Apple used to define innovation
There was a time when Apple didn’t just make products - it made the future.
The Macintosh defined what a personal computer could do.
The iPod single-handedly reinvented music.
The iPhone didn’t just change phones - it ushered in the smartphone era, period.
That was Apple’s brand: innovation. They didn’t just compete with tech companies, they blindsided them by inventing entire product categories.
And then Steve Jobs died. And innovation kind of died with him.
From innovating to waiting
What Apple pivoted to instead was… waiting. They watched what competitors were doing, then swooped in with a more polished version.
Smartwatches started to take off, so Apple made the Apple Watch - sleek, minimal, and suddenly the default smartwatch.
Wireless earbuds started getting popular, so Apple made AirPods - instantly the coolest, cleanest version.
That’s not innovation, but it’s a solid business strategy: don’t invent, perfect.
The problem? When it comes to the iPhone, they haven’t even been perfecting anymore. It’s been the same phone year after year with tiny, incremental upgrades.
‘Thin’ isn’t innovation. Fold is.
Look at what consumers are actually excited about right now: foldables. My entire feed has been filled with Apple users trying Samsung’s Z Fold and Z Flip. Some of it might be viral marketing, sure. But the buzz feels real. People want their phone to transform into a tablet. They want to snap their device shut like a Star Trek communicator. That feels like the future.
And Apple’s answer is… thinness. That’s not the future. That’s just subtraction.
The Siri problem
And let’s not ignore AI. Apple loves sprinkling “AI” into their keynotes, but Siri is a fossil compared to what Samsung and Google are offering.
When Siri launched, it was peak Apple: “You can talk to your phone now!” Nobody else had it. It was magical. But fast forward a decade and Siri still struggles with “navigate to the nearest McDonald’s,” while AI assistants from competitors can have full conversations, summarize them, and generate a slideshow out of it.
Siri went from revolutionary to embarrassing.
Apple’s slipping
Once upon a time, Apple was the biggest tech company in the world. Now it’s sitting at #3 behind Nvidia and Microsoft. That’s still enormous, but the trajectory is clear: down. And if Apple doesn’t shake itself up, it won’t just be third place - it’ll be irrelevant in the very space it once defined.
Because here’s the truth: Apple’s fans are loyal, yes, but they’re not zombies. They’re tech-savvy. They expect sleek, state-of-the-art innovations. And if Apple doesn’t give it to them, they’ll happily try Samsung or Google, or even Xiaomi.
Thin isn’t innovation. Fold is. AI is. Something new is. That’s what Apple needs to deliver if it wants to keep being Apple.
