Apple has set its sights on September 9th for its next major event, for the launchpad for the iPhone 16. The tagline for the event, “It’s Glowtime,” remains shrouded in mystery, but one thing’s for sure: artificial intelligence is poised to be a major highlight.
During its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple unveiled a peek at its “Apple Intelligence” features. This suite of generative AI tools includes personalized Genmoji (Apple’s AI-powered emojis), a significantly smarter Siri capable of managing schedules, emails, and flight information, and more.
While iPhone 15 Pro Max users might receive a taste of these AI advancements, the iPhone 16 is expected to be the first device designed from the ground up with AI in mind. The event also marks Apple’s collaboration with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, a powerful language model facing its own set of challenges.
This isn’t Apple’s first foray into AI. Features like Live Text and improved autocorrect are already present on iPhones. However, this next wave of generative AI aims to significantly enhance user interaction and personalization. Analyst Angelo Zino from CFRA Research tempers expectations, suggesting the full rollout of AI features like an enhanced Siri could take years, pushing some capabilities as late as 2025.
“This is going to be more of an evolutionary process,” Zino said, “rather than a sudden, cyclical iPhone update.”
Generative AI allows users to prompt tools for written work, images, and even audio creation. Analysts expect Apple to primarily integrate AI through Siri, its virtual assistant. Combining Siri with OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o model could enable functionalities like recalling old pictures, providing detailed information, and even adapting to user preferences over time.
This AI push could be a game-changer for Apple, particularly considering the recent slump in iPhone sales within China due to economic uncertainties and competition. Pricing remains a key question. Apple fans have long advocated for more affordable iPhones, while investors naturally favor maximum profit. While CFRA doesn’t anticipate an exorbitant price hike for the iPhone 16, Zino acknowledges that AI integration “could potentially see them increase prices across the board.”
Apple’s competitors have already begun exploring generative AI, as evidenced by Samsung’s “circle to search” feature that lets users quickly access information on their screens with a simple finger gesture.
The September 9th event promises to be a pivotal moment for Apple, potentially marking a new era in iPhone design and user interaction heavily influenced by artificial intelligence.