On September 9, according to the New York Times, Apple is about to release a new generation of iPhone 17 series mobile phones. The improvements will be modest, and one model will be slightly thinner. However, many of the world’s largest technology companies believe thatA fundamental change is underway that could one day make the familiar smartphone obsolete.

AI will usher in a new generation of computing devices

Experts pointed out thatModern AI assistants are far more powerful than clunky voice assistants like Siri, more flexible, and is expected to become the core operating system for all personal computing devices, surpassing smartphone software in importance.

When AI assistants can use devices on behalf of humans, apps and their fancy interfaces will become less important. They can automate tasks such as making plans with friends, generating shopping lists, and taking meeting minutes, eliminating the need for users to scroll through software menus or type on a keyboard.

"The operating system that you're used to using on your phone, the way you launch apps and the actual operations will start to take a back seat, and your assistant will start to actually do things for you," said Alex Katouzian, Qualcomm's senior executive in charge of mobile products. Qualcomm makes chips for iPhones and Android devices.

In the near future,Smartphone hardware may even be surpassed (but not replaced) by a new and vital category of personal computing devices.Some tech executives predict that, for example, a pair of AI glasses or a bracelet will be able to sense your surroundings and your assistant will essentially exist with you, helping you around the clock.

Every big tech company is thinking about this multi-million dollar question:What comes after the smartphone?Here are some predictions for the future from current and former employees of some of the world's largest tech companies, including Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and Meta.

1. Smart Glasses

For decades, technologists have dreamed of a pair of computer glasses with digital screens embedded in the lenses that would provide people with real-time information about the people and places they see. On such devices, AI assistants will play an important role, allowing users to get help simply by speaking to it like a friend.

Last year, Meta took an active step toward turning this dream into a reality. The company's Meta smart glasses, launched in partnership with Ray-Ban, are equipped with cameras, speakers and microphones, and the Meta AI assistant is integrated into the glasses through a software update. This allows users to ask questions and gain information about what they see at any time while observing scenes ranging from zoo animals to historical landmarks.

"Glasses that understand our environment because they see what we see, hear what we hear, and continue to interact with us throughout the day will become our primary computing device," Mark Zuckerberg said in a letter posted on the Meta website.

Meta and Ray-Ban collaborate on smart glasses

Meta also unveiled Orion last year, a prototype glasses with a screen built into the frame. Wearers can view information, such as digital notes, while talking to people in meetings. This year, Google released similar prototype glasses powered by its AI assistant Gemini.

Meta is expected to share more information about Orion at its developer conference this month. The reality is that smart glasses without screens, such as the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which have sold more than two million pairs, may become mainstream within the next two years, while glasses with digital displays remain out of reach, said Carolina Milanesi, a consumer technology analyst at research firm Creative Strategies.

Milanesi pointed out that such thin and small devices have limited battery life. The bigger the battery, the bulkier and more unsightly the glasses become. It could be years before tech companies learn how to design glasses that fit a variety of face shapes while turning a profit.

2. Environmental computer

Although humans have become so dependent on smartphones, they can also be a source of distraction as humans are constantly bombarded with notifications from a variety of apps. Panos Panay, Amazon's head of devices, predicts that AI assistants will increase the importance of ambient computers.Ambient computers include speakers equipped with microphones, screens distributed throughout the home, and small devices worn on the body, which is exactly the product category that Amazon has been building for more than a decade with the Echo series.

Because AI technology makes it possible to have smooth conversations with new assistants (such as Alexa+, which Amazon started launching this year), people can complete certain tasks more easily than on their phones. Panay gave an example in an interview: Asking an AI assistant questions and getting answers during a dinner conversation allows everyone to focus on the conversation without looking at the screen.

He added that smartphones are here to stay, just like laptops are still with us years after smartphones became commonplace.

3. Smartwatches Reimagined

As recently as this spring, Pei Yu, CEO of smartphone company Nothing, firmly believed that smartphones would be the ultimate device of the future. But with the accelerated development of AI technology, he changed his view. He now thinks there is a need for an AI device,When people put their phones in their pockets, they can continuously collect information about their surroundings. He calls it "the smartwatch reimagined."

Why choose a smart watch? The Apple Watch has made it widely known, with more than 100 million units sold every year. It is unobtrusive, worn on the wrist rather than the face, and stays with the user at all times.

Apple Watch makes smartwatches popular

AI will make the operating system on everyone’s watch unique. For fitness enthusiasts, it will automatically track activities; for work-focused entrepreneurs like Pei Yu, it will automatically arrange schedules and other tasks.

"Currently computing operations are very manual," Pei Yu said. Meeting friends for coffee may require switching back and forth between communication, calendar and review software at the same time. "But in the future, the AI ​​​​intelligent on the watch will automatically complete all these operations."

4.Logger

Human memory is extremely unreliable. Research shows that 90% of human memories are forgotten after a week (or maybe 80%). What if people could have perfect memories?

Startups like Limitless AI have developed aAI pendant, which can be clipped to clothing to record conversations and generate automatic transcripts. They believe that combining wearable recorders with AI coaches will give people extra brain power, making them more efficient at work and in life.

This AI assistant is always listening to your conversations, can remind you that the things you promised your colleagues a few days ago have not yet been completed.

It might even help you become a better parent. Dan Siroker, CEO of wearable AI startup Limitless, gave an example: On a recent trip to a theme park, when kids pestered him for more game currency, he gave in. The AI ​​assistant who listened throughout the process immediately sent a text message telling him how he should have adhered to his principles.

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Dave Evans, a hardware designer who has worked at Apple and Samsung, noted,Privacy concerns could slow adoption of ubiquitous AI devices. He said that computers that listen continuously are more suitable for office settings because employees have already accepted monitoring of their work computers by their employers. He envisions a future where office buildings will be filled with speakers and screens that quickly handle tasks for employees.

"In fact, most people's daily needs are nothing more than food, clothing and leisure and entertainment. Do you really need a mobile phone or other devices to handle these crazy tasks?" Evans said.

All of these wearables makers are moving toward the future that software designer Bob Ryskamp envisioned when he worked on the Google Glass project a decade ago. At that time, he foresaw that people would wear several fashionable devices every morning, such as necklaces, smart watches and glasses, and these devices would work together through an "AI symphony" (multiple functions).

"You wear them because you like the way they look, and they happen to be smart," Riskamp said.

Of course, Google Glass failed miserably because of its ugly design, but today’s wearable AI computers have long since gotten rid of this shackles.