‘Apple advertising on Twitter back to usual’

WASHINGTON: Apple Inc. is proceeding with regular advertising on Twitter and is currently the largest advertiser on the social media network, Twitter’s new owner, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, said.

Apple has “fully resumed” advertising on Twitter, Musk stressed on Saturday, during a two-hour Twitter Spaces chat that had over 90,000 listeners.

On Wednesday, Musk said Apple CEO Tim Cook never considered removing the social media platform from its App Store despite prior reports that the tech giant was threatening to do so.

On Monday, Musk said Apple threatened to remove Twitter from the App Store, which would make the platform inaccessible to a significant share of the mobile phone market.

Speculation about Twitter’s removal from the App Store was fuelled by reports that Apple executive Phil Schiller was leaving Twitter in the wake of Musk’s reform of the social media platform.

Musk acquired Twitter in October, vowing to bolster protections for free speech. The company has since reinstated many previously suspended accounts, including that of former US President Donald Trump.

Musk said he would create a new smartphone if Apple or Google decide to remove Twitter from their application stores.