Apple CEO Tim Cook recently rallied employees at the company's Cupertino headquarters for a town hall-style meeting, according to 9to5Mac. During the address, Cook touched on a number of topics: Apple's volatile stock performance, Android, and his company's focus in the year ahead. But Cook also used the opportunity to remind employees of Apple's unique corporate culture.
Preserving the Apple culture
"The only companies that report better quarters pump oil," Cook reportedly said, addressing AAPL's ongoing Wall Street struggles. “I do not know about you all, but I do not want to work for those companies." It was an unmistakable reference to Exxon, which recently traded places with Apple to again become the world's most valuable company.
The chief executive also announced plans to throw new bonuses at Apple Store workers (including discounts on new iMacs and unlocked iPhones) as the company continues searching for a new retail boss. John Browett was shown the door in December after less than a year on the job. Jerry McDougal, viewed by many as his potential successor, resigned from Apple earlier this month.
Cook insists Android is too fragmented
On the subject of Android, Cook again reiterated the fragmentation concerns Apple has long harped on when addressing Google's mobile OS. He also reportedly claimed that Android's primary mission is scooping up marketshare, whereas Apple has chosen to focus on delivering top-notch software / hardware and a quality experience to end users. To illustrate the iPhone's soaring success, Cook told employees that Apple's handset division could be removed from the company and, even as a standalone business, remain more successful than Microsoft.