How Apple Will Go On Post-Jobs

The death of Steve Jobs has everyone wondering: What’s next for Apple? Can it maintain its killer momentum without its visionary? Here’s what people are saying:

• Don’t panic too much: Before dying, Jobs helped shape a product roadmap that covers at least the next three years, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. Apple insiders also say Jobs burned his high standards into subordinates—"One former employee said he constantly considered Mr. Jobs' preferences despite having never met the man."

• Indeed, the LA Times has learned that Jobs was working on a secret “Apple University” training course. “Steve was looking to his legacy,” one former employee says. “The idea was to take what is unique about Apple and … impart that DNA to future generations of Apple employees.”
• Don’t forget, Apple still has top product designer Jonathan Ive, who halped shape the iMac, iPhone, iPod, and iPad. One analyst told the LA Times last month that Ive’s design sensibility is “even better than Steve Jobs’.”
• Still, Tim Cook’s widely-panned performance at the iPhone 4S launch has some worried. “Tim’s not Steve,” one analyst tells USA Today. “He’s much more low-key.” But others say he shouldn’t be underestimated. “We don’t think Steve Jobs picked Tim without him having somewhat of a ‘vision thing,’” another analyst said.

Check out Daily Intel for even more analysis and speculation on Apple's next products. (More Steve Jobs stories.)