Elon Musk refutes claim that he tried to replace Cook as Apple CEO

Elon Musk. Pic/AFP

Elon Musk has refuted a story based on an upcoming book about Tesla that he tried to replace Tim Cook as Apple CEO.

The book, titled 'Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century' by The Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins, claims that Musk reportedly wanted to become the Apple CEO in a 2016 phone call with Cook, who suggested to Musk that the iPhone maker acquire the electric car-maker.

Musk reportedly said that he wished to become Apple CEO, reports The Los Angeles Times, quoting from the book. In a tweet on Friday, Musk denied that any such conversation ever took place.

"Cook & I have never spoken or written to each other ever. There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever," Musk posted.

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"He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6% of today's value," the Tesla CEO added. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cook had said: "I've never spoken to Elon, although I have great admiration and respect for the company he's built".

Cook replied after Musk in December last year tweeted that he offered Cook to sell his electric car company at one-tenth of its value during the struggling period in 2017 but the Apple CEO refused to meet him.

Musk had said that during the "darkest days" for Tesla Model 3, he wanted to sell the company off. "During the darkest days of the Model 3 programme, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting," Musk had said in a tweet.

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