In a new Financial Times profile, Bob Iger said Disney and Apple had early conversations about combining the companies.
The talks included internal Disney conversations and contact with Apple executives, according to the profile. They did not lead to a deal.
Iger described a potential Disney-Apple combination as "truly transformational and equal" in the interview.
Disney After Iger
Disney now has Josh D'Amaro as CEO and Robert A. Iger as senior advisor. D'Amaro took the CEO role March 18 after leading Disney Experiences.
Disney said in February that Disney Experiences had $36 billion in fiscal 2025 annual revenue and 185,000 cast members and employees worldwide. The segment includes Disney's theme parks and resorts, Disney Cruise Line, consumer products, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, and related vacation businesses.
Apple Talk Returns
The interview gives a rare confirmed detail to the Disney-Apple speculation that has followed Iger for years. It places the Apple conversations in Iger's past dealmaking record, alongside completed Disney acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox.
Disney has made no new Apple transaction announcement.
Sources: Financial Times, The Walt Disney Company leadership page, and Disney's CEO announcement.
Image credit: The Walt Disney Company.