HH: On target about that
The company has not delivered substantive results, and the excuses are getting lamer by the minute.
Sure, if the economy or the market turns south then what was expected earlier will not happen, but its a matter of degree.
Failed launch after failed launch in this product sector is hard to explain away.
Lamest excuse of all is the "well, the OEMs want to wait until the next generation hard drive is ready." With that decision making process (supposedly), product will never be produced and sold because there is always be another generation (Moore's Law broadly defined) of technology around the corner.
Despite the spin on Agora, I'm sure (as you state) that FF was demoted because the Board was tired of lack of delivery on promises.
It took a while because he's been there a while and that buys you some slack.
But it's got nothing to do with "putting the right skills in the right position."
wsj