Apple is releasing a free software update that would inject its first dose of artificial intelligence (AI) into its iPhone 16 lineup as the forward-thinking company tries to catch up with the latest tech craze.
The iOS 18 operating system upgrade arrives yesterday more than a month after four iPhone 16 models equipped with the special computer chip needed to power the AI features went on sale at prices ranging from $800 at $1,200.
Last year’s high-end models – the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max – also have a processor that would enable AI technology after installing the software update.
Photo: Reuters
Recent versions of Apple’s iPad and Mac computers can also be updated with the software.
Countries outside the United States won’t receive the AI software for their iPhones until next year, at a date yet to be determined. Apple has spent the past five weeks testing the AI software with an audience of iPhone owners who signed up to help the company refine the technology.
The infusion of AI is said to transform Apple’s often clunky virtual assistant, Siri, into a more conversational, versatile and colorful companion whose presence would be signaled by a glowing light that surrounds the iPhone’s screen for that requests are processed.
While Apple promises that Siri would be able to perform more tasks and be less likely to get confused, it would not be able to interact with other apps installed on the iPhone until Another software update will be released on an as yet unspecified date.
Other AI features included in this software update would handle various editing and proofreading tasks, summarize the content of emails and other documents.
AI would also provide a variety of editing tools to change the appearance of photos and make old images easier to find.
Other AI tricks yet to come in future software updates would include the ability to create custom emojis on the fly or conjure up other fancy images on demand.
Apple also plans to enable its AI suite to benefit from help from OpenAI’s ChatGPT when users want it.
Most of the AI features Apple introduced yesterday are already available on Android smartphones launched by Samsung and Google earlier this year.
In an effort to distinguish its approach from early AI leaders, the iPhone’s suite of new technologies is being marketed as “Apple Intelligence.”
Apple also promises that its AI features would protect the privacy of iPhone owners much better, either by running the technology on the device or by consolidating it into a fortress-style data center when certain requests need to be handled at distance.
As most of the iPhones currently in use around the world lack the computer chip needed for Apple’s AI, the technology is expected to generate huge demand for the new models during the holiday season and next year as well.
That’s the main reason Apple’s stock price has risen 18% since Apple outlined its AI strategy at a conference in early June.
This surge increased Apple’s market value by about $500 billion, propelling it closer to becoming the first U.S. company to be worth $4 trillion.
Apple is set to give investors their first look at the iPhone 16’s progress on Thursday when the company reports quarterly financial information for the July-September quarter – a period that includes the first days of sales of the new models.
Demand for high-end iPhone 15 models increased as their prices fell and enthusiasm for Apple’s entry into the AI market grew, according to a market assessment smartphones in the last quarter by research firm International Data Corp (IDC).
Apple’s iPhone shipments rose 3.5% from the same period last year to 56 million worldwide between July and September, just behind Samsung, IDC said.
The question now is whether Apple’s gradual rollout of more AI would incentivize owners of older iPhones to splurge on new models during the holidays, “thus guaranteeing their purchases for the long term,” it said. Nabila Popal, analyst at IDC.
Also yesterday, Apple said that with the software update, some AirPods wireless headphones can be used as hearing aids.
An estimated 30 million people – one in eight Americans over the age of 12 – have hearing loss in both ears.
Millions of people would benefit from hearing aids, but most have never tried them, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
