The Corrupting Power of Monopoly in Apple's Ecosystem

Apple has been accused of internally discussing withholding better features on the iPhone due to cost considerations. The company reportedly engages in stock buybacks twice as much as it invests in research and development, leading to concerns about their priorities. The speaker expresses a desire for Apple to 'think different' like in their iconic commercials of the past, highlighting the shift in the company's approach. A book mentioned in the discussion details that Apple's profits heavily rely on keeping users within their ecosystem and charging fees. App developers and others have criticized Apple's high fees, citing them as prohibitive for doing business. The ability of Apple to set a fixed 30% price and control it is seen as evidence of monopoly power, as per insights from Merrick Garland and the book mentioned. This control over prices is a key indicator of monopoly influence, potentially leading to concerns about Apple's dominance in the market.