Apple’s new CEO is reviving a Steve Jobs strategy from 25 years ago

In his first keynote as CEO, John Ternus argued that the iPhone remains Apple’s best platform to serve as an intelligent personal hub in the AI era. The stance contrasts with Tim Cook’s efforts to show Apple was broader than the iPhone and mirrors Steve Jobs’ 2001 argument that the Mac would become a digital hub rather than fade away.

Apple appears to be reframing its most important product as the anchor for AI services rather than searching for a post-iPhone device category. If successful, this strategy could extend the iPhone’s dominance by making AI assistants a reason to stay deeper within Apple’s ecosystem.