Snippet: Facing the Music ☇

Dr. Drang is a bit critical of the end of yesterday’s keynote, and rightly so:

…I can imagine Iovine being very persuasive one-on-one or in a small group, but he certainly wasn’t impressive on the big stage. He never gave the impression that the words he was speaking were his. Drake seemed to think he could just wing it during his section; he’s obviously used to adoring fans applauding every off-the-cuff remark he makes on stage. Which leaves us with poor Eddy Cue, who’s going to bear the brunt of the criticism.

And rightly so. He’s the Apple guy in this show, and therefore the heir to the Steve Jobs presentation style. But his part was way long, way boring, and way embarrassing. To be sure, every Eddy Cue presentation is a tightrope walk above a chasm of mortification, but he usually makes his wobbly way from one end to the other. Today he avoided the rope altogether and jumped straight off the edge. Even if Apple Music is really good, there just isn’t enough to it to require 20–25 minutes of laborious explanation and an endless string of music clips.