'You may not need an iPhone in..." says senior Apple executive at Google's antitrust trial

Apple iPhone

Apple’s long-time services chief, Eddy Cue, made headlines during his testimony in Google’s ongoing antitrust trial by suggesting a radical possibility: the iPhone, the most iconic product in Apple’s history, might not be necessary a decade from now.

Cue, appearing in court as part of the Justice Department’s case examining Google’s dominance in search, mostly focused on Apple’s multi-billion-dollar agreement with Google to remain the default search engine on Safari. But while defending Apple’s evolving strategy, he made a broader point about how technology upends even the most established products.

“You may not need an iPhone 10 years from now as crazy as it sounds,” Cue said, according to Bloomberg. “The only way you truly have true competition is when you have technology shifts. Technology shifts create these opportunities. AI is a new technology shift, and it’s creating new opportunities for new entrants.”

Though brief, the remark underscores Apple’s growing awareness that generational shifts in computing — including the rise of ambient AI, mixed reality, and wearables — could eventually replace smartphones as we know them. It also speaks to Apple’s broader playbook: adapt early, or be replaced.

The comment comes at a time when Apple is heavily investing in technologies beyond the iPhone. This includes the Apple Vision Pro headset, new AI initiatives baked into iOS, and persistent rumors of an eventual pivot toward more autonomous and spatially aware hardware.

In that light, Cue’s statement may be less of a forecast and more of a philosophical stance — a reminder that no device, not even the iPhone, is immune to disruption.

Still, it’s rare for an Apple executive to acknowledge the potential sunset of its flagship product, even hypothetically. The iPhone continues to be Apple’s revenue cornerstone, driving sales across services, accessories, and apps.