Apple to be more open in future:

Apple CEO Tim Cook believes that the
company's customers want Apple to make the
decisions about features in iOS, but that the
company would look to open up its API in the
future, he revealed in a wide-ranging interview
to kick off the D11 conference.
Cook said that Apple believes customers pay
the company to make choices on their behalf,
but that the closed nature of iOS would be
pried open slightly, with third parties being
allowed to implement some features in iOS.
With WWDC due in a fortnight, the CEO was
unsurprisingly cagey in addressing any new
devices or new releases of iOS or OS X to be
announced at the event.
In a move that will have the rumour mill
running until the conference, Cook dodged the
question on whether Apple was planning to
announce a multiple iPhone line up.
"We haven't so far. That doesn't shut off the
future," said Cook.
Cook discussed the trade-offs made by handset
manufacturers to carry screens larger than the
iPhone, and said that Apple still believes that
the Retina display is the best.
On the topic of iOS, rather than announce a
new Jony Ive flat UI-inspired nirvana, Cook cited
a range of engagement and customer
satisfaction statistics intended to demonstrate
how happy the marketplace is with iOS.
One area where the marketplace appears
unhappy is in regard to the company's stock
price. Cook dismissed worries about Apple's
stock price as part of a cycle, and said Apple
just focuses on products.
"Our North Star is always on making the best
products," he said.
The CEO was equally cagey when it came to
discussing his leadership techniques compared
to previous Apple CEO and co-founder Steve
Jobs. Keeping the culture of Apple was cited by
Cook as the most important responsibility of an
Apple CEO, but when pressed on leadership
styles, said that he and Jobs were different in a
ton of ways, though the same when it came to
"the most important things".
Apple has been under the pump in recent
weeks about its tax structure following Cook's
appearance before a US Senate Subcommittee
last week .
Cook said that Apple paid US$6 billion in taxes,
making it the largest amount paid in the US,
and called for comprehensive reform of the tax
code — so long as it was revenue neutral.
He denied that Apple had a special deal with
the Irish government, saying that he would like
to bring offshore profits back into the US, but
warned that the concept of a tax regime that
involved US companies paying US tax on sales
made throughout the world was a worrying one.
In Australia, government MP Ed Husic raised
the question of whether Apple misled the
Australian parliament after the company
appeared before the local IT pricing inquiry.
Turning to wearable technology, and Google
Glass in particular, Cook said that it has some
positives and would appeal in some vertical
markets, but that broad appeal is hard to see.
"There is nothing great out there that I have
seen, or will convince a kid who has never worn
watches, or a band or glasses to wear one," he
said.
"There are lots of things to solve, it's ripe for
exploration."
Whether Apple would venture into the realm of
wearing computing, Cook said that the area was
an important and profound one, but glasses are
risky.
"You have to convince people it's so incredible
you want to wear it."
As an exercise left to the reader, Cook
announced that Apple has acquired nine
companies, but would not reveal which
companies they were.
Cook downplayed interest in purchasing a social
network as Facebook and Twitter are already
integrated into Apple OSes.