Apple's Tim Cook to be opening speaker at D10
updated 01:00 pm EDT, Tue April 10, 2012
Cook gets first turn at D media event
Apple set a pair of firsts Tuesday after AllThingsD confirmed that Apple CEO Tim Cook would be the opening speaker for the D10 conference. It will represent both Cook's first guest spot at the annual Rancho Palos Verdes, California event as well as his first at a third-party event not intended for investors. The opening speaker role is rare in the industry and usually reserved for a highlighted and often extensive conversation.
Opening night of the three-day conference starts on May 29.
The late Steve Jobs was no stranger to D, having been there six times, but has also been the only executive to ever represent Apple at the show. He was often chosen with his long-range vision in mind and, at one point, was in a joint conversation with old rival Bill Gates of Microsoft as a counterpoint.
Cook has long been described as more pragmatic, having come from the COO position, but was one of Jobs' most trusted executives. He has also been drawing attention for breaking from some of Jobs' policies, such as restoring quarterly dividends and actively addressing labor issues. Questions have been left open as to Apple's long-term product strategy in its new era as well as whether or not he will consider settling lawsuits over Android instead of taking Jobs' all-or-nothing approach.
Other guests include Oracle chief Larry Ellison, FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz, and others that haven't yet been scheduled.
