Horace speaks carefully and with knowledge about opinions, facts and fantasies, and shares what he thinks John Ternus’s most important job is.
Topics include:
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Nota Bene #Apple Management #Interview #Prediction · 2 comments
"Apple’s new boss needs to restore its magic for the AI era"
If Mr Ternus does “nothing but keep the ship on course”, Apple could almost double its number of devices from 2.5bn globally to 4.5bn over the next 15 years, reckons Horace Dediu, a veteran Apple analyst. That would be a huge platform on which to run—and monetise—AI apps. As users subscribe to ChatGPT or other AI apps, “Apple will just take a cut,” Mr Dediu adds. By one estimate, Apple is close to generating $1bn in ai revenues so far this year via the App Store, despite having no flagship ai product.
Azeem Azhar, author of Exponential View, another newsletter, adds that to overcome bottlenecks in cloud-based AI, routine queries may be shifted to “edge” devices, creating a big opportunity for Apple. In Mr Azhar’s telling, the future will involve “a combination of the highly portable phone with the persistent desktop or server. Both play to Apple’s strengths.”
There is, however, a more radical path available to Mr Ternus, which is to develop a new “form factor” beyond the iPhone that is more suitable for the interactive nature of ai than doomscrolling on a touchscreen. Competitors are already trying to turn the smartphone into yesterday’s technology. Meta, the social-media giant run by Mark Zuckerberg, is selling millions of AI-powered smartglasses. Sir Jony Ive, the design guru who helped Jobs create the iPhone, has teamed up with OpenAI to develop a brand new gadget of unknown form. To keep up, Mr Ternus may have to reinvigorate Apple’s product line-up with a determination that eluded Mr Cook.
Apple’s Vision Pro virtual-reality headset, though an over-priced flop, may help the new boss develop Apple smartglasses. The company is also reportedly working on a wearable AI pin. Mr Dediu says that one of Mr Ternus’s main strengths may be his devoted following among Apple’s engineers, who have been pivotal to the firm’s success. “Ternus will come out as an engineer’s engineer,” he says. “He is hard-core. That might energise the teams.”
Source: The Economist
NB: As is often the case, a 45 minute discussion turns into two sentences. The article sadly does not provide hints at the future direction of the company. But we can…
In this episode of Asymetric Podcast, Horace reminds himself to buy flowers, shares the one product he feels has set Apple apart over the years, and gives us a preview of his latest research.
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Now in Beta for Asymco One Subscribers.
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A lively discsussion of Apple topics such as:
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Podcast #AI #Apple 50 #Disruption Theory #Nostalgia #Origin Story · 4 comments
Ben Thompson of the Stratechery interviews Horace on the Stratechery Plus Podcast to discuss Horace's journey to become an influential tech analyst: early career in research, business school under Clayton Christensen, and his time at Nokia during the rise of the iPhone.
The conversation further explores Disruption Theory in the context of both smartphones and AI, why Christensen misjudged Apple, and whether AI could challenge today’s tech giants. It also marks the launch of Dediu’s new paid service Asymco One and reflects his continued conviction in Apple Inc. at its 50-year milestone.
What did I just say?
A new analysis of computers used in the enterprise finds that Macs and iPhones last much longer and have far fewer problems.
Macs in enterprise settings typically last for five years, besting the three-year lifespan for Windows PCs, according to a company that makes software to help businesses manage their computers.
But the really shocking revelation from the report is that more than half of Windows PCs used in big business get replaced within a year.
While factors like software compatibility, IT familiarity and customization options also play a role, upfront hardware cost remains the biggest driver for most organizations.
By comparison, Macs are often seen as premium products, which can make them harder to justify at scale (although the recently released $599 MacBook Neo is changing that equation).
Companies making these sorts of computer buying decisions should pay attention to a new report from Omnissa.
“Compared to Windows, 6.5x more Macs are seen in service into year 6, and 3.3x more Macs are seen in service into year 3+,” noted Omnissa’s report.
“Only 17% of macOS devices were replaced within one year, compared to 54% of Windows devices, reducing disruption tied to frequent hardware replacement,” said the analysis.
Macs are far less likely to crash. The benefits of using Apple computers don’t stop at longevity, though. Employees using Macs also run into far fewer bugs.
“The telemetry reveals that Windows devices exhibit 3.1x more total forced shutdowns (including system crashes and unexpected restarts) than macOS devices,” said Omnissa. “Windows devices experience 2.2x more app crashes and a staggering 7.5x more app hangs (unresponsive software states) than Macs.”
“A forced shutdown is much more than an IT support ticket — it’s a disruption to an employee’s work that translates directly into lost work hours,” said Omnissa.
Apple’s lifespan advantage extends to iPhones as well. When compared to Android handsets, “the data suggests that iOS devices display longer service life, with twice as many devices in service into year 6,” said Omnissa.
“iOS is updated 8.1 times faster than Android,” said Omnissa. “macOS is updated 1.5 times faster than Windows.”
The long-term cost benefits of using macOS or iOS in the enterprise are starting to overcome companies’ habit of making buying decisions based on short-term savings.
Source: Cult of Mac
NB: “Penny wise but pound foolish…
Distribution is hard, distribution is gold.
Apple is on pace to surpass $1 billion in artificial-intelligence revenue this year, a tidy sum that demonstrates the company’s AI advantage even as it struggles to deliver an AI strategy of its own.
That means they typically pay the App Store tax, roughly 30% of subscription fees in the first year and 15% a year thereafter, though rates vary by country. Generative AI apps paid Apple nearly $900 million in App Store fees in 2025, according to the analysis firm AppMagic.
Three-fourths of the revenue Apple rakes in from GenAI apps in its App Store comes from ChatGPT, according to AppMagic. Next, at about 5%, is xAI’s Grok. Apple’s revenue from GenAI apps rose from about $35 million in January 2025 to a high of $101 million in August. Sales have fallen from their peak, partly because ChatGPT downloads have declined, according to the data.
Source: Wall Street Journal
NB: I always thought Apple would take 20% of all AI spending…
Including an ARKit trick in action
Yesterday we learned that the “world’s most advanced flight simulator” will soon work with Apple Vision Pro. Now we have a first look at how the experience will look, including how ARKit intelligently handles physical controls.
X-Plane 12 is coming to Apple Vision Pro through a companion app this spring. Support will be enabled by visionOS 26.4, which supports Nvidia CloudXR 6.0 technology. The flight simulator will stream in mixed reality to Apple Vision Pro from X-Plane 12 on the Mac, Windows, or Linux.
Now Spatial Insider creator Justin Ryan has shared a first look at how X-Plane 12 works on Apple Vision Pro.
Source: 9to5Mac
NB: A complicated product for a demanding audience.
Remembering where the "pod" in podcasts came from
Apple first brought podcasting to a mainstream audience when it added the category to iTunes in 2005. And the dedicated Apple Podcasts app has been a central part of the landscape ever since. Today, users can get the app in more than 170 countries and regions. It offers millions of shows across hundreds of categories, plus features like Enhance Dialogue mode, playback speeds from 0.5x to 3x, automatic chapter creation, timed links and transcripts for over 125 million episodes in 13 languages.
A major update to Apple Podcasts will introduce full video podcast support this spring using the company’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology, the iPhone giant said Monday.
The update promises a seamless experience for both viewers and podcast creators, with new tools for monetization and content distribution that Apple said will set a new standard for the medium.
“By bringing a category-leading video experience to Apple Podcasts, we’re putting creators in full control of their content and how they build their businesses, while making it easier than ever for audiences to listen to or watch podcasts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Services.
Source: Cult of Mac
NB: YouTube has become a juggernaut swallowing music, podcasts, shorts/reels and not least of all movies and TV. It's hard to overstate just what a hegemony this has become. I must say that it has always been evident to me as a low-end disruption to video. It became the tail that wags the dog of entertainment. Apple's efforts can only be distinguished as "premium". Premium TV, premium music and premium podcasting (and premium News). The challenge for Apple is to attract creators not just listeners. We do distribute our Asymetric Podcast on Apple Podcasts and we will move to video but it's clear that there are other platforms that have higher volumes. The big news is support for ads.
Creators can dynamically insert video ads — including host-read spots — unlocking access to the broader video advertising market while maintaining full creative control.
"Apple does not charge hosting providers or creators to distribute podcasts on Apple Podcasts, whether via traditional RSS/MP3 or HLS video. Apple will charge participating ad networks an impression-based fee for the delivery of dynamic ads in HLS video on Apple Podcasts starting later this year."
YouTube is the new TV. Now finally on Apple Vision Pro.
Starting today, an official YouTube app is available on the Apple Vision Pro, allowing you to watch videos on a theater-sized screen with immersive visionOS Environments.
Every video on YouTube is available in the new, standalone visionOS app, including standard videos, 180° videos, 360° videos, and YouTube Shorts. And on the newer Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip, you can even watch YouTube videos in 8K.
NB: Finally. Using a browser to watch YouTube on an immersive device was a big failure, we just don't know whose.
Imagine trying to explain this to yourself if you lived during this era.
"Retrocade turns your room into a playable retro arcade. You can place a lifelike arcade cabinet in your space or jump into a full virtual arcade and play classic games like you’re actually there.
In this video, I show Retrocade running on Apple Vision Pro, from placing the arcade cabinet in mixed reality to stepping inside the virtual arcade and playing. You’ll see how it looks and what the experience is like once you’re in it.
Retrocade includes classic arcade legends like Pac Man, Galaga, Frogger, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Bubble Bobble, Centipede, Breakout, Track and Field, and Haunted Castle. Retrocade is included with Apple Arcade and requires a compatible game controller to play.
If you love retro games or just want a fun, instantly impressive Vision Pro experience, this one is worth checking out. Retrocade launches on February 5, 2026 and is one of the coolest Vision Pro experiences I've tried yet. You’ll find it here on the visionOS App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/retroca...
Source: You Tube Link
NB: It's hard to describe these Vision Pro Apps and videos don't do them justice. We will need a new camera language.
