Apple CEO Tim Cook surprised by journalist over key iPhone feature he didn’t know about

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is known for his calm demeanour, focus on details, and keeping the massive tech empire running smoothly. But in a recent interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine, Cook was caught off-guard by a simple question about his iPhone habits. You’d think the boss of the company behind the iPhone would know all its features, right? Turns out, not so much! Cook’s surprise made for a fun and lighthearted moment, showing that even the top guy at Apple can still learn something new about the device millions of people use daily.
Here is what happened
During the interview, WSJ journalist Ben Cohen started asking Cook a series of rapid-fire questions about his tech habits. Everything was going smoothly until Cohen asked what seemed like a simple question: “What’s the best name of a group chat?”
Cook’s reaction? Confusion. The Apple CEO looked at Cohen as if he had asked him to recommend an Android phone! “The best—name?” Cook responded, clearly puzzled. “I don’t name them. Do you name yours? Interesting. I may take that on.” It turns out, Cook had no idea that you could actually name iMessage group chats. Yes, the CEO of Apple wasn’t aware of a basic iPhone feature that so many of us use regularly.
The feature Tim Cook didn’t know about
For those who don’t know, iPhone users can rename group chats in iMessage. This allows you to label chats with your friends or family, like “The Squad” or “Family Banter,” to keep things organised and add a bit of personality to your conversations. It’s a simple feature, but one that Cook had never used. After learning about it, he decided to give it a try and proudly informed Cohen later that he named a group chat with his college roommates “Roommates.” Looks like the king of minimalism found a new use for iMessage, even if it took a journalist to point it out.
Tim Cook’s candid moment shows that even tech leaders can miss a feature or two, but hey, it’s never too late to learn, even when you’re the CEO of Apple!