Amazon, Meta, Apple Earnings and the Vision Pro | Bloomberg Technology

Apple

• Despite lower sales in China, Apple reported overall growth and a return to growth.
• Apple's active install base reached 2.2 billion, providing an opportunity for growth through AI integration.
• The upcoming iPhone 16 is expected to have more AI technology, driving further growth.
• Apple's Vision Pro device is gaining traction, with an expected increase in production from 300,000 to 600,000 units.
• The AI App Store is seen as a key catalyst for Apple's growth, with potential announcements at WWDC.
• Apple is facing headwinds in China but has a strong install base and has navigated challenges in the past.

Meta

• Meta's revenue growth is attributed to its efficiency measures and strong advertising business.
• Meta's investment in AI has positively impacted its ad business and driven performance.
• The relationship between AI and Meta's ad business is evident as AI-generated content from China-based companies boosts spending.
• Meta's focus on AI during its earnings call highlights its commitment to becoming an AI leader.
• The challenge for Meta lies in proving that its big bets on AI and the metaverse are complementary.
• Meta's metaverse dream is still alive, but it needs to demonstrate how it complements its advertising business and justify continued losses in Reality Labs.
• Regulation, particularly concerning protecting children online, poses a significant risk to Meta.
• Meta is facing challenges in balancing user safety and revenue generation on its platforms.
• Meta is also dealing with regulatory issues in the US and EU.
• Meta's ad market is susceptible to fluctuations in the economy, which can impact advertiser demand.

Economy and Technology

• The Nasdaq index rose by 1.2%, driven by strong performance from Meta.
• The 10-year yield and two-year yield experienced significant declines due to a blowout jobs report.
• The strong jobs report indicates that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates anytime soon.
• Bitcoin rose despite the US dollar rallying on the back of the jobs report.
• The US economy added 353,000 jobs in January, exceeding economist estimates and showing higher pay and payroll increases across industries.
• Despite concerns about AI replacing jobs, Silvija Martinčević, CEO of Deputy, believes AI is more likely to complement specific work tasks rather than replace workers, especially in hourly jobs that require a human touch.
• Women constitute over 50% of the hourly workforce, and technology can enable more flexibility and predictability in their work schedules, such as micro shifts, which can help women reenter the workforce after childbirth.

Virtual Reality

• Apple's flagship store in Manhattan saw a healthy line of people waiting to buy the newly released Vision Pro, a virtual reality headset priced at $3500.
• Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the store and greeted customers, expressing excitement about the product's intuitive nature and potential for productivity and entertainment.
• Dave Lee, a tech enthusiast and reporter, highlights the different approaches taken by Apple and Meta in their virtual reality offerings, with Apple focusing on a premium, immersive experience and Meta opting for a cheaper alternative.
• Dave Lee discusses the new Apple VR headset and compares it to the Meta Quest Pro.
• Lee believes that the Apple VR headset has the potential to become a smash hit if it can come down in price and become less bulky.

Other Tech News

• Tencent received regulatory approval for Nexon's next game, leading to a 22% increase in Nexon's stock price.
• Amazon's profit decreased, but the company is focusing on cost-cutting and discipline to improve its margins.
• Amazon's advertising business is growing and helping to improve its margins.
• Stefan Slowinski, head of software research at BNP Paribas, believes that all three major cloud computing companies (Amazon, Microsoft, and Google) will benefit from AI.
• Slowinski prefers Microsoft over Amazon due to its valuation gap and strong position in the cloud computing market.
• Apple's shares are turning positive despite concerns about its VR headset contributing less than 1% to its total revenue.
• Apple's revenue growth is expected to be less than 5% this year and next year, leading to questions about its valuation.
• The market is bracing for another revenue decline in Apple's fiscal second quarter, similar to what was seen last year.
• There is no exuberance about Apple's new AR/VR headset, but it could potentially drive the next iPhone cycle if it offers significant productivity improvements.
• NVIDIA's CEO, Jensen Huang, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) will matter to every country and industry and that every country should be able to develop its own sovereign AI capabilities.
• NVIDIA is complying with American policies and regulations regarding AI development, and its