The Apple boss has declared the iPhone is here to stay following the release of the latest incarnation - the 16e - last month which came 18 years after the first model hit the market with Cook insisting the gadgets will be around for a long time to come before they are eventually replaced.

When asked if smart phones will be succeeded by an "AI device", Cook told Wired UK: "We see the smartphone lasting a very long time. There will be more innovation.

"And obviously you look at the first iPhone that shipped versus the iPhone 16, they’re totally different, right."

Cook went on to insist Apple will be remembered for "delivering great products that changed the world" and "really improved people’s lives".

He explained: "I think Apple will be remembered for delivering great products that changed the world, that really improved people’s lives. Our users feel it when they go into an Apple Store. They feel it when they use the products. I got so many messages when the hurricane hit in North Carolina and people discovered that they had the ability to SOS and to message people when the cellular network was down. This reminds people of why we do what we do and how much we care. That will be Apple’s legacy."