It may sound a bit dramatic, but Apple appears to be in big trouble. The iPhone 17 is so good that it helped the company dominate the global smartphone market and smash its own sales and profitability records. The services business is reportedly doing great, and even MacBook sales are mostly fine.
So, what’s the problem?
Apple has been milking the same cow for years, but its new products have been a series of failures. Instead of taking note, the company appears ready to double down on bad ideas. Apple is reportedly working on an AI pin that will pair with the almost mythical AI-powered version of Siri, which may transform into a chatbot. Instead of exciting, that idea feels confusing and mildly disturbing. Here’s why.
### The Sad History of Apple’s Recent Product Experiments
Apple is known for developing deliberate solutions to the most concerning issues faced by other manufacturers before launching new product categories. The original iPhone is the prime example. Even more recent products generally follow that pattern, even if it doesn’t always lead to the desired results.
Take the Vision Pro, for instance. Apple took the mixed reality headset concept and cranked it up to 11, outdoing every other device on the market. It had better displays, more advanced sensors, an elaborate setup of cameras, and impressive performance. Yet, none of that could save it from failure. The headset was heavy, expensive, and part of a trend that was already dying by the time Apple joined it.
### Would You Buy an AI Accessory?
– I already own one
– Yes, I want an AI companion like Friend or NotePin
– Maybe, if it offers more than just AI
– No, I prefer AI on my current devices
*(Poll results currently stand at 0% for each option.)*
Probably the closest thing to a successful AI gadget is Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which leverage the company’s Llama models. However, it’s unclear whether people buy them to interact with Meta’s AI or simply to enjoy having a camera on their face.
The fact is, nobody has asked for AI-focused devices, and nobody has delivered a successful one.
### Rushing to This Trend Is Not the Right Move
Seeing Apple rush to catch up to an unproven trend is concerning. The same company that is notoriously late to new technology just so it can do things its own perfected way is now desperate to come up with an answer to the AI hype.
If I were Apple, I’d focus on making Siri and Apple Intelligence the most trustworthy AI-powered tools on the market and imbue them across the existing portfolio. As a user, I’d appreciate new voice-activated features on the Apple Watch I already wear much more than any AI pin. I’d prefer having AirPods with extra capabilities instead of any new single-use device.
If Apple can’t figure this out, its future might not be very bright. Of course, iPhones will keep selling well for a long time, but failure may become the norm for Apple—and that would be utterly sad.
https://www.phonearena.com/news/apple-is-full-of-bad-ideas-and-may-be-rushing-to-another-failure_id177592
