Marking 15 years since Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011, a retrospective recalls his influence on technology and retail. It draws on Ron Johnson's new book 'Shop Different,' which recounts how Jobs and Johnson developed Apple's retail philosophy, including Johnson's proposal that Apple should 'love its customers.' The piece also notes Jobs later used the phrase 'We love our users' during the 2010 'antennagate' press conference.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-05
Ron Johnson, who led Apple's retail division from 2000 to 2011, has published a new book titled 'Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius,' co-written with Zander Nethercutt. The book details his collaboration with Steve Jobs to design the Apple Store concept and grow it into one of the most profitable retail operations globally. Johnson also recently appeared on 9to5Mac's Overtime podcast to discuss the book and the store's early history.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-22
Ron Johnson, who built Apple's retail store network starting in 2000, says he doesn't believe AI shopping agents will fundamentally change how people buy products. He argues that for significant purchases like laptops, consumers still want to physically handle items rather than let an AI complete the transaction, even as companies like Google and OpenAI push tools that let agents research, compare, and buy on a shopper's behalf.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-21
Former Apple retail chief Ron Johnson appeared on 9to5Mac's Overtime podcast to discuss his new book, Shop Different, covering the creation of the Apple Store, his work with Steve Jobs, and the original iPhone launch. He also addressed his departure from Apple to lead JCPenney and shared his views on Apple's current retail strategy and the rumored iPhone Duo.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-17
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