As Tim Cook prepares to exit his role as Apple’s CEO this September, his legacy is firmly cemented in the history books. He didn’t just manage Apple; he transformed it into a $4 trillion powerhouse. Yet, even a tenure defined by unprecedented fiscal growth had its share of “quiet” launches and strategic delays.
While products like the AirPods and Apple Watch redefined their respective markets, other ventures under Cook’s watch struggled to capture that same lightning in a bottle. Here is a look at the areas where the tech giant may have missed the mark.
1. Playing Catch-up in the AI Arms Race
In the current tech landscape, Artificial Intelligence is the ultimate currency. While Google and Microsoft have been sprinting through multiple generations of LLMs (Large Language Models), Apple Intelligence has felt more like a cautious jog. The fact that Apple—a company famously protective of its ecosystem—had to partner with external players like Google to bolster its AI ambitions suggests that, for once, Cupertino was caught off guard by the speed of the revolution.
2. The Great Foldable Ghost
The “foldable” is no longer a gimmick; it’s a mature product category. Samsung and other rivals have spent half a decade ironing out creases (literally) and refining the user experience.
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The Apple Approach: Historically, Apple waits for tech to mature before entering a space.
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The Risk: By staying on the sidelines, Apple has ceded the opportunity to define the form factor, leaving the “innovation” tag in the hands of its competitors for years on end.
3. Vision Pro: A Masterpiece in a Vacuum
The Apple Vision Pro is arguably the most sophisticated piece of hardware Cook ever greenlit. It is a marvel of “Spatial Computing,” yet it remains a niche luxury. Between the prohibitive price tag and restricted global availability—including its continued absence in major markets like India—the Vision Pro hasn’t yet found the mainstream “iPhone moment” Apple hoped for.
The Verdict: Fashionably Late or Just Late?
Critics often point out that Apple is rarely the first to a party, but they are usually the ones who decide when the party actually starts. From the removal of the headphone jack to the disappearance of the charging brick, Apple’s controversial moves often become the industry standard overnight.
“Apple doesn’t just enter an industry; it redefines it to the point where competitors have no choice but to follow.”
Whether the gaps in AI and foldables are calculated pauses or genuine stumbles will be the primary question for Cook’s successor to answer.
