Hey, I'm Uncle Chen.

The most talked-about news in the tech world today is undoubtedly the emergence of John Ternus, Apple's third-generation leader, as CEO, and his unveiling of a slew of new products, including the iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Ultra 4. The highlight of the event was the grand introduction of Apple's inaugural foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo.

The iPhone Duo marks the most significant design shift for Apple's flagship device since its inception. There's no need to delve deeply into John Ternus's background; I discussed him in an April article titled "Apple's New King Ternus: Who Is He?" Many articles have already provided detailed coverage of the iPhone Duo, so here's a brief summary:

1. Apple's priciest iPhone to date, starting at 15,999 yuan, with a premium model priced at 26,499 yuan.

2. Key selling points: seamless folding capability, lying flat like a traditional tablet with a smooth surface.

3. A spacious 7.6-inch display, ideal for video viewing.

4. The inner screen can continuously play videos for 31 hours, thanks to a dual-cell battery that ensures robust performance and excellent battery life.

The core features can be succinctly summarized as: "Big, Flat, Strong, Expensive," denoting a large screen, flat folding design, robust performance, and a high price tag. Many bloggers have already shared physical prototypes of the iPhone Duo foldable smartphone online for evaluation. I've perused the comments, which are a mix of reactions. Some express disappointment, while many believe this product finally captures the essence of the Jobs era.

The Apple empire has been led by three distinct figures. The visionary founder, Steve Jobs, was a legendary figure with extraordinary talent. Most tech product managers idolize Jobs as the godfather of product philosophy. Early Apple enthusiasts were fervently devoted, equating Apple with Jobs and vice versa.

The second-generation leader, Tim Cook, was initially perceived as overly mediocre and conservative. Many predicted Apple would follow in the footsteps of Nokia or Motorola. However, Cook proved to be a great innovator, with the stock price soaring over 2200% during his 15-year tenure.

Despite media criticism following each product launch, Apple's sales continue to shatter records, debunking the critics. Over the past decade, Apple's product innovations may have seemed incremental and slow, but they have been remarkably stable and solid.

I believe this reflects Apple's product innovation philosophy: measured and steady. Not necessarily the first to market, but the best.

------This foldable smartphone embodies that same spirit. Foldable displays were first introduced by Samsung and Huawei in 2019, heralding the foldable era. Seven years later, Apple has finally joined the fray.

The current foldable smartphone market is at a pivotal juncture. Counterpoint Research forecasts that by the end of 2026, cumulative global shipments of foldable smartphones will surpass 100 million units.

Why did Apple wait seven years after Android manufacturers to release its foldable smartphone? This is a classic Apple strategy of "striking when the time is right," biding its time and waiting for the perfect opportunity. Foldable smartphones boast a unique appearance and form factor, attracting a niche of high-end users. However, the challenges were evident, with the most criticized issue being the folding mechanism: visible creases, short hinge lifespan, and bulky designs were early engineering hurdles.

I believe Apple had been conducting internal research on foldable displays since their inception but remained silent, unwilling to release a product until it met its high standards. This is a testament to its measured approach. Apple waited until the supply chain could reliably provide mature core components like ultra-thin glass and liquid metal hinges that met its stringent requirements before making its move.

Thus, Counterpoint Research predicts that Apple will capture a 25% share of the global foldable smartphone market by 2026. Looking back at earlier product categories like the Apple Watch and AirPods, they also reflect this "measured and steady" product philosophy.

Smartwatches were not invented by Apple. Before 2015, Samsung, Pebble, and others had already ventured into smartwatches, but most had unclear positioning, poor battery life, and relied heavily on smartphones. Apple waited until sensor technology matured, focusing the Apple Watch on health monitoring and fitness tracking. Today, it is the best-selling smartwatch globally.

Before 2016, Bluetooth headphones already existed, but they suffered from cumbersome pairing, high latency, and subpar sound quality. Apple waited until its proprietary W1 chip matured, optimizing pairing, switching, and battery life to provide a seamless experience, making AirPods the "default choice" for iPhone users. Since then, AirPods have firmly held the top spot in the headphone category.

Uncle Chen's Postscript: This also makes me ponder why everyone is eagerly awaiting Apple's smart glasses. Current smart glasses, like early foldable displays, face various supply chain immaturity issues. So, if Apple ever releases smart glasses, the so-called "iPhone moment" for smart glasses may not be far off. Returning to the AI hardware sector, entrepreneurs should emulate Apple's "measured and steady" approach, which is essentially a philosophy of respecting users.

Over the past two years, numerous so-called "disruptors" have emerged in the AI hardware sector, with increasingly flashy product launches and cooler concepts. However, many features turn out to be gimmicky and impractical, eventually becoming "electronic waste."

AI hardware entrepreneurs should ponder: What do users truly need? Not "what can AI do," but "what problems do users face every day," and whether AI can help solve them.

Moreover, users lack patience for iterative updates. Stability and reliability are infinitely more important than an additional flashy feature. If you're an entrepreneur in the AI hardware field, consider slowing down, focusing less on flashiness and more on underlying needs; less on "disruption" and more on stability; less on innovation and more on practicality.