Apple’s Senior Vice President Eddy Cue recently made a striking comment: in ten years, we might no longer need an iPhone. This echoes an earlier 2019 report suggesting Apple has already been considering life beyond its flagship device. For a company whose identity has been shaped around the iPhone since 2007, such a prediction may sound radical—but it’s far from baseless.
The idea
But what would it take for the iPhone to truly become obsolete? What technologies could replace it? And what might prevent such a transition from happening?
Let’s explore the reasoning behind Apple’s provocative outlook and why it’s worth taking seriously.
The Possibility of a Post-iPhone Era: 4 Strategic Reasons Apple Can’t Ignore
1. Protecting Its Most Valuable Asset
The iPhone isn’t just a successful product—it’s Apple’s crown jewel. It generates the majority of revenue and is the gateway into Apple’s tightly integrated ecosystem. Users often start with the iPhone and later adopt the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and various Apple services. Any disruption to this core product could ripple through the entire business. Apple cannot afford to be complacent.
2. Learning From Nokia’s Collapse
Nokia once commanded over 50% of the global phone market. It dominated with sleek designs and cutting-edge tech—until it didn’t. Its leadership ignored the warning signs when touchscreen smartphones began to emerge. Apple is determined not to repeat that mistake. No product, no matter how iconic, is immune to obsolescence.
3. Rise of New Device Categories
The Vision Pro is not an endpoint; it’s a transitional device aimed at ushering in a new wearable computing paradigm. Smart glasses—currently primitive—may one day become mainstream, just like smartphones did post-2007. Apple Glasses could eventually become the central hub for communication, search, navigation, and entertainment, reducing dependence on phones.
4. AI’s Growing Role in Everyday Tech
Today’s AI feels gimmicky in some instances, but that won’t last. Imagine a future where you can command your wearable to perform tasks, retrieve information, or manage your life—seamlessly and reliably. If AI reaches that level of competence, our need for traditional screens could diminish dramatically.
But Wait—Why the iPhone Might Still Be Around
There’s a strong case for continuity, too. Consider the laptop: its basic design hasn’t changed much in 40 years. Despite attempts at reinvention, the clamshell format remains functional and efficient. Similarly, the iPhone’s “slab of glass” touchscreen form factor is simple, powerful, and versatile.
While innovation may enhance it (e.g., foldables, better AR integration), the core smartphone design could persist simply because it works. It has evolved, not disappeared.
So, Apple is smart to explore alternatives—but betting entirely on the iPhone’s extinction would be unwise.
What Undercode Say:
Apple’s hint at a post-iPhone world isn’t a marketing gimmick—it’s a necessary thought experiment rooted in technological inevitability and strategic foresight. Let’s break down the wider context of this paradigm shift.
1. Product Lifecycle Realities
Tech products have natural lifecycles. The smartphone, now nearly two decades old, is arguably nearing its maturity phase. Apple’s acknowledgment of a potential post-iPhone era is a reflection of this lifecycle awareness.
2. AR/VR as Long-Term Bets
Apple’s investment in Vision Pro and future Apple Glasses indicates a shift from mobile-first to spatial computing. The move is ambitious, similar to when Apple pivoted away from the iPod after the iPhone’s success.
3. The Ecosystem Advantage
Apple’s ecosystem is its moat. Even if the iPhone fades, the replacement will likely tie deeply into Apple services and other hardware. Apple isn’t just preparing for new hardware—it’s preparing for a seamless transition between platforms.
4. AI and Human-Device Interaction
AI has the potential to change how we interact with tech. Voice commands, predictive behavior, and contextual awareness can eliminate the need for traditional user interfaces. When combined with wearables, that creates a realistic alternative to smartphones.
5. Risk Mitigation Strategy
Apple’s messaging isn’t that the iPhone will disappear, but that it might. This signals internal innovation pressure while also managing investor expectations. It’s smart hedging, not definitive forecasting.
6. Consumer Behavior is Hard to Predict
Human habits die hard. Just as many people still prefer physical keyboards or traditional books, a significant portion of users may continue preferring pocketable screens even if alternatives exist.
7. Competitor Landscape is Changing
Samsung, Meta, and others are also racing to create post-smartphone platforms. Apple’s proactive stance ensures it leads—not follows—the next big shift.
8. Historical Patterns Support Radical Change
Major computing shifts occur roughly every 15–20 years. Mainframes → PCs → Mobile → What’s Next? The timeline aligns with Apple’s projection.
9. The “iPhone Moment” Could Happen Again
Just as the iPhone redefined the category, a future product—maybe Apple Glasses powered by Siri+AI—could completely change how we interact with the digital world.
- Apple Has the Capital and Culture to Try
Few companies can afford to sunset their best-selling product and gamble on what’s next. Apple is one of them. Its track record—from ditching floppy drives to removing the headphone jack—shows it’s not afraid to leap forward.
isn’t about abandoning the iPhone; it’s about building what comes next before someone else does. Apple knows that loyalty to form factors is fatal. Loyalty to user experience is where the future lies.
References:
Reported By: 9to5mac.com
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