Mark Zuckerberg Criticizes Apple For Stagnation, Highlighting Years-Long Rivalry With Tim Cook

Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently criticized Apple Inc. for its perceived lack of innovation and restrictive business practices during an appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast. This remark has reignited a long-standing rivalry between the two tech giants.

What Happened: During the podcast, Zuckerberg remarked, “Steve Jobs invented the iPhone and now they’re just kind of sitting on it 20 years later.” He expressed the view that Apple has not introduced any significant innovations in recent years. Additionally, Zuckerberg claimed that Meta's profits could potentially double if it were not for Apple's “random rules” and the 30% commission charged through its App Store.

These criticisms arise amidst increasing regulatory scrutiny over Apple’s App Store policies. The U.S. Department of Justice is actively pursuing antitrust actions against Apple, while new European Union regulations are compelling the company to adapt its traditionally closed ecosystem.

The ongoing conflict has its roots in previous tensions between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Meta. The relationship started to sour back in 2014 when Cook criticized Facebook’s data collection methods. The situation deteriorated even further following the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal, where Cook publicly stated on MSNBC that he “wouldn’t be in this situation” concerning Facebook’s challenges with privacy.

Why It Matters: The rivalry intensified in 2021 when Apple put forth new privacy features. These new features require apps to obtain user permissions for tracking, which adversely affected Meta’s advertising revenue. Reports indicated that Zuckerberg instructed his team to “inflict pain” on Apple as a response to these changes.

In a more recent move, Zuckerberg questioned the market potential of Apple’s Vision Pro headset during a quarterly earnings call for Meta in early 2023. He suggested that consumers are more likely to prefer “fashionable AI glasses without a display” over what Apple offers.

This ongoing rivalry underscores fundamental differences in the companies' strategies: Meta relies heavily on advertising and data, while Apple prioritizes hardware and user privacy. Currently, Meta’s stock has seen an increase, reaching a value of $615.01, whereas Apple’s shares have experienced a 2.34% drop, now at $237.02.

Zuckerberg, Apple, Meta