Apple AI to shine at iPhone 16 Series Launch?

Apple is heavily invested in the success of the potential iPhone 16, banking on customers being drawn to purchase the newest models due to the appeal of enhanced AI capabilities.

Apple is set to unveil its newest iPhone models on Monday, featuring advanced generative AI capabilities in an effort to boost sales of its flagship product. The company, established by Steve Jobs, has been tight-lipped about the details of the upcoming launch event named "Glowtime" at its Cupertino headquarters in Silicon Valley. Traditionally, this time of year marks Apple's update of its iPhone range. Apple is banking heavily on the success of the iPhone 16, counting on customers being drawn to the latest models for their enhanced AI functionalities.

Apple's iPhone, which generated $39 billion in sales last quarter, accounts for about 60 percent of the company's revenue and serves as the primary gateway to its services like the App Store and Apple TV, which are increasingly important for its business. Apple is emerging from a prolonged sales decline as users hold onto their older models for longer periods. "The iPhone 16 is poised to be a major iPhone release, not due to external changes but because of its internal features, particularly Apple Intelligence," stated Dipanjan Chatterjee, principal analyst at Forrester.

Introduced at the company's annual developers conference in June, "Apple Intelligence" is a new set of software features for all devices, along with a collaboration with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. In the near future, these features will include AI-powered image editing, translation, and subtle, creative enhancements in messaging, rather than the more ambitious advancements promised by other AI companies like OpenAI or Google.

'Super-powered Siri'

Apple announced that its digital assistant Siri will receive an AI enhancement and will now be represented as a pulsating light on the edge of the home screen.

"Siri will play a significant role," noted Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi during Monday's event.

Debuted over 12 years ago, Siri has been perceived as an outdated feature, outpaced by a new wave of assistants like GPT-4o, the latest offering from OpenAI.

Industry experts anticipate that Apple will unveil iPhone 16 models equipped with customized chips capable of supporting these AI functionalities, including the Siri update.

Through the integration of AI capabilities, Apple aims to challenge the notion that iPhone releases are merely incremental improvements in hardware and software, according to insights from Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart.

In the long run, Apple could revolutionize the iPhone user experience by implementing a "supercharged Siri" that operates seamlessly across all applications, Greengart suggested.