Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) faced a series of notable developments this week spanning artificial-intelligence concerns, smartphone shipments, leadership succession and a surprise Pokémon appearance at Apple Park. David Heinemeier Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails, questioned whether the Mac's tightly controlled environment could become a disadvantage as AI agents expand, and suggested Linux could represent the future of desktop computing. Despite a projected 16.7% decline in global smartphone shipments, Apple is expected to reach a record 23.6% share for iOS, with Apple, Samsung and Huawei described as best positioned to navigate the downturn. A memory shortage is identified as a significant factor in the disruption. Tim Cook, the outgoing CEO of Apple, also received the Pokémon team and a life-size Pikachu at Apple Park. Separately, Apple's "Surprise and shine" teaser for its Sept. 9 event fueled speculation about the iPhone 18 Pro. The event is significant because John Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as CEO on Sept. 1. Apple's iPhone shipments rose 13% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, driven largely by the iPhone 17 series, stable pricing and efforts to increase smartphone market share. The content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and reviewed and published by Benzinga editors; the photo was provided by Shutterstock.