Apple’s lead AI robotics researcher has been poached by Meta

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Technology Insights Daily
September 10, 2025

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Apple’s esteemed head of AI robotics, Jian Zhang, has departed after a decade to join Meta's Robotics Studio under Reality Labs. This transition marks another blow in a growing exodus of high-profile AI talent from Apple. The move spotlights Meta’s increasingly aggressive recruitment strategy—offering lucrative packages to lure experts away. Zhang’s expertise includes embodied AI and autonomous systems, making his departure especially significant. Simultaneously, key members of Apple’s Foundation Models team are moving to OpenAI and Anthropic. These shifts raise concerns over Apple’s capacity to sustain innovation momentum in AI, particularly as competitors consolidate their research capabilities. For Apple, retaining top-tier AI talent is becoming a pressing challenge amid intensifying industry-wide talent wars.

Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasts Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset, Vision Air, to launch in 2027. Designed as a lightweight and budget-friendly alternative to the Vision Pro, it could be over 40% lighter and boast more than a 50% price reduction. These gains may result from strategic design choices—like using lighter materials, simplifying sensor arrays, and implementing cost-effective fabrication methods. Vision Air aims to make spatial computing accessible to a broader audience, unlike the premium-oriented Vision Pro. The aggressive cost and weight optimization suggest Apple is strategically positioning Vision Air to significantly scale consumer adoption, potentially achieving over one million shipments compared to Vision Pro’s limited volumes. It signals a new phase in Apple’s XR strategy—prioritizing practical usability and affordability at scale.

Ahead of its September launch, analysts suggest the iPhone 17 Pro could cost $100 more than its predecessor—the iPhone 16 Pro—potentially starting at $1,099 with upgraded 256 GB storage. In contrast, the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro Max are expected to retain their current price points. The rumored price bump for the Pro model may reflect Apple eliminating lower-storage options and enhancing base specs. Besides price dynamics, the iPhone 17 series is expected to feature next-gen A19 chipsets, improved 120 Hz displays, upgraded RAM, and enhanced cameras. While price increases on flagship models are routine, this selective hike may pose a strategic shift in Apple’s premium tier pricing approach and could influence consumer upgrade decisions in a cost-sensitive market.

In a landmark verdict, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google, despite being found to have maintained a monopoly in search, will not be required to divest its Chrome browser. Instead, the court imposed less severe remedies—barring exclusive distribution contracts for Chrome, Assistant, and AI tools like Gemini. Google may still financially incentivize being the default search engine on devices. The ruling aims to foster competition without dismantling Google’s ecosystem. Critics argue the decision is overly lenient, failing to address Google's entrenched dominance. However, supporters note it balances legal constraints with practical market realities. The outcome delivers near-term legal relief for Google while giving rivals a modest opportunity to compete in AI-enhanced search markets.

In the shadow of antitrust scrutiny, a court decision affirmed that Google can continue its multi-billion-dollar arrangement to remain the default search engine on Apple devices. Although judged monopolistic, the contract survives—allowing Apple to keep receiving payments from Google. The arrangement, reportedly worth billions annually, is a cornerstone of Google’s search traffic strategy. Competitors like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Perplexity now gain limited access to search indexes, as mandated by the ruling. The outcome preserves Apple’s revenue pipeline and Google’s dominance in mobile search. But it also underscores the delicate regulatory tightrope: allowing commercial ties to persist while injecting modest competition safeguards into a shifting market dominated by emergent AI-powered search technologies.

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