As part of our special series on the state of the Mac and iOS in the CAD and 3D industries, we had the pleasure to speak with five CEO’s of key companies in these industries. Carl Bass spent a bit more time with us and we are delighted to share his observations with readers.
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As many regular Architosh readers may be aware now, Autodesk has emerged as a major provider of Mac software tools for architects, designers and visualization professionals. In a string of acquisitions going back several years and in brand new code bases targeting both Mac and iOS, Autodesk has fast become one of Apple’s key software providers for professional and technical creative markets.
In this special interview Autodesk’s chief executive officer talks about the changing role the Mac and Apple are playing in CAD and 3D industries–those same industries that his company is largely responsible for serving and shaping. He also talks about iOS, the iPad in particular and the nature of cloud computing.
The Interview
AFR: (Anthony Frausto-Robledo): The Mac and Apple in general have been exploding in growth over the past few years. Can you talk about what you see in the market and how this is affecting Autodesk?
(CB): (Carl Bass): It is highly desirable by a number of our customers, particularly in some specific segments, to want to work on Macs. One is architects, two is industrial designers and the third are creative digital artists. In all three of those markets we’ve made most of our products available on the Mac–not all, but most. I’d like to get more products there [on the Mac platform]. It is really all driven by what our customers want and they have spoken pretty loudly. They want to work on the Mac.
AFR: So that explains the markets and the demands. Can you talk about synergies between Apple’s technologies and maybe Autodesk’s technologies…and what that can do for your products in terms of differentiating them in the market place?
CB: In terms of synergies between them and us, going forward, it is with some of the new applications we are building for the iOS devices. So, when you look at the tablets and the phones, for example. And there are two aspects that are really appealing to our customers. One is the sense of being able to take their data anywhere…because it has always been an issue with architects, engineers and designers–how do I take my work out of the office? And the second thing is the ability to use their data and design work with newer interfaces like Multi-touch. And we’ve built a number of applications to respond to that. One is SketchBook Pro and the other AutoCAD WS. One is a true CAD application and the other an inking illustration application. And both are incredibly popular and one of the things that sets them apart is the Multi-touch and the unique UI they employ.
AFR: Right, so iOS and the Multi-touch in particular. Things that Apple might bring to the table you are keen to take advantage of.
next page: Bass discusses acquisitions and cloud computing
CB: Yeah. Again, in general both the tablet, the iPad, and the phone give mobile users a different level of access to their information. So it’s a combination of phone and camera as well as a work surface, allowing them to do a lot more outside the office than they were ever able to do before. A mixture of communication, collaboration and out-of-the-office work. These are just fantastic devices.
AFR: Now my next question has to do with the various acquisitions you have made over the years. Autodesk has acquired many smaller companies who had excellent cross-platform solutions, starting most significantly with Maya. Given Apple’s rise, did Autodesk see this coming? Did you make these acquistions because you were looking for cross-platform capability to serve a changing market?
CB: I’d like to say we were that clarivoyant, but the truth is we knew that the Mac in particular was becoming much more popular amongst our customers. But when it comes to acquisitions we’ve been fortunate that many have been cross-platform Mac applications but actually quite a few have not been. So it’s been a consideration but it’s not the driving force. But it’s been obvious for quite awhile–the rising importance of the Mac as a platform. And it’s only been accelerated by the introduction of the iOS devices.
AFR: Does the market for iOS change the nature of where you may target future acquisitions?
CB: While yeah, we are certainly aware when we have been looking–it’s a part of the consideration set. Not just with the acquisitions but the products we are currently building. Right now it would be hard to have a designer-engineering application where you didn’t think about what you were going to do around mobility. It’s kind of like the switch when everyone suddenly had mice, if you kept building applications just for the keyboard, you would have been equally crazy. The same thing is true now with [Multi-] touch. Even if you look at some of the web services we are rolling out–recently we invented this really cool application that allows you to take photographs and turn them into a 3D model…it’s called Photofly–and, for example, not only do you need to be able to do that with a fancy camera but you want it to work with your cell phone’s camera, upload your photos from your phone and then bring back the generated 3D model and view it on your cell phone. And all of that is now possible.
AFR: Right, that is an excellent example.
CB: Yes, it’s a good example of not only what is possible with mobile devices but marrying it up with what is possible with computing in the cloud.
AFR: Do you see the cloud and CAD headed for each other in a big way?
CB: Yes, I think the trick is knowing what things are appropriate. There are certainly things that are appropriate for the cloud, there are things that are more appropriate for the desktop, and for the tablet and for the phone. And I think the trick is not only giving users the choice but making sure the appropriate ones are available. So we are really contemplating all the various ways people want to access that information. So I think the cloud is a very important part. For example, we just rolled out a new service called Project Neon and its rendering application service on the cloud. So you just hit a button and it goes off to the service and you just get back to work while it renders somewhere else instead of tying up your computer. There are things that make for really nice blends that make for nicer workflows than the ones that people have available today.
AFR: So the cloud is altering workflows and enabling processes that make for more efficient production, giving users abilities that weren’t possible before.
CB: Yes, so whether you look at this idea of turning photos into models, or Autocad WS doing collaboration through the cloud, there is just a whole bunch of stuff that wasn’t possible before these new technologies.
AFR: I read some articles that you are quite a fan of the Apple iPad. Do you feel that this device is a game changer within the CAD world–the iPad itself?
next page: Bass talks about iPad
CB: I think the iPad in the CAD world is a great supplement. I don’t see it in the short term replacing desktops and laptops–those are just too powerful. But I do think it is changing things. More broadly when you think of CAD design and engineering, when you think of being able to bring the latest drawings into the field, into a meeting…there is just deep value there. For example, here at the airport instead of having manuals for repairs on an airplane out on the tarmac you can have an iPad which would have all the up-to-date instructions in 3D. So I see it as a great compliment. It’s rarely going to be your primary creation device, but it certainly is a game changer in the ways we will access that information and collaborate.
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AFR: I read recently in a market report that said that up to 80 percent of incoming freshman on collage campuses were buying Mac computers. And I was stunned to read this. Things have obviously really changed in the last few years. These are many of your future customers. How will Autodesk respond to this new generation of users? Clearly they are thinking differently…how will Autodesk respond?
CB: Well first I think this trend for students using Macs has been going on for a really long time. The Mac has always been the dominant computer on campus. 80 percent wasn’t a number I was familiar with, but it sounds reasonable to me. You know the interesting thing is that people have been running applications on the Mac for a long time–particularly students.
AFR: How so?
CB: The thing that is interesting from our point of view is that we’ve seen students in particular running applications, whether native or PC applications running in virtual environments, on Mac hardware for a really long time. On college campuses we’ve seen almost all of our software running on Macs for a really long time.
AFR: Really? How long are we talking about here?
CB: Ten years.
AFR: Wow!
CB: You know the Mac has always been the dominant device on college campuses. I think as you move forward the change is that people now have an expectation of also their iPhones and iPads being very capable computing devices and doing more and more stuff there. So ultimately the bigger change on campus is not being Mac per se–which has been very popular for a very long time now–but people now have expectations of being able to do work now on their phones and tablets.
AFR: That is really very interesting perspective. Going forward then what are some special things that Autodesk may be bringing to market strategically?
CB: I think you are going to see a ton of new applications on mobile devices and on the tablet, and I think an interesting combination of technologies that combine what is possible on the cloud with what is possible on the local device.
AFR: So there is definitely a mission to really see the mobile devices as almost being an equal player with what is going on on the desktop…
CB: Yes, if you recall when we released our SketchBook Mobile application. We have had more than six million downloads of SketchBook mobile. We’ve had almost two million downloads of AutodCAD WS in a fraction of the time SketchBook has been available. Even things like TinkerBox…we’ve had over a million downloads of that. So I think when you look at the numbers they speak for themselves. It shows you just how popular and compelling those devices are.
AFR: And when you say downloads are you referring to the Mac App store and the iTunes store?
CB: Yup.
AFR: That is interesting because a lot of professional software makers are really still hesitant to put their wares on those stores because they sell for a lot, and a lot of the apps on those stores are inexpensive.
CB: Yeah, while I think when you look at what we have up there too they are relatively inexpensive but when you think in terms of broad distribution they are incredibly effective.
AFR: Thanks for talking to me today about the market.
CB: You are very welcome.