Elon Musk has revealed that he tried to set up a meeting with Tim Cook to sell Tesla to Apple during the Tesla 3’s “darkest days.”
Apple has been making headlines with its Project Titan, its effort to disrupt the automotive industry. Project Titan has alternately been described as a fully electric automobile, an AI system that Apple’s partners could integrate with new vehicles, or a third-party system that could be added to a wide range of vehicles. The most recent rumors have the Apple Car debuting in 2021, while others say it will be released in 2024.
In a surprising revelation, Musk has indicated Apple may have missed out on a golden opportunity to purchase Tesla when the company was worth a tenth of its current value. Musk made the revelation via Twitter, in response to the most recent rumors about the Apple Car.
During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting.
Apple has extended its remote work deadline, with most employees not expected back in the office until June 2021.
Apple, perhaps more than many companies, is known for its face-to-face collaboration. Steve Jobs famously helped rebuild a culture of face-to-face collaboration at Apple, built on teams brainstorming and building on ideas together.
Despite its culture, like many companies, Apple sent employees home to work remotely as a result of the pandemic. According to Bloomberg, Apple has now pushed back the timeframe when employees will be expected back in the office to June of 2021, with CEO Tim Cook saying it “seems likely” employees will not return before then.
At the same time, there is little hope Apple will embrace a fully remote option as some other companies, such as Twitter, have done. Cook made it clear he firmly believes in the face-to-face collaboration that has been one of the foundations of Apple’s success.
“There’s no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, but we have also learned a great deal about how we can get our work done outside of the office without sacrificing productivity or results,” Cook told staff, according to Bloomberg’s sources. “All of these learnings are important. When we’re on the other side of this pandemic, we will preserve everything that is great about Apple while incorporating the best of our transformations this year.”
There does appear to be a glimmer of hope for employees looking for more flexibility, however. The fact that Cook said the company will incorporate “the best of our transformations this year,” would seem to indicate the company is open to some flexibility — perhaps along the lines of the approach Google is taking — even if it’s not a fully remote option.
As expected, Apple unveiled its first Macs to take advantage of its custom silicon: the MacBook Air, the Mac mini and the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple had promised it would deliver the first of its new machines before the end of the year, with many experts expecting one of the MacBook lines to be the first. Sure enough, the MacBook Air was the first new Mac announced, with the Mac mini and MacBook Pro following.
Many have wondered how fast the new Macs would be, especially in comparison to Intel-based Macs. Apple didn’t disappoint. The company unveiled its M1 chip, the first in a family of chips that will power Apple’s products.
The M1 Chip
Apple M1 – Credit Apple
The M1 is the first SoC for the Mac, giving it much faster efficiency and performance than previous generations of Macs, all of which had to use different chips for different tasks. The M1 features an eight-core CPU, four for high-performance and four for high-efficiency. Even the high-efficiency cores are workhorses, however. According to Apple, the four high-efficiency cores deliver roughly the same performance as the last generation dual-core, Intel-based MacBook Air…but at 1/10 the power.
The GPU also includes eight cores. Apple claims it can deliver up to two times better performance than the graphics on Intel machines using only 1/4 the power. The M1 also includes a 16-core Neural Engine, delivering up to 15x faster ML performance.
The M1 chips improves the overall security of the Mac, bringing the same security architecture that the iPhone and iPad have enjoyed. This includes automatic, high-performance encryption.
MacBook Air
MacBook Air – Credit Apple
With the M1, the new MacBook Air is up to 3.5x faster than the previous model, with up to 5x faster graphics. This makes it faster than 98% of PC laptops sold in the last year.
Like the iPad and iPhone, the new MacBook Air has no fan, is completely silent and wakes instantly. Its improved efficiency gives the MacBook Air 15 hours of web browsing, 18 hours of video playback and 6 hours of videoconferencing.
The MacBook Air starts at $999, or $899 with the education discount.
Mac mini
Mac mini – Credit Apple
The new Mini offers 3x faster CPU performance, along with 6x faster GPU performance. In fact, the Mini is up to 5x faster than desktop PCs at 1/10 the size.
The Mini starts at $699, $100 less than before.
MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro – Credit Apple
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro features 2.8x faster CPU performance and 5x GPU performance. Together, this makes the MacBook Pro up to 3x faster than comparable Windows laptops. The MacBook Pro has the best battery life of any Mac ever made, with 17 hours of web browsing or 20 hours of video playback.
The new MacBook Pro starts at $1299, or $1199 for education.
All of the new machines can be ordered today and are available next week.
At the outset, Tim Cook said: “We love the Mac. It’s in our DNA.” Based on today’s event, that is more evident than ever. It’s also a safe bet far more people will love the Mac too, if today’s announcement is any indication.
Apple reported its quarterly results, turning in a record quarter on strong Mac, iPad and Services.
Apple reported $64.7 billion in revenue, a record for the fiscal fourth quarter, coming in at $0.73 earnings per diluted share. This amounted to a net profit of $12.7 billion.
The one disappointing part of the report was iPhone revenue, coming in at $26.4 billion. This was down from $33.4 billion in the year-ago quarter, a nearly 21% decline. It’s likely, however, that many customers were holding off for the iPhone 12, with its 5G compatibility. If so, the next quarter could well come in as a super-cycle upgrade quarter.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mac, iPad and Services were up. The Mac accounted for $9 billion, a 28% increase over the year-ago quarter. Similarly, the iPad represented $6.8 billion, a 46% increase from the year-ago quarter.
Services were the star of the show, coming in at $14.55 billion, a 16.3% increase over the year-ago quarter. For perspective, that puts Services as second only to the iPhone as part of Apple’s business. As the smartphone market has become saturated, Apple has been emphasizing the importance of Services for its long-term business. This quarter’s results highlight that it’s strategy is paying off.
“Apple capped off a fiscal year defined by innovation in the face of adversity with a September quarter record, led by all-time records for Mac and Services,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Despite the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, Apple is in the midst of our most prolific product introduction period ever, and the early response to all our new products, led by our first 5G-enabled iPhone lineup, has been tremendously positive. From remote learning to the home office, Apple products have been a window to the world for users as the pandemic continues, and our teams have met the needs of this moment with creativity, passion, and the kinds of big ideas that only Apple can deliver.”
“Our outstanding September quarter performance concludes a remarkable fiscal year, where we established new all-time records for revenue, earnings per share, and free cash flow, in spite of an extremely volatile and challenging macro environment,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “Our sales results and the unmatched loyalty of our customers drove our active installed base of devices to an all-time high in all of our major product categories. We also returned nearly $22 billion to shareholders during the quarter, as we maintain our target of reaching a net cash neutral position over time.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced today the launch of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro with 5G:
Today we’re bringing 5G to iPhone. This is a huge moment for all of us and we’re really excited. 5G will bring a new level of performance for downloads and uploads, higher quality video streaming, more responsive gaming, real-time interactivity, and so much more. 5G networks are more advanced with lower latency and less network congestion so you can get higher network speeds even in densely populated areas. 5G even helps protect your privacy and security since you won’t need to connect to unknown unsecured public wi-fi hotspots as often.
Each generation of cellular network technology on the iPhone has enabled breakthrough innovations and entirely new opportunities for our developers and our users. 5G is the most exciting step yet. For so many people this all becomes real with 5G coming to iPhone.
Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg also spoke at Apple’s launch event about the impact of 5G for the iPhone:
5G just got real. Of course, what’s the most exciting part for me as a guy who has worked in networking for 25 plus years? The fact that for the first time ever iPhone can now access Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband. It’s built with large quantities on millimeter wave spectrum that enable unprecedented performance. 5G Ultra Wideband has already been recognized as being the fastest 5G in the world and it’s getting even faster. Our 5G network now gives you double the peak download speeds, over 4 gigabits per second today in ideal conditions. And even higher over time.
It also gives you double the upload speeds at over 200 megabits per second. So whatever you’re watching, a high definition movie or you’re planning business workflows with real-time augmented reality, you can be sure that there’s no faster 5G anywhere on earth. 5G Ultra Wideband has also a massive capacity. We’re building it to help remove bottlenecks in crowded places where thousands of people use their phones at the same time. Because one day we’ll be safely back in those places.
Apple released its earnings report for the June quarter, and it was good news coming out of Cupertino.
Apple smashed its previous June quarter results, thanks to strong growth in both Products and Services.
“Apple’s record June quarter was driven by double-digit growth in both Products and Services and growth in each of our geographic segments,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “In uncertain times, this performance is a testament to the important role our products play in our customers’ lives and to Apple’s relentless innovation. This is a challenging moment for our communities, and, from Apple’s new $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative to a new commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, we’re living the principle that what we make and do should create opportunity and leave the world better than we found it.”
“Our June quarter performance was strong evidence of Apple’s ability to innovate and execute during challenging times,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “The record business results drove our active installed base of devices to an all-time high in all of our geographic segments and all major product categories. We grew EPS by 18 percent and generated operating cash flow of $16.3 billion during the quarter, a June quarter record for both metrics.”
In addition to its strong results, Apple announced a four-for-one stock split. The goal is to make Apple’s stocks more accessible to a wider array of investors.
Under normal circumstances this would be an excellent quarter. Under the cloud of the global pandemic, the results are nothing short of spectacular.
“There is a competition for developers just like there is a competition for customers,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook at today’s big tech congressional hearing. “With the competition for developers, they could write their apps for Android or Windows or Xbox or PlayStation. It is so competitive that I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook explains to a clueless congressman who tossed a barrage of leading questions at him how Apple is in a ‘street fight’ for both developers and customers:
We Treat Every Developer The Same
The App Store is a feature of the iPhone much like the camera is and the chip is. If it is a native app (Apple is the sole decision-maker as to whether an app is made available to app users through the Apple Store). If it is a web app … no. We treat every developer the same. We have open and transparent rules. It’s a rigorous process.
Because we care so deeply about privacy, security, and quality, we do look at every app before it goes on. But those rules apply evenly to everyone. It is not correct (that some developers are favored over others).
We Have Never Increased Our App Commission
We do a lot of things with developers including looking at their beta test apps regardless of whether they are small or large. A (reduced app commission) is available to anyone meeting the conditions. Approximately, 84 percent of the apps are charged nothing. The remaining 16 percent either pay 15 or 30 percent (of subscription revenue). These payments are depending upon the specifics. If it is in the second year of a subscription, as an example, it only pays 15 percent.
We have never increased commissions in the store since the first day it operated in 2008. I disagree strongly (with the suggestion that we would increase our commission to 50 percent at some point).
Competition For Developers Is A ‘Street Fight’
There is a competition for developers just like there is a competition for customers. With the competition for developers, they could write their apps for Android or Windows or Xbox or PlayStation. We have fierce competition on the developer side and on the customer side. It is so competitive that I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.
We do not retaliate or bully people (regardless if developers make their frustrations with the app store public). It is strongly against our company culture.
Apple CEO Tim Cook: Competition For Developers Is A ‘Street Fight’
“Today is going to be a truly historic day for the Mac,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook at their at the Worldwide Developers Conference. “Today we are going to tell you about some really big changes, how we are going to take the Mac to a whole new level. From the very beginning, the Mac redefined the entire computer industry. The Mac has always been about innovation and boldly pushing things forward, embracing big changes to stay at the forefront of personal computing.”
The Mac has had three major transitions in its history. The move to PowerPC, the transition to macOS X, and the move to Intel. Now it’s time for a huge leap forward for the Mac. Today is the day that we are announcing that the Mac is transitioning to our own Apple Silicon. When we make bold changes it’s for one simple yet powerful reason… so we can make much better products. When we look ahead we envision some major new products and transitioning to our own custom silicon is what will enable us to bring them to life.
At Apple, integrating hardware and software is fundamental to everything we do. That’s what makes our products so great and silicon is at the heart of our hardware. So having a world class silicon design team is a game changer.
Apple CEO Tim Cook: Mac Transitioning To Our Own Apple Silicon
In a first ever, Apple held a 100% digital version of WWDC, bringing welcome improvements across all of the company’s platforms.
CEO Tim Cook began the conference, taking the opportunity to address the major issues the world is facing, especially racial inequality and the coronavirus pandemic. Cook pointed out that it was more important than ever for Apple to continue to innovate, supporting its users and being a positive force for change.
He then turned the program over to Craig Federighi to highlight some of the changes to iOS
iOS 14 Home Screen
Federighi immediately launched into some of the biggest changes coming in iOS 14, including an improved Home Screen.
The iOS Home Screen has remained largely unchanged over the years, adding only incremental improvements, such as Folders. With iOS 14, Apple’s mobile OS finally offers substantial improvements to the Home Screen, giving users the option to hide entire pages of apps. In their place, iOS has an App Library view that automatically groups apps according to category, and makes recommendations based on usage.
iOS App Library
iOS 14 also includes the ability to add widgets directly to the Home Screen, with apps rearranging around them.
Picture-in-Picture (PiP)
Apple is bringing one of the most popular features of the iPad to the iPhone in iOS 14, namely PiP. The feature will work similarly to its larger counterpart, letting users watch videos while working on other apps.
iPhone PiP
Siri
Siri receives some welcome upgrades as well. First and foremost is on-device dictation. Un previous versions, every interaction with Siri requires internet connectivity. While searches will still require an internet connection, dictation will be done entirely on the iPhone.
Siri also benefits from a streamlined interface, displaying as a small bubble at the bottom of the screen, rather than taking up the entire view.
Siri Interface
Translate
Apple is unveiling its own translation software, but with a typical Apple flair. The software will automatically keep up with who is saying what, translate and display the results accordingly.
Apple Translate
Messages
Messages includes some major upgrades, including inline replying and mentions. Users can set their group message notification settings to only notify them when they are directly mentioned in the thread.
Apple Messages
Another welcome benefit is the ability to pin conversations to the top of the list, making it easier to refer back to popular or important threads.
Maps
Maps has been upgraded to include information for cyclists, including where they will have to deal with stairs, and giving them the option of avoiding stairs altogether.
Maps will also include information to help electric vehicle owners to find charging stations and plan their trips accordingly.
CarPlay
CarPlay is getting a major new feature that will allow an iPhone to lock/unlock and start a compatible car.
CarPlay will use NFC to create a digital car key that is securely stored on the iPhone. Additional keys can be created and shared with others, so someone else can access the vehicle if needed. The feature will also be brought to iOS 13.
Apple has reported its second quarter earnings, shattering analysts’ expectations, aided by its services business.
It’s no secret that Apple, like many companies, has had a difficult quarter. Since much of the company’s production is in China, it was hit particularly hard as its supply chain experienced major delays as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, analysts did not expect the company to see any growth this quarter, and actually predicted a 5% year-over-year decline in revenue.
Instead, Apple reported $58.3 billion in revenue, which was a 1% increase year-over-year. Similarly, the company reported earnings per share of $2.55, up 4% year-over-year, as opposed to the 10.8% decrease analysts were expecting.
“Despite COVID-19’s unprecedented global impact, we’re proud to report that Apple grew for the quarter, driven by an all-time record in Services and a quarterly record for Wearables,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “In this difficult environment, our users are depending on Apple products in renewed ways to stay connected, informed, creative, and productive. We feel motivated and inspired to not only keep meeting these needs in innovative ways, but to continue giving back to support the global response, from the tens of millions of face masks and custom-built face shields we’ve sent to medical professionals around the world, to the millions we’ve donated to organizations like Global Citizen and America’s Food Fund.”
Despite the positive results, Apple did not provide guidance on the upcoming quarter, as has been the case with a number of tech companies. It’s likely the full impacts of the pandemic have yet to be fully realized, and Apple seems hesitant to provide any further guidance until the situation is better understood.
Still, this quarter’s results were a big win for the company and will no doubt help assuage analysts’ concerns long-term.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Senator Josh Hawley wants both CEOs to take personal responsibility for customer privacy.
Apple and Google recently announced their efforts to working on coronavirus tracking apps that will use a common API and eliminate the incompatibilities that often plague iOS and Android interaction. The apps will use Bluetooth and operate on a decentralized model to ensure user privacy.
Despite assurances by both companies that every effort is being made to protect privacy, Senator Hawley is not convinced. In particular, Hawley is concerned the anonymized data could be paired with other datasets to identify individuals and is calling on Cook and Pichai to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak.
“Americans are right to be skeptical of this project,” writes Hawley. “Even if this project were to prove helpful for the current crisis, how can Americans be sure that you will not change the interface after the pandemic subsides? Once downloaded onto millions of phones, the interface easily could be edited to eliminate previous privacy protections. And any privacy protection that is baked into the interface will do little good if the apps that are developed to access the interface also choose to collect other information, like real-time geolocation data. When it comes to sticking to promises, Google’s record is not exactly reassuring. Last year a Google representative had to admit, under oath, that Google still tracks location history even when a person turns location history off. As the Associated Press put it, ‘Google wants to know where you go so badly that it records your movements even when you explicitly tell it not to.’”
Interestingly, Hawley only makes mention of Google’s issues with privacy, as Apple has a well-earned reputation of being one of the strongest privacy advocates in the tech industry. Tim Cook has stated that Apple believes privacy is a fundamental human right, and the company’s actions support that claim. Even so, Hawley wants the executives of both companies to be personally liable for customer privacy, as it relates to any proposed coronavirus tracking app.
“A project this unprecedented requires an unprecedented assurance on your part,” Hawley continues. “Too often, Americans have been burned by companies who calculated that the profits they could gain by reversing privacy pledges would outweigh any later financial penalty levied against the company. The last thing Americans want is to adopt, amid a global emergency, a tracking program that then becomes a permanent feature in our lives.
“If you seek to assure the public, make your stake in this project personal. Make a commitment that you and other executives will be personally liable if you stop protecting privacy, such as by granting advertising companies access to the interface once the pandemic is over. The public statements you make now can be enforced under federal and state consumer protection laws. Do not hide behind a corporate shield like so many privacy offenders have before. Stake your personal finances on the security of this project.”
The senator clearly voices concerns that millions of individuals have expressed in the wake of Apple and Google’s announcement. Hopefully, Senator Hawley’s letter will help ensure both companies do everything possible to protect user privacy.
Apple is turning its considerable resources and expertise to manufacturing face masks for medical personnel amid the ongoing crisis.
CEO Tim Cook made the announcement on Twitter:
Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers.
In the video, Cook says the face shields pack flat, assemble in less than two minutes and are fully adjustable. The company has already delivered its first shipment to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley, to positive feedback from doctors.
Apple plans to ship over one million by the end of this week, with one million being shipped every week after. Initially, distribution will be in the U.S., with hopes to expand worldwide.
Cook makes it clear that, “for Apple, this is a labor of love and gratitude, and we will share more of our efforts over time.” The company is to be commended for the example its setting, one that hopefully many other companies will follow.
Apple is donating millions of masks to medical personnel across the U.S. and Europe as health professionals grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
As the pandemic continues to spread across the U.S., officials have been calling on other industries to help create or provide medical products. Kentucky bourbon makers are making hand sanitizer and auto makers have been called on to help make ventilators.
In an announcement on Twitter, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is donating millions of masks to health professionals.
Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19. We’re donating millions of masks for health professionals in the US and Europe. To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you.
Over the weekend, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that all stores outside of Greater China would be closed till March 27.
With declining numbers of cases in China, the company has reopened stores there. As the pandemic sweeps the rest of the globe, however, the company made the decision to close all stores outside of Greater China.
“We will be closing all of our retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27,” writes Cook. “We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers. Our online stores are open at www.apple.com, or you can download the Apple Store app on the App Store. For service and support, customers can visit support.apple.com. I want to thank our extraordinary Retail teams for their dedication to enriching our customers’ lives. We are all so grateful to you.”
As the situation continues to unfold, however, it seems the stores may be closed beyond March 27. BGR was the first to notice that a banner on Apple.com says: “Our retail stores are closed until further notice.”
Fortunately for employees, Apple is taking measures to make sure their financial needs are met.
“All of our hourly workers will continue to receive pay in alignment with business as usual operations,” continues Cook. “We have expanded our leave policies to accommodate personal or family health circumstances created by COVID-19 — including recovering from an illness, caring for a sick loved one, mandatory quarantining, or childcare challenges due to school closures.”
Apple is warning its store personnel that supplies of some replacement iPhones are running short, and extra measures may be required to assist customers.
According to an internal memo that AppleInsider has confirmed, Genius Bar personnel (Geniuses) have been informed that some iPhone replacements may be in short supply over the next few weeks. Geniuses are being encouraged “to offer to mail replacement devices to customers and provide ‘loaner’ iPhones in the meantime.”
Apple has already informed investors it will miss its quarterly guidance as its production and supply chain have been impacted as a result of measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Apple’s main manufacturing partner, Foxconn, just informed its own investors that it won’t be back to full production until the end of March, after weeks of its China factories being shut down or running at limited capacity.
Under Tim Cook, Apple is legendary for maintaining an extremely streamlined supply chain. This is one of the factors behind the company’s success clearing out old inventory right as new products are launched. In situations like these, however, a very tight supply chain can be a two-edged sword.
This latest warning by the iPhone maker is further evidence of the widespread impact the coronavirus is having.
When discussing Apple’s Q1 2020 results, CEO Tim Cook told CNBC the coronavirus is impacting the company’s operations in China.
According to Cook, the company is restricting employee travel in China and has already closed one store. Apple is also cutting back retail store hours as a precaution.
“We’re restricting travel to business critical travel,” Cook told CNBC’s Josh Lipton. “For employees that are in the Wuhan area, we are providing care kits and supplying them across our employee population in China as well.”
One of Apple’s main manufacturers, Foxconn, earlier stated it foresaw no impact to its manufacturing timetables as a result of the coronavirus. While that may have been some good news for Apple, it appears the overall effects of the outbreak will still impact the company.
In fact, in their quarterly earnings report, Apple issued a wider-than-normal guidance for Q2 largely because of the virus.
“The situation is, is emerging and we’re still gathering lots of data points and monitoring it very closely,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri, according to Digital Trends. “We have a wider than usual revenue range for the second quarter, due to the greater uncertainty. We’re closely following the development of the coronavirus.”
Apple posted its Q1 2020 financial results today, reporting a record revenue of $91.8 billion.
There were a number of significant takeaways from the report, not the least of which is a return to profit growth. The company reported a 9% revenue increase from the year-ago quarter.
Just as significant, however, is that Apple’s installed base has reached an all-time high, coming in at 1.5 million devices.
“We are thrilled to report Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever, fueled by strong demand for our iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, and all-time records for Services and Wearables,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “During the holiday quarter our active installed base of devices grew in each of our geographic segments and has now reached over 1.5 billion. We see this as a powerful testament to the satisfaction, engagement and loyalty of our customers — and a great driver of our growth across the board.”
According to AppleInsider, quoting Tim Cook, this represents an increase of over 100 million devices in the last 12 months. With Apple known for benefiting from a ‘halo effect,’ where users who purchase one device end up buying others because of their good experience, 100 million new devices is sure to have an impact on business down the line.
At an event in Ireland, where he was presented with an award to recognize “the company’s contribution to FDI in Ireland,” CEO Tim Cook took the opportunity to share his vision of augmented reality’s (AR) future, according to Silicon Republic.
“I’m excited about AR,” said Cook. “My view is it’s the next big thing, and it will pervade our entire lives.”
One significant area where AR differs from virtual reality (VR) is the potential for human interaction. VR tends to segregate individuals in their own virtual environment. Any interaction with other humans depends on them having access to VR equipment and being part of the same virtual environment. AR, on the other hand, is not as exclusionary.
“I think it’s something that doesn’t isolate people,” Cook continued. “We can use it to enhance our discussion, not substitute it for human connection, which I’ve always deeply worried about in some of the other technologies.”
Cook also sees the technology being used to help people perform hands-on tasks, especially ones they may not be familiar with. He used the example of changing the oil on a vehicle as the kind of task AR could help with.
Apple has made no secret of their faith in AR, even over its more buzz-generating sibling VR. The company has integrated AR into its visitor experience at the Apple Park, and both iPhones and iPads currently support AR. Cook’s comments give a small glimpse into why the company is so bullish about the tech.
Apple held its much-anticipated “By Invitation Only” event today, with Tim Cook promising a “huge” morning of news and updates. Over the course of two hours, Apple delivered on the promise with updates to both hardware and software.
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade was first out of the gate, with one of Apple highlighting the soon-to-be-released gaming platform. Apple has partnered with some of the world’s best game developers to deliver over 100 exclusive games on launch day, something no gaming service has ever done.
Rather than paying for each game individually, a subscription service will provide access to all the games in the new Arcade tab of the App Store. Users will also be able to access game guides and sneak peeks.
Unlimited access will cost $4.99 per month, with a one-month free trial, and will be available September 19 in over 150 countries.
Apple Arcade
Apple TV+
It’s no secret Apple has been working on disrupting the television market with their upcoming Apple TV+ service. Mr. Cook said Apple’s ‘mission is to bring the best original stories from the most creative minds in film and television.’
Trailers for Apple’s first three series in production have been viewed over 100 million times, with The Morning Show trailer being one of the most viewed trailers of all time.
Apple took the opportunity to introduce their latest show, See, starring Jason Momoa. The series is set hundreds of years in the future when virtually all of humanity has lost its sight. Apple enlisted the help of blind and low-sight cast, crew and consultants to help set an authentic tone for the series. If the audience’s reaction was any indication, Apple may well have another hit on their hands.
The platform’s first shows will be available on November 1 in over 100 countries, for $4.99 per month for a family subscription. In addition, anyone purchasing a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Apple TV will receive the first year for free.
Apple TV+
iPad
Switching gears to the iPad, Mr. Cook said Apple’s original goal for the iPad was to ‘set out to design something truly unique, something you could take with you, transforming how we work, live and play.’ After highlighting the existing iPad models, he turned the stage over to Apple Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller.
Mr. Schiller said the 9.7-inch iPad continues to be the most popular model, with 60% of first-time buyers opting for it. With the 7th generation of the
product, it was time for Apple to improve it with modern features and abilities.
The 7th generation iPad moves to the A10 Fusion chip, making it up to 2X faster than the current top-selling PC. The iPad moves to a 10.2-inch form factor, giving users slightly more screen real estate. The new model includes the Smart Connector found on the Pro models, allowing it to be paired with the Smart Keyboard, as well as support for the Apple Pencil.
Mr. Schiller briefly touched on some of the added functionality the upcoming iPadOS will bring, including improved multitasking, multiple app instances, more powerful Slide Over, SD card support and more.
The new iPad features an enclosure made from 100% recycled aluminum and starts at $329, or $299 for education customers.
iPad
Apple Watch
Before announcing updates to the Apple Watch, Mr. Cook introduced a video where several existing users described how the Apple Watch had saved their life or had a profound impact on their overall quality of life.
The announced Apple Watch Series 5 promises to build on that reputation with a number of new features. The biggest of these is an always-on display that no longer requires a wrist raise or tap to see the time or complications. Another big addition is a compass, similar to that on the iPhone.
Apple is also expanding the capabilities of the Apple Watch with various studies designed to monitor a user’s health and use that data to improve the overall experience. Initial studies include the Apple Hearing, Heart & Movement and Women’s Health Studies. Via the Apple Research app, users will be able to opt-in and control exactly what data is shared.
Despite the new features, the Series 5 maintains the same all-day, 18-hour battery life and will retail for $399 for the GPS model and $499 for cellular.
Apple Watch
iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
The event’s last act was reserved for the unveiling of the new iPhone. The Apple rumor mill has been in overdrive in the months leading up to this event, but Apple still managed to spring a few surprises.
The new iPhone is split into three models: the base iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and the biggest iPhone 11 Pro Max. Hopefully, Apple keeps this simple naming scheme for the iPhone 12, 13 and beyond, as it’s much easier and more logical than the X, XS, XR, and XS Max.
The iPhone 11 is clearly a replacement for the XR as Apple’s entry-level phone. Based on the specs and features, however, it’s a safe bet the base 11 will likely be the most popular model, much as the XR currently is.
The 11 sports the toughest glass on a smartphone for both the front and back, with aluminum making up the rest of the enclosure. It’s available in black, white, red, purple, yellow and green and features a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD LCD display.
The dual-camera system was front-and-center among the new phone’s features, with 12 megapixels Wide and Ultra-Wide lens. The Phone is powered by the newest A-series chip, the A13 Bionic, providing the fastest CPU and GPU performance on a smartphone. The iPhone 11 will have an hour longer battery life than the current champion, the XR.
The iPhone Pro and Pro Max models build on the same features as the 11, but with a Pro twist. The aluminum is upgraded to surgical-grade stainless steel available in midnight green, space gray, silver, and gold.
The camera adds a third lens for telephoto zoom and the display is a Super Retina XDR OLED in either 5.8 or 6.5-inch. Water-resistance is rated at a full four meters for up to 30 minutes, up from the two-meter rating of the base 11. Apple promises up to four more hours of battery with the 11 Pro and five hours more with the Pro Max. All versions of the iPhone 11 include improved sound, featuring Dolby Atmos.
Apple’s presentation included examples of professional photographers’ work with the iPhone, as well as the creators of FiLMiC Pro highlighting some of the game-changing filmmaking capabilities of the Pro and Pro Max’s camera system.
The iPhone 11 starts at $699, while the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1099 respectively. Apple is also continuing to sell the iPhone 8 for $449 and the XR for $599.
iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
Wrapping Up
Apple promised a “huge” morning of announcements and, without a doubt, they delivered. Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ demonstrate Apple’s commitment to expanding their services, while the 7th generation iPad, Series 5 Apple Watch and iPhone 11 show they still have plenty to offer in the hard-ware department.
Apple “By Invitation Only” Event – September 10, 2019
Apple CEO Tim Cook released a letter yesterday saying that Apple is lowering their guidance for the fiscal 2019 first quarter, which ended on December 29. He attributes almost 100 percent of the revenue shortfall to their business in China:
“While we anticipated some challenges in key emerging markets, we did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration, particularly in Greater China. In fact, most of our revenue shortfall to our guidance, and over 100 percent of our year-over-year worldwide revenue decline occurred in Greater China across iPhone, Mac, and iPad.”
Cook attributes their China problem to issues such as China’s overall economic slowdown partially due to trade tensions with the United States. Many analysts believe that the biggest reason for slower sales in China is actually Apple’s high price point for their newest phones and this is only exacerbated by China’s weakening economy.
Apple Services Growth is Apple’s Future
One silver lining in Tim Cook’s letter is his announcements about the growth of Apple Services worldwide. Cook says that Services generated over $10.8 billion in revenue during the quarter, growing to a new quarterly record in every geographic segment. He says that Apple is on track to achieve their goal of doubling the size of this business from 2016 to 2020.
Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed the incredible growth of their services business as part of an interview on CNBC:
Services Has Grown an Incredible Amount
Services has grown an incredible amount. We’re going to report over $10.8 billion when we report later this month for last quarter. That’s a new record. This is incredibly exciting for us because so many things hit records in there.
The App Store did. Apple music hit a new record. Apple pay hit a new record. Our search ad product from the app store hit a new record. iCloud hit a new record. It’s very wide. Each of the geographies hit a quarterly record.
Services Business Driven by Huge Installed User Base
Even in China, the App Store hit a quarterly record. Why is that? It’s because have and our installed base grew nicely year over year in China as well. As I say in the letter we’ve picked up a 100 million more active devices over the last twelve months alone. This is an incredible number.
We’ve also got some interesting things in the pipeline on services and of course, we do on products as well. That’s sort of another way to grow the company.
Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at 2018 International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Brussels last night and gave a bold and possibly controversial privacy speech. Cook directly challenged Facebook, and tech companies in general, to change their perspective on privacy. He also said that Apple is fully supportive of ‘a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States.’
Below is the full text of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s speech followed by the full video embed:
Apple CEO Tim Cook – The Privacy Speech
It is an honor to be here with you today in this grand hall, a room that represents what is possible when people of different backgrounds, histories, and philosophies come together to build something bigger than themselves. I am deeply grateful to our hosts. I want to recognize Ventsislav Karadjov for his service and leadership. And it’s a true privilege to be introduced by his co-host, a statesman I admire greatly, Giovanni Butarelli.
Now Italy has produced more than its fair share of great leaders and public servants. Machiavelli taught us how leaders can get away with evil deeds, and Dante showed us what happens when they get caught.
You Set an Example for the World
Giovanni has done something very different. Through his values, his dedication, his thoughtful work, Giovanni, his predecessor Peter Hustinx, and all of you have set an example for the world. We are deeply grateful.
We need you to keep making progress, now more than ever. Because these are transformative times. Around the world, from Copenhagen to Chennai to Cupertino, new technologies are driving breakthroughs in humanity’s greatest common projects. From preventing and fighting disease, to curbing the effects of climate change, to ensuring every person has access to information and economic opportunity.
We See Vividly, Painfully, How Technology Can Harm Rather Than Help
At the same time, we see vividly, painfully, how technology can harm rather than help. Platforms and algorithms that promised to improve our lives can actually magnify our worst human tendencies. Rogue actors and even governments have taken advantage of user trust to deepen divisions, incite violence, and even undermine our shared sense of what is true and what is false.
This crisis is real. It is not imagined, or exaggerated, or crazy. And those of us who believe in technology’s potential for good must not shrink from this moment. Now, more than ever, as leaders of governments, as decision-makers in business, and as citizens, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: What kind of world do we want to live in? I’m here today because we hope to work with you as partners in answering this question.
Technology Doesn’t Want To Do Great Things – That Part Takes Us
At Apple, we are optimistic about technology’s awesome potential for good. But we know that it won’t happen on its own. Every day, we work to infuse the devices we make with the humanity that makes us. As I’ve said before, technology is capable of doing great things, but it doesn’t want to do great things. It doesn’t want anything. That part takes all of us.
That’s why I believe that our missions are so closely aligned. As Giovanni puts it, “We must act to ensure that technology is designed and developed to serve humankind and not the other way around.”
Privacy is a Fundamental Human Right
We at Apple believe that privacy is a fundamental human right. But we also recognize that not everyone sees it that way. In a way, the desire to put profits over privacy is nothing new.
As far back as 1890, future Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis published an article in the Harvard Law Review making the case for a “Right to Privacy” in the United States. He warned, “Gossip is no longer the resource of the idle and of the vicious, but has become a trade.”
Our Own Information is Being Weaponized Against Us
Today that trade has exploded into a data industrial complex. Our own information, from the every day to the deeply personal, is being weaponized against us with military efficiency. Every day, billions of dollars change hands, and countless decisions are made, on the basis of our likes and dislikes, our friends and families, our relationships and conversations, our wishes and fears, our hopes and dreams.
These scraps of data, each one harmless enough on its own, are carefully assembled, synthesized, traded, and sold. Taken to its extreme, this process creates an enduring digital profile and lets companies know YOU better than YOU may know yourself.
We Shouldn’t Sugarcoat the Consequences… This is Surveillance
Your profile is then run through algorithms that can serve up increasingly extreme content, pounding our harmless preferences into hardened convictions. If green is your favorite color, you may find yourself reading a lot of articles or watching a lot of videos about the insidious threat from people who like orange.
In the news, almost every day, we bear witness to the harmful, even deadly, effects of these narrowed worldviews. We shouldn’t sugarcoat the consequences. This is surveillance. And these stockpiles of personal data serve only to enrich the companies that collect them. This should make us very uncomfortable. It should unsettle us. And it illustrates the importance of our shared work and the challenges still ahead of us.
We Support a Comprehensive Federal Privacy Law in the US
Fortunately, this year, you’ve shown the world that good policy and political will can come together to protect the rights of everyone. We should celebrate the transformative work of the European institutions tasked with the successful implementation of the GDPR. We also celebrate the new steps taken, not only here in Europe, but around the world. In Singapore, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, and many more nations, regulators are asking tough questions and crafting effective reforms.
It is time for the rest of the world, including my home country, to follow your lead. We at Apple are in full support of a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States. There and everywhere, it should be rooted in four essential rights.
First, the right to have personal data minimized. Companies should challenge themselves to de-identify customer data, or not to collect it in the first place. Second, the right to knowledge. Users should always know what data is being collected and what it is being collected for. This is the only way to empower users to decide what collection is legitimate and what isn’t. Anything less is a sham.
Third, the right to access. Companies should recognize that data belongs to users, and we should all make it easy for users to get a copy of, correct, and delete their personal data. And fourth, the right to security. Security is foundational to trust and all other privacy rights.
There Are Those Who Would Prefer I Hadn’t Said All of That
Now, there are those who would prefer I hadn’t said all of that. Some oppose any form of privacy legislation. Others will endorse reform in public and then resist and undermine it behind closed doors. They may say to you, ‘our companies will never achieve technology’s true potential if they are constrained with privacy regulation.’ But this notion isn’t just wrong, it is destructive.
Technology’s potential is, and always must be, rooted in the faith people have in it, in the optimism and creativity that it stirs in the hearts of individuals, and in its promise and capacity to make the world a better place. It’s time to face facts. We will never achieve technology’s true potential without the full faith and confidence of the people who use it.
At Apple, Respect for Privacy and Suspicion of Authority Are in Our Blood
At Apple, respect for privacy and a healthy suspicion of authority have always been in our bloodstream. Our first computers were built by misfits, tinkerers, and rebels, not in a laboratory or a boardroom, but in a suburban garage. We introduced the Macintosh with a famous TV ad channeling George Orwell’s 1984, a warning of what can happen when technology becomes a tool of power and loses touch with humanity.
And way back in 2010, Steve Jobs said in no uncertain terms, “Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for, in plain language, and repeatedly. It’s worth remembering the foresight and courage it took to make that statement.
When we designed this device we knew it could put more personal data in your pocket than most of us keep in our homes. And there was enormous pressure on Steve and Apple to bend our values and to freely share the information. But we refused to compromise.
In fact, we’ve only deepened our commitment in the decade since. From hardware breakthroughs that encrypt fingerprints and faces securely and only on your device to simple and powerful notifications that make clear to every user precisely what they’re sharing and when they are sharing it. We aren’t absolutists, and we don’t claim to have all the answers. Instead, we always try to return to that simple question: What kind of world do we want to live in?
At every stage of the creative process, then and now, we engage in an open, honest, and robust ethical debate about the products we make and the impact they will have. That’s just a part of our culture. We don’t do it because we have to, we do it because we ought to. The values behind our products are as important to us as any feature.
The Dangers Are Real From Cyber-Criminals to Rogue Nation States
We understand that the dangers are real from cyber-criminals to rogue nation states. We’re not willing to leave our users to fend for themselves. And, we’ve shown, we’ll defend them, we will defend our principles when challenged.
Those values, that commitment to thoughtful debate and transparency, they’re only going to get more important. As progress speeds up, these things should continue to ground us and connect us, first and foremost, to the people we serve.
For AI to be Truly Smart, It Must Respect Human Values
Artificial Intelligence is one area I think a lot about. Clearly, it’s on the minds of many of my peers as well. At its core, this technology promises to learn from people individually to benefit us all. Yet advancing AI by collecting huge personal profiles is laziness, not efficiency. For Artificial Intelligence to be truly smart, it must respect human values, including privacy.
If we get this wrong, the dangers are profound. We can achieve both great Artificial Intelligence and great privacy standards. It’s not only a possibility, it is a responsibility. In the pursuit of artificial intelligence, we should not sacrifice the humanity, creativity, and ingenuity that define our human intelligence. And at Apple, we never will.
In the mid-19th Century, the great American writer Henry David Thoreau found himself so fed up with the pace and change of Industrial society that he moved to a cabin in the woods by Walden Pond. Call it the first digital cleanse.
Yet even there, where he hoped to find a bit of peace, he could hear a distant clatter and whistle of a steam engine passing by. “We do not ride on the railroad,” he said. “It rides upon us.”
Those of us who are fortunate enough to work in technology have an enormous responsibility. It is not to please every grumpy Thoreau out there. That’s an unreasonable standard, and we’ll never meet it. We are responsible, however, for recognizing that the devices we make and the platforms we build have real lasting, even permanent effects, on the individuals and communities who use them.
What Kind of World Do We Want to Live In?
We must never stop asking ourselves, what kind of world do we want to live in? The answer to that question must not be an afterthought, it should be our primary concern. We at Apple can, and do, provide the very best to our users while treating their most personal data like the precious cargo that it is. And if we can do it, then everyone can do it.
Fortunately, we have your example before us. Thank you for your work, for your commitment to the possibility of human-centered technology, and for your firm belief that our best days are still ahead of us.
