Mark Zuckerberg Critiques Apple's Innovation Stagnation

During a recent podcast interview on the "Joe Rogan Experience," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed strong criticisms of Apple, highlighting the company's perceived lack of innovation and its imposition of what he terms "random rules" on developers.

Zuckerberg's Views on Apple's Innovation

Zuckerberg discussed the impact of the iPhone, stating, "On the one hand, the iPhone has been great, because now pretty much everyone in the world has a phone, and that's kind of what enables pretty amazing things." However, he countered this by suggesting that Apple has failed to create anything noteworthy since the launch of the iPhone, noting, "It's like Steve Jobs invented the iPhone, and now they're just kind of sitting on it 20 years later." He believes that this stagnation in innovation is evident in the slowing sales of the iPhone itself.

Impact on Developers and Profit Margins

Zuckerberg went on to explain that the reason behind Apple's increasing revenue might be due to the company squeezing more money from developers. He referenced Apple's controversial 30% commission on app sales as a significant barrier for developers, stating that these policies hinder other companies' ability to create compatible accessories for Apple products. He commented on Apple's AirPods as an example, noting, "They build stuff like AirPods, which are cool, but they've just thoroughly hamstrung the ability for anyone else to build something that can connect to the iPhone in the same way." He further argued that if Apple streamlined its rules, it could lead to an increase in Meta's profitability.

Privacy, Security, and Protocols

Zuckerberg commented on Apple's stance regarding privacy and security as a defense for their restrictive policies. He suggested that a better protocol and improved security measures could allow for greater connectivity with various products. He stated, "It's insecure because you didn't build any security into it. And then now you're using that as a justification for why only your product can connect in an easy way."

Comments on Apple's Vision Pro Headset

Apple has yet to respond to Zuckerberg's remarks.

Zuckerberg, Apple, Innovation