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Obama after sneak peek at original iPhone: ‘If it were legal, I would buy a boatload of Apple stock. This thing is going to be really big’

From the upcoming book Believer, US President Barack Obama’s Chief campaign advisor David Axelrod gives a small tidbit on a meeting Obama had before he became president. He called it:

In 2007, Obama got a sneak peek at the iPhone during a private meeting with Apple’s Steve Jobs. “If it were legal, I would buy a boatload of Apple stock. This thing is going to be really big,” Obama said after the meeting.

AAPL stock was selling at a split adjusted $12-14 a share in early 2007 so if he would have done quite well if it hadn’t been illegal.

Not everybody was impressed with the iPhone in its original form. Microsoft’s then CEO Steve Ballmer dismissed it in a famous rant after the launch:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eywi0h_Y5_U]

One person who did ‘get it’ immediately was Google’s Andy Rubin who shifted Android strategy completely (according to a book by Fred Vogelstein) after the launch.

He was in a cab in Las Vegas, watching a webcast of the presentation. He made the driver pull over so he could see the whole thing. He said, “Holy crap, I guess we’re not going to launch that phone.”

Obama had a few other meetings with Jobs before his death including the famous ‘Silicon Valley Summit’ pictured above.

Now, if you haven’t already, please go down to the comments and release a bunch of frustration into a pro/anti Obama rage that has nothing to do with this story. 

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Comments

  1. TechPeeve (@TechPeeve) - 9 years ago

    like the law has ever stopped that useless waste of breath from doing anything.

  2. “I like our strategy, I like it a lot”, he said, channeling Forrest Gump.

  3. Howie Isaacks - 9 years ago

    Obama actually cares if something is legal or illegal? I don’t think so. Look at how he violates the highest law of the land, the U.S. Constitution, every day! If you think that’s no big deal, you’re an idiot.

    • vandiced - 9 years ago

      Ok guys just to get things back to topic: cow dung.

    • 89p13 - 9 years ago

      Pot calling the kettle black. Washington – All of Washington – is corrupt! Don’t just blame the President . . . Look at Congress and the House as well.

      Open your eyes and drop your racial prejudices, moron!

      • Howie Isaacks - 9 years ago

        When did I mention Obama’s race? I don’t care what color he is. You obviously do because you zeroed in on that one aspect really fast. There is nothing racist about pointing out facts. And you’re right. Congress is corrupt too. You seem to believe that just because someone thinks differently from you, that they’re a moron. I guess we can then conclude that you have no respect for the ideas of other people. I thought free speech was for everyone. Unlike Obama, I have read the Constitution from start to finish, including all 27 amendments. I don’t recall the 1st Amendment making mention that there are qualifications for free speech. Claiming racism is a weak argument. If that’s all you have, then you are obviously one of the millions of low information voters in this country. Educate yourself, and then you will be on my level.

      • Howie, your right to freedom of expression has not been violated. You have every right to say whatever you want, but that also means 89p13 has the freedom to call you a moron for said speech.

        I’m not saying either of you is right, but freedom of expression does not protect you from consequences of your speech or disagreement.

        However, judging by your comment below, you have no idea what life is like under a dictatorship, because Obama’s presidency has brought America absolutely nowhere near it. I’d strongly recommend that you “educate yourself” on places that aren’t star-spangled awesome and then pretend that you know jack. :)

    • samuelsnay - 9 years ago

      Instead of repeating a bunch of ridiculous nonsense that you heard on Fox News or from Rush Limbaugh, why not actually educate yourself on what Obama has done so you don’t look so damn foolish?

      • Howie Isaacks - 9 years ago

        Exactly what did I say that is “repeating a bunch of ridiculous nonsense”, and what has Obama done that is so great? I look foolish? Really? How so? I pointed out that Obama is lawless. We elected a president, not a dictator. Without the restraints provided by the Constitution, there is no freedom. I didn’t learn that from Rush Limbaugh or Fox News. I learned it all by myself. While I can point out everything wrong with Obama, you can’t point out what is wrong with my beliefs. Also, I won’t try to insult you personally while you will try to insult me. Liberals can’t stand the light of truth shining on them.

    • mrobertson21 - 9 years ago

      The funny thing about people like you is that you can’t name a single way that Obama has actually violated the Constitution. Go ahead, describe ONE way that he has done so.

      I’ll wait.

    • jrox16 - 9 years ago

      Please list the ways Obama has violated the constitution. No, not what the right has claimed he has violated, because anyone can claim anything for political circus. No please list real illegal things that Obama has done, that a court has found him guilty of, because you saying they are illegal or Rush Limbaugh saying it, doesn’t make it so.
      Please provide sources as well so we may fact check.

      • Howie Isaacks - 9 years ago

        So, I can’t list anything that someone on the right has said even if it’s true? You won’t bother to listen, so why should I even try? His biggest violation is that he refuses to enforce the laws passed by Congress. His “Affordable Care Act” is also a violation (no matter what the Supreme Court says). He has no right to make up laws on his own as he has been doing with all of his executive orders. That’s another violation. And by the way… Rush Limbaugh is great. I’ve listened to him for over 20 years. I don’t always agree with him, but he’s entitled to free speech the same as you and me. Unless you listen to him for more than a few minutes, you don’t know anything about him, or what he says. Unlike you, I do listen to people on the other side of the political spectrum so that I can be informed about other opinions. I don’t bury my head in the sand and refuse to listen to opposing beliefs. Have you noticed how I haven’t called you a moron or stupid? I don’t make it personal when someone disagrees with me. I just keep making my point calmly and politely. Read the Constitution. All of it. The whole thing. From start to finish. Maybe you’ll learn something, and maybe you’ll understand the facts. Only the law can guarantee freedom, not a president who refuses to submit to the limitations imposed upon him by the Constitution. We created a system of limited government to prevent the kinds of things that Obama has been doing. The problem is that he has no respect for the law. He only cares about his agenda.

  4. Dave Ray (@drskillet) - 9 years ago

    wow … yes lower case for that. I’m going to say first, I thought the same thing, but it was legal for me, so I bought some shares, I’m not rich now, but I have turned the 20 shares I did buy into some nice money considering it’s worth 16k now, but i digress.

    Point out a “law” or constitutional violation that the President has done, which hasn’t been done by one or more of the last three republican Presidents.

    • InformNow (@InformedNow) - 9 years ago

      Let’s just start with his health care law that was passed as one thing but altered willy-nilly by Obama and called it administrative actions – BS! He executes the laws passed by Congress. I know where he can stick that pen and phone of his!

      http://www.galen.org/newsletters/changes-to-obamacare-so-far/

      Obama…

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo

      Want to talk about hate?…

      Don’t recall any uproar over the following, but every disagreement with Obama and YOU”RE RACIST!

      http://www.authentichistory.com/diversity/african/3-coon/6-monkey/George_Bush_Monkey_Comparisons.jpg

      https://maaadddog.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/bush-monkey1.jpg

      • jrox16 - 9 years ago

        The supreme court already verified the constitutionality of the health care law and the president has the authority, by administrative action, to make the changes he has made. What’s the problem? It has a name “administrative action” for a reason…because it’s legal, lol.
        You’re brainwashed by the radical right, sorry. And I didn’t even vote for the guy, but facts are facts.
        Disagreements with Obama are fine, as long as they have actual facts to back them up, which you folks have none of.

        Those pictures of Bush and the monkey are a terrible strawman, have nothing to do with this debate. The Bush monkeys aren’t claiming things that aren’t true, they are just funny pictures, of which there are tons of Obama as well and MUCH worse and more offensive. That’s just low brow humor. You’re trying to claim that those are equivalent to lies about actual policy or crime? That’s weak as hell.

  5. JE S2K (@muzicdox) - 9 years ago

    I love the last paragraph… LOL!

  6. Does anyone find it funny that Steve Ballmer was interviewed in front of a Nortel backdrop? I’m certain if it wasn’t for enterprise solutions and the Xbox, Microsoft would eventually go the way of Nortel. Or be bought out by Google.

  7. crichton007 - 9 years ago

    Any time that video of Steve Ballmer dissing the iPhone is in front of me I can’t help but watch it. Thank you VERY much!

  8. Lol @ unrelated Obama rage

  9. John Dingler - 9 years ago

    I blame Obama for not distracting members of ISIS with the magical iPhone to transform them into typical secular consumers.

  10. Well, Ballmer was correct about the original iPhone, at its original price (~$900, or $500 after subsidy) being one of the most expensive phones on the market. I remember thinking it would be fun to get one, but I could only afford a $200 subsidized phone (a Samsung Blackjack) at the time, not a $500 phone. Apple’s decision to drop the price later on basically vindicated Ballmer’s skepticism.

    • mrobertson21 - 9 years ago

      Thank you. People always conveniently forget this.

      • jrox16 - 9 years ago

        No they don’t, Ballmer should have been fired a long time ago, the guy was a total moron. He wrecked Microsoft and under his watch they fell behind in almost everything. Ballmer commenting on the cost of the iPhone is no great analysis or prediction, everyone knows new tech starts high and gets cheaper over time. The iPhone’s price would have dropped over time no matter what, that’s the nature of new tech and competition, nothing that tool of a CEO said was vindicated by a standard pricing strategy.

    • jrox16 - 9 years ago

      Everything is always more expensive when it comes out. Ballmer was a fool and the reason MS needs saving today. Everyone knows that when new tech comes out, it’s very expensive and gets cheaper over time, big deal. Just look at TVs. If Ballmer knew what he was doing, he would have been on top of things and had beaten or matched Apple to the punch with a touch friendly “real internet” phone.

  11. jrox16 - 9 years ago

    “Now, if you haven’t already, please go down to the comments and release a bunch of frustration into a pro/anti Obama rage that has nothing to do with this story.”

    LOL, so true. People, stop being so mad all the time! :)

  12. sprague - 9 years ago

    “But when White House trip director Marvin Nicholson handed the president his personal iPhone, Mr. Obama couldn’t get it to work. A reporter who witnessed the scene said the president looked “befuddled.”

    Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/sep/9/tech-challenge-obama-has-trouble-iphone/#ixzz3QuePG6y2

  13. Jason Frost - 9 years ago

    That last sentence is bomb!

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