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Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently in Europe, and over the course of the last few days, he's visited Germany, France, and Italy. Earlier this week we shared an interview he did with a German news site, and today he spoke with a French newspaper and students in Italy as part of an appearance at the Osservatorio Permanente.

Cook commented on topics like journalism, privacy, and immigration, with his comments shared by Italian site Macitynet.it [Google Translate] and French newspaper Les Echoes (via CNBC).

timcookitaly.jpg
Image shared by Tim Cook on Twitter​

According to Cook, while the internet has brought "many positive things," fake news is one negative. From a translation of the original interview:
All of us lovers of democracy and freedom must think that separating the false from the true is the basis of freedom. Quality journalism is the foundation of every democracy and an open and free press is essential.
Cook also spoke about a topic that he's covered many times in the past - privacy. He reiterated his belief that Apple customers are not Apple's product, and that Apple will not sell customer data. "At Apple, we will never treat you as products but as customers with dignity and respect," he said.

Along with touching on privacy, Cook highlighted Apple's environmental efforts, such as the fact that Apple is run on 100 percent renewable energy, and he spoke on human rights. "We do not do it because it's required by regulations, but because it is a moral imperative," he said.

Apple supports immigration because wealthy countries must "accept migrants who are fleeing difficult situations," said Cook. Cook added that he would like for young people and children to be able to stay in the United States to study, referencing his support for DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy.

Cook had advice for students regarding smartphone usage. "Smartphones must bring you closer to those who are far away - don't leave those close to you," he said. "If you spend more time looking at your smartphones than people's eyes, you're wrong."

Cook also spoke about cryptocurrency according to CNBC, with statements originally shared by French site Les Echoes. Cook said that currency should stay in the hands of countries, and private companies should not look to gain power with cryptocurrency.
"No. I really think that a currency should stay in the hands of countries. I'm not comfortable with the idea of a private group setting up a competing currency," he said.

"A private company shouldn't be looking to gain power this way."
Apple's vice president of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey recently said that Apple is "watching" cryptocurrency in regards to potentially supporting it in the future, but said that the company is primarily focused on what consumers are using today.

Cook's comments come three months after Facebook announced plans to launch a new digital currency called Libra next year in partnership with companies like Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, and Stripe.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Tim Cook Talks Cryptocurrency, Quality Journalism, Privacy and More on European Tour
 
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Remember when Steve Jobs did rare interviews and he’d talk about Apple, the Mac, the iPod and iPhone? I loved that. But more importantly, he loved that. And he was right about Apple and he knew what he was talking about. I like Cook, but his opinion on those topics is genuinely worth no more than yours or mines. Only difference is if he cares about immigration he can save money in Apples operations...
 
I recall Steve Jobs sitting on a humble wooden stool, wearing the same outfit he had worn for a decade, drilling the concept of his products into the minds of those willing to listen on the various media outlets. His passion and love for revolution and his obsession for chasing that perfect solution to real product problems was what got Apple moving in the right direction after years of management creating a sleeping beast.

Tim likes his steel, glass and stone fortresses ... his expensive wooden boxes in his Apple Groves ... and his big political ideas. He likes his incredible pipeline that we've heard about for the greater portion of a decade. He likes his profits on evolutionary products, his large salary and his huge bonus. Tim, why not let the ship sail with fresh leadership equally obsessed with product innovation as Jobs, and take on the role of a full time politician?

Yours Truly,
Everybody.
 
I like Cook, but his opinion on those topics is genuinely worth no more than yours or mines. Only difference is if he cares about immigration he can save money in Apples operations...

I believe people with power and influence (being CEO of one of the largest companies in the world gives you a lot of influence) should always try and make something good for the world.

Steve Jobs was a great CEO, and a visionary product wise. But I would have loved to see Steve Jobs showing more care for other kind of things, like Bill Gates. What he is trying to do with his foundation, is amazing.

EDIT:
As CEOs, both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were amazing. As innovators and marketeers, Jobs definitely had the advantage. But as a human being, I do believe Bill Gates is one of the best. And Tim Cook, in his own way, is trying to do something more than just being a CEO.
 
Typical. Timmy goes to Europe or sendout screeds here at home lecturing on privacy but happily gets on his knees & shuts up when he goes to Beijing...

"Quality journalism" - translation: If it promotes a far-left liberal agenda and suppresses conservative speech then it's quality journalism

Timmy needs to be removed asap
 
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I recall Steve Jobs sitting on a humble wooden stool, wearing the same outfit he had worn for a decade, drilling the concept of his products into the minds of those willing to listen on the various media outlets. His passion and love for revolution and his obsession for chasing that perfect solution to real product problems was what got Apple moving in the right direction after years of management creating a sleeping beast.

Tim likes his steel, glass and stone fortresses ... his expensive wooden boxes in his Apple Groves ... and his big political ideas. He likes his incredible pipeline that we've heard about for the greater portion of a decade. He likes his profits on evolutionary products, his large salary and his huge bonus. Tim, why not let the ship sail with fresh leadership equally obsessed with product innovation as Jobs, and take on the role of a full time politician?

Yours Truly,
Everybody.
Can you edit this to remove me because I don’t sign off on it
 
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I recall Steve Jobs sitting on a humble wooden stool, wearing the same outfit he had worn for a decade, drilling the concept of his products into the minds of those willing to listen on the various media outlets. His passion and love for revolution and his obsession for chasing that perfect solution to real product problems was what got Apple moving in the right direction after years of management creating a sleeping beast.

Tim likes his steel, glass and stone fortresses ... his expensive wooden boxes in his Apple Groves ... and his big political ideas. He likes his incredible pipeline that we've heard about for the greater portion of a decade. He likes his profits on evolutionary products, his large salary and his huge bonus. Tim, why not let the ship sail with fresh leadership equally obsessed with product innovation as Jobs, and take on the role of a full time politician?

Yours Truly,
Everybody.
Ohh please... stop the blind worship and dwelling in the past.
[automerge]1570158540[/automerge]
My favorite quote from Tim, love it !
”Smartphones must bring you closer to those who are far away, do not move away from those close to you. If you spend more time looking at your smartphones instead of people’s eyes, you are wrong. We make products to help you and not to waste time.”
 
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A
Astonished that some people still don't understand how interviews work; ie the interviewer asks questions, prompting the interviewee to respond with answers to the questions asked.
Astonished that you result to insults & belittlement in your posts.

Then again, not really.
 
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Ohh please... stop the blind worship and dwelling in the past.
[automerge]1570158540[/automerge]
My favorite quote from Tim, love it !
”Smartphones must bring you closer to those who are far away, do not move away from those close to you. If you spend more time looking at your smartphones instead of people’s eyes, you are wrong. We make products to help you and not to waste time.”
Whilst releasing Apple Arcade and Apple TV+...
 
I'd prefer to have no one controlling the money so it can't be manipulated. Math and algorithms are inherently non-manipulatable (e.g. bitcoin), so are preferable to fiat which can be controlled by someone's whim.

bitcoin and all crypto is one of the greatest farces in the history of the world.
It's value is ONLY determined by fiat currency. It has no, real substance what-so-ever. Its worth as much as air.
 
Typical. Timmy goes to Europe or sendout screeds here at home lecturing on privacy but happily gets on his knees & shuts up when he goes to Beijing...

"Quality journalism" - translation: If it promotes a far-left liberal agenda and suppresses conservative speech then it's quality journalism

Timmy needs to be removed asap
All good Apple users know that above all "Quality journalism" is pro mainland China (and Apple)
BBC News - Apple bans Hong Kong protest location app
 
I bet Tim knows that the dollar is controlled by the Federal Reserve, a privately owned company with sole purpose to gain profit. He just chooses to ignore that.
 
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