Elon picks a fight with Apple

The world’s richest man Elon Musk has picked a fight with its most valuable company, Apple. But while their brief feud took over headlines, Musk’s EV-maker Tesla and Apple were facing their own issues behind closed doors. These are this week’s biggest stories.

1. Rock ‘em, sock ‘em

Elon Musk went to war with Apple this week, claiming it threatened to remove Twitter from the App Store after he criticised the platform for its 30% tax on the internet.

While those fees are concerning, Musk’s telling (conveniently) ignored the fact that Apple (rightfully) doesn’t like social media platforms without content moderation controls.

While Apple later clarified that removal was never on the cards, it shows the increasing propensity of Musk to find – or even invent – an enemy and take a swing, damn the consequences.

Few have fought Apple and won. To do so publicly, seemingly on a whim, is just the latest from the circus that has engulfed Twitter and its new CEO.

2. Backfire

The above drama helped overshadow another inconvenient truth this week, that Tesla is quickly losing market share and hoping a cheaper Model 3 arrests the decline.

The EV-maker used to control 72% of the market but was down to 65% in the last quarter. Analysts have it falling to 20% within four years as competition ratchets up.

3. Don’t they know it’s Christmas?

Apple is not without its own headaches. Labour disputes and shutdowns at its largest iPhone factory (responsible for 70% of production) will lower output by ~8 million units.

With the iPhone 14 just released and consumers looking to spend big this shopping season, the disruption is likely to delay deliveries beyond Christmas. Ouch.

4. Got game

Netflix’s acquisitions team was reportedly berated for not trying to buy Wordle before the New York Times stepped in, as the streaming platform looks to double down on gaming.

In a bid to step up engagement and time on platform, Netflix is diversifying its offering, quietly adding games to its mobile app and (maybe) looking for the next big thing.

5. For let

Airbnb is expanding its supply of properties, signing on entire buildings who will allow their apartment tenants to sublet rooms through the platform.

The platform is pitching it as a way renters can open up their guest bedroom to strangers to ease cost of living pressures and rising rents.