Elon Musk versus Apple. It appears the new owner of Twitter is going after the behemoth computer company because of Apple stopped advertising on Twitter. And Elon Musk states Apple isn’t for free speech.

So what’s going on here? Does Apple hate free speech? Or is the company applying their Terms of Service on Twitter as it has done to every other app on their App Store?

Elon Musk Versus Apple: A Costly Fight Brewing?

Let’s look at potential costly fight that’s brewing: Apple could remove the Twitter app for not following their ToS just as the company did with Paler and Gab. (However, Paler is now back on the App Store after making several changes. Gab isn’t because its CEO said he won’t censor speech.) Now Elon Musk is within his right to allow all types of speech on his platform because it’s his company. And he shouldn’t change his views on the whim of another company or even advertisers.

Yet, I believe Mr. Musk doesn’t understand several companies, including Apple, do not like free speech. Because free speech doesn’t bring in money. Why not? Because advertisers don’t want their product or service next to tweets or posts containing racial slurs or other offensive content. So if Elon Musk is going to allow that on Twitter he shouldn’t be surprised with Apple and other companies stop advertising on the platform.

That’s one part of the costly fight bubbling up because Twitter relies heavily on advertising for its revenue. The other part is possibly designing a new phone and/or phone operating system.

Jack Dorsey, one of the co-founders of Twitter and still holds a sizable stake in the private company, tweeted this recently:

It appears both Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey are getting fed up with the tight control Apple (and Google) has over the cell phone market. And I totally understand where they’re coming from. Apple created a closed ecosystem for their devices which makes it difficult to leave. And with Android yes you can buy a de-Googled phone but that requires research and regular phone consumers aren’t going to do that.

I would love to see these two billionaires put their money where their mouths are and create a phone company, or at least a phone operating system company. They have the money to do so, and the connections to entice engineers to come work for them. And we the consumers could use the competition. Will it happen? I think not.