Peter Thiel Criticizes Apple for Lack of Innovation
Peter Thiel claims Apple has done nothing new since the death of Steve Jobs, focusing on branding over invention.
Tech investor and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel criticized Apple Inc. for failing to innovate since the death of Steve Jobs in 2011. In a September interview with author Walter Isaacson for the Builder's Podcast, released Thursday, Thiel argued that the company has done "nothing new" since Jobs' passing.
Thiel characterized Apple as a "pure, well-run value stock" but asserted that the company's efforts over the last 15 years have focused on scaling and branding rather than genuine invention. He stated that Steve Jobs and Elon Musk have been "way better for society" than current CEO Tim Cook.
These comments follow the release of the 18th iteration of the iPhone this week, which features a folding design. The critique comes amid broader industry perceptions that Apple has lagged behind competitors such as Anthropic and ChatGPT in the development of artificial intelligence.
