TBPN FULL INTERVIEW: Apple Exec on How Apple Builds Products That Actually Win
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Apr 1, 2026 
Eddy Cue, a longtime Apple leader behind iTunes and major services, looks back on joining in the early days and being pulled in by Steve Jobs’ product obsession. He revisits the risky launch of the first online store. He also gets into how iPod and iTunes reshaped Apple’s strategy, why 99-cent music clicked, and how F1 fits into Apple’s bigger sports push.
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How Apple II Set Eddy Cue On His Path
- Eddy Cue decided in high school that he wanted to work at Apple after using the Apple II and abandoning plans to become an architect.
- He joined as a programmer on HyperCard, working on early linked-interface ideas he described as a precursor to blue underlined links.
Launching The Apple Store Against Channel Fear
- Apple launched its online store despite fears that retail partners like CompUSA would retaliate if Apple sold direct.
- Eddy Cue, Steve Jobs, and a small team paired the launch with the Bondi Blue iMac and sold $1 million on day one.
Why Apple Store Design Resonated Early
- Apple.com traffic and strong press mattered, but the differentiator was a simpler buying flow built around how customers actually shop for computers.
- Eddy Cue said the Good Better Best design made configuration, specs, and checkout easier than rival sites, which drove resonance.