14 DAY TRIAL // As promised, Apple CEO Tim Cook called his troops at the De Anza 3 auditorium within the company’s Cupertino Campus this weekend to discuss Apple’s roadmap.
Cook reportedly spoke to employees about Wall Street’s erroneous impression of Apple's performance, stating, “we just had the best quarter of any technology company ever.”
Despite all this, the Mac maker’s share price has taken several blows in the past few weeks based on analysts' fears that Apple can’t keep its record profitability going.
The CEO said this couldn’t be farther from the truth, noting, “the only companies that report better quarters pump oil. I do not know about you all, but I do not want to work for those companies,” according to 9to5mac.
Cook said that Apple will always be misunderstood, and that employees need to trust the company’s core values, not the critics.
The CEO announced new discounts for employees, adding unlocked iPhones, and the latest iMacs and iPad minis to the EPP (Employee Purchase Plan) which provides perks for staffers.
Apple’s chief addressed concerns regarding the poor yield rates of the newest iMac models, admitting that its supply chain partners are still struggling to keep up with demand.
Which is why Apple is committed to start producing iMacs in the US, Cook reiterated.
He also weighed in on the controversial working conditions at its Chinese partners, stating, “We want our partners to be as ethical as we are.”
Mentioning the competition between Apple and Google’s mobile divisions, Cook reportedly noted that people loved iOS, despite Google offering cheaper and more fragmented alternatives.
Seemingly putting the kibosh on the ongoing “cheap iPhone” rumors, Cook reinforced Apple’s policy on producing only the highest-quality products with a focus on the customer’s experience, not market share.
The Apple boss reportedly emphasized this aspect saying that if Apple were to make its iPhone business a standalone company, it would still be more profitable than Microsoft as a whole.
The CEO ended his speech with a few words on China and Apple’s continued focus on making its presence felt in the Far East.