The Intelligence from The Economist The Intelligence: Will Apple’s customers share its Vision?
Feb 2, 2024
In this episode, Guy Scriven, The Economist's US technology editor, discusses the challenges facing Apple as it competes with Microsoft for tech supremacy. He explores the potential impact of Apple's new augmented reality headset on its declining core business and the pressures from regulatory scrutiny. The conversation touches on the geopolitical risks tied to Apple's dependence on China and reflects on the ambiguous nature of a new slogan from the Chinese Communist Party. Additionally, a tribute to the comedic genius of Peter Schickele and P.D.Q. Bach adds a lighthearted note.
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Apple's Challenges
- Apple faces three challenges: antitrust, slowing core business, and geopolitics.
- These could dethrone it as the world's most valuable company.
Antitrust Concerns
- Antitrust regulators target Apple's App Store fees, but this is not an immediate threat.
- Apple has found workarounds to maintain app store revenue even when forced to remove fees.
Slowing Core Business
- Apple's core business, iPhone sales, has stagnated since 2017.
- Revenue growth has slowed due to stagnant unit sales despite higher prices.