A new CEO's opening move

In his first keynote as CEO, John Ternus placed the iPhone firmly at the center of Apple's strategy for the AI era. He positioned the phone as the ultimate personal hub.

“There’s no product in the world better designed to be your intelligent personal hub than iPhone,”

A shift from the Cook era

Former CEO Tim Cook repeatedly tried to convince investors that Apple was growing beyond its dependence on the iPhone. Ternus is taking the opposite path.

Pushing back on skeptics

Critics and headlines have argued that the smartphone's best days are behind it. Ternus rejects the idea that Apple needs an immediate successor to its signature device.

Channeling Steve Jobs from 2001

Steve Jobs faced a similar moment 25 years ago when critics declared the PC dead. He famously displayed a tombstone for the PC before proving tech pundits wrong.

“We don’t think the PC is dying at all. We don’t think the PC is moving away from the center at all.”

The original digital hub strategy

Jobs positioned the Mac as the center for digital devices like cameras and music players. That vision paved the way for the iPod and later the iPhone.

Built for modern AI demands

Ternus argues the iPhone already has the key ingredients for AI: fast chips, high-end cameras, constant networking, and on-device intelligence.

Why wearables failed to replace it

Competitors attempted to unseat smartphones with AI wearables, but none succeeded. The phone remains the one computing device almost everyone carries everywhere.

Doubling down on what works

Rather than chasing flashy new form factors, Apple is focusing on the hardware people already rely on. The iPhone remains the anchor of personal technology.