what's the atmosphere like at the company? A new book looks to shed light on Cook's management style, and how he differs from his predecessor, Steve Jobs. And it sounds like he's a bit more of a people person than the notoriously prickly Jobs.

In an excerpt published in The Wall Street Journal, Cook is described as not having "the quasi-religious authority that Jobs had radiated". He's also "arguably a better manager than Jobs." The book is called Haunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs, by former Journal reporter Yukari Iwatani Kane, and goes on sale on 18 March.

So what else do we learn? Cook is frugal and humble, living for years "in a rental unit in a dingy ranch-style building with no air conditioning". The first house he bought was modest, and his first sports car was a used Porsche Boxster, which is described as the "poor man's Porsche".

I suppose that is pretty modest, if you're heading up one of the most profitable companies in the world.

He also has great stamina. According to the excerpt, "he could fly to Asia, spend three days there, fly back, land at 7am at the airport and be in the office by 8:30, interrogating someone about some numbers."

While he rarely loses his composure, he can still be pretty scary. "He could strike terror in the hearts of his subordinates," the book says. His quarterly reviews are said to be "especially torturous" thanks to his relentless use of Post-It notes.

Cook came close to losing his cool recently. Some shareholders weren't too keen on his eco-friendly ways, as they thought they were denting Apple's profits and hence their returns. Cook's response? Get out and walk.

Cook has promised Apple will make "new categories" of device soon. These could include a watch, a car, and a TV.

What do you think of Apple under Cook's tenure? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.