On: Apple Financial Results – Q1 2019 Conference Call ...

[Despegar]

They return their cash to shareholders via dividends and share buybacks, letting those investors allocate it to wherever they expect better returns. Apple doesn't need to become a conglomerate or start a corporate VC arm themselves.

[cwyers → Despegar]

No, they don't, apparently. According to the top post in the thread, they have $130 billion in cash on hand.

[bunnycorn → cwyers]

That's nothing. They had a profit of $100 billion last fiscal year.

It's the same as someone having 15.6 salaries in their bank account (not counting for the loans).