Apple’s annual meeting of shareholders was held this morning in a virtual format, allowing shareholders to vote on proposals and ask questions of Apple executives. Apple typically doesn’t reveal product information at shareholder meetings, and 2021 was no exception. Much of what was said was a recap of first quarter results and a reiteration of Apple’s policies on privacy, the environment, and other core values.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook told shareholders that 2020 is a time of prolific innovation. “Apple makes the best, most useful, most innovative and most reliable products, and this year we’ve taken that mission to another level,” Cook said.
Cook declined to provide specific details on upcoming products, but said there were “exciting things to come for the iPhone” and “great things to come for IT.” Apple is working on new iPhone 13 models that will follow the iPhone 12 lineup, and there are rumors of revamped and redesigned iMac and MacBook Pro models that will feature even more powerful Apple silicon chips.
AirPods Max are “extremely popular with critics and users”, and the HomePod mini has been described as “another hit” during the holiday season.
Cook said Apple has acquired nearly 100 companies in the past six years. “We are not afraid to consider acquisitions of any size,” Cook said. “The focus is on innovative small businesses that complement our products and help move them forward.”
On the environment, Cook said Apple is on track to meet its “most ambitious goal yet” of being carbon neutral across its entire supply chain. by 2030. Achieving this goal is a company-wide effort and innovation and breakthroughs set it apart. “We strongly believe that all companies – if they are to be competitive in the future – must start by showing leadership in this area,” said Cook. Apple also aims to make all of its products without extracting anything from the earth in the future, and the “lunar nature” of that lens has “created tremendous energy internally” to make big changes. In 2020, Apple eliminated power adapters and headphones from the iPhone packaging, which the company said was done to promote environmental goals and reduce waste.
“I’ve always thought the time to speak up is when you have something to say,” Cook said on a question asking why Apple was talking about privacy at the time. Cook said he hoped Apple’s efforts to improve privacy both in the App Store and in apps with app privacy labels and app transparency requirements will be a “wave in the sky”. pond ”to move the entire sector forward. Apple continues to support comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States and global laws and international agreements to protect “basic privacy rights everywhere.”
On navigating the challenges of the pandemic, Cook said Apple is always learning new things, but the “remarkable race for innovation and creativity” is a testament to employee resilience during a difficult time. Apple employees have adjusted better and collaborated better, but Cook said there was “no substitute for face-to-face meeting” and most Apple employees “can’t wait.” to meet at the office.
Cook also spoke about diversity and inclusion, pay equity at Apple, Apple TV +, “App Store” regulation, Apple’s educational goals and, interestingly, of Apple’s identity.
In many ways the world has changed, but fundamentally Apple hasn’t. Apple is made up of people who want to spend their lives creating things that enrich the lives of others, making them more fulfilled, more creative and more human. We are comfortable saying no to a lot of things and focusing on areas where we can have the greatest impact, relentlessly innovating. Technology designed by people, for people and with people’s well-being in mind. At its best and most promising, technology should help us leave the world a better place than we found it.
Looking to the future, Cook said he sees no challenges in 2021, but opportunities that will need to be managed “creatively, intelligently and diligently.” Cook said that in the current “iPhone”, Mac and Apple Watch product lines, there has never been a product set with “greater potential for the future”.
Cook said there has never been a more difficult environment in which Apple has operated than this year’s pandemic, but he is optimistic about the future and Apple is still considering how to help communities. out of a stronger, fairer and more equitable recovery, and “how that can be aided by world class technology that puts humanity at the heart.”
