Highlights of Apple's 2018 Shareholders Meeting

[dontwalkhand]

"but not before we bring it back from our overseas tax shelters" - Tim Cook

I don’t understand what he means? Whether or not the money is coming from Apple Pay, it’s still money. He isn’t eliminating money, he wants to eliminate paper money. Which most countries pretty much already have, nobody who hangs out in my group ever carries any cash- to the detriment of beggars and buskers in tempe, AZ. If I do carry cash, it’s given to me, I’ve had the same $5 bill given to me years ago in my wallet. If someone gave me $100 or something for whatever reason, I just deposit it into my account and spend it that way.
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But it's not that simple. Do you realize that more than 1/5 of the country's driver licenses don't meet the new federal requirements? States are dragging their feet and they've asked for multiple deadline extensions on a redesigned ID.

Do you really think states would implement a digital ID? I mean it's worth trying but if you think Apple's wallet was slow to roll out, just wait until you start mixing in state politics.

Iowa, Arizona and Alabama are already looking to pilot this. With many more states to follow. I suspect unless you live in wyoming, you got this coming your way.
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Interesting. He said "mobile payments" instead of Apple Pay. I think that's key. By now I think it's obvious Apple Pay isn't where they would like it to be. I am not sure about Russia, but the mobile payment adoption speeding up in China might be associated with Apple's decisions surrounding Alipay and WeChat. I have no evidence, but I think Apple misjudged end user willingness to change. They got most banks involved fairly quickly and easily. Businesses followed more slowly, kicking and screaming while doing it. Customers, by and large, don't seem to care. I think it's because paying for stuff really isn't that hard no matter how you do it.

As a man who takes public transit a lot and doesn’t carry a purse the thought of having everything in my phone is what I long for.

 

[btrach144]

I thought VPNs were supposed to be private?

 

[criticasm]

Could be a good choice. I'd like to see Craig take the helm.

You mean the same Craig Federighi who's been in charge of the software (iOS & macOS) that they recently admitted has been neglected and this year it's all hands on deck to fix the cracks. Funny how in 2012 they ousted Scott Forstall over one (unnecessary 'cause nobody asked for it then & hardly anyone even uses it now) maps app was buggy. Now under Craig the Quiff's watch the entire operating system are in eternal BETA with one issue after another.

That's the difference between the guy who was the architect of iOS & the guy who's just been the "caretaker" since then. Same goes for Angela in retail, likewise Tim as the CEO & ditto for Eddy in whatever the hell he does. Steve Jobs was an ****** & apparently Forstall was a prick too, but their record proves nice guys are not the best at business.

 

[mazdamiata210]

"- iPhone X customer satisfaction is at 99%."

This is easily the most significant thing in this article. In 2016, Customer Satisfaction Rates for the whole smartphone industry was at about 75%; 85% for Apple and 86% for Samsung. To make a product that literally 99% of the people who purchase enjoy is incredibly difficult to do.

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-samsung-smartphone-customer-satisfaction-acsi-ranking-2016/

Guess I'm part of the 1% then cause I returned mine in 3 days.

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

Cook admitting "payments taking off slower than we thought" reminds me a lot of how they responded to the trash can Mac Pro not being what pro's wanted. A day late and a dollar short. I just don't believe they've added enough value to using my credit card via a phone vs using my actual credit card. Either everything in my wallet has to go digital (I'm looking at you drivers license!) or the digital cards have to add more value than physical ones (rewards programs?)...it's pretty much that simple to me.

Right there with ya! If I could have Driver's License, Concealed Weapons Permit, and an E-Key option for my Jeep (either NFC or Bluetooth LE) on my Apple Watch, I wouldn't need a wallet, keys, or phone at all!

 

[icanhazapple]

" and one investor, still using iOS 9, abstained from voting on board re-election because of Apple's "bad" software updatesthat have removed features. "I'm not gonna sell my stock or buy the competitor's stuff because it's even worse," he said. "

Yes, Macrumors posters representing!

 

[vannibombonato]

Not sure of the writer's definition of "frivolous," but I'd rather the writers here report facts and not editorialize. The meeting is for shareholders, who have every right to ask whatever question(s) they find appropriate.

So, you were the guy asking for a waterproof iPhone, weren’t you?

 

[Krayzkat]

Guess I'm part of the 1% then cause I returned mine in 3 days.

I don't think anyone who returned an iPhone X would count. So the 99% approval rate probably just means that it's 99% of the people who kept it.

 

[Cloudkicker]

Telegram = child pornography. Why does Apple continue to cushion the blow using cutesie terminology?

My thought during the meeting:

(After, smoking in bed with a satisfied look on their faces.)

 

[sza]

Get rid of Dre and Eddy. Craig should be promoted as CEO.

 

[Kaibelf]

I had no idea this is a topic discussed every shareholders meeting. I wonder what names are being brought up and why do they have the need to discuss this every time? I'm not being sarcastic, I'm actually intrigued.

It’s a standard topic for certain corporations of a certain size and influence. Warren Buffett has been having the conversation for many years.
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You mean Apple's "town squares"? No thanks. When they first opened, Apple's stores had a nice workshop vibe. Now they resemble a crowded bus station. The Genius Bar was convenient until they introduced online diagnostics. And shipping a defective product to them for service was less troublesome than waiting in a queue at the store.

So you’re complaining that they did too good of a job and attracted too many people that aren’t you?

 

[FrenchRoasted]

- Cook said mobile payments have "taken off slower than I personally would have thought." Adoption is speeding up though in key countries like China and Russia. Cook also said he hopes he'll still be alive "to see the elimination of money."

It's always been a totalitarian dream to eliminate paper money. Every single financial transaction being tracked to make sure you are a good (tax paying) citizen.

 

[spazzcat]

Is that 99% of people who responded to a survey or 99% of all iPhone X buyers? If its the former, it would be interesting to see how the question was framed, and if its the latter, well that's Saddam Hussein levels of satisfaction!!

The phone is great, and there is no way to survey everyone one, that is why we have statics.

 

[SaigoNoSamurai]

Good thing that guy on iOS 9 didn't vote. Whew Apple dodged a bullet there!

he did make some decent points..

 

[Williesleg]

"I'm not gonna sell my stock or buy the competitor's stuff because it's even worse," he said.

Yup. And you can tell by all the software updates, they're not ever adding new features, just doing bug fixes. How many bugs can there be? Lots. And lots left.
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The phone is great, and there is no way to survey everyone one, that is why we have statics.

We only survey satisfied iPhone X users.

 

[femike]

I'm not a fan of the direction Tim Cook is taking Apple.
No mac mini, no routers, no monitors, no mac pro, MacOS apps to be approved, Facetime needs advancement, other technologies needs work, decreasing quality and increasing prices, etc, wasting time and money so people can consume crap TV shows for the US market that will be immediately forgotten, decreasing lack of focus for countries other than the US, etc

 

[mtneer]

The phone is great, and there is no way to survey everyone one, that is why we have statics.

Statistics aren't everything. They have to be interpreted and balanced carefully. Otherwise you should have had Saddam Hussein as the world's greatest leader with a 99% approval rating; or the Iraqi army as the world's 4th largest. Neither of these "statistical accomplishments" mean anything.

 

[Defthand]

So you’re complaining that they did too good of a job and attracted too many people that aren’t you?

“...that aren’t you?” Exactly what did I say that warranted a knee jerk insinuation such as that? I complained about the crowding and ambiance.

The store’s original purpose was to let the uninitiated familiarize themselves with Apple’s stylings and philosophy when Windows PCs were the norm. Steve Jobs even did a video tour of the first store, explaining how it wasn’t a typical retail experience.

People, by now, are well acquainted with the brand. The wonderment is gone. Today, the store wants to be a Beverly Hills boutique instead of a hub for creativity. Its space has been overtaken by iPhones, iPhone accessories, and customers with iPhone concerns.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

For those that go on about how Tim needs to be replaced, these notes show exactly why he won't be. He's doing an amazing job and has raised things to a level far beyond Jobs and where Jobs was headed.

Cook has made investors and the board very very happy with Apple's performance. The issues they've seen are nothing and haven't come anywhere in the realm of realistically calling for Cook to be replaced. People weren't calling for Jobs to be replaced when Antenna-gate happened or when the numerous other problems occurred under his watch.
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The hair pretty much guarantees that he would win any competition for future CEO. I suspect Cook will never want to retire, so Federighi will be too old to be CEO when Cook steps down. But if it were today, I think Fed would get the job.

It's unheard of for a SVP of Software to be promoted to a CEO, especially in a company as large as Apple. I'd say there's not really a chance in the world Federighi would ever be, even if Cook decided to step down tomorrow.

 

[mgipe]

Some photos from the shareholders' meeting...

 

[James Bondo]

After a few months using the iPhone X, I'd rather have the 8 plus.
While I don't mind the notch, I'd much rather use Touch-ID for security rather than Face-ID.
Touch-ID is so much easier when the phone is on a table, when in bed, and most of all when driving.
If the 9 plus would go bezel-less except for the touch-ID area, I'd love it.

 

[DevNull0]

I don't think anyone who returned an iPhone X would count. So the 99% approval rate probably just means that it's 99% of the people who kept it.

How do they know who is satisfied? I've owned dozens of Apple products over the years, many I've been very satisfied with, some I haven't been. But nobody's ever asked if I'm satisfied.

 

[neutralguy]

How do they know who is satisfied? I've owned dozens of Apple products over the years, many I've been very satisfied with, some I haven't been. But nobody's ever asked if I'm satisfied.

They only polled the reviewers whom they gave free IphoneX to review

 

[TallManNY]

It's unheard of for a SVP of Software to be promoted to a CEO, especially in a company as large as Apple. I'd say there's not really a chance in the world Federighi would ever be, even if Cook decided to step down tomorrow.

You are probably right. But I'm also pretty sure that Apple cares about its culture much more than anything else. So promotion will HAVE to come from within. And it does not have to be a financial guy. Jobs was not a finance guy. I'm not sure how many tech companies are lead by finance guys.

But as you say, Cook is doing a great job. It will be his job for as long as he wants it or until health reasons create a problem. And I understand that he is a healthy living guy. And he loves the company and work. So we could be looking at 15 more years of his leadership.

 

[spazzcat]

"I'm not gonna sell my stock or buy the competitor's stuff because it's even worse," he said.

Yup. And you can tell by all the software updates, they're not ever adding new features, just doing bug fixes. How many bugs can there be? Lots. And lots left.
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We only survey satisfied iPhone X users.

Don't get why it so hard to get that most people that have an X really like it?