Apple’s BIGGEST AI Move Isn’t What You Think!

What if I told you Apple’s next big AI move isn’t what you think? Nowadays, Google, Meta, and OpenAI battle for chatbot supremacy, but Apple has been surprisingly quiet. But behind the silence, they’ve been plotting something far more ambitious: a wave of AI hardware that could change how we live, work, and even travel. So, let’s take a look at those AI hardware initiatives.

What if Apple’s next iPhone… isn’t a phone?

Everyone says Apple’s late to the AI race. To catch up? Buy a strong startup like Perplexity. But Apple’s answer may actually be brilliant.  

Remember plot twist from May 2025: OpenAI just bought iPhone designer Jony Ive’s AI device startup, the man behind the iPhone’s design, for a staggering $6.4 billion.  

So, guess what? Apple is planning a glorious comeback, focusing on AI hardware. That involves robots, a smart speaker with a display, AI-powered home security cameras, and, of course, a new version of Siri, or should I say Apple Intelligence? 

Front and center: a tabletop robot, Apple’s ‘virtual companion,’ slated for 2027. Add Apple-grade home security: one that doesn’t just watch, but adjusts your lights, locks, and thermostat like a fussy minimalist butler.  

Sounds familiar? Right! Because Google, Samsung, and Amazon are already doing something similar  

Will the magic return, though? Maybe. Apple’s next iPhone might not be a phone… but a robot. 

While robots sound futuristic, Apple’s already putting AI into the devices you carry today. Let’s start with something way smaller: earbuds.

AirPods are not only a music experience anymore

AirPods are not just about music anymore, they’re becoming your personal AI-powered assistant.

At this year’s Apple Event, Apple unveiled the AirPods Pro 3, and for once, the headline feature isn’t sound quality or other fancy features aiming to lock people in Apple’s ecosystem; now they’re fused with AI, pushing features such as real-time translation. It works like a wonder : with a quick tap on both stems, activate Apple Intelligence to listen, translate, and whisper the response straight into your ear in perfect sync, making conversations feel completely natural, it comes quite handy when you’re travelling in a different country where local language isn’t in your skillset. 

Here’s the twist: Live Translation won’t launch in the EU just yet. The $250 earbuds that instantly translate French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish into English are rolling out first in the U.S., with more languages and regions coming later.

And in true Apple fashion, the magic isn’t locked behind the newest model. The feature is also coming to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, meaning millions of users can access it without buying new hardware. It’s a rare move from Apple, one that feels more inclusive than exclusive. Thank goodness… not another sneaky forced upgrade from Apple. 

So the next time you travel abroad, your AirPods might just become the ultimate tour guide — breaking down language barriers, one whisper at a time.

The rise of healthTech across the board

Of course, Apple isn’t alone in the translation race. Google and Meta are racing just as hard to turn science fiction into everyday reality.  Google’s latest Pixel 10 Pro Fold already translates live phone calls not just the words, but the tone, rhythm, and emotion of the speaker’s voice. During Google’s “Made by Google” event, Jimmy Fallon tested it live, and the translation into Spanish still sounded like him. That’s the magic of Google’s new Voice Translate feature, powered by Gemini AI, which starts rolling out through an Android update this week.

Meanwhile, Meta is bringing translation into your field of vision. The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses can listen to someone speaking in another language and translate it back through their built-in speakers. The person you’re talking to can even see translated text on your phone’s screen a kind of real-life subtitle system. And at Meta Connect, Zuckerberg is teasing the next generation: a version with a micro-display inside the lens, giving you instant translations floating right before your eyes.

From Apple’s AirPods to Google’s Pixel phones and Meta’s smart glasses, AI-powered translation is becoming the next big tech battleground where language barriers finally start to disappear, one conversation at a time.

Health tech is a breakthrough area

Did you know your AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch now team up for smarter fitness tracking? What’s that even mean?

You see, instead of relying on just one sensor, your devices constantly compare signals and select the one that provides the best reading. 

So, how does it work exactly? When you wear both the Watch and the new AirPods Pro 3, they constantly compare heart rate signals in real time. Every 5 minutes, the system decides which device is more accurate and switches automatically. 

Why is that, though? Because human workouts can mess with sensors. For instance, a tight wrist bend during push-ups or weightlifting can distort readings from your Apple Watch, making your heart rate spike or drop for no reason. But your AirPods Pro 3, sitting deep in your ear canal, barely move, they pick up your pulse with far less interference. During runs or cycling, however, the Watch’s wrist sensors regain the upper hand, offering more stable readings as your arms swing naturally.

Here’s the clever part: Apple’s system doesn’t just guess, it constantly compares signals from both devices in real time, every five minutes, choosing whichever gives the most accurate result. All this synchronized data flows seamlessly into the Health app, mapping out your workout with unmatched precision.

So the real question isn’t whether AirPods can out-track your Watch, it’s whether Apple just hinted at a future where your first medical checkup happens through the devices you already wear every day. Sounds quite handy, does it ? 

“We have to make sure, at Apple, that we stay true to focus, laser focus – we know we can only do great things a few times, only on a few products. When we launch a product, we’re already working on the next one. And possibly even the next, next one. – Tim Cook, Current CEO of Apple “

Looking forward

So here’s the big picture: Apple may have missed the first AI wave. But instead of chasing AI chatbots or models, they’re reinventing the AI-driven hardware we actually live with. Apple’s betting it can do the same with AI hardware, just like what they did with the iPhone many years ago. The only question left: can they still make magic, or is it too late for a comeback?

If you found this article helpful, you may also be interested in Elon Musk’s AI masterplan. Follow me here on my newsletter and YouTube channel. I’m an entrepreneur who covers the real stories behind AI startups, funding, and innovation, minus the fluff and noise, and I practise my entrepreneurial muscles every week. And besides building my startup, I will be here sharing my takeaways with you. So, thank you again for being here. See you in the next one!