Activist Investors Call on Apple to Address Youth Phone Addiction
Apple under fire after two Apple investors urged the company to step up and play a bigger role in managing smartphone overuse and addiction. David Benoit, Activism Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, was with us to discuss why Jana Partners has decided to push Apple to develop tools and research the effects of smartphone overuse by young people.
Benoit says the investors aren’t saying its necessarily Apple’s responsibility to monitor phone usage. Instead, he thinks they believe that Apple could play an important role in acknowledging that they aren’t sure what the impact of all this phone usage will be, but could score points by giving parents the option to monitor usage.
Activist investors typically focus on things like buybacks and acquisitions. Benoit says this move by Jana Partners to take a stance on corporate responsibility is very different. He thinks following Jana's advice could help protect Apple from potential backlash on teen iPhone usage. In addition, Benoit says goodwill could help drive future sales if consumers feel Apple made a phone that is safe for kids.
As Russia continues to invade Ukraine, its tech outsourcing sector is at risk. Over the past few years, the country has become a popular outsourcing destination for American and European tech companies, but now the future of that industry is uncertain. Isabelle Bousquette, enterprise technology reporter, for The Wall Street Journal, discusses what repercussions the crisis might have on the industry, and what companies are doing to mitigate possible disruptions.
Steve Ehrlich, Co-Founder & CEO of Voyager Digital, breaks down the economic factors impacting Bitcoins performance and outlines ways to hedge against rising inflation.
The Mobile World Congress is underway in Barcelona this week. The annual global trade show is showcasing the latest advancements in mobile and other progressive technologies.
Katie Collins, Senior European Correspondent, CNET joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to break down the latest announcements.
Rolf Illenberger, Founder & CEO of VRdirect, discusses how businesses are using virtual reality and talks about the importance of VR training in a remote work environment.
NerdWallet reported strong fiscal Q4 results in its first earnings report as a publicly traded company. The personal finance company saw revenue increase 75 percent year-over-year as the company witnessed a rebound in consumer demand as the pandemic wanes. Tim Chen, Founder & CEO, NerdWallet joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Kraft Heinz is launching a new joint venture with NotCo, a Chilean startup that creates plant-based substitutes using artificial intelligence. The goal is to reimagine global food production and bring plant-based versions of Kraft Heinz products to market at a faster speed, all while driving sustainability. Matias Muchnik, CEO and Co-Founder of NotCo, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the partnership, NotCo's technology, and his response to the backlash against the ingredients in meatless meat.
Ross Mayfield, Investment Strategy Analyst at Baird, discusses how companies with international exposure are impacting U.S. investors and highlights which industries are navigating geopolitical conflict.
