Is Apple a Nicer Company Under Tim Cook?

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has become more flexible and less arrogant in its dealings with others in the industry since losing Steve Jobs, according to France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) chief executive Stephane Richard. Current Apple chief executive Tim Cook, known to be more adaptable than Jobs, took over from the late co-founder in August 2011.

“Apple has (become) more flexible, paying more attention to everyone else, probably a little less arrogant than they used to be,” Richard told a group of reporters at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, according to AllThingsD. “I think they are probably a little more under pressure [than under Jobs], and it is quite nice.”

Richard also discussed how Apple’s iOS and Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, the clear leaders of the global mobile ecosystem, were here to stay and would make life very difficult for newer entrants, including Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone.

Windows Phone would have to go down a “very difficult” road to be a true rival to iOS and Android, but lacked a “wow” factor to see success quickly, Richard said. The biggest drawback for the Microsoft operating system was that the devices running on it were neither better designed nor cheaper, he added. In addition, the software did not offer a better app experience than iOS or Android…