Apple's current growth needs, apart from new markets to sustain it with their demand, new people to help driving the company into the right direction. Since Microsoft got a new CIO from Walt Disney, now Apple made the same move, bringing in someone from a notorious company to help the higher level management team. This time, it's not about Walt Disney, but about Wal-Mart...
Less than 2 years ago, Wal-Mart released their own video downloads site, and at the end of 2007, they closed it. Now, the only message you'll get from the site is "The Wal-Mart Video Downloads Service closed on 12/21/07", and the reason should be obvious. Even Hector Martinez, HP spokesman, said the market was not as good "as expected". Since this happened, it was a good occasion for Apple to grab someone with experience in the field, this person being Kevin Swint, the former digital media head of Wal-Mart.
As one would expect, Swint's job at Apple will involve taking care of their international movies and TV services. Other than that, time will tell, but I think Apple can succeed where others have failed, so let's bid Kevin Swint "good luck" in making Steve Jobs' company go higher!
