Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, criticized Apple for relying too much on the iPhone's success over the years. In a podcast with Joe Rogan, he mocked Apple for not innovating much recently, claiming they’ve been "milking" the iPhone for almost 20 years. Zuckerberg also expressed frustration with Apple’s App Store policies and privacy rules, which he says hurt Meta’s ad revenue.

He said, "Apple has used the (iPhone) to impose a lot of arbitrary rules. It feels like they haven’t invented anything groundbreaking in a while. Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, and now they’re just sitting on it 20 years later."
Zuckerberg said that while Apple has made minor upgrades to the iPhone, it hasn’t introduced any major innovations. He compared this to companies like Meta, which are focusing on developing technologies such as the metaverse and virtual reality.

He also claimed that Apple uses privacy and security concerns to deflect criticism from other companies. He argued that Apple could improve user privacy by upgrading security measures and adopting stronger encryption practices.

Zuckerberg stated, "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." He also claimed that Apple's "random rules" are limiting Meta's profitability, suggesting that if Apple relaxed its policies, Meta's profits could rise by 50%.

These comments are not surprising, as the ongoing rivalry between Meta and Apple continues, especially over privacy. While Facebook has long relied on gathering consumer data for targeted ads, Apple has taken steps to protect user privacy, making it harder for tech companies to access and use personal data on its Mac and iPhone devices.

Zuckerberg’s criticism of Apple isn’t new. Meta has long challenged the company over its App Store policies and privacy measures, which have impacted Facebook’s advertising revenue. His latest remarks indicate that the rivalry between the two companies remains intense.

The conflict between Zuckerberg and Apple stems from their different business models, which have often led to public disagreements. Tensions escalated in 2021 when Apple launched its App Tracking Transparency feature, limiting Facebook’s ability to track user data across apps. Zuckerberg argued that this move would hurt small businesses that rely on targeted ads.

In the interview, Zuckerberg also criticized Apple’s 30% transaction fee on App Store purchases, calling it arbitrary and anti-competitive. He claimed this practice harms Meta’s profitability and forces consumers to pay more for Apple’s products.

He pointed out, "So how do they make more money as a company? By squeezing people with this 30 per cent developer tax and pushing consumers to buy more add-ons like AirPods." He also noted, "They’ve made cool products like AirPods, but they’ve restricted anyone else from creating products that work with the iPhone in the same way."

Zuckerberg also took a shot at Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which has reportedly underperformed in the US market. In contrast, Meta continues to develop its virtual reality headsets, like the Meta Quest.
He commented, "The Vision Pro is probably one of Apple’s bigger attempts at something new in a while," but added, "I don’t want to criticise too much, since we've also had early versions of products that weren't perfect."