Tim Cook Explains Why Apple’s ‘F1’ Movie Bet With Lewis Hamilton Serve More Than Just iPhone Sales – Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Apple Inc. AAPL is doubling down on its entertainment business with a high-stakes movie, “F1,” featuring the renowned Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

What Happened: Apple CEO Tim Cook, in an interview with  Variety on Wednesday, highlighted that the same technology used in the film is incorporated into the latest iPhone model. “..just like we leverage the best of Apple across iPhones and across our services, we try to leverage the best of Apple TV+,” stated Cook.

Apple’s investment in “F1” marks a significant milestone in its expansion into film and TV production over the past six years. The film is a product of Apple Original Films, Pitt’s Plan B, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Hamilton’s Dawn Apollo banner, with Warner Bros. WMD handling worldwide theatrical distribution.

Directed by “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski, the film has received substantial investment in cutting-edge camera technology to vividly capture the high-intensity world of auto racing.

Tim Cook says the company’s content efforts, like its involvement in Formula 1 and camera technology, aren’t aimed at boosting iPhone sales directly. Instead, he views Apple TV+ as a standalone business that benefits from the company’s broader strengths, much like its other products and services.

“I don’t have it in my mind that I’m going to sell more iPhones because of it,” explained Cook.

Apple is teaming up with Lewis Hamilton on a documentary about his life and may also bid for U.S. Formula 1 TV rights starting in 2026.

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Why It Matters: Apple’s foray into film production comes as the company has been making significant strides in expanding its streaming service, Apple TV+. Despite reported losses exceeding $1 billion annually, Apple has continued to invest heavily in content.

The company has also been seeking to expand its user base, with a recent move to make the Apple TV+ app available on Android devices. The “F1” film and potential bid for Formula 1 TV rights align with this strategy, potentially drawing in new subscribers and bolstering the Apple ecosystem.

Furthermore, the advanced camera technology used in the film, which is also incorporated into the latest iPhone model, could serve to showcase Apple’s tech capabilities. This comes amid criticism of the company’s recent iOS 26 design, dubbed “Liquid Glass”.

Benzinga’s Edge Rankings place Apple in the 77th percentile for quality and the 9th percentile for value, reflecting its mixed performance. Check the detailed report here. 

On a year-to-date basis, Apple declined 18.48%, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Image via Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.