Tim Cook says he owns cryptocurrency

Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed that he has invested his private cash in cryptocurrency throughout a dialogue right now on the New York Times’ Dealbook conference. “I think it’s reasonable to own it as part of a diversified portfolio,” the CEO mentioned throughout a dialog with Andrew Ross Sorkin. “I’m not giving anyone investment advice, by the way,” he rapidly adopted up, with out specifying which particular cryptocurrencies he has invested in.

“I’ve been interested in it for a while. I’ve been researching it and so forth … I think it’s interesting,” the CEO continued.

Although Cook confirmed his personal funding in cryptocurrency, he was much more guarded about Apple’s plans as an organization. He dominated out investing the corporate’s money stability in cryptocurrency, and he mentioned that Apple has no plans to permit folks to make use of it to purchase its merchandise “in the immediate future.” But the CEO did tease that “there are other things that we’re definitely looking at” on the subject of cryptocurrency, with out saying any particular plans.

When requested about NFTs, Cook mentioned that he finds them “interesting” however that “it will take a while to play out in a way that is for the mainstream person.” If you’re nonetheless confused as to what precisely an NFT is, then I can’t suggest this explainer from my colleague Mitchell Clark sufficient.

During the roughly half-hour-long dialog, Tim Cook was requested about different main matters which have affected Apple in latest months, together with its high-profile court docket battle with Epic Games. When requested whether or not customers ought to be given the selection to put in apps from sources aside from Apple’s App Store by processes comparable to sideloading, the CEO reiterated that Apple thinks its strategy is greatest for safety.

“If you want to sideload, you can buy [an] Android phone. That choice exists when you go into the carrier shop,” the CEO mentioned. “If that’s important to you, then you should buy an Android phone.” He went on to liken permitting customers to sideload their very own apps on iPhone to being like an automaker promoting a automobile with out airbags or seat belts. “It’s just too risky to do that,” he mentioned. “It wouldn’t be an iPhone if it didn’t maximize security and privacy.”

Cook’s feedback got here lower than per week after Apple senior vp Craig Federighi made comparable arguments throughout a speech at this year’s Web Summit. The firm has additionally put out a number of reports this 12 months, all of which argue that permitting customers to put in software program not vetted by the App Store evaluate course of dangers exposing their telephones to malware and different safety threats. According to Apple, its coverage towards sideloading retains iOS malware low in comparison with different platforms like Android.

Although it’s firmly towards permitting sideloading on its cellular platforms, the identical isn’t true on Apple’s Mac computer systems, the place customers have way more flexibility with the software program they set up. Critics declare that Apple might undertake an identical strategy for the iPhone and use a system like macOS’s Gatekeeper to test whether or not an app comprises identified malware or whether or not a developer’s signing certificates is revoked. But Apple argues that this strategy wouldn’t be applicable, each as a result of iPhones are used to retailer extra private info and since the strategy has led to an unacceptable degree of malware on the Mac. For what it’s value, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wasn’t satisfied of those arguments throughout the Apple v. Epic trial.

You can watch the total interview embedded within the tweet beneath: