Apple and Epic go way back, but due to certain transactional disputes, the former took action to remove Fortnite from the App Store. While Apple has been dealing with the regulatory authorities in the U.S., Mark Zuckerberg has shared his insights on where Apple stands and where his interests lie. Mark Zuckerberg took the opportunity to speak at Stripe Sessions 2025 to represent Apple as the enemy while portraying Google as its friend by stating that Tim Cook has had a bad week.
Meta's CEO highlighted Apple's legal setback while praising Google's Sundar Pichai amid ongoing tech industry rivalries
Stripe CEO asked Mark Zuckerberg in the session about Apple and its standing in the U.S. after the court ruled to open up and loosen the App Store rules. Meta CEO stated, "Tim's had a bad week," and said, "I'm not gonna pile on, but I like Sundar." We have to note that both Apple and Google have strict policies related to their respective App Stores, but Zuckerberg's remarks are more about the conduct rather than the principle. Epic and Google also do not go hand in hand regarding anti-steering restrictions with their antitrust battles.
The Apple CEO also threw his fair share of jabs at Zuckerberg back during the Facebook-Congress privacy hearings, and when asked how he would respond, Cook said, "I wouldn't be in this situation." Stripe also benefits from out-of-the-app purchases, which means that the company does not give Apple a commission and the platform also urges developers to follow the same route.
As mentioned earlier, Meta and Apple go way back, and the latter is also developing its own pair of smart glasses with heavy Apple Intelligence integration. Meta is also slated to launch its Meta Ray-Bans soon, which will be its cheapest entry-level option to make the technology mainstream in the market. Apple, on the flip side, is also hell-bent on launching its own version of the glasses to compete against Meta, and both products are slated to launch soon.
Apple's main artwork of AR glasses would still require more time and money to be perfected and will launch in the next few years. The company is also aiming to launch a Vision Air headset as soon as later this year with a comparatively cheaper price tag than the Vision Pro headset in order to boost demand and make its ecosystem dive into the AR experience with mass market adoption. Mark Zuckerberg's jabs at Apple and Tim Cook are not an entirely new feat between the executives. We will share more details on the matter as soon as further information is available.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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