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Tim Cook

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Tim Cook was appointed CEO in 2011 when Steve Jobs stepped away from the company as his health worsened. Cook was handpicked by Jobs to be his replacement, having served as a close friend of Jobs during their entire career together.

A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in industrial engineering, Cook earned his Masters from Duke University’s School of business. Prior to joining Apple, Cook spent 12 years at IBM, then served as the Chief Operating Officer of Intelligent Electronics. He then had a short stint at Compaq.

Cook first joined Apple in 1998 after being recruited by Jobs. Cook remarked in a commencement address at Auburn University that, five minutes into his interview with Jobs, he knew he wanted to join Apple. “My intuition already knew that joining Apple was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for the creative genius,” he remarked.

At Apple, Cook started out as senior vice president of worldwide operating. He served as interim CEO in 2009 while Steve Jobs was on medical leave. In 2011, Cook again stepped in to lead day-to-day operations while Jobs was ill, before ultimately being named CEO permanently just before the death of Jobs.

Cook has been very outspoken on a variety of social issues, including the need to protect user data and privacy, as evident by his vocal refusal to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen. Cook has also voiced his displeasure with controversial legislation that enables LGBT discrimination in a handful of states in the United States. Likewise, Cook has frequently called on the United States Congress to pass LGBT protection legislation. He became the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 2014, as well. Cook has led Apple in the San Francisco Pride Parade in recent years.

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Apple COO Jeff Williams in Taiwan for Foxconn’s 50th, as Tim Cook steers clear

Jeff Williams in Taiwan | Taipei skyline pictured

Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams is in Taiwan as a guest of honor for Foxconn’s 50th anniversary celebrations. He’s reportedly joined by his deputy, Sabih Khan.

The rare visit is likely a compromise, enabling the occasion to be marked while CEO Tim Cook continues his policy of avoiding visits to the island …

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Tim Cook talks Vision Pro, and his secret prototype experience many years ago

Tim Cook talks Vision Pro secret prototype | Photo of security guard

In a new piece in Vanity Fair, Tim Cook talks Vision Pro – including his first ever experience of using an early prototype of the device in the company’s secretive design block.

The piece doesn’t say when that was, only that it was before Apple moved to its current campus, and that it was “years ago; maybe six, seven, or even eight” …

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Apple hates free speech, Disney CEO should be fired | Mickey Mouse at Disneyland

A year after saying Apple hates free speech, Musk calls for Disney CEO to be fired

X owner Elon Musk has continued his tirade against major corporations who’ve suspended advertising on his social network, after growing concerns about hate speech on the platform.

Musk last year asked whether Apple “hate[s] free speech in America” when the company paused advertising over previous concerns about the social network, and is now calling for Disney CEO Bob Iger to be fired …

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Mental health summit at Apple Park hears from Tim Cook, Jill Biden, singer Rosé [Video]

APEC mental health summit | Tim Cook and Jill Biden in the Steve Jobs Theater

Apple CEO Tim Cook hosted a mental health summit in the Steve Jobs Theater on Friday, introducing keynote speakers first lady Dr Jill Biden, Korean singer Rosé, and US surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy. Dr Biden referenced the vision of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in her speech.

Cook’s introduction was interrupted by the failure of his teleprompter, leading him to briefly ad-lib, and seemingly cut short his speech …

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Tim Cook turns up at Chinese games tournament as company caught in diplomatic cross-fire

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has put in an appearance at a Chinese games tournament and local Apple Store. The rest of his itinerary isn’t yet known, though it’s likely he will be attending an international political and economic forum hosted by the Chinese government.

The visit comes at a time when Apple has been caught in the cross-fire of diplomatic tension between US and Chinese governments – and Cook also managed to get caught up in a minor photo battle of his own …

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Tim Cook talks greenwashing, why there’s a new iPhone every year, and how he lowers his carbon footprint

Tim Cook Q4 results

On the heels of Apple’s environmental-focused iPhone 15 event, Apple CEO Tim Cook has sat down with Brut. Magazine to talk more about the company’s ambitions.

The Apple CEO touched on why Apple feels the need to release a new iPhone every year, what the iPhone might look like in 20-30 years, and what he does in his personal life to be environmentally conscious.

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Genshin Impact developer with close relationship to Apple twice tried to evade 30% cut

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The Chinese developer behind the hugely popular Genshin Impact mobile game has twice tried to evade Apple’s 30% cut on in-app purchases, according to a new report.

This is despite a close relationship between gaming giant miHoYo and Apple, including multiple awards, a personal visit by CEO Tim Cook, and two of the company’s games being featured during the iPhone 15 launch …

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Tim Cook says Vision Pro is one of life’s ‘aha’ moments, Apple ‘very serious’ about gaming

vision pro pre-orders

Following the iPhone 15 launch, Tim Cook has embarked on an international tour. While in London, the Apple CEO gave an interview to The Independent to talk Apple gaming and Vision Pro. And while we’ve not yet seen Cook don the Apple headset in public, using it has apparently become part of his evening ritual.

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Tim Cook uses Vision Pro every day; most iPhones bought on “some kind of program”

vision pro pre-orders

Yesterday’s earnings numbers didn’t contain any major surprises, but there were a few interesting takeouts from the analyst call which followed. This includes the fact that CEO Tim Cook uses his Vision Pro every day.

It was also revealed that most iPhones are now purchased through the iPhone Upgrade Program, trade-in, or some kind of instalment plan, and this is part of the secret to Apple’s success in a difficult economy …

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Apple stuck with lawsuit claiming Tim Cook defrauded investors, despite making investors rich

Once upon a time on Wall Street, Apple stock took a nosedive worth tens of billions of dollars for the company’s valuation. A few years later, Apple is fast approaching a $3 trillion valuation that it only briefly flirted with before.

Nevertheless, a class-action lawsuit blaming Apple CEO Tim Cook for defrauding investors refuses to go away.

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Apple’s AI plans uncertain, as pioneers argue about the risks of the technology

Apple AI | Robot image

There’s been much speculation about Apple AI plans, as the Cupertino company has so far kept a low profile while both Google and Microsoft dive into generative artificial intelligence in a big way. CEO Tim Cook didn’t shed much light when asked about it last week, saying only that AI is “certainly interesting” but there are “a number of issues with the tech.”

The seriousness of those issues is very much in debate. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak last month joined leading AI academics in calling for a pause in advanced AI development – but two AI pioneers have markedly different views about the risks …

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Tim Cook opens Apple BKC store, expresses delight at early Macintosh [U: Official photos]

Tim Cook opens Apple BKC

Photos and video clips have been shared of Tim Cook opening the Apple BKC store in Mumbai earlier today – including his surprised and delighted look when a customer turned up with an early Macintosh. Update: Apple’s official photos added to the end of the post.

Apple yesterday showed off the store in a set of photos, and it’s definitely high up there in the rankings of the most beautiful Apple Stores

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The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party to meet with Tim Cook

Chinese Communist Party Congressional meeting with Tim Cook

Members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party – which is focusing on a wide range of US concerns about China’s activities and plans – will be meeting with a number of leading tech execs, including Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The meeting between Cook and the 10-member bipartisan delegation is set to take place on Friday, likely at Apple Park

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