Apple has recently announced a significant move to provide more users with the opportunity to test its latest software updates. This update will not only infuse the virtual assistant Siri with artificial intelligence but also introduce several automation features on the upcoming iPhone 16 series, garnering widespread attention in the industry.
Starting Thursday, Apple has made the iOS 18.1 update available for free to registered test users. It is worth noting that currently, only the two high-end iPhones released last year are equipped with the powerful processors required to run the new AI features. However, this situation will change on Friday when four new iPhone 16 models hit the market. All iPhone 16 models, priced from $800 to $1200, will support this new technology.
Apple has cleverly named this technology "Apple Intelligence" to distinguish it from similar technologies launched by Samsung and Google earlier this year on smartphones. This branding strategy not only showcases Apple's ambition in the AI field but also serves as one of the main selling points for the iPhone 16. By releasing a software test version that supports this technology in advance, Apple is undoubtedly priming the market for the new models.
Initially, the AI technology will only support American English. However, Apple plans to expand support to localized English versions in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK by December, and further extend to other languages and countries next year. This move reflects Apple's global strategy for AI.
The iOS 18.1 update will bring a significant leap for Siri. The upgraded Siri will not only be more conversational and versatile but also visually appealing—when Siri responds to user requests, a rotating glow effect will appear on the screen. Although Apple promises that Siri will be able to perform more tasks and reduce confusion, interaction with other apps on the iPhone will still require future software updates.
In addition to Siri's upgrade, new AI features include various writing and proofreading tasks, summarization of email and document content, enhanced photo editing tools, and improved image search capabilities. However, more advanced AI features, such as instant creation of custom emojis or image generation on demand, will be introduced in future updates. It is worth mentioning that Apple also plans to enable its AI suite to collaborate with OpenAI's ChatGPT when needed.
In addition to the new iPhone, last year's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, due to their special chips, will also support these AI features. Furthermore, the update will enable these two iPhone 15 models to record spatial videos, which can be viewed on Apple's $3500 Vision Pro headset.
However, this AI update is not compatible with the hundreds of millions of older iPhones still in use, a limitation that investors see as an opportunity to stimulate the recent sluggish iPhone sales. Since Apple previewed its AI strategy in June, the company's stock has risen by more than 15%, creating $500 billion in shareholder wealth. Some analysts even predict that the demand for the new iPhone could push Apple's market value above $4 trillion for the first time in the coming year.
Apple's AI update is undoubtedly a significant step in the smartphone AI competition. By combining AI technology with hardware upgrades, Apple not only showcases its technological prowess but also cleverly stimulates potential demand for the new iPhone. However, the incompatibility of new features with older devices may lead to user dissatisfaction, which will be a challenge Apple needs to address.