Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, further clarified the company's AI strategy at the beginning of a event on Wednesday. Unlike what the outside world was betting on, which was a completely new AI hardware, Apple chose to continue to place iPhone at the core of its offerings and to highlight privacy protection as an important selling point in competition with its peers.
This is also a clear statement made to the public after Ternus replaced Tim Cook. According to him, Apple does not intend to develop a separate set of consumer hardware around AI, but rather hopes that users will continue to interact with the new generation of intelligent capabilities through iPhone.
Apple bets on existing hardware entry points
Ternus described the ideal AI device at the event in Cupertino, which he referred to as the "smart personal hub." He believes that such devices need to understand the user's personal context, be portable, possess sufficient local computing power, and also be able to connect to cloud-based models.
In his view, such devices should also be equipped with larger screens, higher-quality cameras and microphones, as well as longer battery life. In addition, they should have a low entry barrier and be able to work smoothly in coordination with other devices, applications, and services.
Based on these criteria, Ternus concludes that among the existing products, iPhone is still the one that best fits this positioning. The message Apple wants to convey through this is quite clear: the entry point to the AI era may not necessarily be a completely new form; it could also be a smartphone that is already widely in use.
End-side operation becomes a core selling point
In addition to hardware positioning, Ternus also places a greater emphasis on privacy. He stated that the difference between Apple and some of its competitors lies in the fact that Apple places more emphasis on users' control over their personal data, rather than collecting and storing as much data as possible.
He stated that it is precisely because "when data is no longer under the control of users, trust itself becomes limited" that Apple strives to keep Apple Intelligence running on the device side. This stance also indicates that AI on the device side is not just a technical choice but is also regarded by Apple as part of its brand differentiation.
New management unveils the competitive strategy of AI
This speech came after adjustments to Apple's management team, and therefore is also seen as an opportunity for the new CEO to showcase their roadmap to the outside world. From their public statements, it seems that Apple is more inclined in the short term to strengthen the role of iPhone as the main entry point for AI, rather than launching an independent AI terminal to compete with their existing product line.
For the industry, this means that Apple's focus in the AI competition remains on integrating model capabilities into its existing ecosystem, relying on the collaboration of chips, systems, and devices to enhance the user experience. Privacy, on-device processing, and cross-device connectivity are several differentiating factors that Apple currently aims to emphasize.
