Apple vs. Meta. Two of the most powerful companies in the world seem to have been fighting a battle for years in which the apple company has taken up the flag of privacy precisely to hit where it hurts the most for the owner of Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp.
However, in recent years and with the arrival of AI, Mark Zuckerberg’s company has begun to change its face (including the appearance of its CEO) to support open initiatives and rebuild its image. On a technological level, this has also materialized in the fight for the so-called augmented reality, with Apple’s Vision Pro and, on the part of Meta, its Quest, those arising from its collaboration with Ray-ban or its Orion prototype, compared to forehead. Now, Meta’s CEO has launched direct criticism of Apple, calling its policies arbitrary and pointing out an apparent lack of innovation since the creation of the iPhone.
In a recent interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg not only broke down his disagreements with the App Store policybut also questioned the recent technological advances of the Cupertino company. Is Apple really at a creative impasse or is it simply defending its unique ecosystem?
The confrontation is not new. From privacy to hardware platforms, Zuckerberg has been one of Apple’s most prominent critics. His recent words, however, show a growing frustration that could have significant implications on the relationship between both companies and the global technological landscape.
Zuckerberg’s criticism of Apple: stagnant innovation and excessive costs
Zuckerberg began by pointing out what he considers Apple’s main tool to maintain its dominant position: the 15–30% fees it imposes on developers in the App Store. According to the CEO of Meta, this business model not only hinders small businesses, but also serves to mask the stagnation in iPhone sales:
“[Apple ha] used the [iPhone] to impose many rules that I think seem arbitrary. I feel like they haven’t invented anything big in a long time. “It’s like Steve Jobs invented the iPhone and now they’re just sitting on it 20 years later.”
Zuckerberg highlighted how consumers take longer to upgrade their devices because annual updates offer few meaningful improvements. According to him, this pattern has resulted in stagnation in iPhone sales figures, which now depend more on revenue derived from third-party developers than on hardware sales.
The ecosystem of exclusivity: AirPods as an example
A critical point was the exclusivity of Apple’s protocols, exemplified by the AirPods. Zuckerberg argued that Apple creates barriers for other deviceslike Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, can integrate seamlessly with the iPhone. He criticized Apple’s approach to privacy as an excuse to maintain this exclusivity:
“They designed a protocol for AirPods that makes connecting a lot easier, but they don’t let others use it. When you push, their defense is always that allowing this would violate people’s privacy and security. It’s like, no, just design the protocol better.”
For Zuckerberg, this strategy limits innovation from competitors and keeps consumers within Apple’s closed ecosystem, harming global technological progress.
iMessage, Vision Pro and the cultural monopoly
The discussion also touched on iMessage and the psychology of “blue bubbles” versus “green” ones. Zuckerberg questioned how Apple uses these differences to influence social perception, especially among young people:
“What they do with iMessage, This blue and green bubble thing means that if you don’t have an iPhone, you’re not cool. “It’s a way of shaming children.”
Although Apple recently added support for RCS in iOS 18, its implementation still does not include encryption, an issue that Rogan and Zuckerberg discussed at length on the podcast.
And where it hurts the most: The Vision Pro. Innovation or overpricing?
Finally, Zuckerberg addressed the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro, an augmented reality headset priced at $3,500. Although he acknowledged that the product is a significant technological advance, he considered it less effective than Meta’s solutions, which have a much lower cost:
“They released something for $3,500 that I think is worse than what we offer for $300 or $400.”
Zuckerberg concluded his speech with cautious optimism, suggesting that Apple could face a loss of industry leadership if it does not regain its capacity for innovation:
“I’m optimistic that someone will beat them soon because they’ve been off the ball in terms of not releasing innovative things.”
Meanwhile, Meta continues to develop technologies that appear to be being more pragmatic than Apple, adapting its approach to products like smart glasses and virtual reality platforms. The question remains whether Apple’s unique ecosystem will continue to be enough to maintain its lead, or whether its apparent stagnation will open the door for a new leader.
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