Tim Cook. The man who took over Apple after Steve Jobs, and turned it into a three trillion dollar machine.
From iPhones to AirPods, Apple’s been printing money for over a decade under his leadership.
And investors? Laughing their way to the bank,1,500% return since 2011. But now, there's a new tech war. And Apple might be late to the battlefield.
Let’s break it down. Under Cook, Apple didn’t just sell phones, it built a world. iPhones, Apple Watch, AirPods, M-series Macs, all part of a walled ecosystem that millions can’t escape.
Services? Now a 100 billion dollar per year business, with margins around 75 per cent. That’s a number most companies would die for.
And sustainability? Apple cut emissions by 60%. That’s ESG gold.
But here’s the thing: Tim Cook’s superpower has always been operations. Supply chains. Margins. Clean execution. And that might not be enough anymore.
Because now it’s the AI era.
And Apple’s AI play? Honestly, still MIA. No generative AI product in sight. Siri is outdated. The Vision Pro headset was hyped, but labeled a “tech demo.”
Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft are already embedding AI deep into search, Office, Android. Even your good old PC is smarter now. And remember Project Titan? Apple’s electric car fantasy? Ten billion dollars burnt. Zero wheels to show for it.
And analysts are wondering is Apple becoming the next Steve Ballmer-era Microsoft? Profitable, sure. But reactive. Even Apple fans are nervous. Is Cook too focused on balance sheets, and not enough on bold bets?
Some say Apple needs a product visionary, someone who can imagine the next iPhone moment, powered by AI. But hang on. Barring the recent AI stumble, Cook’s track record is stellar.
He’s added more shareholder value than Steve Jobs. And every time Apple looked shaky, COVID, China tariffs, even anti-trust cases, he steered the ship just fine.
So, what now? Can Tim Cook reinvent Apple one more time, this time around AI?
Or is it time for new leadership, one that can do what Jobs did in 2007 with iPhone: redraw the future?
