In yet another flashy event, Apple introduced its latest iPhone lineup, the iPhone 17, the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, and the new Slimmer version called the iPhone Air on Tuesday. “Air” branding aims to make Apple products like the MacBook Air and iPad Air other lightweight and sometimes inexpensive. But it also reminds us of a time when smartphone makers were chasing thinner phones than ever before. However, in the age of AI, the size of the device is not necessarily important. That’s what software can do to run.
On this front, Apple is slowing down its competitors.
The iPhone 17 event only looked at AI technology a few times. With some updates announced at WWDC in June, like Visual Intelligence and Device models, and some aspects of camera upgrades, and some aspects called center stage, like the front camera on the iPhone 17.
The most compelling use of AI was not introduced as a phone upgrade. It was an AI-powered live translation feature that appears in Apple’s AirPods 3.
There was no mention of any AI-powered Siri.
Much has been done about how APIING’s AI miscalculation will negatively affect industry position and future success. Meanwhile, last month, Google launched the latest release of its AI-powered Android smartphone with Pixel 10. This is because iPhone owners are still waiting for AI Siri, which is delayed until 2026.
Previously, Apple has only released AI writing tools, summaries, generated AI images (not very good for complaints), live translation, visual search, and Genmoji that can be considered baseline AI features. However, digital assistants who understand a wide range of questions without postponing ChatGpt, or who can provide more context from iPhone apps, remain postponed.
Recently, it was reported that Apple is turning to third parties to help keep up with the AI race. Ai-Enhanced Siri may be running other technologies like Google Gemini under the hood.
At first glance, this delay, combined with the decision to rely on third parties, or even a significant acquisition, could spell bad news for Apple. However, Apple’s decision to outsource some of the AI technology on mobile phones could actually be a selling point for consumers.
Today’s iPhone owners often trade Google technology for Google technology by selecting Apple apps such as Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Google Maps, Chrome, Email, ISPER Suite, Apple Maps, Safari, and more. When people search the web, they turn to Google’s search app, rather than Apple’s built-in spotlight search, despite many integrations over the years to provide basic facts and answers, despite the fact that Apple has built-in spotlight search. So why can’t they use Google’s AI technology either?
If Apple is going on third-party transactions to integrate AI into devices, it could be an even bigger win for iPhone owners. This means that high-performance AI technology will be more natively integrated into the device. It feels seamless and is part of the iPhone rather than just running AI apps. And Apple can get there without investing heavily in the infrastructure needed to compete in AI races. This is suitable for the company’s (already healthy) revenue.
Furthermore, given the speed at which AI technology is evolving, this design leaves space for Apple to expand its support for replacing models and including others, as AI companies go ahead of others.
The outcome for consumers is the best in the world of both the aesthetics of the iPhone and the quality of the hardware (thinness and everything!). This is also beneficial for Apple’s overall brand.
Additionally, the look and feel of the updated iPhone and its hardware advancements means that Apple can continue to encourage sales and upgrades, and that it can do its best.
Apple can continue to sell itself as a best-in-class hardware manufacturer, not an AI device manufacturer. Customers can still make their latest iPhones longer, as always, without sacrificing the latest technology advancements when choosing to buy a phone from Apple.
Of course, this scenario will only be unfolded if Apple chooses to launch a version of Siri that runs third-party AI technology to run its own (or if you’re buying an AI company). However, if Apple decides to rely solely on offering Apple Intelligence without speeding up quickly, the results can be very different.
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