Apple’s year started with trouble. Tariffs were rising, a court case put its Google deal at risk, and many said the company was slow in artificial intelligence. In April, Apple’s value dropped to $2.6 trillion. By October, it climbed past $4 trillion. Tim Cook turned the year around by staying calm and moving smartly.
When President Trump announced heavy import taxes on goods from China, Apple’s stock fell. Most iPhones are made there. But Cook had already started moving some work to India. That helped Apple ship phones to the U.S. without paying big new taxes.
The Wall Street Journal says Cook used politics to protect Apple. He met Trump often and promised new U.S. investments. Many of those projects were already planned, like making iPhone glass in Kentucky and computer parts in Texas. Still, it worked. Trump praised Apple and reduced tariff threats. The company kept most of its supply chain in Asia, where skilled labor is cheaper and faster to find.
Avoiding losses in court
Cook faced another danger when a judge looked at Google’s payments to Apple for being the main search engine on iPhones. If the deal ended, Apple could have lost over $20 billion a year. Cook sent Apple executive Eddy Cue to explain how that would hurt the company. The judge ruled in Apple’s favor, saying blocking the deal would hurt competition. It was a close call, but Cook avoided a big hit.
Playing safe with products
In September, Apple launched new iPhones. The iPhone Air was thin but not very strong in camera and battery. Still, other iPhone 17 models sold well. Apple expects 12 percent more sales in the next quarter. Services like the App Store and Apple Music brought in more than $100 billion this year, more than any time before.
Critics say Apple is too slow with new ideas. But Cook’s plan is steady growth. He turned AirPods from a joke into a best-seller and made Apple Watch a serious health tool. His chip team built some of the fastest processors in the world.
Cook turns 65 this week. He may one day step back as CEO, but for now, he’s proven his way works. He kept Apple safe, made steady profits, and led the company to its highest value ever.
