In a town hall meeting today, returning Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that a rumored merger between Apple and The Walt Disney Company is nothing more than that. The confirmation that no merger is happening between Apple and Disney came during a question and answer part of the town hall meeting at Disney this morning.
Iger was asked specifically about a rumored merger between Apple and Disney. Iger’s response was that this discussion was “pure speculation.”
The speculation comes after a recent earnings call where former Disney CEO Bob Chapek delivered bad news for the company and didn’t appear to take it seriously as he glossed over the financial loss in its streaming businesses and instead focused on other successes in the parks. The result was an even more dramatic drop in stock prices, that haven’t been doing well in the last year under Chapek’s leadership.
Iger’s response comes after he was brought back to the company last week to try and help set a strategic direction for the future of the company and assist with picking a new leader for the company after his departure in two years. Since returning, Iger has consistently spoken of the importance of Disney keeping creativity at the company’s core moving forward in order for it to succeed. This echos statements he made when he was retiring a year ago.
During the town hall, Iger also responded to other questions from those in attendance. This included a question about hiring freezes, which Iger said will still be remaining in place for now. He was also questioned about the Lake Nona move for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and also the park reservation system. Both of which he differed answers for now.
The return of Bob Iger to The Walt Disney Company has been received with enthusiasm by both employees/cast members and fans alike. Since returning he has focused on sharing gratitude to employees and cast members and stressing the importance of creativity.
Daps Magic will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they become available. What do you think of Bob Iger shooting down rumors of a potential Apple and Disney merger? Would you like to see a merger of this kind? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!