I’ve been a big Apple fan from the start. My career even kicked off as a certified Apple developer! But lately… well, I’ve been waiting for that next “wow” moment. You know, the kind that leaves you thinking, “Holy moly, this changes everything!” But these days, it’s been more of the same. Faster chips, shinier gadgets—nice, but not exactly earth-shattering.

Take the latest Apple event. They revealed the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro with bigger screens, a shiny new A18 Pro chip, and an upgraded 48MP camera that can shoot in 4K at 120 fps. Sure, it’s cutting-edge, but it feels like expected upgrades. Even the new Apple Watches, while more eco-friendly with better battery life, felt like refinements, not revolutions.

And it made me wonder—where’s the next big leap?

Apple, along with other giants like Microsoft, Oracle, and Toyota, seem to be playing it safe. Incremental upgrades, safe improvements, endless refinements. You can’t really blame them; once you’re at the top, the stakes are high. The innovation that got them there becomes something they’re scared to disrupt. Why risk it when you’re already printing money?

Innovation thrives when you’ve got nothing to lose. That’s why startups have the edge—they aren’t bogged down by legacy systems or shareholders. They can go bold because failure is just another Tuesday.

Microsoft? They were once the rebellious teens of the tech world. Now they’re the reliable, sweater-wearing adults. Oracle used to be disruptive but now seems more focused on adding buttons than solving real problems. Even Toyota, once a pioneer in hybrid tech, now leans into incremental improvements. The bigger you get, the more you fear the big risks.

I get it—when you’re making billions, why take unnecessary risks? Incremental improvements feel like the smart, steady move. But let’s be real—playing it safe is boring. Steve Jobs didn’t build Apple by playing it safe. He pushed boundaries and, at times, probably drove his team nuts. But that’s where the magic happened.

This is why startups are so exciting. They don’t have bloated expectations or legacy products to protect. They’re nimble, they break things (in the good way), and they don’t always know how it’s going to turn out. Look at Tesla. Elon Musk didn’t tiptoe into the auto industry—he smashed through the door. Now they’re a leader in electric cars and space travel. Amazon was once just a crazy bet on online retail, and now look at them.

Startups make waves because they have no playbook—they’re free to experiment, and that’s where the magic happens.

Big companies have grown too comfortable. They’re the overprotective parents at the playground, carefully watching every move. Startups? They’re the kids jumping off the swings, ignoring the “be careful” signs, and loving every second of it.

Innovation doesn’t come from PowerPoints and focus groups. It’s born from the wild, slightly insane ideas that seem to make no sense—until they do.

So, if you’re working on a startup or dreaming up your next big idea, go crazy. The world doesn’t need another slightly better version of something that already exists. It needs your bold, game-changing ideas.

Let the big guys play it safe. You, on the other hand, can be the one to turn the world upside down.

After all, who needs incremental improvement when you can make history?