Apple held its annual shareholder’s meeting on February 23, the meeting was held virtually due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. During the meeting, CEO Tim Cook took questions from investors on topics like political contributions, future agendas, the company’s response to the pandemic, and more. He discussed the troubling issues with App Store regulations and allegations of creating a monopoly. The future of Mac was also talked about at the meeting.
In addition, at the meeting stockholders voted on the appointment of directors to Apple’s Board during the virtual meeting. The nominees approved by the stockholders are Al Gore, Art Levinson, James Bell, Ron Sugar, Tim Cook, and Sue Wagner.
CEO Tim Cook addresses the future of Apple, Covid-19, its products, and more
Apple is currently fighting legal and PR battles on multiple fronts with companies like Epic Games, Facebook, and Spotify. The objection from Apple’s rivals is to how the iPhone maker exercises power over its devices and further claims that Apple is driving a monopoly. Apple is also facing charges of antitrust by the U.S DOJ. To these allegations, Cook said that investigation is fair but “accusations like these fall apart” under close examination.
While scrutiny is fair, accusations like these fall apart after a reasonable examination of the facts. The first priority of any stimulus should be about helping people.
In so many ways, the world has changed, but in fundemental ways, Apple has not. Apple is made up of people who want to spend their lives making things that enrich the lives of others, making them more fulfilled, more creative, and more human.
Cook told shareholders that 2020 was a period of yielding innovation. Cook said, “Apple makes the best, most useful, most innovative, most trusted products out there, and this year, we took that mission to another level.” Tim Cook declined to give any details regarding the upcoming products, but he did say that there are “exciting things ahead for the iPhone and great things ahead for computing”.
The HomePod mini was described as “another hit” during the holidays, and the AirPods Max is “hugely popular with reviewers and users alike.” The Cupertino tech giant is currently working on the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup that will be identical to the iPhone 12 lineup. Tim Cook mentioned that Apple has acquired approximately 100 companies in the last six years.
We’re not afraid to look at acquistions of any size. Focus is on small, innovative companies that complement our products and help push them forward.
We’re comfortable saying no to a lot of things and laser focused on the areas where we can have the greatest impact, innovating relentlessly. Technology made by people, for people, and with people’s well being in mind. At its best and most hopeful, technology should help us leave the world better than we found it.
Tim Cook said that he does not see many hurdles in 2021 while looking forward to the future, but possibilities that will need to be managed “creatively, intelligently, and diligently.” According to Cook, the current Apple Watch, Mac, and iPhone lineups carry a great degree of future potential, and that there have never been products like these before.
The CEO also mentioned that he is quite optimistic about the future and Apple is always thinking about how to help communities rise stronger, fair, and equitable recovery. And all of this can be achieved by world-class technology that “puts humanity at its heart.”
