10:35 p.m., October 1, 2022
In a monumental room at the University of Naples Federico II, between a marble floor and an Italian Renaissance painting hanging from the ceiling, stands a man: Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple. Dressed in a black robe, one of the most powerful business leaders on the planet was awarded an honorary diploma from the Neapolitan establishment’s master’s degree in innovation and international management on Thursday. A ceremony in honor of Tim Cook, “a talented man, a genius who runs a major company in the world”, greeted Matteo Lorito, the rector of the university.
The American giant opened the Developer Academy there in 2016 to train students for free in computer programming and the development of mobile applications for iOS, Apple’s ecosystem. “The Academy has taught nearly 2,000 students from 66 countries the skills to create their own applications and bring their ideas to life,” said Tim Cook to an ecstatic room, at the bottom of which dozens of local journalists.
A state-of-the-art building in the middle of Naples’ popular neighborhoods
Swapping his ceremonial dress for a dark blue suit, the 61-year-old American then went to the campus of the Developer Academy: an ultramodern building, in the middle of dilapidated buildings and roads in the working-class neighborhoods of Naples. In rooms with immaculate white walls, 160 students have their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and giant screen at their disposal to develop their own mobile application for the App Store.
When Tim Cook arrives in the classrooms, the gazes of amazed and excited students meet. A few lucky ones were able to present their project to the person who may be their next employer. “To work at Apple, we seek a spirit of collaboration. I have the deep feeling that an idea shared becomes better, will describe the CEO a few minutes later in the university amphitheater. We are looking for creativity, people who are able to think differently,” taking up the famous slogan of the brand with the bitten apple, “Think different”.
Naples is not the only city to have a training center founded by the Cupertino company. Several similar devices exist around the world, such as in Brazil or Indonesia. In France, it collaborates with the start-up Simplon.co to offer courses for job seekers. “Code is the only universal language, assures Tim Cook at the JDD. It is the most important language following our mother tongue. It allows you to express yourself, to evolve, to change the world. Not everyone has to become a programmer, but it can help you with many other things. Learning to code should be a condition for obtaining a diploma. I even think that we should learn it from primary school. »
“Steve will always be the DNA of Apple”, says Tim Cook
For Apple, training new generations to develop applications for its devices is not without economic interest. In 2021, purchases made on the App Store brought in 75 billion euros. The Californian giant takes a commission ranging from 15 to 30% on purchases made via the applications. With revenue of $83 billion in the last quarter alone, the digital giant continues to break records.
But for Tim Cook, the interest is much more than economic. “Our company was founded by a visionary who believed that we have a responsibility to leave the world better than when we found it”estimates the leader at the head of the multinational for eleven years, who succeeded Steve Jobs following his death. “Steve will always be Apple’s DNA”, he says, moreover, regarding his former boss and friend. The missions he must now accomplish are all the more important in his eyes at a pivotal moment in history. “Whether it’s the devastating war in Ukraine or the deep uncertainty in our global economy, it’s undeniable that we face unusual challenges. »
It is more measured on the metaverse
Challenges that the businessman wants to meet while keeping in mind two principles that he has been promoting for several years: the protection of privacy and that of the environment. “Privacy is a fundamental right. It is always possible to develop new features without collecting data. It is wrong to say otherwise. » Apple’s internal activities have been carbon neutral for two years, thanks to the supply of its offices with renewable energy. “By 2030, we will extend this progress to our entire supply chain – and the lifecycle of our devices”he supports.
These ambitions should also apply to future Apple technologies. If Tim Cook always remains discreet regarding his brand’s projects, he has a few ideas in mind: “I am fascinated by augmented reality [une technologie permettant de superposer des images en 3D à la vie réelle, notamment à l’aide de lunettes]. Tomorrow, as with the Internet today, we will ask ourselves “How did we live without it? ”” And when asked regarding the metaverse, this copy of the tangible world in a digital world accessible using a virtual reality headset, he remains more measured: “Most people don’t know what that means. There’s a place for this technology, but you don’t want to have a helmet screwed onto your head all your life. » These are the first clues to what might be the next revolution of the apple brand.
