Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has launched a fresh attack on Apple, criticizing the tech giant for relying too much on the long-standing success of the iPhone. During a podcast with YouTuber Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg mocked Apple for its lack of innovation in recent years, and claimed that the company has been “exploiting” the iPhone for nearly two decades.

However his comments also seem to suggest that Zuckerberg is more angry with Apple’s policies around the App Store and the company’s stance on privacy, which impacts meta ad revenue.

“(Apple has) used (the iPhone) to impose a lot of arbitrary rules. It feels like they haven’t really made any groundbreaking inventions in quite some time. Zuckerberg said, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone and now he is still sitting on it 20 years later.

He pointed out that Apple has made continuous improvements to the iPhone but has failed to offer groundbreaking innovation the way other companies are exploring technologies like the metaverse and virtual reality.

He also accused Apple of using privacy and security concerns as a shield against criticism from other companies. According to Zuckerberg, Apple can improve user privacy by improving security protocols and adopting better encryption practices.

Zuckerberg said, “It’s unsafe because you haven’t built proper security into it. Now you’re using it as an excuse for why only your products can easily connect.” He further claimed that Apple’s “random rules” are limiting Meta’s profitability, suggesting that if Apple relaxed its policies, Meta’s profits could increase by 50 percent.

His latest comments on Apple are not surprising given the ongoing dispute between Meta and Apple, especially on the issue of privacy. While Facebook has traditionally wanted access to more consumer data, Apple on the Mac and iPhone has made it more difficult for tech companies to record and use private data for targeted ads.

The ongoing rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Apple

This is not the first time Zuckerberg has taken aim at Apple’s approach, with Meta previously criticizing the company for its strict App Store policies and privacy features, which has affected Facebook’s advertising model. Zuckerberg’s latest comments show that the rivalry between the two tech giants is far from over.

Mark Zuckerberg’s rivalry with Apple is rooted in their different business models, which has often led to public clashes. Tensions escalated in 2021 when Apple introduced its App Tracking Transparency feature, which limited Facebook’s ability to track user data across different apps. Zuckerberg criticized the move, saying it would hurt small businesses that rely on personalized ads.

In the latest interview, Zuckerberg also took a dig at Apple’s 30 percent transaction fee on App Store purchases, calling it arbitrary and harmful to competition. He argued that this practice hinders Meta’s profitability and forces consumers to spend more on Apple peripherals.

Zuckerberg said, “So how do they make more money as a company? By pressurizing people with this 30 percent developer tax and by pushing consumers to buy more add-ons like AirPods.” “They’ve made good products like AirPods, but they’ve banned anyone else from making something that integrates with the iPhone in the same way.”

Zuckerberg also criticized Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which reportedly saw strong sales in the US market. Meta, on the other hand, continues to develop its own series of virtual headsets, like Meta Quest.

Zuckerberg acknowledged, “Vision Pro is probably one of Apple’s bigger changes in trying to do something new in some time.” “I don’t want to criticize too harshly because we had early versions of products that were not good. But the first version of Vision Pro certainly didn’t make it to market.”