Apple 's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue , stunned everyone when he testified that "you may not need an iPhone 10 years from now" during Google 's antitrust trial . The executive highlighted Apple's willingness to cannibalize its own successful products in the face of technological shifts.
"We killed the iPod ourselves with the iPhone," Cue said, describing it as "one of the best things" Apple has ever done. "Most companies have a very difficult time killing themselves when new technology comes along because you're afraid, why would you kill the golden goose?"
AI could be the reason you give up your iPhone in 2035
Cue pointed to artificial intelligence as the potential catalyst that could eventually make smartphones obsolete. "The only way you truly have true competition is when you have technology shift s," he explained. "Technology shifts create these opportunities. AI is a new technology shift, and it's creating new opportunities for new entrants."
The comments come at a time when the iPhone remains Apple's primary revenue driver, accounting for 49.1% of the company's $95.4 billion revenue in Q2 2025. By contrast, Services—Cue's division—represents about 28% of Apple's revenue.
In his testimony, Cue also revealed Apple is exploring Google Search alternatives , confirming discussions with AI companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Perplexity. "We're preparing to make sure we have the capability to switch if we have to," he said.
Apple already preparing for post-iPhone future
This is the first time a senior Apple executive has publicly acknowledged a potential post-iPhone future. While some see Cue's testimony as strategic positioning during an antitrust case, others point to Apple's work on products like Vision Pro and rumored smart glasses as evidence the company is already preparing for computing's next chapter.
The iPhone, introduced in 2007, has been Apple's flagship product for nearly two decades. The iPod, which dominated the portable music player market for years after its 2001 launch, was discontinued in 2022.
"We killed the iPod ourselves with the iPhone," Cue said, describing it as "one of the best things" Apple has ever done. "Most companies have a very difficult time killing themselves when new technology comes along because you're afraid, why would you kill the golden goose?"
AI could be the reason you give up your iPhone in 2035
Cue pointed to artificial intelligence as the potential catalyst that could eventually make smartphones obsolete. "The only way you truly have true competition is when you have technology shift s," he explained. "Technology shifts create these opportunities. AI is a new technology shift, and it's creating new opportunities for new entrants."
The comments come at a time when the iPhone remains Apple's primary revenue driver, accounting for 49.1% of the company's $95.4 billion revenue in Q2 2025. By contrast, Services—Cue's division—represents about 28% of Apple's revenue.
In his testimony, Cue also revealed Apple is exploring Google Search alternatives , confirming discussions with AI companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Perplexity. "We're preparing to make sure we have the capability to switch if we have to," he said.
Apple already preparing for post-iPhone future
This is the first time a senior Apple executive has publicly acknowledged a potential post-iPhone future. While some see Cue's testimony as strategic positioning during an antitrust case, others point to Apple's work on products like Vision Pro and rumored smart glasses as evidence the company is already preparing for computing's next chapter.
The iPhone, introduced in 2007, has been Apple's flagship product for nearly two decades. The iPod, which dominated the portable music player market for years after its 2001 launch, was discontinued in 2022.
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