Which is the best Apple device? All of them. And I mean that in the literal sense, all of them. Together. In the union between iPhone and Apple Watch, in the union between iPhone and Mac or between AirPods and Apple TV is born the strength that makes Apple stand out. From the outside, Apple products can be seen as similar to what is on the market. Some may prefer them, some may prefer other options, but from the inside the perspective changes.
From the inside you know that everything is synchronized, that you start an email on the iPhone and finish it on the Mac or that you scan a text with the iPad and finish touching it up from iCloud on any computer. The ecosystem is something that in Apple has a lot of strength and something that makes us, from the inside, see the company in a slightly different way.
Ecosystem yes, but not necessarily omnipresence
Let’s say we have an iPhone, we will use third-party apps and services and a headset, maybe Bluetooth, but not AirPods. We might use the Google suite to manage data, or to sync our contacts. Then we add a Mac to the equation and consider starting to use iCloud to sync photos. We add an iPad and want to use Keynote to make presentations when supported with the Apple Pencil.
The more we are in the Apple ecosystem the more we want to stay in the Apple ecosystem. HomeKit products, company apps and services, and even a future Apple Car. But should Apple do it all?
ChatGPT and other artificial intelligences are astounding the whole world with their capabilities. With some sensationalism it’s easy to compare ChatGPT against Siri, but we shouldn’t. It’s true that we all wish Apple would do everything. It’s true that we’d all like Apple to do everything – who doesn’t want an Apple router, AirPort back? To the list we can add that we would like to see the evolution – and international expansion – of the Apple Card. Apple could manufacture domotic devices for our home.
But Apple (maybe not) should develop an alternative to ChatGPT. If we learned anything from Steve Jobs’ return to the company, it’s that “there are a thousand no’s for every yes“. You have to know where to focus your efforts and what to invest in. You can only do so much well, then quality diminishes.
Apple is very clear about this. They do not usually embark on certain projects until it is clear that they can contribute something there. A few months ago Craig Federighi was asked how he was able to calculate something with the iPad. A reference to the fact that the Calculator app is not available on iPadOS. His answer, without the slightest concern, was: I go to the App Store, there are many very good calculators there. We can also use Google Bard, ChatGPT’s competitor.
Apple doesn’t have to do it all. What if in the future ChatGPT can be integrated with Siri through a -still non-existent- program of extensions for Apple’s assistant? Or with a simple shortcut. Microsoft applications will be available on the Mac and we will be able to use Bing Copilot. Of course we would all like to see Apple creating the same products and services as the competition, but does it make sense?
Here, forgive me, I’m not taking a position in either direction, but I do throw the question out there. Apple could, theoretically, make their own versions of many of the App Store apps, but is that their remit? Let everyone do their part, seems like a good idea. Sure, artificial intelligence, in many forms, will eventually make its way into Apple’s systems, most likely from Apple itself, but is it lagging behind? It doesn’t seem so. Let each company, each expert, contribute to an ecosystem of which they are the binding force.
Great devices, better hardware, exquisite design and the frameworks to enable apps to go further year after year is only part of what Apple brings to the table. Could it bring more to the table? Could it launch more services, do more? Yes. But I think, let me say this frankly, that the “Apple is falling behind” alarmism is too much. Apple is exactly where it wants to be, at the center of an ecosystem where all the pieces, including artificial intelligence from other companies, fit together to make great products.
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