The iPhone could be replaced as Apple's flagship product within the next ten years, according to a noted Apple insider. The iPhone is among Apple's most popular products, not to mention one which played a major role in the sudden rise from a relatively small computer manufacturer to one of the most dominant tech companies in the world. The iPhone accounts for half of Apple's total revenue year after year, surpassing its Mac computers, iPads, wearables, services, and home devices.
Clearly, the iPhone is Apple's most important product, not only in terms of revenue, but also as a unifying device for use with the Apple Watch and AirPods. To unseat the iPhone would require some revolutionary change, and that is what might be coming soon. An investors note in 2021 from Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo, seen by 9to5 Mac, suggested Apple's first augmented- (AR) or mixed-reality headset would be coming in 2022 to bring about that change. That didn't happen — but the headset is expected to launch imminently, at Apple's 2023's WWDC event. At the time, Kuo suggested that Apple might start replacing the iPhone with AR in as little as ten years after the first headset’s release.
The Next Big Thing After iPhone
There is a possibility that the first head-mounted AR device from Apple will require an iPhone for processing and accessing the internet, much like the Apple Watch and AirPods. However, that will undoubtedly change as technology advances to the point that the iPhone is no longer necessary for AR, or anything else. If a majority of customers stop buying an iPhone, Kuo suggested Apple might discontinue its smartphone just like any other relic of the past.
Kuo has a good track record of sharing information in advance of Apple's official announcements, however, the end of the iPhone is difficult to imagine considering it's the most popular phone in the United States. Of course, Sony made the most popular audio playback device many years ago, yet everyone now plays music via smartphones. A technology company must always be ready for change and Apple looks far to the future and plans for what will come several years ahead, sometimes exploring uncertain paths to get a head start.
When Will Apple's AR/VR Headset Arrive?
The latest predictions set the expected unveiling of Apple's AR headset for June 2023, at WWDC. Mark Gurman, a journalist with a long track record of accurate predictions on all things Apple, wrote for Bloomberg in April 2023 that the company sees this launch "as the beginning of a post-iPhone era." The event will reveal the headset itself along with its operating system and initial services. In a follow-up, Gurman reported that the first services to come to the headset will focus on sports, gaming, wellness, and collaboration, and build on some existing iPad apps.
CEO Tim Cook often expresses great interest in AR and what might be possible in the future, but never elaborates on Apple's specific plans. Nevertheless, AR/VR no longer seems uncertain. And, if it hits as well as the iPod, iPhone, AirPods, or Apple Watch, it really could be the next big thing. Fast-forward ten years when a giant virtual screen with intuitive hand gesture controls is always available and, perhaps, the burden of carrying an iPhone in the pocket will seem like an annoyance instead of a necessity.