Big Tech’s Icons May Not Last Forever
Once untouchable, Silicon Valley’s most iconic products are beginning to show signs of wear. At recent antitrust trials, executives from Meta, Google, and Apple offered rare and candid admissions: the services and devices that built their empires may be losing their grip on users.
In courtrooms that typically focus on legal maneuvering, these revelations highlighted something deeper — a recognition that technological dominance is never guaranteed. From declining search habits to fewer Facebook friend requests, the landscape is shifting.
Google Searches Are Losing Steam
During the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google, Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, testified that Google search queries on Apple devices dropped for the first time last month. The statement, first reported by Bloomberg, points to a change in how people are accessing information.
While Google maintains that it continues “to see overall query growth in search,” the shift signals growing interest in AI-powered tools. Research firm Gartner predicted a 25 percent drop in search volume by 2026 as users increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to get answers instead of typing traditional queries into search engines.
Facebook’s Friend Era Is Fading
At another antitrust trial in April, this time involving Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged a similar pattern on Facebook. “The amount that people are sharing with friends on Facebook, especially, has been declining,” he said. “Even the amount of new friends that people add … I think has been declining. But I don’t know the exact numbers.”
Zuckerberg pointed to a growing preference for direct messaging and video consumption, with features like Instagram Reels gaining traction. Though Meta continues to adapt, such as by introducing Stories and short-form videos to rival Snapchat and TikTok, Facebook’s original social graph model is fading, especially among younger users.
Teens Are Leaving Facebook Behind
A December study by Pew Research Center shows just how steep that shift has been. Only 32 percent of teens reported using Facebook in 2023, compared to 71 percent in 2014 and 2015. In contrast, platforms like Instagram remain popular, showing how Meta is pivoting its focus to stay relevant.
Facebook’s evolution from a place to add friends and post updates to a hub for video content reflects the broader changes sweeping through social media. It’s not just about staying in touch anymore — it’s about staying entertained and up to date.
Even the iPhone’s Future Looks Uncertain
In a particularly striking remark, Apple’s Eddy Cue suggested the iPhone itself might not be essential in the future. “You may not need an iPhone 10 years from now, as crazy as it sounds,” he said during testimony. With the iPhone accounting for 19 percent of global smartphone shipments in early 2025, according to the International Data Corporation, any disruption to its dominance would be seismic.
Consumers already hold onto smartphones longer than they used to. Without yearly leaps in innovation, the need to upgrade frequently is fading. That trend only reinforces the tech industry’s urgency to discover what comes next.
Smart Glasses May Be the Next Big Leap
The search for the successor to the smartphone is well underway. From Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses to Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset, tech companies are placing big bets on wearable devices. Zuckerberg imagines a future where people interact with digital content using “smart glasses and holograms” rather than tapping on glowing rectangles.
Apple’s Vision Pro may still be niche, but it represents the company’s vision of face-worn computing. Meanwhile, Amazon and Google are also exploring similar directions, with Amazon’s Panos Panay hinting that Alexa glasses are not off the table.
The Race for Relevance Never Ends
For the companies that shaped the modern web, change has always been part of the story. The difference now is that they’re openly grappling with how quickly yesterday’s breakthrough can become today’s background noise.
As Meta, Google, and Apple confront waning interest in their core offerings, they must innovate not just to grow, but to survive. In doing so, they make a compelling case to regulators that competition in tech is alive and well — even if it means competing against their own past.
The giants of Silicon Valley may not be going away anytime soon, but their most iconic creations may soon look very different. Or, in some cases, disappear altogether.
