Apple's Tim Cook talks iPhone 6s, ethics, Steve Jobs, more on 'Late Show' with Stephen Colbert

Posted:
in General Discussion edited September 2015
Apple CEO Tim Cook made a rare talkshow appearance Tuesday night as one of the first guests on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," taking time to promote iPhone 6s and discuss Apple's core ethics, corporate charity, Steve Jobs and more.


Source: CBS via CNET


Colbert, toting a rose gold iPhone 6s, kept the interview brief as Cook ran him through a few iPhone 6s talking points like 3D Touch, Live Photos and Siri. As can be expected of a late night show, Colbert mostly kept things lighthearted.

Considering guests usually vet topics beforehand, Cook faced two "tough" questions, one about his decision to come out last October and another regarding workers rights as it applies to Apple's supply chain partners.

"You came out as gay recently. Was that an upgrade or just a feature that had not been turned on?" Colbert asked. Cook intimated that it was his social responsibility to fight back against discrimination, even if that meant putting aside a highly valued private life. "It's like discovering something on your iPhone it's always done but you didn't quite know it," Cook added.

On corporate ethics Cook toed the company line, saying Apple focuses on education, the environment and human rights. As it applies to workers rights, long a topic of debate with human rights activists, Cook noted that Apple goes so far as to make college classes available to supply chain manufacturers, a program that helps employees grow and advance their careers.

Colbert tried to pry out details on Apple's supposed driverless car ambitions, noting previous guest Uber CEO Travis Kalanick mentioned the iPhone maker was looking into such technology. Cook unsurprisingly demurred, saying Apple investigates tech in a number of areas, but only concentrates on a few.

Cook spoke briefly about late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, who was a "joy to work with" and always demanded the best out of his employees. Colbert awkwardly cut Cook off when he was on the verge of expressing cynicism over the bevy of books and movies released since Jobs died.

"I miss him everyday," Cook said. "I think that a lot of people are trying to be opportunistic and I hate this, it's not a great part of our world."

In its first week under Colbert, "The Late Show" has invited a number of tech industry heavyweights onto the stage, including Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk and the aforementioned Kalanick. For a format tailored to Hollywood celebrities, musicians and comedians, the move is an unusual, but refreshing, change of pace.

For Cook, the public appearance is the first of two for September, the next being Box's annual Boxworks cloud storage conference on Sept. 28. Cook is also slated to attend The Wall Street Journal's WSJ.D Live conference in October.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    I find it interesting that Colbert wore a traditional wristwatch all last week, but starting yesterday he was wearing his ?Watch. I'm very curious to see if he changes his watch every week, or if keeps the ?Watch going forward. I'm not really sure I like that he wears the same color suit every night, and that it basically matches his set, but that could play into his wrist wear philosophy as well ...
  • Reply 2 of 34
    He didn't put an optical port in the Apple TV - I will never forgive him...
  • Reply 3 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bitmod View Post



    He didn't put an optical port in the Apple TV - I will never forgive him...



    http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=10251

  • Reply 4 of 34
    mac_128 wrote: »
    I find it interesting that Colbert wore a traditional wristwatch all last week, but starting yesterday he was wearing his ?Watch. I'm very curious to see if he changes his watch every week, or if keeps the ?Watch going forward. I'm not really sure I like that he wears the same color suit every night, and that it basically matches his set, but that could play into his wrist wear philosophy as well ...

    If he doesn't wear Apple Watch tomorrow, or next week, or next month would you conclude that he doesn't wear an Apple Watch if he doesn't wear it on the show. Frankly if my staff had me put on another watch for an hour a day, five days a week for some on camera presence I wouldn't bat an eye at that. I put that in the same category as any other wardrobe selection. Now, if we see pics from, say, TMZ with Colbert out and about doing typical mundane stuff and he's not wearing it I'd then conclude that he's likely not an Apple Watch wearer.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bitmod View Post



    He didn't put an optical port in the Apple TV - I will never forgive him...



    Join the club. I'll never forgive him for not putting a Blu-ray drive in the 5K iMac. (/s)

  • Reply 6 of 34
    I'll never forgive him for making the modern Apple logo just as gay as the old rainbow Apple logo¡
  • Reply 7 of 34
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Hmm...as I was watching this I never thought to see if Colbert was wearing an Apple Watch or not. It never crossed my mind. I honestly couldn't care less whether he wears an Apple Watch or not.
  • Reply 8 of 34
    Colbert was wearing an Apple Watch last night.
  • Reply 9 of 34
    mac_128 wrote: »
    I find it interesting that Colbert wore a traditional wristwatch all last week, but starting yesterday he was wearing his ?Watch. I'm very curious to see if he changes his watch every week, or if keeps the ?Watch going forward. I'm not really sure I like that he wears the same color suit every night, and that it basically matches his set, but that could play into his wrist wear philosophy as well ...

    he had a rose gold iPhone.. I think that tells us all we need to know about why the Apple Watch appeared yesterday and will no doubt disappear along with the phone when the product placement contract lapses at an appropriate amount of time such that the mass public doesn't remember anyway
  • Reply 10 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mac_128 View Post



    I find it interesting that Colbert wore a traditional wristwatch all last week, but starting yesterday he was wearing his ?Watch. I'm very curious to see if he changes his watch every week, or if keeps the ?Watch going forward. I'm not really sure I like that he wears the same color suit every night, and that it basically matches his set, but that could play into his wrist wear philosophy as well ...



    It's a test. You read into it whatever you want, so what you conclude isn't a reflection on Colbert, it's a reflection on you.

  • Reply 11 of 34
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Here's a video of the interview:


    [VIDEO]
  • Reply 12 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post





    If he doesn't wear Apple Watch tomorrow, or next week, or next month would you conclude that he doesn't wear an Apple Watch if he doesn't wear it on the show. Frankly if my staff had me put on another watch for an hour a day, five days a week for some on camera presence I wouldn't bat an eye at that. I put that in the same category as any other wardrobe selection. Now, if we see pics from, say, TMZ with Colbert out and about doing typical mundane stuff and he's not wearing it I'd then conclude that he's likely not an Apple Watch wearer.



    More interestingly, if he's seen doing, say, shopping, with the Watch on, then he probably is a Watch wearer. My mechanical watch has stayed on my bedtable.... since the Watch came out... but I am not contractually obliged to wear a Rolex on stage :)

  • Reply 13 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post



    Here's a video of the interview:



     



    Edit: OK, I see why it's just in the comments.

  • Reply 14 of 34
    On my way to work Tuesday morning I realized I had left my Apple Watch at home. I will not forgive Tim Cook for not enabling the Watch to teleport onto my wrist. ????
  • Reply 15 of 34
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Possible BI headline: Cook begs people to buy latest iPhone.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    If it is your supposition that all tech prior to 1990 is useless then your iPhone becomes an empty glass box.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    You don't need an optical port on a television device anymore people. The proper set up is HDMI to the TV and optical out from the TV to your sound system of choice.

    Oh back to the actual article was pretty good no more comments.
  • Reply 18 of 34
    sog35 wrote: »
    So its Apple's fault you are still using tech from 1990?  What next?  Made they didn't include a turn table?

    *cough cough Macs still have spinning hard disks cough cough*

    sog35 wrote: »
    Dude, optical is as old as dirt.  Go get a receiver that runs HDMI.

    So are you telling me the current iPhone has technology that is 20 years obsolete?  hell no. 

    What do you want apple to do?  Have every single port in use since 1990?  HDMI port, Component port, S-cable port, VGA, DVI, Composite.  Give me a break. 

    Optical is still commonly used. The ATV still has Ethernet, you realize how old that is, right? Especially since it's not even Gigabit!
  • Reply 19 of 34
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    So its Apple's fault you are still using tech from 1990?  What next?  Made they didn't include a turn table?




    How many Apple users does it take to change a lightbulb?

     

    Answer: Change!!!!!??????

     

    Apple made its decision. Now all the optical port whiners have to make theirs. If you are that upset then don’t buy the damned thing. I wasn’t thrilled when Apple abandoned Firewire on my iMac 14,2 but I bought the Thunderbolt->Firewire dongle and moved on. You can always buy a Roku can’t you? Oh wait... Roku doesn’t have an optical port either.

  • Reply 20 of 34
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member

    Meanwhile I have no idea why Tim Cook was on Colbert’s show last night. No CEO worth their salt is going surprise viewers with any important news. To me it was an Apple commercial by Tim Cook, which is just fine and good for Apple. Colbert stuck in a couple of ‘serious’ questions (Cook’s coming out and the Chinese labor issue) both of which are old news and to which we all know the answers.

Sign In or Register to comment.