Apple’s New CEO Is Reviving a Steve Jobs Strategy From 25 Years Ago

With its position in the volatile AI space increasingly challenged, Apple is reviving a tactic from a quarter-century ago used by Steve Jobs.

During its first major product showcase with John Ternus at the helm, Apple unleashed a vision that clearly mirrors Jobs' concept from the early-2000s, where the Mac was marketed as the "digital hub" to bring order to consumers' intertwined digital lives. Hardware and software all tied into seamlessly managing music, photos, videos, and a wide array of other digital contents.

Today, with an increasingly sophisticated approach, Ternus is mirroring the same logic when it comes to artificial intelligence. The iPhone is now an "intelligent personal hub" which makes the smartphone the center point of hardware, software, and users' private data combined through artificial intelligence-clearly indicating that AI should be more than just another tool or service rather it's something deep integrated into everyday products.

During the September product showcase, an ideal demonstration of the strategy came in the form of Apple's very first foldable iPhone, aptly named the iPhone Duo. Sporting a 7.6-inch internal display with a 5.4-inch external screen which will cost $1,999. The launch also saw the debut of the latest iPhone 18 Pro models in addition to the company’s all-new A20 Pro chip and enhanced AI.

Above all, the announcement is significant as it is Ternus' first major presentation as Chief Executive Officer after replacing Tim Cook. A former hardware engineering head at Apple for over two decades, his product-centric approach marks an exciting new phase where the company needs to reaffirm its capabilities in AI and come up with the next 'big' thing.

Another strategy commonly associated with Apple is evident through its choice to enter the smartphone category late yet try to revolutionize it once the technology is mature enough-this much was clear in today’s release of the foldable iPhone and has been the consistent narrative with competitors like Samsung and Huawei who had long been involved in foldable phone tech before Apple.

The legendary 'one more thing' was used by Ternus to introduce the iPhone Duo, echoing another famous presentation trope employed by Steve Jobs.

The Jobs comparison, however, continues past mere presentation and also includes an argument that closely integrated hardware, software and tech advancements can ultimately give a massive competitive edge. The Apple approach now, 25-years after it pioneered the digital hub model, is to establish an 'intelligent personal hub' that can become as renowned and significant as the one Jobs previously championed during the revolutionary period in its history.