Interview: Why Ron Johnson says Apple had no choice but to gamble millions on retail

Steve Jobs and Ron Johnson were mocked by business and finance press over the Apple Store, and in an interview with AppleInsider, Johnson reveals that if they hadn't opened them, Apple itself would not have survived. Ron Johnson (left) and Steve Jobs, circa 2001 - image and background shot of Apple Fifth Avenue credit: Apple. You've been in an Apple Store, or at least if you haven't, the odds are that there is one near you.