Mark Zuckerberg mocks Apple for not inventing, says they are milking iPhone for 20 years

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has taken a fresh jab at Apple, criticising the tech giant for relying too heavily on the iPhone’s long-standing success. During a podcast with YouTuber Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg mocked Apple for what he described as a lack of innovation in recent years, claiming the company has been “milking” the iPhone for nearly two decades.

Although from his comments it also seems that Zuckerberg is more miffed at Apple’s policies around App Store and the company’s stance on privacy that hits Meta ad revenue.

He also accused Apple of using privacy and security concerns as a shield against criticism from other companies. According to Zuckerberg, Apple could improve user privacy by improving security protocols and adopting better encryption practices.

“It’s insecure because you didn’t build proper security into it. Now you’re using that as an excuse for why only your products can connect easily,” Zuckerberg stated. He further claimed that Apple’s “random rules” are limiting Meta’s profitability, suggesting that if Apple relaxed its policies, Meta’s profits could increase by 50 per cent.

His latest comments on Apple are not surprising because there is an ongoing tiff between Meta and Apple, most notably on the point of privacy. While Facebook has traditionally sought access to more consumer data, Apple on Mac and iPhone has made it more and more difficult for tech companies to record and use private data for targeted advertisements.

Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s ongoing rivalry

This isn’t the first time Zuckerberg has targeted Apple’s approach, as Meta has previously criticised the company for its strict App Store policies and privacy features, which have impacted Facebook’s advertising model. Zuckerberg’s latest comments suggest that the rivalry between the two tech giants is far from over.

Mark Zuckerberg’s rivalry with Apple is rooted in their differing business models, which have often led to public clashes. The tensions heightened in 2021 when Apple introduced its App Tracking Transparency feature, which limited Facebook’s ability to track user data across apps. Zuckerberg criticised the move, stating that it would harm small businesses dependent on personalised ads.

In the latest interview, Zuckerberg also took a swipe at Apple’s 30 per cent transaction fee on App Store purchases, calling it arbitrary and harmful to competition. He argued that this practice hampers Meta’s profitability and forces consumers to spend more on Apple’s peripherals.

Zuckerberg also criticised Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which reportedly saw underwhelming sales in the US market. Meta, on the other hand, continues to develop its line of virtual headsets, like the Meta Quest.

“The Vision Pro is probably one of Apple’s bigger swings at trying something new in a while,” Zuckerberg acknowledged. “I don’t want to criticise too harshly since we’ve had early versions of products that weren’t great. But the first version of the Vision Pro definitely didn’t hit it out of the park.”