Zuckerberg Throws Shade at Apple, Praises Google CEO: Tech Giants Clash Over Control and Philosophy

At the recent Stripe Sessions conference, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg offered a striking glimpse into Silicon Valley’s simmering tensions. When asked to choose between two powerful tech leaders—Apple’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai—Zuckerberg didn’t mince words. He showed clear favoritism toward Pichai while once again reigniting his long-running feud with Apple.

This feud isn’t new. It’s rooted in core disagreements about privacy, platform control, and the future of digital ecosystems. While Apple leans into closed systems and privacy-first branding, Meta relies on openness, data-driven personalization, and ad revenue. The battle between these competing visions of the internet has reached new intensity, with Zuckerberg suggesting that Apple’s restrictive policies are actively stifling Meta’s innovation and revenue potential.

Here’s a detailed summary of the key developments and commentary:

During his appearance at Stripe Sessions, Zuckerberg was asked who he preferred between Cook and Pichai.
He sidestepped the Apple question with sarcasm, referencing that Tim Cook “had a bad week,” alluding to Apple’s recent legal troubles over App Store regulations.
Instead of commenting further on Apple, he pivoted to praise Google’s CEO: “Sundar is cool. I like Sundar.”
Zuckerberg described his relationship with Apple as “complicated” and “awkward.”
He criticized Apple’s strict platform rules, stating they prevent Meta from launching consumer-friendly features.
According to Zuckerberg, Meta’s profits could potentially double if not for Apple’s constraints.
The Meta-Apple rivalry has simmered for over a decade, fueled by clashing ideologies.
Apple emphasizes user privacy, hardware dominance, and proprietary ecosystems.
Meta relies on open access, third-party integration, and personalized advertising.
The rivalry intensified with the introduction of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature, which significantly impacted Meta’s ad revenue.
Zuckerberg admitted that Apple and Google’s control over hardware and OS gives them a natural competitive edge in upcoming tech like AR.
Still, Meta continues to pour billions into metaverse infrastructure and standalone AR/VR technologies.
Zuckerberg conceded that if Apple or Google releases AR glasses at the same time as Meta, the incumbents are likely to win the tie due to platform leverage.
This public statement highlights how Meta views the current tech landscape—not just as competition, but as an ecosystem-level power struggle.

What Undercode Say:

Zuckerberg’s recent comments are more than personal jabs—they signal the deeper tectonic shifts in the tech industry’s power structure. Meta finds itself increasingly boxed in by operating system gatekeepers. The heart of Zuckerberg’s frustration is strategic: Meta is fighting to build a future where it controls its own hardware, software, and platforms—something Apple has long mastered.

This scenario isn’t just about corporate rivalries—it’s about fundamental ideologies. Apple treats its devices as high-trust environments with minimal third-party intrusion. Meta, on the other hand, thrives on data ecosystems where openness fuels advertising precision and user engagement. The App Tracking Transparency initiative slashed Meta’s revenue by billions, and that pain clearly lingers.

By favoring Sundar Pichai, Zuckerberg is playing politics. Google may be a rival, but its Android platform is still significantly more open than Apple’s iOS. That gives Meta more operational breathing room. Google’s ad-driven DNA also aligns more closely with Meta’s vision.

The tension has real-world implications. As Meta pushes into AR and VR, it risks becoming a tenant in Apple or Google’s walled gardens. Zuckerberg knows that future profits, developer traction, and user adoption hinge on who controls the gateway devices. That’s why Meta is investing in Quest headsets and building its own operating systems for spatial computing.

This clash is as much about economics as it is about ideology. Zuckerberg estimates Meta could double its profitability if Apple’s restrictions were lifted—a bold claim that frames Apple as more than a competitor, but a structural barrier. It also underscores the stakes involved as all three companies race toward immersive tech, where whoever controls the glasses could dominate the next computing platform.

Zuckerberg’s statement also reflects a growing sentiment among developers and platform-dependent businesses: Apple’s ecosystem is lucrative but increasingly difficult to navigate without compromise. Whether regulators will step in meaningfully is still an open question, but public jabs like these increase pressure.

Meta doesn’t want to be a guest in someone else’s house. And Zuckerberg’s comments show he’s tired of knocking on Apple’s door. His praise of Google is not accidental—it’s a strategic alignment.

Fact Checker Results:

Claim: Apple recently suffered a legal setback.

✅ True – Apple lost an appeal related to its App Store rules, drawing scrutiny from regulators worldwide.

Claim: Meta’s profits could be double without Apple’s restrictions.
⚠️ Partially true – While internal estimates suggest a large impact, no public data supports a definitive “2x” profit increase.

Claim: Zuckerberg prefers Sundar Pichai over Tim Cook.

✅ True – He stated on record that “Sundar is cool” and avoided directly complimenting Cook.

Prediction:

As AR and spatial computing mature, the rivalry between Apple and Meta will intensify. Expect Meta to double down on proprietary platforms—possibly acquiring hardware startups, accelerating development of Meta OS, and lobbying regulators more aggressively. The market will likely polarize: Apple will dominate the premium closed ecosystem, while Meta will try to position itself as the open-source alternative. Google, as usual, will play both sides—fueling competition without fully committing to either camp.

This ideological and strategic divergence will shape the next decade of consumer technology—and the battle for control over the metaverse will be fought not just with headsets and apps, but in courtrooms, policy hearings, and developer ecosystems worldwide.

References:

Reported By: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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