Apple rebuts criticism the tech giant was 'dying'

Tablets and smartphones are set to continue as tech gadgets inseparable from people's lives for the next five years, with artificial intelligent technologies taking centre stage, said Apple Inc co-founder Steve Wozniak.

"Artificial intelligence is going to be the trend. It makes machines more human-friendly.

"We need products that will speak to our souls and hearts, that know about us and care about us," he said.

He said this in a question-and-answer session after speaking to a 500-strong audience at the Leadership Energy Summit Asia 2014, held by The Iclif Leadership and Governance Centre, here today.

Wozniak, who has always been compared to the higher-profile co-founder Steve Jobs, rebutted criticism that Apple was dying after the passing of Jobs in 2011.

"Some people said that Apple is not making a big stride in the world and not as innovative as rivals such as Samsung post-Jobs, but the newly launched iOS 8,iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and mobile payment technology prove otherwise," he said.

"Apple is still shining in my eyes," said the 64-year-old, adding that the US tech giant was in good hands with new management coming on board and its pursuit in innovation.

But he admitted that Apple should have come up with bigger-screened iPhones three years ago.

Apple has lagged behind Samsung and other handset makers in introducing smartphones with bigger screens.

Its newly-launched 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch 6 Plus have finally helped it up the ante in the competition.

Wozniak said he was thankful that Jobs was the one to run Apple and set good direction for the company, while he himself was glad to take a backseat.

"I didn't want to run a company and I wanted to do engineering and create new things.

"Both of us needed each other and we were a good team," he said.

Wozniak was the brains behind the first Apple computer, the Apple 1. He co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 with Jobs and Ronald Wayne.

He quit full-time employment at Apple in 1987. The philanthropist has since taught elementary schools and founded his own ventures.