In a fresh salvo fired in the ongoing rivalry between tech giants, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly criticized Apple, suggesting the Cupertino-based company has become stagnant in its innovation, particularly concerning the iPhone.
During a recent podcast appearance, Zuckerberg remarked, “It’s like Steve Jobs invented the iPhone and now they’re just kind of sitting on it 20 years later.” He implied that Apple has not introduced anything truly groundbreaking since the original iPhone’s debut in 2007.
Zuckerberg’s comments come amidst increasing scrutiny on Apple’s innovation pipeline. He further suggested that iPhone sales might be struggling due to a perceived lack of significant upgrades in new models, leading users to hold onto their devices for longer. He also reiterated his long-standing criticism of Apple’s App Store policies, particularly the 30% commission, implying it’s a way for Apple to “squeeze people” and subsidize potentially declining iPhone sales.
While Apple has consistently introduced new features and technologies with each iPhone generation, including advanced camera systems, faster processors, 5G connectivity, and software innovations like the Dynamic Island, Zuckerberg’s critique focuses on what he perceives as a lack of truly revolutionary, category-defining products on the scale of the original iPhone.
Apple has yet to officially respond to Zuckerberg’s latest comments, but the remarks add another layer to the competitive landscape between the two tech titans, particularly as they increasingly vie for dominance in emerging spaces like virtual and augmented reality.
