Apple Products Don’t ‘Blow People’s Minds’ Anymore, Says Tesla CEO

Elon Musk — the outspoken billionaire entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, SpaceX and more — has on occasion been likened to Apple’s late co-founder, Steve Jobs. As the inventor of the iPhone and former Apple CEO, Jobs was an unequivocally like-minded billionaire tech tycoon with similar world-changing ambitions and a bold vision for the future.

But while he uses an iPhone as his every-day communications device, according to comments made during a recent interview, Musk was clear that the doesn’t believe Apple’s products “blow people’s minds” quite like they used to.

“There’s not many products you can buy that really make you happier,” Musk said during a recent one-hour sit-down interview with Kara Swisher of Recode. 

“Apple did that for a long time, I still think, obviously, that Apple makes great phones … I still use an iPhone and everything, but Apple used to really bring out products that would blow people’s minds, you know? [Apple] still [makes] great products, but there’s less of that.”

The billionaire battery-maker went on to suggest that even Apple’s most loyal fans won’t be “running to the store for the iPhone 11,” effectively casting doubt that Cupertino’s rumored 2019 iPhone lineup won’t be as exciting as his firm’s upcoming Model Y SUV, for example.

Musk’s comments come on the heels of several reports involving Apple, Tesla and their potential future together. According to those reports, pundits and analysts have expressed belief that the time may be ripe for an Apple acquisition of Tesla — not just because the Cupertino tech-giant can afford it, but also because the buy would help bolster its position when entering the automotive market with Apple Car at some point in the coming years.