Microsoft Vs. Apple

Hi, today we're exploring: (1) Microsoft Vs. Apple, (2) Elton John's exclusive club and (3) Burger King's Whopper deal. Today's Topics Good morning and happy Wednesday! China's [population]( keeps dropping, as do [Tesla prices](... and [temperatures]( across the US. Today we explore: - Microsoft vs. Apple: The tussle for the title of world's most valuable company. - EGOT: Elton joins an exclusive club. - Whopper deal: Burger King is splashing $1 billion to buy out its largest franchisee. Have feedback for us? Just hit reply — we'd love to hear from you! [Read this on the web instead]( Another bite at the Apple Over the last 5 years, the [same headline]( — Microsoft overtakes Apple to become the world’s most valuable company — has been true on a number of occasions: first in 2018, as iPhone sales stalled, then briefly in 2020, and again in late 2021. Each time, the crown has been Microsoft’s only fleetingly, as Apple stock has pushed higher and higher, soaring to become the first company valued at more than $3 trillion in Jan 2022. This time, however, feels somewhat different. Primarily through its investment in ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, Microsoft has cemented itself as a leader in the burgeoning space, integrating AI into almost all of its products, including its search engine Bing and much of the Microsoft software suite. The company is even building an “AI button” into its new keyboards, which will take users straight to Microsoft Copilot, a chatbot and generative AI tool. Apple, meanwhile, is yet to really make its mark in the AI arms race. The company has also reported 4 consecutive quarters of [slipping sales]( cut prices in China, seen its latest smart watch dogged by a [patent infringement]( and needs to figure out a go-to market strategy for its new ~$3,500 [Vision Pro](. But, if history is anything to go by, Apple will find a way to get back on top. EGOT man Elton John became only the 19th person in history to join the elite list of people to have bagged Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards — otherwise known as the EGOT — after picking up a gong at the Primetime Emmy Awards on [Monday night](. The Rocket Man completed his EGOT with the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special for a live concert film at the Dodger Stadium of his (at the time) [record-breaking]( Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which ended up grossing over $900 million. The EGOT club is about as exclusive as it gets in the world of showbiz, and the Crocodile Rock singer is part of an even more elite subset: he is only the [3rd popstar]( to join the ranks, following in the footsteps of John Legend (2018) and Jennifer Hudson (2022). EGOT membership denotes a level of immense multidisciplinary skill and success, reserved for the upper echelons of entertainment talent, with winners needing to pick up prizes in the world of music, theater, and film & TV. Along the hallowed list, you’ll find industry royalty like Mel Brooks and Audrey Hepburn — who had to wait 40 years between her first and last awards, becoming the first person to achieve EGOT status posthumously — as well as slightly more behind-the-camera-and-curtain talents like lyricist Tim Rice and controversial producer Scott Rudin. Whopper deal Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the parent company of flame-grilling fast-food chain Burger King, [yesterday announced]( plans to acquire its biggest US franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group — bringing over 1,000 BK locations under RBI control for a stacked $1 billion (or, about 239 million Whoppers). The move is part of RBI’s 2022 “Reclaim the Flame” plan, which will see the group — that also owns Tim Hortons, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs — spend $400m over 2 years (separate to this acquisition) to revamp Burger King’s marketing, digital products, and restaurants. Carrols runs ~15% of US Burger King locations across 23 states, and while the acquired restaurants are anticipated to be re-franchised over 5-7 years, the company also plans to keep a couple of hundred outlets in its portfolio. That’s a departure from the strategy of the last decade, which saw RBI itself operate just a tiny sliver (around 50) of its Burger King restaurants. Facing stiff competition from McDonald’s, which has been investing billions into its stores, BK is now playing catch-up. It's [looking to modernize]( its outlets and get smaller, local franchisees to run the restaurants — targeting new owners to take on 50 units or less, in order to keep their focus from splitting across locations. Following a number of [advertising lawsuits]( the deal has been described as an “accelerator” by the company’s president — as Burger King looks to get back to having things done their way. More Data • Almost 70% of humans can identify the emotion a chicken is feeling based only on the sounds [it makes](. • First they came for the PJs: S&P 500 companies spent $65 million on corporate jets for execs to use on personal travel in 2022, up 50% from [pre-pandemic levels](. • Cape Verde has become the [4th country in Africa]( to become malaria-free. • The 5 richest men in the world — Bezos, Buffett, Musk, Arnault, and Ellison — reportedly increased their combined wealth from $405 billion to $869 billion over the last [3 years](. Hi-Viz • Charts exploring child-parent relationships in families [across the US](. • Visualizing how success at Iowa caucuses often, though not always, leads to the party’s [presidential nomination](. • Test your typing skills using some of the best literary works of all time [as prompts](. Thanks for stopping by! Have some [feedback](mailto:daily@chartr.co?subject=Feedback&body=Hi%2C%0A%0AI%20like%20the%20newsletters%2C%20but%20I%20had%20a%20thought%20for%20you...) or want to [sponsor]( this newsletter? Not a subscriber? Sign up for free below. [Subscribe]( Copyright © 2024 CHARTR LIMITED, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: CHARTR LIMITED 231 Vauxhall Bridge RoadLondon, SW1V 1AD United Kingdom [Add us to your address book]( Don't want charts in your inbox anymore? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](.