Apple’s First Major Move After Leadership Change: Initiating the Largest-Ever New Product Cycle, Accelerating Transition to AI Device Maker

TradingKey - Apple ( AAPL) is gearing up for its largest-ever new product launch cycle, with three core products: AI AirPods equipped with cameras, a second-generation foldable phone, and a 20th-anniversary iPhone, scheduled for a concentrated release by the end of 2027.

These new products will also serve as the core growth engines during the first full term of Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, and have all currently entered advanced R&D stages.

As Apple's first AI wearable flagship, the AirPods with cameras are the core highlight of this product wave. The integrated computer vision cameras are not for taking pictures, but rather to provide ambient visual input for Siri, enabling users to ask questions and interact regarding surrounding objects and scenes, serving as a key vehicle for Apple's "Visual Intelligence" strategy. The product's appearance is close to that of the AirPods Pro, only integrating a camera and a cloud transmission status indicator light on the earbud stem.

The product was originally scheduled for release in 2026, but has been postponed to the end of 2027 due to slower-than-expected progress in AI software development and visual model R&D.

Apple's foldable product line will enter a rapid iteration phase: following the planned debut of its first foldable screen in September this year, the second-generation model will be unveiled in 2027, officially confirming an annual iteration product strategy. The 20th-anniversary iPhone will adopt a brand-new design featuring ultra-thin bezels on all four sides and wrap-around curved glass, taking over the positioning of the current Pro series. Both high-end new products will be powered by 2-nanometer A21 chips.

The chip roadmap is equally clear: this year's high-end models will feature the A20 Pro chip, while next year's standard iPhones will carry the base A20; the high-end product line will upgrade to the 2-nanometer A21 chip in 2027, and further iterate to the 1.4-nanometer A22 Pro in 2028. TSMC will primarily handle the process upgrades, though Apple is also considering bringing in Intel to share some of the production capacity.

Furthermore, Apple has an ample pipeline of AI hardware, with its first smart glasses competing with Meta set to launch as early as the end of next year. With its entire product line tilting toward AI hardware, Apple is accelerating its transformation from a consumer electronics manufacturer into an AI device maker.