Two big Apple AI stories today, and they couldn’t feel further apart.First, Apple is reportedly embracing chat as an interface for using siri and AI throughout iOS and macOS later this year. That sounds like a big change for the company. Apple would say it isn’t a pivot away from avoiding chat, they just think chat is only useful if it’s deeply integrated with the system. Second, Apple is developing an AI wearable pin. What strikes me about this one is how much it feels like a bad idea, while the possibility of Jony ive doing the same thing for OpenAI actually works.
One company’s AI product is another company’s mistake
The difference is that Apple already ships amazing hardware. OpenAI is purely software right now, so they need to convince us to buy a new hardware form factor. Apple already has a very capable wearable with mainstream adoption that an AirTag-sized accessory can’t compete with.
What wearable has microphones, a speaker, wireless charging, and a physical button? It’s the Apple Watch. It’s already on millions of wrists. Why would anyone choose an AI pin when they already have a powerful computer on their wrist? It doesn’t make sense.
The AI pin feels like a solution looking for a problem. It’s trying to replace the smartphone, but it doesn’t offer anything the smartphone doesn’t already do better. The Apple Watch, on the other hand, is an extension of the iPhone. It complements the smartphone experience, it doesn’t try to replace it.
I think Apple’s AI pin will be a niche product at best. It might appeal to early adopters and tech enthusiasts, but it won’t have the mainstream appeal of the Apple Watch. OpenAI, with Jony Ive’s help, has a better chance of creating a compelling AI hardware product as they don’t have an existing wearable ecosystem to cannibalize. They’re starting from scratch,and that gives them more freedom to innovate.
Apple’s move to embrace chat as an interface for Siri is a much smarter move. It’s a natural way for peopel to interact with AI. It’s also a way for Apple to catch up to Google and Amazon, who have been using chat interfaces for years.
