Apple's Tim Cook talks Brexit & more with UK Prime Minister Theresa May [u]

In a Downing Street meeting on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May discussed a variety of topics, including local Apple investments and May's plans to withdraw her country from the European Union following a 2016 referendum [updated with more info on Cook's UK visit].

The meeting was a "very positive and useful discussion," according to a statement from the Prime Minister's office obtained by Business Insider's James Cook. The technology editor said he personally spotted Cook arriving at Downing Street, where the Prime Minister is based.

The statement didn't elaborate on what it meant by Apple making "a recent announcement about their investment in the U.K.," but that presumably refers to the company's plans to open a new British headquarters inside London's former Battersea Power Station. The facility should reopen in 2021, consolidating various Apple offices scattered around the city.

Another topic was "the importance of government and business on digital skills," which the Prime Minister's office said will "clearly be a huge part of the future industry."

The Brexit discussion may have arisen due to concerns about how it will affect both Apple profits and operations. Beyond economics, it could also impact things like the company's ability to shift workers around Europe. Cook believes the UK will be "just fine" after an exit from the EU, Reuters said citing a BBC report.

Update: Cook separately met with the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, according to official Twitter posts. Khan noted that the pair talked about "talent, digital skills & Apple's investment in London."

Great to meet @MayorofLondon today. We are incredibly excited about Apple's future in London and the ????! https://t.co/pOYdisFAit
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 9, 2017

Elsewhere in the city Cook visited Woodberry Down Primary School, likely promoting the company's involvement in education through apps like Classroom and iTunes U, plus support and distribution deals for Macs and iPads.

Thumbs Up From @tim_cook This Afternoon At Woodberry Down! @woodberrydownN4 @AppleEDU @Grazebrook_Pri @ShacklewellE8 pic.twitter.com/1C2rVJvhBX
— Woodberry Down (@woodberrydownN4) February 9, 2017

Cook has been touring the region the entirety of this week, beginning his trip in France, where he visited Apple stores and other locales. He then traveled to Germany, and on Wednesday made it to Scotland for an honorary degree.

8 Comments

williamh 1045 comments · 13 Years

About 7 years ago

sog35 said:

Tim Cook continues his world domination tour.

His Services business will be a $50 billion empire in 4 years.
With 50% profit margins and a 20 PE ratio.
The Services business alone is worth $500 billion

I've been talking about Apple services here for a couple years now. Many of you poo pooled it. Oh Apple sucks in Services! Oh, its too small. Bull.

In 4 years Services will be 50% of the worth of the company.

I hope you are right. However, when many of us "poo poo" the idea of Apple dominating in services or claim that Apple "sucks in service," it's not that we don't want Apple to succeed. . It's just when we (or at least I) use the existing services and see what is offered elsewhere, it doesn't look like Apple is on a path for domination. Say what you will about Amazon, Microsoft, Google, but their cloud services are in a different league from what Apple offers. I like iCloud, but look how things have evolved over the many years. I used iTools way back whenever, and .Mac, and MobileMe, and now iCloud. We've lost some features and gained some, but it's not altogether different (except for working more reliably.) iCloud does all or most of what many people want. But look what you can do in Office365, AWS, G-Suite - very very different. You can run large organizations in their infrastructure, they're certified for processing government data - you have whole government agencies running in there, and single private users too. When you have the Department of Education or whatever agency relying on your service for mission critical functions, you are demonstrating qualities Apple doesn't have.

rogifan_new 4297 comments · 9 Years

About 7 years ago

Is there a reason Cook tweeted avout everything except meeting Theresa May? Was that some hush hush meeting he didn't want anyone to know about?

SpamSandwich 32917 comments · 19 Years

About 7 years ago

sog35 said:

williamh said:

sog35 said:

Tim Cook continues his world domination tour.

His Services business will be a $50 billion empire in 4 years.
With 50% profit margins and a 20 PE ratio.
The Services business alone is worth $500 billion

I've been talking about Apple services here for a couple years now. Many of you poo pooled it. Oh Apple sucks in Services! Oh, its too small. Bull.

In 4 years Services will be 50% of the worth of the company.

I hope you are right. However, when many of us "poo poo" the idea of Apple dominating in services or claim that Apple "sucks in service," it's not that we don't want Apple to succeed. . It's just when we (or at least I) use the existing services and see what is offered elsewhere, it doesn't look like Apple is on a path for domination. Say what you will about Amazon, Microsoft, Google, but their cloud services are in a different league from what Apple offers. I like iCloud, but look how things have evolved over the many years. I used iTools way back whenever, and .Mac, and MobileMe, and now iCloud. We've lost some features and gained some, but it's not altogether different (except for working more reliably.) iCloud does all or most of what many people want. But look what you can do in Office365, AWS, G-Suite - very very different. You can run large organizations in their infrastructure, they're certified for processing government data - you have whole government agencies running in there, and single private users too. When you have the Department of Education or whatever agency relying on your service for mission critical functions, you are demonstrating qualities Apple doesn't have.

most iPhone users don't need that powerful of a Cloud service.

from my personal experience iCloud is perfectly fine. And I think for 99% of iPhone users they would say the same.

I don't think Apple's goal is to be the custodian of thousands of terra bites of government data.

You didn't just type out "terra bites". Please, dude. Please.