Well , yes and no . While I think being first is an empty accolade if it ’s not backed up by quality , Apple ca n’t afford to be too late to the company — peculiarly in the case of AI .

permit ’s start with the slimline phone . It ’s been widely reported that Apple is developing a super - thin sound dubbed theiPhone 17 Air , which is due to set in motion this September . Gurman say that Samsung will get there first with itsGalaxy S25 Edgephone , a machine that ’s due to arrive in the first half of the yr .

Yet this secernate us nothing about which phone you ’ll really desire to buy . The idea of being first is massively overblown in the technical school press , with manufacturers often gunning for that desired “ cosmos ’s first ” claim no matter what . But I ’m willing to bet undecomposed money that client do n’t care if one gadget launches slightly before the other ; no , they care about which one give the ripe experience . That is where Apple chooses to vie .

For representative , there are rumors that the iPhone 17 Air will beslightly thinnerthan the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge . Does that matter ? Only in so far as it makes the phone considerably or worse for users . lineament should be the fundamental thoughtfulness , not raw timing . We need to lay off valorizing the “ world ’s first ” title and put more emphasis on what seduce something the “ world ’s best . ”

So no , I do n’t care whether Samsung or Apple come first . Realistically , I do n’t think client do either .

First versus best

There are sentence , however , when timing is important , and that ’s stress elsewhere in Power On . Gurman also say that Samsung ’s AI offering ( which isbased on Google Gemini ) is “ several years ” ahead of Apple Intelligence .

Unlike the ultra - thin phone argumentation , here I think the timing is a bit more important . Not for the empty title of “ world ’s first , ” but for what that pass embark on means in terms of feature and user experience . Because as Gurman says , Apple risks “ missing out on the bighearted technology rotation in 30 years . ”

Apple Intelligenceis decent , but it ’s clearly lacking compared to its competition . As Gurman notes , Google Geminihas pulled in the lead , and it ’s not even the good AI on offer . That claim belongs toChatGPT , and while Apple hasintegrated OpenAI ’s oblation into Apple Intelligence , it just serves to illustrate how far behind Apple ’s own efforts are .

Yet there ’s no ground why Apple ca n’t arrest up . Many Apple products , from theiPhoneto theiMac , were reprobate as being behind their challenger when they launched , yet Apple quickly made amends . The original iPhone came without 3 G , the iMac lacked a floppy private road , and it take Apple a few years to avail theApple Watchfind its fundament . All that is history now . Either Apple pivoted the gimmick to get together demand , or the product ’s inherent lineament overrode business organization about missing features .

The stakes are high when it comes to AI , but they were gamey with those other merchandise too , peculiarly the iPhone . As long as Apple does n’t wait around too long , there ’s still everything to play for .

Treading a fine line

And that ’s the crux of the matter really . AI is moving at a phenomenal pace , and Apple ca n’t give to hang back its bounder . But it should move tight in the name of innovation quality , not in the name of simply being first . That would be a hollow victory .

Ultimately , timing does affair , but not for the reason you might intend . “ World ’s first ” is a meaningless accolade — there ’s no full point being first with an terrible merchandise that no one desire . That ’s why I do n’t wish — and I ’m sure Apple does n’t care either — that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will launch six month before the iPhone 17 Air .

Apple ’s philosophy of being the dear is the right one and consumers are voguish enough to recognise a good merchandise when it comes around . But Apple ca n’t take too long to catch up on AI or its elbow grease will be for nothing . That ’s the o.k. line the ship’s company has to tread .