- __[Brakes:](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/O8R5HCECdF2Z9XgDuAiGP/articles/3gQwb4cITkidP2hDTbPJpU/)__ A new investigation into __[Tesla's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TSLA)__ Autopilot feature may force the EV giant to stop “rounding up” in its marketing.
- __[Meta:](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/PhMLZ9g0Tr6lipu2kAVK9/articles/5s5gUS6A80hsWzlO2rQq6Q/)__ __[Facebook](https://robinhood.com/stocks/FB)__ launched a Sims-like VR office that opens the door to a metaverse future (not just for work).
- __[Block:](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/6HKVGR7p5JnBXg3BYwTJPZ/articles/6eezqbsXycgqnof2NnSBv8/)__ US lawmakers are calling for a ’Tok block after China took a stake in __TikTok's__ sister company.


ICYMI

Last week's highlights...

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David Crowther

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Personal Finance

__Post-turtle neck era...__  Tomorrow marks the 10-year anniversary of Tim Cook becoming __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__'s CEO, replacing founder Steve Jobs. Jobs was a creative visionary who pioneered the revolution from the PC to mobile era. Cook has been more of an operational magician. But how has the tech giant changed under his reign? A big part of it is Cook's ability to *scale*. 

- __#s:__ 72M iPhones sold in 2011, vs. an estimated 240-250M in 2021. Since 2011, the number of App Store apps has more than quadrupled to 2M today. 
- __Top-selling smartphone:__ In 2011, it was the Samsung Galaxy SII — the iPhone 4 ranked 4th. In 2021, the top-four sellers are all iPhones.
- __Value:__ In 2011, Apple hit a $337B market cap, surpassing __[Exxon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/XOM)__ to become Earth's most valuable company. Today, it's worth $2.5T —  still the most valuable.
- __Products:__ In 2011, Apple unveiled the new iPod touch and iPod nano (#RIP). In Cook-era 2015 we got Apple Watch, followed closely by AirPods.

__Tim Cooking in the kitchen...__ iPhone is still the core of Apple, and brings in more than half its sales. But Apple's biggest shifts under Cook have been scaling services and elevating privacy.

- __Services:__ In 2011, Services consisted mainly of iTunes, App Store, and iCloud. Now, Apple's self-feeding ecosystem has expanded to include TV streaming, fitness, games, and even a services bundle, [launched](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/1Y9lIHuvuotRAaGBx13qHH/articles/5EXUwgniIcrgHGoPpU0qe4/) last year. 
- __Privacy:__ Apple has become a leader in privacy — from Face ID to the latest iOS upgrade, which lets users decide whether to let apps track them for ads. But it's recently received unprecedented [backlash](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/05/apple-child-pornography-iphone/) over a new anti-child pornography measure.
- Through the App Store and its consumer-friendly devices, Apple has also contributed to the growth of other tech giants. *About that...*

_2031 vibes: "Find My Planet" [mikkelwilliam/E+ via GettyImages]_

Anniversary

__Tech has taken over the market...__ When Jobs was CEO, the top five most valuable companies in the Fortune 500 were: Exxon, Apple, __[Microsoft](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MSFT)__, __[Chevron](https://robinhood.com/stocks/CVX)__, and __[Berkshire Hathaway](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BRK.B)__. Now, the top five most valuable companies are all tech: Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and __[Facebook](https://robinhood.com/stocks/FB)__ — and they make up [23%](https://www.barrons.com/articles/big-tech-stocks-sp-500-51627312933?tesla=y) of the S&P 500's total value. Tech companies have contributed to an explosion of wealth. Think: jobs, apps, and soaring stock prices. But their immense scale and power has raised concerns among lawmakers and consumers, leading to growing antitrust measures around the world today.


10 years of Tim Cook: how Apple and Big Tech have evolved and taken over the market

__Drop the triple-shot latte...__  The cost of coffee beans has [jumped](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/business/coffee-prices-higher.html) 43% so far this year. An unusual frost in Brazil — the world’s #1 coffee producer — is contributing to soaring java prices. Companies know that consumers *hate* paying extra for the same products. Now, some java giants may consider "[swapflation](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/1r3Y1V7zwkDmXk8zWPmz5L/articles/2ij2I19Scry2cpMvL3vRDY/)" to deal with rising costs. AKA: swapping out popular arabica beans for cheaper, but less premium, robusta beans. We could see it in other products, too. 

__Powell's party...__ might be nearing its end. To help the economy, the Fed has added trillions to the money supply through bond-buying sprees. That brought us near-zero interest rates during the pandemic, which helped boost spending. Think: lower rates for  mortgages, credit cards, and business loans. But as the US economy recovers and prices continue to rise (#inflation), the central bank is [considering](https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-72262cd28f438fc3c856661b82316ca1) pulling back on its economy-supporting policy later this year. 

Zoom Out

Stories we're watching...

__Loose-fit jeans = the new sweatpants...__ Retailers like __[Gap](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GPS)__ and __[Nordstrom](https://robinhood.com/stocks/JWN)__ boosted online sales last year, even though *total* sales slumped. As we leave behind pandemic PJs and return to stores for "going out" fits, clothing retailers have a shopportunity to boost sales online *and* IRL. We’ll see how that's panning out when Gap, Nordstrom, __[Abercrombie](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ANF)__, and __[Urban Outfitters](https://robinhood.com/stocks/URBN)__ report earnings this week.

__Dollar stores are on a roll...__ but it's not toilet paper. Last year, __[Dollar Tree](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DLTR)__ and __[Dollar General](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DG)__ thrived as we stockpiled TP, detergent, and $2 Cool Whip. But sales slumped last quarter, failing to keep pace with last year’s panic purchasing. Still, the dollar dynasties are doing better than they were pre-pandemic. We’ll see if they can keep the good times rolling — even without TP — when they report earnings on Thursday. 


Last week's highlights...

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