Apple Inc. Q4 Earnings Beat, AI Talent Exodus, Google Gemini Partnership

Apple Inc. reported record-high earnings for the final quarter of last year, with revenue of $143.8 billion and profit of $42.1 billion, exceeding analyst expectations. iPhone sales surged globally, particularly in China===Greater China, reaching $25.5 billion. The services segment also achieved a new quarterly high of $30 billion. Despite these strong results, Apple Inc. is facing challenges in its AI division, with several researchers, including Yinfei Yang, Haoxuan You, Bailin Wang, Zirui Wang, and Stuart Bowers, departing for other companies like Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc.===Google DeepMind. To bolster its AI capabilities, Apple Inc. announced a multi-year partnership with Alphabet Inc.'s Alphabet Inc.===Google to integrate Alphabet Inc.===Google Gemini AI models into its ecosystem, including Siri. Additionally, Apple Inc. acquired Q.ai, an AI startup, for $1.6 billion. CEO Tim Cook highlighted the 'staggering' demand for iPhones and the company's plans to open a second store in India===Mumbai, India, following double-digit sales growth in the country. The earnings report also fueled speculation about a successor to Tim Cook, with John Ternus considered a top contender.