Apple is one of a handful of companies that has achieved true, lasting dominance in the tech world.

It’s become a fixture of 21st century life and even a tech superpower.

Getting to the top is one thing, staying there is another.

Apple’s proven adept at that, dating back at least to the launch of theiPhone17 years ago.

But now Apple’s having a bit of a moment, and not the kind it might wish for.

Meanwhile, governments are bearing down on the company.

New product categories are presenting challenges too.

Nokia and BlackBerry, once the leaders inmobile phones, didn’t adapt well to changing times.

So far, to be sure, Apple has remained not just relevant but dominant in the smartphone market.

Regulatory hurdles spring up everywhere, but nowhere more so than in Europe.

It’s possible this could escalate into a standoff between Apple and the EU.

The question will be, said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, who will blink first?

Right now, Apple doesn’t have that.

Thenow defunct car projectmight be the most high-profile enterprise the company has ever scrapped.

It was a big-budget, long-term effort that could have redefined Apple.

Could a robot fill that void?

It would be interesting to see if Apple could make a success of it where others have largely failed.

What the company has achieved with the equipment is “remarkable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Apple continues to tinker with its more established product lines.

It’s not just about putting more monitors and sensors in the devices, Jeronimo said.

“It’s all about the services and intelligence from collecting all that data.”

The iPhone’s bounce-back potential

Not everyone is pessimistic about Apple’s immediate future.

“People who own an iPhone are unlikely to upgrade to anything else,” Wood said.

This could be good for Apple, which even at its cheapest is a premium brand.

If Apple gets it right, it has a lot to gain.

In this moment and in the immediate future, it’s got some work to do.

It’s a tightrope walk, and Apple’s barely taken its first step.

And so we wait to see what magic Apple has up its sleeve.

For now, we’re holding our breath.