The "there's an app for that" era is officially dead. We've hit peak app fatigue with 80+ apps installed but only nine actively used, and the new battleground isn't about building better apps. It's about who controls the agents that will replace them entirely.
While Android 16 enables cross-app AI co-ordination and iOS 26 stays locked in its security sandbox, the real power grab is happening elsewhere. OpenAI, Google and Meta aren't waiting for mobile platforms to enable agent interactions. They're cutting straight to the source, building direct pipelines to hotels, restaurants and services that make your apps irrelevant middlemen.
The question isn't whether Android's openness beats Apple's control, it's which AI overlord you'll serve when mobile is relegated to "dumb pipe" status. . –s
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named he covers tech and business for , is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular . He's a , and the creator of the popular, free online course, . Follow or visit .
