Apple's 50th Anniversary: Betting on Apple Intelligence and Foldable iPhone, Can It Open the Next Decade?

Apple Inc. is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and this tech giant is betting on artificial intelligence strategies and innovative products like the foldable iPhone to maintain its dominance in the new decade. Analysts believe that 2026 will be a critical test year for Apple's strategic transformation.

On November 3rd, according to media reports, Apple plans to launch the highly anticipated foldable iPhone in 2026, along with a new Siri voice assistant based on Google's Gemini model. The company will also enter the smart home market, launching its first smart display device and equipping several products, including the MacBook Pro, with OLED screen technology.

However, the reports also indicate that challenges remain severe. Apple is late to the smart home field and needs to break through the moat built by Google and Amazon over the past decade. The foldable iPhone will enter the market several years later than its competitors, and whether it can gain market recognition remains unknown. The market performance of the Vision Pro headset has become a cautionary tale for new categories.

At the same time, regulatory and geopolitical risks cannot be ignored. The App Store business model may face significant adjustments, reducing revenue from developers. Although a judge recently ruled that Apple and Google do not need to suspend their cooperation, the rise of AI search could threaten the substantial fees Google pays to Apple. Tariff threats remain, and although the company has only incurred losses in the tens of billions so far, the risk of tariff impacts in 2026 still exists. Analysts suggest that Apple's dominance in the next decade will depend on its execution in 2026.

According to an article from Wall Street Journal, during last week's conference call, Apple's management projected that holiday quarter revenue will grow by 10% to 12% year-on-year, reaching between $13.7 billion and $13.9 billion, approximately double Wall Street's expectations, and is expected to set the record for the first $140 billion quarter. The company has essentially confirmed that this will be its highest single quarter in terms of revenue and iPhone sales in history. Analysts believe that this strong performance provides financial support for Apple's entry into new fields such as artificial intelligence, smart homes, and foldable devices.

Comprehensive Product Line Update: From Entry-Level to Foldable Screen Layout

Apple's projected holiday quarter revenue growth of 10% to 12% last week is about double Wall Street's expectations.

This forecast translates to sales of $13.7 billion to $13.9 billion, and considering that Apple typically sets conservative targets, actual performance may exceed the $140 billion mark. The company has essentially ensured that this will be its highest quarter in terms of revenue and iPhone sales in history.

Reports indicate that Apple typically announces its first-quarter results at the end of January or early February, at which point it will verify whether this expectation is realized.

April 1, 2026, will mark Apple's 50th anniversary, and the company plans to launch several important hardware products to celebrate this milestone, including the iPhone 17e, an entry-level iPad equipped with the A18 chip, and an iPad Air featuring the M4 processor. Specifically:

The product lineup at the beginning of the year will include the iPhone 17e, an entry-level iPad equipped with the A18 chip, an iPad Air with the M4 processor, as well as the M5 version of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro featuring the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, along with a new Mac display.

The period from March to April will mark the launch of Apple's smart home strategy. The company will introduce its first smart display, including a speaker dock version and a wall-mounted version. This release will coincide with Apple's upgrade of AI products through the new version of the Siri voice assistant and lay the groundwork for a broader smart home security ecosystem (including cameras) to be launched later this year.

The most anticipated product is Apple's long-awaited foldable smartphone. The iPhone 18 Pro model will also abandon Qualcomm's cellular modem in favor of Apple's self-developed C2 component. Meanwhile, Apple is fully pushing forward with its smart glasses project, with suppliers already producing a small number of products overseas, which may at least receive a preview by the end of next year.

AI Strategy Bet: Can the New Siri Reshape Brand Image?

Apple is betting on the new version of Siri, which will rely on Google's Gemini model and introduce features such as AI-driven web search.

Reports indicate that Apple has been bidding between Anthropic and Google this year, ultimately determining that the former provided a better model, but Google was more financially meaningful (partly due to the existing search partnership between the two tech giants).

Apple is paying Google to create a customized Gemini-based model that can run on its private cloud servers and help drive Siri.

This does not mean that Siri will be filled with Google services or existing Gemini features on Android devices, but rather that Siri will be powered by a model capable of actually delivering the AI functionalities users expect, equipped with Apple's user interface.

However, there is no guarantee that users will accept the new Siri, nor is there assurance that it will run seamlessly or recover the damage the Siri brand has accumulated over the years.

At the global developer conference in June next year, operating systems such as iOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27 will be unveiled, accompanied by significant updates to Apple Intelligence and a broader AI strategy.

Additionally, the promotion of Apple Intelligence in the Chinese market has encountered resistance. The service, originally planned to be launched in mid-2025 through partnerships with local partners like Alibaba, currently has no confirmed timeline.

Apple insiders indicate that the release of iOS 26.4 may be the next target milestone.

Can It Open the Next Decade?

Despite optimistic performance expectations, Apple still faces multiple challenges.

In terms of regulation, the company may be forced to rethink its App Store business model, which will affect the revenue it receives from developers Although the judge recently ruled that Apple and Google do not need to interrupt their current cooperation, the shift towards AI search could threaten Apple's related revenue.

Tariff threats remain. Apple previously endured billions of dollars in tariff-related losses while responding to Trump's 2025 trade policies, but there is indeed a risk of impact next year.

In the smart home market, Apple entered late and needs to overcome the deep moats built by Google and Amazon around their platforms over the past decade.

The foldable iPhone will also enter the market years after competitors' products, and whether it can achieve widespread user adoption remains uncertain. The market performance of the Vision Pro headset serves as a warning for the risks of new categories.

Analysts believe that despite strong expectations for the holiday quarter providing a good start to the new year, Apple must prove that it can not only launch new products but also achieve meaningful success for these products in the market. The dominance in the next decade will depend on execution in 2026.