What does Eddy Cue’s imaginative and prescient of an iPhone-free Apple future seem like?

I might say it is humorous how offhand feedback can flip into information tales, however given the state of American politics, it is virtually par for the course. The most recent one within the tech world comes from Apple’s senior vice chairman of companies, Eddy Cue, who — throughout a Google antitrust trial, of all issues — famous that “you could not want an

iPhone
10 years from now.” He even hinted that the iPhone may ultimately go the best way of the

iPod
, which was discontinued in 2022 regardless of as soon as being very important to Apple’s backside line.

What may be Cue be envisioning? And is it in any respect life like to place an iPhone-free future that near 2025? I do assume it is attainable, however my very own expectation is that the iPhone will nonetheless be round in some kind, even when it does not look something like an

iPhone 16
.

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Cue’s imaginative and prescient of the iPhone’s demise stems from the rising function of generative AI, based on The Verge. He notes that it has the potential to reshape the tech trade, a lot in the identical method that different tendencies have seen companies rise and fall. Corporations like HP, Solar, and Intel had been as soon as the invincible giants of Silicon Valley, in spite of everything. Nowadays, HP and Intel have loads of competitors, and Solar has lengthy since been absorbed by Oracle.

Apple ought to theoretically stay related due to

Apple Intelligence
, however there are at the least two main issues the corporate wants to beat. The primary is that, frankly, Apple Intelligence simply is not that helpful in the intervening time. I do typically make the most of Visible Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, and notification summaries, but even these may be questionable. The perfect use I’ve had for Picture Playground is making avatars for my household, and I do not use Writing Instruments or Genmoji in any respect.

To interchange the iPhone, Apple Intelligence is not going to solely have to be higher than it’s now, however higher than some other generative AI product in the marketplace. Most AI techniques are tied to the cloud, which makes them gradual, unusable with out the web, and vulnerable to “hallucinations,” a euphemism for getting information mistaken. If I ask

ChatGPT
to plan a day in Austin for me, it is no massive deal if it is inaccurate, since I can all the time flip to apps and web sites — with out apps or the online to fall again on, I would find yourself going to Taco Bell for Tex-Mex meals, or driving I35 in rush hour visitors.

The second impediment is a few technique of serving up AI. Conceivably, Apple may try its personal model of the Star Trek-like

Humane AI Pin
, or the Rabbit r1 — however these merchandise had been abject failures, missing reliability, and providing only a fraction of the capabilities of a smartphone.

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The form of issues to return?

The longer term is wearable… perhaps

Apple

Actually, I doubt that Cue had any particular substitute gadgets in thoughts when he made his feedback. However there are merchandise in Apple’s lineup that would hypothetically exchange the iPhone sometime, if not of their present kind.

The obvious selection is a follow-up to the

Vision Pro
. The present headset is simply too cumbersome, fragile, and costly to put on outdoors, however it’s arguably much more highly effective than an iPhone, with help for each desktop-style productiveness apps and a wide range of instruments, video games, and different experiences for AR and VR. Apple is reportedly engaged on

cheaper and more mobile AR glasses
, so it is not onerous to foresee a future through which we’re speaking to Apple Intelligence in our heads, asking for instructions on the street, or assist with a piece challenge at house. Ten years from now, show and processor expertise must be greater than able to dealing with this at an inexpensive value. Corporations like Meta and Google have already demonstrated comparable prototype gadgets.

A sophisticated Apple Watch is one other risk, however I might guess my cash in opposition to it. Even with main technical achievements, it might be troublesome to run a strong AI mannequin solely in your wrist. You might, conceivably, enlarge the product into an Apple Cuff — which might look very futuristic — however you’d nonetheless have to unravel issues like significant show area, and the awkwardness of holding your arm up your entire time. I would not wish to watch YouTube movies on my wrist, a lot much less dictate an e mail or depend energy that method. Even navigation can be superior on AR glasses, projecting onto your surroundings as a substitute of exhibiting up on a tiny display.

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Possibly the iPhone is right here to remain

However not as it

I am struggling to consider something in addition to AR glasses that would fulfill the necessities of being as cell and highly effective as an iPhone. In truth, I believe it is solely cheap to anticipate the iPhone to persist for one more decade — it is onerous to beat the idea of a pocket-sized laptop that does not have to be strapped to your physique.

The correct query, then, may very well be what iPhones will seem like a decade from now. Almost definitely they’re going to be much like Samsung’s

Galaxy Z Fold 6
, able to increasing right into a pill merely with way more superior options. Rollable OLED screens are already a actuality, so it is not onerous to image a foldable product that stuffs into your denims, however then snaps to iPad measurement with the press of a button. We even have clear OLED screens, too, so you may maintain your telephone over your surroundings to study extra about a spot or object.

I might like Apple to shock me with one thing I’ve by no means considered, although. It is attainable — it is not like most individuals in 1997 had been predicting one thing like the unique iPhone. Heck, in 1974, the unique Macintosh would’ve been a fantasy. Time has a method of constructing fools of us all.

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