Apple excited fans with a preview of the system artificial intelligence “Apple Intelligence” earlier this year. Now, it’s time for the company to prove that it actually works.
The company is set to unveil the first line of iPhones designed specifically for generative artificial intelligence (which allows users to create text and images) during its annual hardware event, which kicks off on Monday (9) at 2pm (Brasília time). You can watch the live stream here.
The event was announced with the cryptic tagline “it’s glow time,” and so far Apple has remained tight-lipped about what that means.
Apple faces enormous pressure ahead of the event to prove that the iPhone 16’s new AI features and other upgrades are worth the money to justify an upgrade. Apple also needs to convince investors that it hasn’t fallen behind in the AI arms race, as rivals have already rolled out similar features with the new technology.
Since the launch of the 5G-enabled iPhone 12 in 2020, the company has offered few compelling reasons for users to buy the latest generation. Smartphone cameras have advanced to the point where they’re sufficient for most people’s everyday needs without major hardware changes, and at some point the human eye can’t even perceive higher screen resolutions.
As a result, sales of iPhones, which account for half of the company’s revenue, have been weak.
The company’s stock was also relatively flat until the Apple Intelligence reveal, a sign that investors are counting on AI to convince people to buy new iPhones. Apple shares are up 14% since the June 10 event, and nearly 18% since the start of this year.
If Apple delivers on its promises, it could make a killing — roughly 300 million iPhones worldwide haven’t been updated in more than four years, according to a research note from Wedbush analyst Dan Ives last month.
So while Apple will likely highlight changes to various products and services, such as AirPods or even Apple TV+ on Monday, “it’s all about the iPhone upgrade cycle. Everything else is secondary,” DA Davidson analyst Gil Luria told CNN.
Whether supporting or starring, here’s everything we expect from Apple’s event.
The iPhone with AI
The company has already teased some of the things Apple Intelligence will be able to do: It will enable more natural conversations with Siri, help you compose emails, make it easier to search for specific moments in your photo albums and incorporate personal information about you into your responses. Apple’s task on Monday will be to show iPhone users how it will work in practice.
“Expect to see demonstrations of how, within your message thread, you can get summaries,” Luria said. “You’ll know why Tiffany M had a problem with Tiffany R, and you’ll be able to ask that within the chat and get an answer. Those are the kinds of things that will excite people… show some concrete examples of how users will be able to use Apple Intelligence to do things they couldn’t before.”
And while it’s not uncommon for new iPhones to get an upgraded processor chip, this change could be especially important this year to ensure the iPhone 16 can handle the increased data processing needs that will come with new AI features, without compromising battery life.
Luria added that he thinks there could also be a subtle change to the iPhone’s appearance, such as a wider screen or updated bezels, “to reinforce the idea of an upgrade cycle.”
“Something distinct about the new iPhones that will communicate to consumers that, ‘I have the new iPhone and you don’t,’ which hasn’t been the case for the last four years,” he said.
The iPhone 16 is also expected to feature a dedicated camera button, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
What will be the price of the iPhone 16?
A big question ahead of Monday’s event is how Apple will price the iPhone 16 lineup. For the past four years, the starting price for new iPhones has been $799.
Apple enthusiasts have debated for years whether iPhone models should be cheaper, while investors prefer maximum profit.
Many analysts, including Angelo Zino of CFRA Research, say Apple may modestly raise prices “across the board” for the iPhone because of the new AI features and the cost to the company of delivering them.
However, it almost certainly won’t be a significant increase because “they don’t want to lose (customers’) enthusiasm because of a price shock,” Luria said.
Other devices
There are rumors that Apple may also announce updates for the Apple Watch and AirPods.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is expected to be thinner than its predecessors but with a larger screen, and the company is also expected to launch new versions of low- and mid-priced AirPods, Gurman said, citing people familiar with the situation.
These updates will follow new software offerings for both devices that Apple announced at its annual developer conference in June.
AirPods users will be able to answer or decline a call with just a nod or shake of their head. And new vital signs monitoring on Apple Watch can notify users when they’re about to get sick, based on signals like body temperature and heart rate.
(Samantha Kelly and Ramishah Maruf contributed to this story)
This content was originally published in iPhone with AI and new Apple Watch: find out what to expect from the company’s launches on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
