Like Apple has always said they don't need to be first they only need to do it better. iPhone was not the first but they did it better and so on.
You often hear this sort of claim, but I don't think it is very true or meaningful. Yes, sometimes Apple introduces a feature later, but significantly better, such as their facial recognition system. Sometimes they are first, but fall behind. Sometimes they are late, but not better. These things are true of all the big tech companies.
Siri was not the first voice assistant, but it was significantly better than Google Voice Commands. So the idea that Apple was not first, but was better was true. For a time. Then Siri fell significantly behind.
Apple maps was not first nor was it better. Fast and wireless charging were late with Apple, and only came up to industry standards before falling behind again.
The fact is that the entire industry moves forward together, with companies periodically pushing themselves forward on certain features. If folding mobile devices get a real foothold in the industry, Apple will jump in too, and will sometimes be better. But not always.
Which is why I don't understand people who, though corporate loyalty, object to the introduction of products like the Fold. It costs us non-buyers nothing (or next to nothing), but has the potential to start a run of improving tech that many of us would want to purchase. If companies actually did just wait to make established tech better, we would be well behind where we are now.
