Zuckerberg Slams Apple’s “Innovation” in Brutal Joe Rogan Rant—Shots = Fired!

Mark Zuckerberg didn’t hold back during his latest Joe Rogan Experience cameo, using the platform to air his decade-long grievances with Apple. And let’s just say, the Meta CEO came in swinging for the fences. 

(Source: Giphy) 

In short, Zuck’s main beef is Apple’s innovation pipeline—or lack thereof, according to him. He credited Steve Jobs for gifting the world the iPhone but argued that Apple has basically spent the last 20 years coasting on that success. “Steve Jobs invented the iPhone, and now they’re just kind of sitting on it,” Zuckerberg told Rogan. Translation: Tim Cook is playing prevent defense, and Zuck isn’t impressed.

What’s more is that Zuckerberg didn’t stop at calling Apple lazy. He also blasted the company for its infamous walled-garden ecosystem, which he says is designed to squeeze both developers and users for cash. The so-called “Apple tax”—a 30% cut the company takes on App Store transactions—got its usual roasting, with Zuck accusing Apple of “squeezing people” to make up for slowing iPhone sales.

(Source: CNBC) 

“They build stuff like AirPods, which are cool,” Zuckerberg said, before accusing Apple of “hamstringing” anyone else who tries to build products that seamlessly connect to iPhones. Case in point: Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. Zuck alleged that Apple refused to let Meta use the same protocol that AirPods use to connect to iPhones, citing privacy and security concerns. His response? “It’s insecure because you didn’t build any security into it.” Shots fired. Additionally, Zuckerberg even claimed that if Apple dropped its “random rules,” Meta’s profits would *checks notes* double. 

But, but, but… wait there’s more! Zuckerberg also couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which launched with plenty of hype but underwhelming U.S. sales. “I think the Vision Pro is one of the bigger swings at doing a new thing that they’ve tried in a while,” Zuckerberg admitted, before quickly adding, “But the V1 definitely did not hit it out of the park.”

(Source: Business Insider) 

Now to his credit, Zuck did give Apple a little grace, saying first-gen products are rarely perfect and that the real test will come with subsequent versions. But he couldn’t help himself from slipping in a jab: “I heard it’s really good for watching movies,” he added. 

However, even with that cryptic compliment, let’s not pretend this is the first time Zuckerberg has gone after Apple. The two tech titans have been sparring for years, with Zuck previously slamming Apple’s app store fees, privacy policies, and pricing strategy. But this latest rant feels particularly pointed, especially as Meta tries to carve out its place in the metaverse while Apple continues to guard its hardware empire like Bill Cosby guards his drink recipes. 

(Source: Giphy) 

The irony here? Zuckerberg’s critique of Apple’s lack of innovation comes as Meta is busy pushing its own virtual reality products—an industry that’s been slower to take off than a Spirit Airlines flight. Sure, Meta’s Quest headsets are cheaper than the Vision Pro, but let’s not act like they’re flying off the shelves either.

In the end, while the beef is entertaining, Zuck’s comments are as much about Meta’s strategy as they are about Apple’s shortcomings. By framing Apple as the out-of-touch incumbent, Zuckerberg is positioning Meta as the under the radar leader of innovation—despite the fact that Meta is, well, a $760 billion company.

(Source: The Verge) 

Now with that said, while Zuckerberg is out here throwing shade, Apple’s ecosystem remains one of the most profitable—and locked-down—business models in tech. Whether you love it or hate it, Apple’s control over its hardware and software has been wildly successful. Meaning, Zuck can complain all he wants, but until Meta finds a way to break into that ecosystem (without Apple slamming the door in its face), the walled garden isn’t going anywhere.

So yeah, in the meantime, Apple is gonna Apple, and Zuck may or may not continue to diss Tim Cook’s behemoth (presumably to disguise his own personal insecurities) in the future. For now, it’ll be interesting to see if Apple responds to this, but regardless, it’s obvious that Apple is a force to be reckoned with—and until Zuck matches Apple's vibes, he’s just a tinkling brass cymbal in Cook’s ears. 

(Source: Giphy) 

Of course, do what you will with this information, and place your bets accordingly. As always, stay safe and stay frosty, friends! Until next time… 

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Stocks.News holds positions in Meta and Apple as mentioned in the article.