Apple executive: “The iPhone may lose its relevance within the next 10 years.”

One of Apple’s most popular and widely used gadgets — the iPhone — may lose its relevance in the future and, like the iPod, become a thing of the past. This was stated by Apple’s Vice President of Internet Services, Eddy Cue, during court hearings currently being held in the United States, according to The Verge.

These court proceedings are part of an investigation by the U.S. government into the cooperation agreement between Google and Apple. Google pays Apple approximately $20 billion annually to retain its position as the default search engine on iPhone devices. Commenting on this issue, the senior Apple executive emphasized that with the rise of artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies, smartphones and traditional search engines may also lose their importance.

According to Eddy Cue, the world is at a point of technological advancement where traditional devices could be replaced by new solutions powered by AI:

“We are not an oil company or a toothpaste manufacturer, which will always have demand. As strange as it may sound, it’s possible that 10 years from now, people won’t need iPhones at all,” Cue said.

He noted that similar changes have occurred in Apple’s history before. For instance, in the early 2000s, the company’s main product was the iPod, which gained massive popularity but later completely lost relevance after the introduction of the iPhone. In fact, Apple had intentionally made this shift:

“At that time, we destroyed our own iPod with the iPhone we created. Now, it may be the iPhone’s turn,” Cue explained.

Currently, the iPhone remains Apple’s most important and largest source of revenue. These devices make up a significant portion of the company’s annual income. However, Apple is now struggling to find a new revenue stream as powerful as — or more powerful than — the iPhone. Notably, the company’s efforts to enter the electric vehicle market ended unsuccessfully, and its attempt to enter the VR headset market has not produced the expected results.

Meanwhile, Apple is heavily investing in research in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence. The company is also actively working on next-generation devices that could eventually replace the iPhone — such as smart glasses.

It should be noted that other companies have also attempted to move away from smartphones through new AI-based technologies. But most of them have failed. For example, the Humane AI Pin project lasted only one year, and 95% of users of the Rabbit R1 device abandoned it within a year.

Nevertheless, Apple — with its immense technological and financial resources — may be capable of reversing this trend and once again shaking the tech world.

So, will AI-powered new devices replace the iPhone in the future, or will the era of smartphones continue for a long time to come? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: Apple is likely to play a major role in this transformation. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!