CES 2026: How Emerging Technology is Shaping the Year Ahead
An expert breakdown of CES 2026, exploring how robotics, intelligent devices, and next‑gen computing are shaping technology and professional workflows in 2026.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has officially drawn a digital battle line, taking direct aim at Apple’s iPhone and declaring a bold new vision for the future of personal computing. His message is loud and clear: the smartphone’s reign is coming to an end, and AI-powered AR smartglasses are taking the throne.
In what may be remembered as a defining moment in tech history, Zuckerberg unveiled Meta’s aggressive new strategy, positioning the company as the pioneer of “personal superintelligence”, a future where glasses, not phones, become the gateway to the digital world.
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The End of the iPhone Era?
For nearly two decades, Apple’s iPhone has dominated the personal tech space. From its sleek design to its closed ecosystem, the iPhone became more than a device—it became a status symbol and cultural cornerstone.
But Zuckerberg believes that era is over.
In his latest statements, he argued that smartphones are now limiting the way we interact with technology. Instead, he claims the future belongs to a wearable, always-on, AI-enhanced interface that doesn’t require you to look down at a screen or be tethered to your hand at all.
This shift is more than hardware. It’s about control, context, and intelligence. And it’s a direct challenge to Apple’s mobile-first philosophy.
At the heart of Zuckerberg’s pitch is Meta’s next-gen smartglasses, developed in partnership with Ray-Ban and infused with Meta’s proprietary AI.
These aren’t your average wearables. Meta’s smartglasses aim to:
- Recognize your environment in real time using spatial computing
- Answer questions, perform tasks, and provide information contextually via voice
- Replace screens altogether by projecting content directly onto your field of vision
- Integrate deeply with AI assistants to manage schedules, summarize documents, respond to messages, and even generate content on the fly
Zuckerberg called this the beginning of always-available personal intelligence, a digital assistant that’s as natural as breathing, without the friction of apps or screens.
In his words: “This is what the future looks like when you break away from the phone.”
🍏 Apple’s Response: Business as Usual?
While Apple hasn’t officially responded to Zuckerberg’s recent comments, it’s safe to say the company is watching closely.
Apple has its own AR ambitions with the Vision Pro, but so far, it has focused on immersive experiences, not lightweight wearables. Their product roadmap still hinges on the iPhone as the central hub for everything—health, payments, messaging, and smart home controls.
Zuckerberg’s challenge, then, isn’t just about hardware—it’s about disrupting the very foundation of Apple’s ecosystem.
If Meta succeeds, the iPhone could start to feel like yesterday’s tech, much like flip phones did in the wake of the smartphone revolution.
Why This Matters: A New Platform War Is Here
The clash between Meta and Apple is about more than market share. It’s about the next computing platform and who controls it.
Just as Microsoft and Apple battled for dominance in the PC era, and Apple and Google went head-to-head in the smartphone age, we’re now entering a new phase: AI-powered ambient computing.
Meta is betting that AI, embedded into wearables, will define the next decade. And by getting ahead of the curve, Zuckerberg wants to ensure that Meta—not Apple—controls the platform people use to access AI.
Final Thoughts
Zuckerberg’s bold claim that smartglasses will replace smartphones may sound radical—but it’s not without precedent. Every major tech revolution has come with skepticism… and then changed the world.
Whether Meta can pull it off remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the battle for the future of computing is no longer just between apps. It’s now a war of platforms, wearables, and artificial intelligence.
And with the gloves off, Meta and Apple are officially in the ring.
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