In an interview with journalist Michael Roberts' podcast, CEO of Apple Tim Cook talked about Covid-19, physical conditioning, Apple Fitness +  and recommended the use of mobile devices “in moderation”, among other issues.

The chat, which lasted just over 1 hour, was launched this Wednesday (9) on the magazine's podcast Outside and is also available on channel of Apple. Recorded in early autumn, it was set against the beautiful backdrop of Apple Park, the headquarters of Apple located in Cupertino, California. The full story will be published in early 2021 in the winter issue of Outside.

In the interview, Tim Cook addressed several topics, including the importance of meditation. “In my opinion, there is nothing better than meditation and walking in nature.” He also commented on his “obsession” with physical fitness (he works out daily) and argued, with controversial phrases, that exercise is the key to maintaining a good quality of life. “Without a doubt, your body is much more important than your car.” “I am religious about exercise. For me, it is what keeps stress at bay because, unfortunately, I can’t go to a national park every day.”

Apple Park

“We all work with inspiration and motivation. Being here is like working in a national park and it gives me that feeling – it means how inspired and motivated we are to do different things,” Cook says. “So nature really inspires me and motivates me. If we were in offices, there would be conference rooms named after national parks,” he says.

CEO of Apple Since 2011, Cook also explained how employees are encouraged to take advantage of the space. “We set monthly activity challenges across the company to get people moving and exercising. We also have outdoor cafes where people can gather,” he says. “These things not only get people moving, but they also spark debate and unexpected ideas that lead to innovation,” he says.

And it's no wonder, after all, the Apple Park is the brainchild of one of the masters of innovation, Steve Jobs. He wanted a space that felt less like a tech park, full of offices, and more like a natural retreat.

The area has 80% green spaces, spread over 12 hectares, equivalent to 12 football fields, with a lake, around 800 fruit trees and paths inspired by Californian orchards. Apple The park produces 100% renewable energy and the installed solar panels are sufficient to supply 75% during the daytime peak. The remaining 4 megawatts are from biofuel or natural gas.

Moderate use of technologies

In the interview, Tim Cook revealed that he also feels responsible for the way people use technology. “We think a lot about all the things we create, the great ways they can be used, but also the not-so-great ways. We want to design our products in a way that people can get the most out of them in a short period of time, and then be free to do whatever they want,” says Cook. “We never design our products to dominate people’s lives. Our business is to enrich their lives and enable them to create something they couldn’t otherwise,” he said.

Mental Health

Cook is categorical about the indiscriminate use of mobile devices. He sent a message to people who expose themselves to risks by taking their iPhones and approaching cliffs or mountains in search of the best selfie for Instagram or Facebook.

“My advice to anyone going to a national park is to forget your selfie stick and the desire to get that perfect shot, and just soak in the beauty of the space itself, because that will stay with you much longer than a selfie ever will,” he warned.

The executive also expressed concern about offensive content spread on social media, such as bullying, misinformation and violence. “I am mainly concerned about the things that appear on social media, and the list is long.”

He also spoke about the responsibility of Apple with the applications available on the App Store. In his words: “we have to be very careful about how we review applications and curate our services so as not to feed this harmful environment, whether in Apple News, or in the curation of App Store, in which we do not allow certain applications. We have the responsibility to know how the product is used, it is not just making it available, but seeing how it is used”, he concluded.

Through which channels you reach those people, classic and out of the box. Outside e 9 to 5 Mac.