• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Blue Ribbon Companies

Tim Cook’s Life Hints Apple’s Vision for the Home

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 1, 2017, 12:09 PM ET

Apple has a plan for your life, and it just so happens that its CEO Tim Cook is already living it.

During Apple’s (AAPL) earnings call on Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed his company’s “ecosystem,” a place in which the company’s customers are immersed in its products wherever they go during the day. From the iPhone to the Mac to the Apple Watch to the smart home, Apple wants to be its users’ companions wherever they might be.

“Our ecosystem is broadening to more and more of the areas where people spend their time, at the gym, on the go, in the home, and on the job,” Cook said. He alluded to the Apple Watch’s fitness tracking for use at the gym and cited Apple’s in-vehicle infotainment system CarPlay as a tool for users to employ when they’re driving around town.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Cook then turned his attention to the smart home, a buzzword for Internet-connected technologies that turn traditionally “dumb” devices, like a refrigerator or light bulbs, into “smart” devices that can communicate with each other and dedicated apps. He noted that Apple is expanding its presence in that market with help from HomeKit, a service that lets hardware makers integrate control of their products into iOS 10. Cook suggested that Apple’s expansion of compatibility with smart home products puts the company front and center of the smart home craze.

And Cook pointed to his own life to illustrate how someone living inside the Apple bubble could use its services to control his or her home.

“Now when I say good morning to Siri, my house lights come on and my coffee starts brewing,” Cook said in his prepared remarks. “When I go to the living room to relax in the evening, I use Siri to adjust the lighting and turn on the fireplace. And when I leave the house, a simple tap on my iPhone turns the lights off, adjusts the thermostat down, and locks the doors. When I return to my house in the evening, as I near my home, the house prepares itself for my arrival automatically by using a simple geofence.”

Cook’s comments came alongside a banner fiscal first quarter for Apple in which the company posted $78.4 billion in revenue—a record. Apple’s performance was boosted by growth in iPhone sales as well as improved performance for its Mac and Services division. Apple also posted revenue records for the Apple Watch.

For more about iPhone, watch:

Talk of an Apple “ecosystem” is nothing new. Apple has long attempted to keep customers using its products by only offering certain software on its own operating systems and keeping certain features locked to its hardware users.

However, the ecosystems of old—the iPod-iTunes tie-up is one that immediately comes to mind—weren’t so broad in scope. Today, Apple’s ecosystem spans far more products and far more technologies. And Apple apparently wants to play a role in every link along that chain. As more products and services come online, Apple could broaden its reach.

Once again, Apple has proven that it’s not just a hardware company. The secret sauce, it appears, might have everything to do with getting you to live like Cook and be part of an Apple-dominated ecosystem of Apple hardware and software as well as third-party products.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Man driving and looking shocked.
Economygas prices
Driving less, canceling vacations, and tightening budgets: All the ways Americans are coping with soaring gas prices
By Tristan BoveMay 8, 2026
26 minutes ago
Goldman Sachs’ tech boss says tracking individual AI usage isn’t useful. He just watches how fast his 12,000 engineers move from idea to production
AIBanks
Goldman Sachs’ tech boss says tracking individual AI usage isn’t useful. He just watches how fast his 12,000 engineers move from idea to production
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 8, 2026
52 minutes ago
kid on phone
Politicssmartphones and mobile devices
‘Close to zero’: Schools are spending tens of millions banning phones from classrooms, but test scores aren’t improving
By Jake AngeloMay 8, 2026
1 hour ago
Iran may have a higher tolerance for economic pain—but the pain is excruciating as regime reveals 100% inflation in just days on some items
EconomyIran
Iran may have a higher tolerance for economic pain—but the pain is excruciating as regime reveals 100% inflation in just days on some items
By Jason MaMay 8, 2026
2 hours ago
Vincent Clerc speaks in front of a picture of a port.
EnergyShipping
The CEO of Maersk, which ships 14% of everything you buy, said the Iran war is adding $500 million in monthly costs it’s trying not to pass down
By Sasha RogelbergMay 8, 2026
2 hours ago
Shivon Zilis was caught between Elon Musk, OpenAI, and motherhood
NewslettersMPW Daily
Shivon Zilis was caught between Elon Musk, OpenAI, and motherhood
By Emma HinchliffeMay 8, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
North America
California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
By Sasha RogelbergMay 7, 2026
23 hours ago
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
Arts & Entertainment
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 7, 2026
1 day ago
U.S. Treasury will have to borrow $2 trillion this year just to continue functioning—more than $166 billion every month
Economy
U.S. Treasury will have to borrow $2 trillion this year just to continue functioning—more than $166 billion every month
By Eleanor PringleMay 7, 2026
1 day ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
Magazine
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
3 days ago
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
Success
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
By Emma BurleighMay 7, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 7, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 7, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 7, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.